Klarinet Archive - Posting 001078.txt from 2001/02

From: rgarrett@-----.edu
Subj: Re: [kl] Warped Reeds
Date: Tue, 27 Feb 2001 22:23:32 -0500

At 09:15 PM 02/27/2001 -0500, you wrote:
>If the tables of the reeds are warping (not the "ribbon tip" problem you
>described), the sandpaper of the table often works but destroys the sound.

Not true. Sandpaper does not destroy the "sound" (whatever that means).

> A better solution is one that is applied when the reeds are new. After=
they
>have first been played and left to dry overnight, but before you wet them a
>second time, get a sharp beveled edge knife. Place the knife on the table=
of
>the reed and using NO PRESSURE AT ALL, scrape from a point a centimeter or
>so below the tip all the way to the butt. Do this 6 or 7 times. You should
>notice a find dust on the knife after this. If you have ANY reed fiber at
>all, you're pressing too hard. Anyway, this dust is (according to an
>excellent book by Larry Guy, I believe) is called "pith". Removing it early
>in the reed's life will help prevent warping of the table later on. You
>should do this every day for the first three or four days of the reed's
>life. It's a tricky procedure, and the trick is to use absolutely no
>pressure@-----.
>That's basically a disaster.

Sanding with 320 grit and 600 does the same thing. And, if the reed is=20
severely warped, you will remove the same amount of material with less=20
precision with a knife.

>The other things to make sure of is that your knife is nice and sharp=20
>(something I've not ever been good at, personally)

Then how do you know this works???????

>and that you start at a point pretty far down from the tip. If you start=20
>at the tip with this "dusting off" procedure (again according to this=20
>book), you could ruin the reed, especially if the reed has the "ribbon=20
>tip" you mentioned.

According to the book.......does this mean you have not tested it???

>This "ribbon tip", though, is usually fairly inconsequential; you can=20
>correct it by soaking the reed for a couple minutes and blowing some long=
=20
>tones. Eventually it'll straigthen itself out (quicker than you may think).

No.......Howard Klug had it right when he said that it is simply the reed=20
tip soaking at an uneven rate. Soak it in water until the tip evens=20
out. Period.

>The "rubdown" described also works, but you have to make absolutely sure=20
>it's a completely flat surface. A small piece of plate glass works fine.=20
>On another note (so to speak), those Vandoren reed cases are great for=20
>preventing table warpage. The trick to preventing mold is to take out the=
=20
>little charcoal thingy in the middle. Once that's gone, you'll have=20
>nothing to worry about from mold. Selmer also makes a great reed case, but=
=20
>it's pretty expensive.

According to Klug and Smith, you can't store on glass because it will=20
warp. So - your explanation regarding storage conflicts with itself.

RG

Roger Garrett
Clarinet Professor
Director, Symphonic Winds
Advisor, IWU Recording Services
Illinois Wesleyan University
School of Music
Bloomington, IL 61702-2900
Phone: (309) 556-3268
Fax: (309) 556-3121

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