Klarinet Archive - Posting 001389.txt from 1998/10

From: "David C. Blumberg" <reedman@-----.com>
Subj: [kl] re:Reed performance - altitude difference
Date: Fri, 30 Oct 1998 20:12:51 -0500

>The higher your elevation, the softer reed you will need. Any
elevation
>change of more than 2000 feet will make a noticable difference. I have
>heard that some reed players in military touring bands actually have
reeds
>labelled by altitude, ie, set of reeds play best at 7000ft, set that
play
>best at 6000ft.
There was a study done on this very thing, discussed at ClarinetFest
this year. The study showed that that this effect is seen, not in the
physical domain dealing with the reed, but as a _physiological_ effect.
The inside of your mouth provides a relatively constant humidity and
temperature for the reed. Regardless of altitude, the reed's environment
while being played is pretty much the same.
However, your _tissues_ (tongue, lips, oral cavity, etc.) change
significantly with altitude. The result is that reeds _don't_ play the
same at different altitudes, but it ain't the reed's fault! The reed
stays constant, while your body changes around it!
----
Mark Charette@-----.org
Webmaster, http://www.sneezy.org/clarinet
All-around good guy and devil-may-care flying fool.
"There can be no freedom without discipline." - Nadia Boulanger

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What about the difference in the air density at different altitudes??? That
would certainly affect the reed vibrating. There is quite a difference if I am
playing in the Teton Mountains or Philadelphia.
David Blumberg
reedman@-----.com
http://www.sneezy.org/clarinet/Music/Blumberg.html
http://members.aol.com/cwindz/galper.html

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