Klarinet Archive - Posting 001309.txt from 1998/01

From: avrahm galper <agalper@-----.com>
Subj: Re: BREAKING IN REEDS
Date: Wed, 28 Jan 1998 14:27:49 -0500

Fred Jacobowitz wrote:
>
> Avrahm,
> I respectfully disagree. While there is a certain amount of truth
> to your assertions, my experience is that reeds DO change - sometimes
> alot, and in an extremely short space of time. They are pieces of wood
> and everyone knows that wood is GREATLY affected by climate conditions
> such as humidity and temperature. The better players are
> better at adapting to the changes and have such good technique that they
> can play well *even* with a mediocre reed.
> I have found, however, that good reeds tend to play well in most
> conditions. But, reeds do change, such as my good summer reeds, which
> become soft and feel like #2's in the dry winter air.
>
> Fred Jacobowitz
> Clarinet/Sax Instructor, Peabody Preparatory
>
> On Fri, 30 Jan 1998, avrahm galper wrote:
>
> > Breaking in Reeds. Daniel Bonade (Part 1)
> > This appeared in the Clarinet Quarterly 1954
> >
> > Many times one will hear a clarinet player boastfully say, "I usually
> > can find only one good or two good reeds in a hundred".
> > Another common remark is" My reeds last me only one week."
> >
> > The above remarks reveal two things about those who make them:They do
> > not know very much about reeds, and they do not have good embouchures
> > The better the players, the less reeds he will use.
> > A player's ability and knowledge can be accurately determined by the
> > number of reeds he uses over the period of a year. Of course, one must
> > allow for the amount of playing done.
> > Here is another remark one will hear- and often from good players:
> > "My reed went well at the concert last night but this morning it is
> > terrible."
> > This appear to be the truth; it is a fact that the reed won't go. The
> > fault lies, however, not in the reed but rather in the players'
> > embouchure that changed overnight
> > His lips have rested and the muscles are relaxed; therefore, his
> > pressure upon the reed has changed.
> > The same thing happens when one is touring; temperatures, climates,
> > altitude, food water etc. are constantly affecting changes in the
> > embouchure.
> >
> > A flute player does not rush to the store to buy a new head joint when
> > he picks up his flute in the morning and hears a bad tone. No: he works
> > hard to get normal flexibility back in his embouchure.
> > So we can take a tip from the flutists and learn that our embouchures
> > are constantly changing much more than we had realized- and this is
> > the important point to be kept in minds when preparing new reeds.
> > After playing a new reed for five minutes, the embouchure has radically
> > changed because it has begun to adapt itself to the new reed.
> > How foolish it would be to find a perfect reed at that particular
> > moment
> > Further, reeds change radically in their behavior the first few hours
> > of alternate playing and drying, and one can never be sure how they are
> > going to turn out
> > Pretty grim picture isn't it?
> > But don't give up, because there is a method, which allows for the
> > above complications and yet will bring good results.
> >
> > Avrahm Galper
> >
> > The Upbeat Baerman Melodic Scales
> > http://www.sneezy.org/avrahm_galper/index.html
> >