Klarinet Archive - Posting 000208.txt from 1998/01

From: Roger Garrett <rgarrett@-----.edu>
Subj: Re: swabbing really does wear it out (retransmitted)
Date: Tue, 6 Jan 1998 08:18:13 -0500

On Sun, 4 Jan 1998, Bill Hausmann wrote:
> Roger, I quoted straight out of one of the books that qualifies as a
> saxophone player's bible, written by a highly respected teacher. "The Art
> of Saxophone Playing" by Larry Teal, Copyright 1963 Summy-Birchard Music,
> page 21. The book is still in print, although the publisher may have
> changed. The quote from the published article is identified as being used
> with permission of the Acoustical Society of America. Maybe the next
> paragraph (Teal's words) will further clarify:
> "This scientific evidence of the reed's action is a major contribution to
> both our general knowledge and to the methods of procedure in fitting and
> shaping the reed to the mouthpiece. The importance of these findings lies
> in the fact that the reed must close along the *facing* as well as the
> *tip* of the mouthpiece, and that both sides must seal simultaneously.
> This explains the need for "balancing" the reed along the curve of the
> facing, so that the reed will curl around the facing with a sealing
> effect." (emphasis his, although he used italics instead of "* *")

I appreciate the information....you have quoted it accurately. I simply
do not agree that the tip closes.....I believe it does not. Regarding the
reed vibrating along the rail and, therefore, impacting to some incredibly
small degree with the rails, no problem there....it has to impact
somewhere - a point of no return is somewhere between the middle of the
reed (at the rail) and the tip. I cannot agree with the tip closing -
regardless of what is reported in Teal's book. This would be especially
true with a saxophone reed/mouthpiece where the curve is much greater.

Roger Garrett
IWU