Klarinet Archive - Posting 000231.txt from 1998/02

From: Roger Garrett <rgarrett@-----.edu>
Subj: Re: Warped Reeds
Date: Thu, 5 Feb 1998 04:42:07 -0500

On Wed, 4 Feb 1998 Jdclar@-----.com wrote:

> Hello, I'm looking for possible causes for my reed warping. It warps from left
> to right instead of heel to tip. This has happened several times in the last
> year. I have never experienced it before then or at least didn't realize it.

A reed almost always warps the width rather than the length of the reed.

> The reed stops responding and acts as if it were dry. When I lay it on a flat
> surface it rocks from left to right. Rubbing the back of the reed over a file
> shows that the materials is raised in the center along the length of the reed.
> I have had reeds warp 90 degrees to this direction but warping across the
> width is new to me. It has happened with different types of reeds and
> different ligatures. The mouthpiece (Fobes) does not appear to be warped using
> a straight edge but Clark has offered to check it for me. Is this normal and
> I am just now getting my fair share of a typical headache?

Warping reeds is very normal. There have been many discussions about
preparation of reeds before playing on them, to help prevent warping. You
can check the archives for these discussions. If you have trouble finding
the information, please email me privately, and I can tell you what I do
to my commercial reeds......since I have already posted it twice in the
past year, I am fairly certain another posting would result in hate mail!
(come to think of it, the second posting resulted in a little of that....)

Roger Garrett
IWU

   
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