Klarinet Archive - Posting 000780.txt from 2000/05

From: "Kevin Callahan" <kionon@-----.com>
Subj: Re: [kl] keeping the moisture in the reeds
Date: Tue, 16 May 2000 20:28:44 -0400

>From: LeliaLoban@-----.com
>Reply-To: klarinet@-----.org
>To: klarinet@-----.org
>Subject: [kl] keeping the moisture in the reeds
>Date: Tue, 16 May 2000 08:41:08 EDT
>
>Nicholas Yip wrote,
> > I was wondering how most of you keep the moisture in the reeds when
> >you are not playing on them? A humidifier costs way too much for me to
> >afford. Are there any other ways such as taping a wet sponge to the
>inside
> >of a box and putting the reeds in there? This would be great for my old
> >reeds. This would also be great for my new ones, once broken into.
>
>I do my best to *prevent* moisture from staying in the reeds. Here in the
>Washington, D. C. area, my reeds get moldy, mildewy and generally icky if
>they stay wet. After I'm done practicing, I rinse the reed in water and
>blot
>off the excess, then let the reed dry out, in the simplest open plastic
>reed
>holder I could get (Vito). Once a week, I rinse my reeds in a mixture of
>water and a mouthwash that contains alcohol. I ignore the slight warping
>or
>rippling that develops along the tip edge of the reed overnight, because
>it
>disappears quickly once I re-wet the reed and start playing on it.
>
>Lelia,
>playing in the key of "off" in northern Virginia.
>

On this note, recently, like int he past two days, my reeds have become
extremely moldy to the point I had to throw all my broken in back ups away
too! Rinsing them in mouthwash prevents this, you say? What if they already
have mold on them, will it work still? If not, are they safe to play on?

Kevin Callahan
Moldy reeds are BAD
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