Klarinet Archive - Posting 001080.txt from 2001/02

From: Neil Leupold <leupold_1@-----.com>
Subj: Re: [kl] Warped reeds
Date: Tue, 27 Feb 2001 23:38:52 -0500

--- Anne Lenoir <AnneLenoir@-----.net> wrote:

> Neil, the mouthpiece is still on the clarinet, without the ligature. I
> hold the reed in my right hand, not parallel to, but perpindicular to,
> the mouthpiece, place the tip of the reed on the bottom flat part of the
> mouthpiece, then rub the tip of the reed gently gently for a few
> seconds. I would rub it on a piece of glass, but this is quicker and I
> have perfected the process over the years.

Is the reed held perfectly stationary, as opposed to itself being wiggled
by the butt up & down while applying pressure to the tip via the thumb?
I've seen players do it this way, and I nearly got into the habit myself
until I pondered its potential negative effects. The "bottom flat part of
the mouthpiece," of course, is the table, and I shy away from the idea of
doing anything that could cause premature warpage or erosion of the table.
Whether the table was designed to be perfectly flat or slightly convex, it's
a bad idea to enact a routine that would alter that design (which includes
making it more convex than originally intended, especially only in one
spot). Changes occur over time with use anyway, of course. If all
you're doing is holding the reed tip against the table without moving
it, and then just smoothing it down with your thumb, I don't imagine
that doing any damage within a person's lifetime.

-- Neil

> ATTACHMENT part 2 message/rfc822
> Reply-to: klarinet@-----.org
> Date: Tue, 27 Feb 2001 09:46:42 -0800 (PST)
> From: Neil Leupold <leupold_1@-----.com>
> To: klarinet@-----.org
> Subject: Re: [kl] Warped reeds
>
> --- Anne Lenoir <AnneLenoir@-----.net> wrote:
>
> > Donna, I developed a habit of wetting a reed, then placing the tip on
> > the flat surface of the mouthpiece and rubbing it with my left thumb for
> > about 10 seconds before putting the reed and ligature on the mouthpiece.
> > This flattens out the reed and the warps. It usually works for me. I
> > can't remember where I learned it. ANNIE
>
> Do you suppose this repeated rubbing/flattening of the reed against the
> mouthpiece, in the same small place on the table, over & over again over
> time, might alter the mouthpiece negatively?
>
> -- N
>
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