Klarinet Archive - Posting 000161.txt from 1998/02

From: Bill Hausmann <bhausman@-----.com>
Subj: Re: BREAKING IN REEDS by DANIEL BONADE (part 3)
Date: Tue, 3 Feb 1998 18:36:44 -0500

At 05:16 PM 2/2/98 -0800, Jeremy Pickett wrote:
>third, how the sound is made is critical. the reed vibrates at a certain
>rate per second. only the very tip of the reed should ever touch the very
>tip of the mouthpiece. not only that, the entire curvature of the reed
>must touch the entire curvature of the mouthpiece. if not, a clear sound
>will not be produced. if more than just the tip closes on the
>mouthpiece, the reed will have a tendancy to not spring back. that, also,
>will not produce a good sound.
>
You might want to check the archives. There was recent discussion about
reed/rail contact, and your understanding of it does not appear to be correct.

>when a person says to you "never touch the center of the reed", that is
>generally a good idea. the reed manufacturers are usually pretty
>good about being close to the correct thickness that the 'heart' of a reed
>must be. that being said, the reed may also have problems in that area.
>the problems comes in when the heart is much too thin. that is why people
>say don't touch the center. if it is too thin, it is very difficult, and
>usualy not worth it, to try and fix the reed. most of the time, what you
>are doing when you are doing reed work, is making the curves that the
>vamp, heart, rails, and tip of the reed must have.

All reeds (of a given brand and style) are cut to the same thickness. Then
they are graded for strength. Denser reed blanks will have produced firmer
reeds, less dense blanks softer ones. A heart will not be too thin, but it
may be too soft.

Bill Hausmann bhausman@-----.com
451 Old Orchard Drive http://www.concentric.net/~bhausman
Essexville, MI 48732 http://members.wbs.net/homepages/z/o/o/zoot14.html
ICQ UIN 4862265

If you have to mic a saxophone, the rest of the band is too loud.