Klarinet Archive - Posting 000790.txt from 1998/02

From: Shouryu Nohe <jnohe@-----.edu>
Subj: Bass Reeds
Date: Sat, 21 Feb 1998 00:17:53 -0500

Concerning Reed length:
I find Vandorens are typically longer than other brands of bass reeds. I
haven't compared them with sax reeds though.

I have played on tenor sax reeds, however.

So far I've played on:

Vandies
Vandie Sx V16s
Ricos (bleh)
Marcas
Hemkes (sx)
Plasticover
Bari plastic

I have not found a reed that gives me as a consistent tone through ALL
registers of the bass as the Vandie Bass reeds. Marcas come in a close
second - they sound nice in the chalameu, but suck rocks in the clarion.
I don't particularly care for the tenor reeds. Sax reeds are usually cut
a little different than clarinet reeds (thinner or a gentler slope from
the top of the vamp to the tip). They don't last as long, either.

The trick to getting bass reeds to play right is to make sure that they
are sitting against the mpiece correctly. Because the reeds are soooo
huge, the warp REAL easily. So now the back of your reed is warped
convex, and won't seal against the facing/table of your mpiece correctly.
Soak it, seal it, repeat until you don't see any air bubbles on the vamp
when you blow through the butt (heel) of the reed. Then sand the back of
the reed until it doesn't rock when you lay it on glass. Play on it for
about five minutes, let it dry completely, check to see if it rocks. It
probably will. Sand it again. Repeat until reed stops warping (usually
after third or fourth sanding, sometimes five or six for contra reeds).
If the reed sits for over a year (climate changes), you may need to sand
it again (on occasion). Your bass reeds will play like a DREAM if you do
this - you'll be throwing a lot less away. On a good (tuned) bass, I can
take a Vandie that's been broken in and play up to C4 in tune. (I can do
it with the others too, but it's either badly tuned, or badly toned).

Tenor reeds tend to turn the clarion sound a bit reedy, like the marcas.
While they may be in tune compared to bass reeds, you most likely won't
get them to sound nearly as sweet.

Shouryu Nohe
http://web.nmsu.edu/~jnohe
ICQ: 6771552
New Mexico State Univ.
Gee, since Americans and Europeans throw rice at weddings, should I be
throwing burgers?