Klarinet Archive - Posting 000499.txt from 1998/09

From: <kbowman@-----.com>
Subj: Re: [kl] Vandoren Reed Case fom V.D. web page
Date: Tue, 15 Sep 1998 14:11:00 -0400

Teri Herel wrote (in part):
[clip]
I have found in the older style Vandoren reed cases that were not numbered,
I had to come up with my own system for remembering which reed was which.
My ingenious solution was to put pieces of masking tape on the outside and
write numbers on the masking tape. However, it is a well known fact that
if the markings of a non-water soluble pen get wet, they will run on masking
tape,making reading the numbers difficult at best.
[clip]

I use the Vandoren reed cases for my sax reeds (I only keep 4 in rotation
because I'm *much* less particular about them than my clarinet reeds). I
think I had my cases (one for alto, one for tenor) for about 4 years
before I realized there were little dots at the top of each slot, thereby
providing a numbering system for preventing "mudding"! Of course, it's
very difficult to see these dots in a dimly lit bar - where most of my
sax playing occurs. So I use a different method - I mark on the butt of
the read itself with a black felt-tip marker - one to four little lines.
When, say, the number 3 reed finally dies (or loses responsiveness), I
replace it with one from new stock (I always keep another 4 or 5 ready
to go into rotation - just laying on a plate at home) and number it the
same as the one I removed (3). The black stripes on the butt of a light-
colored reed are very easy to see and you never have to worry about
"mudding" your reeds :)

Kevin Bowman

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