Klarinet Archive - Posting 000116.txt from 1998/08

From: "David C. Blumberg" <reedman@-----.com>
Subj: [kl] re:reed strength
Date: Mon, 3 Aug 1998 23:25:33 -0400

Date: Mon, 03 Aug 1998 21:47:23 -0400
From: Bill Hausmann <bhausman@-----.com>
Subject: Re: [kl] Reed question
At 02:04 PM 8/3/98 +0100, Roger Shilcock wrote:
>Not necessarily equivalent --- stiffer reeds quite often have closer
>grain, and this matters - esp. with bass clar reeds, surely?
>
Yes, I know. I was being facetious. As I understand it, MOST of the
difference is in the consistency of the reed material itself, and little or
none is in the actual thickness of the cut. But my suggestion at least
keeps people from sneering at your #3's while they proudly display their
#5's, which make them, in their eyes at least, exactly 2 times better than
you.
>> At 11:03 PM 7/31/98 -0700, Matt Palasik wrote:
>> >well it all depends on the type of reed too. But try a 3 or 3.5
>> >vandoran and if its too hard sand the table of the reed with 600 grit
>> >sandpaper to soften it
>> >
>> So THAT'S what you stiff-reed guys do -- buy 5's and SAND THEM DOWN to 2
>> 1/2's! Wouldn't it be easier to just buy a box of 5's, throw the reeds
>> away (or shingle the roof with them), and fill the box with reeds that can
>> actually be played? :-)
>>
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

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It has little to do with the thickness of the cut. It has everything to do
with
the density of the cane. That's why the butt of the reed has marks in it -
from the needle measuring the density and grading the reed accordingly.

David Blumberg
reedman@-----.com
http://www.sneezy.org/clarinet/Music/Blumberg.html

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