Klarinet Archive - Posting 001079.txt from 2001/02

From: rgarrett@-----.edu
Subj: Re: [kl] Warped reeds
Date: Tue, 27 Feb 2001 22:28:41 -0500

At 12:05 PM 02/27/2001 -0500, you wrote:
>NEVER put a wet reed to dry on a flat, impervious surface like a
>glass plate. This causes the top of the reed to dry quickly (it is
>exposed to the air) and the bottom to dry much later (as it is not exposed
>to the air). Any time you take a piece of wood this thin and dry it
>unevenly on its two sides, the reed is guaranteed to suffer internal
>stresses, often causing the bottom to become convex as the rails pull off
>the glass plate as they dry first. SOLUTION...dry your reed thorougly
>before putting it away, or turn it upside on the kitchen table (label up)
>to dry (air can now get around both sides of the vamp).
>
>As a result of the drying strategy in #2, I never have any warped reeds.
>I suggest you all try "bottoms up" as an anti-warpage approach to drying
>the reeds.

Howard is advocating the same procedure as Greg Smith. Both of these
gentlemen are top notch players and teachers.

However, the procedure they recommend against is discussed at great length
by William Stubbins in his book, "The Art of Clarinetistry," and it was
advocated by John Mohler - who made his own reeds - and made them very well
(and was Bob Spring's teacher - who, like me - learned to make reeds from
John). The storage on glass technique obviously has its believers and
non-believers. I am one of the former, and my reeds play wonderfully when
stored on glass!

Best wishes,
Roger Garrett

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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