Klarinet Archive - Posting 000964.txt from 2000/08

From: "David B. Niethamer" <dnietham@-----.edu>
Subj: Re: [kl] Making reeds vs. playing
Date: Mon, 28 Aug 2000 23:39:03 -0400

on 8/28/00 1:09 AM, William Wright wrote:

>Is there a reason (other than the pleasure of craftsmanship) for a
>clarinetist to make his or her own reeds -- as opposed to merely
>adjusting store-bought reeds?

Yes, if you're a professional player. They last a lot longer, and once
broken in, are a lot more stable. At the time I had a studio of kids who
were mostly ready to start exploring this, and hands on is the best way.
You can describe the process in about 30 minutes - everything else is
trial and error, and experience.

on 8/28/00 9:29 AM, David Blumberg wrote:

>I have
>know players to use a hand-made reed for over 2 months where a store bought
>reed will last 2-3 weeks if that.

David, I have reeds in my case from last May! When I get a particularly
good one, I give it regular but light duty, and drag it out for
appropriate concerts until it gets relegated to the Pops concert reed
case - for over amplified concerts where tone is no object!

on 8/28/00 10:33 AM, William Wright wrote:

>Which part of the operation can I (if I learn how) do better than a
>factory's production line does? Is it something simple such as (say)
>sanding the reed one extra time after everything else is done?

Making and "curing" the blank is the crucial part for me, and this "step"
can be a week long process. Two tubes can be reduced to 16 blanks in
about 2 or 2.5 hours (I split this chore over 2 days). "Curing" the
blanks by soaking them for 20 minutes then filing them flat is a process
that I do while I practice, and takes about 30 minutes each day. Since 20
minutes of this is soaking time, it's also practice time. This sort of
process is not cost effective for a reed manufacturer.

Neil Leupold gave a lot of decent advice. If you want a good routine for
reed break-in, see Larry Guy's book about "Adjusting Single Reeds" -
can't remember the exact title, and I'm too lazy to go upstairs and look
it up. Gary Van Cott has it. It has a great plan for the ten day break-in
of new reeds, and a lot of other useful information.

I make 6-8 reeds a month. I break them in over 2-3 weeks in my daily
practice. When they're ready, I take the best 3 or four to an orchestra
rehearsal and try them on stage, in the heat of battle. Then I have what
I jokingly call the "Reed Olympics". I have a reed case for 12 reeds,
which is really already too many to keep track of for me, Neil, how you
keep 3-4 boxes going is beyond me - maybe some sophisticated database
system you learned in MBA school?!? ;-) The "losers" of the reed
Olympics go to the Pops case of 4 reeds, where the best 4 stay for those
"special occasions"!

I find that this process gives me a lot less reed anxiety on a weekly
basis. If you're playing just a few hours a week for fun and your time is
limited, this may not be for you!

BTW Neil, I always try new reeds right off the ReeDuAl (a reed making
machine) all the way up to altissimo C and D if the reed will do it. I
don't do it repeatedly, and/or loudly (FFFF) but I do it daily. Doesn't
seem to hurt in the long run. I do limit the length of playing time for
the first 6/7 times, and after while you can feel if the reed gets too
waterlogged and stops responding. That's when to dry it off, put it in
the case, and come back tomorrow.

Two bits of news from ClarinetFest 2000. 1.) Zonda Classico reeds have
pretty nice cane in them. The sample I got was quite good and I could
consider using them on stage. I like the cut better than the standard
Zonda. 2.) Robert DeLutis makes a mean reed making machine, and I want
one! I'm saving my pennies.

My $0.02

David

David Niethamer
Principal Clarinet, Richmond Symphony
dnietham@-----.edu
http://members.aol.com/dbnclar1/

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