Klarinet Archive - Posting 001306.txt from 1998/01
From: avrahm galper <agalper@-----.com>
Subj: BREAKING IN REEDS by DANIEL BONADE (Part 2)
Date: Wed, 28 Jan 1998 14:27:46 -0500
Breaking in Reeds by DANIEL BONADE (part 2)
Here is the routine to follow when preparing new reeds.
Select four or five reeds out of a box that sound good.
At this stage it does not matter whether they are too strong or too
soft, but only that they sound"healthy."
Wet each reed thoroughly, place it on a glass and massage it for some
time until the ends of the tiny tubular fibers which have been cut open
are pressed together.
Try the reed.
If it is too soft, clip it to the desired strength.
If it is too hard, do not scrape it yet, for it may become soft after
playing.
Repeat the same routine with each reed.
Then it is important to leave them alone for some time in order that
they may dry out and that the embouchure can rest
After trying five reeds, the embouchure is not worth a dime!
The following time each reed should be played only five minutes, because
good live cane loses its resilience fast in the early stages
Let the reed dry out for an hour or two and try them again.
This time, those that are too soft can be clipped to the right strength;
those that are too hard can be softened by lightly scraping the lower
right edge.
At this point, it is important to leave the reeds alone for a day, after
which they should be played a few minutes and clipped or scraped. This
is the "breaking in" period
By this time, a marked difference in playing qualities among reeds will
be noticeable, and the tendency will be to select the best one and play
it to the most.
If you are not in a desperate need of a reed, do not play the best of
the five, but the worst- the best reed will seem better than it is.
Continue the routine of playing, clipping and scraping of the reeds for
several more days so that proper resistance can be achieved.
Not until after the reeds are thoroughly broken in- and then-should an
attempt is made to fix them; in other words, balance them so that they
will vibrate properly.
In the breaking in period, the main object was to get the proper
resistance in the reed so that it will resist and at the same time be
controlled by the pressure of the embouchure, and to bring the cane to
the point where it will hold up when played.
This has been achieved despite the fact that both the reed and the
embouchure were in a state of constant flux.
At this stage, however, the reed may not play properly--it may have a
mediocre tone and not produce a satisfactory pp, etc.
The remedy is to know how to fix reeds, and it would require several
articles merely to explain the rudiments of the art.
Breaking in Reeds by DANIEL BONADE (part 2)
Here is the routine to follow when preparing new reeds.
Select four or five reeds out of a box that sound good.
At this stage it does not matter whether they are too strong or too
soft, but only that they sound"healthy."
Wet each reed thoroughly, place it on a glass and massage it for some
time until the ends of the tiny tubular fibers which have been cut open
are pressed together.
Try the reed.
If it is too soft, clip it to the desired strength.
If it is too hard, do not scrape it yet, for it may become soft after
playing.
Repeat the same routine with each reed.
Then it is important to leave them alone for some time in order that
they may dry out and that the embouchure can rest
After trying five reeds, the embouchure is not worth a dime!
The following time each reed should be played only five minutes, because
good live cane loses its resilience fast in the early stages
Let the reed dry out for an hour or two and try them again.
This time, those that are too soft can be clipped to the right strength;
those that are too hard can be softened by lightly scraping the lower
right edge.
At this point, it is important to leave the reeds alone for a day, after
which they should be played a few minutes and clipped or scraped. This
is the "breaking in" period
By this time, a marked difference in playing qualities among reeds will
be noticeable, and the tendency will be to select the best one and play
it to the most.
If you are not in a desperate need of a reed, do not play the best of
the five, but the worst- the best reed will seem better than it is.
Continue the routine of playing, clipping and scraping of the reeds for
several more days so that proper resistance can be achieved.
Not until after the reeds are thoroughly broken in- and then-should an
attempt is made to fix them; in other words, balance them so that they
will vibrate properly.
In the breaking in period, the main object was to get the proper
resistance in the reed so that it will resist and at the same time be
controlled by the pressure of the embouchure, and to bring the cane to
the point where it will hold up when played.
This has been achieved despite the fact that both the reed and the
embouchure were in a state of constant flux.
At this stage, however, the reed may not play properly--it may have a
mediocre tone and not produce a satisfactory pp, etc.
The remedy is to know how to fix reeds, and it would require several
articles merely to explain the rudiments of the art.
Breaking in Reeds by DANIEL BONADE (part 2)
Here is the routine to follow when preparing new reeds.
Select four or five reeds out of a box that sound good.
At this stage it does not matter whether they are too strong or too
soft, but only that they sound"healthy."
Wet each reed thoroughly, place it on a glass and massage it for some
time until the ends of the tiny tubular fibers which have been cut open
are pressed together.
Try the reed.
If it is too soft, clip it to the desired strength.
If it is too hard, do not scrape it yet, for it may become soft after
playing.
Repeat the same routine with each reed.
Then it is important to leave them alone for some time in order that
they may dry out and that the embouchure can rest
After trying five reeds, the embouchure is not worth a dime!
The following time each reed should be played only five minutes, because
good live cane loses its resilience fast in the early stages
Let the reed dry out for an hour or two and try them again.
This time, those that are too soft can be clipped to the right strength;
those that are too hard can be softened by lightly scraping the lower
right edge.
At this point, it is important to leave the reeds alone for a day, after
which they should be played a few minutes and clipped or scraped. This
is the "breaking in" period
By this time, a marked difference in playing qualities among reeds will
be noticeable, and the tendency will be to select the best one and play
it to the most.
If you are not in a desperate need of a reed, do not play the best of
the five, but the worst- the best reed will seem better than it is.
Continue the routine of playing, clipping and scraping of the reeds for
several more days so that proper resistance can be achieved.
Not until after the reeds are thoroughly broken in- and then-should an
attempt is made to fix them; in other words, balance them so that they
will vibrate properly.
In the breaking in period, the main object was to get the proper
resistance in the reed so that it will resist and at the same time be
controlled by the pressure of the embouchure, and to bring the cane to
the point where it will hold up when played.
This has been achieved despite the fact that both the reed and the
embouchure were in a state of constant flux.
At this stage, however, the reed may not play properly--it may have a
mediocre tone and not produce a satisfactory pp, etc.
The remedy is to know how to fix reeds, and it would require several
articles merely to explain the rudiments of the art.
Avrahm Galper
The upbeat Baermann Melodic Scales
http://www.sneezy.org/avrahm_galper/index.html
