Klarinet Archive - Posting 000191.txt from 1998/02

From: Jeremy Pickett <jerp@-----.com>
Subj: Re: BREAKING IN REEDS by DANIEL BONADE (part 3)
Date: Thu, 5 Feb 1998 04:41:27 -0500

I am sorry about my abbreviated and unclear email. please believe that it
is a lack of writing skill, and not expertise. I left out many concepts
and ideas that are important to how a reed works. I did this because I
did not consider them important at the time to the discussion of the reed
as an entity, instead of dealing with the whole system.

On Tue, 3 Feb 1998, Bill Hausmann wrote:

> 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.
>
First off, this is a clunky paragraph. second off, it does not deal with
the air pressure and air speed differences in the mouthpiece. However, if
you have a reed whose fibers are limp, the wave that returns from the bell
of the instrument would not have anough force to open it. I am sure we
have all experienced such a limp reed, that when we blow on it with mild
pressure, the reed closes and will not open. again, I am sorry that I did
not address the whole issue.

>
> >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.
>
Again, this was a very badly worded paragraph. when i was refering to
"problems...when the heart is much too thin" I was refering to why many
teachers tell their students not to touch the heart of the reed when they
are doing reed work. Now, I do not what to get dinged for saying that
teachers say that students shouldn't touch the heart. This has been my
personal experience, and that of many of my collegues, and it is what I
teach.

again, I am sorry for spreading misinformation via bad writing skills.
thanks you very much!

Jeremy

> >
> 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.
>