Klarinet Archive - Posting 000537.txt from 1998/04

From: "Kevin Fay" <kevinfay@-----.com>
Subj: Re: Reed Life Span
Date: Fri, 10 Apr 1998 22:08:32 -0400

I play clarinet. My wife plays oboe in our wind ensemble (Monday
nights) and flute in our orchestra (Wednesday nights). She is much
crankier on Monday nights.

kjf

----Original Message Follows----
From: C E Field <CEField@-----.com>
Date: Tue, 7 Apr 1998 16:23:00 EDT
Subject: Reed Life Span

My experience is that some reeds seem to last forever (or at least a
month
which is like forever if you play a lot). On the other hand, some reeds
crap
out on the first try. You can occasionally take a "bad" reed, set it
aside,
try it during another season (climatic, that is), and the reed will
suddenly
come to life.

I know one professional player whose everyday reeds look like he used
them
when he played during World War II. The Board of Health would shut down
this
guy's reed case in a heartbeat...but who am I to criticize? When this
man
plays, the angels draw near.

The good news is that as much as we obsess over reeds, clarinetists are
not
nearly as neurotic as oboe players are. Their reed variables are
exponential
compared to ours.

Cindy

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