Klarinet Archive - Posting 000511.txt from 2002/10

From: MVinquist@-----.com
Subj: [kl] Whacky reed problem
Date: Sun, 20 Oct 2002 14:07:22 -0400

Bruce -

I can think of several possibilities:

(1) Does this happen with all your student's reeds, or just this one? She
should try several.

(2) Her reed may be warped down the center on the bottom. Put it on a sheet
of 600 grit sandpaper on a flat surface (preferably plate glass) and, with
your fingers only on the bark, polish it down until the entire bottom surface
is shiny.

(3) Pressure in the "heart" area down the center of the vamp can weaken that
area and make the reed close up. Make sure your student isn't pressing on
that area with her thumb to make the response easier. The Reedguard holder
does the same thing. Experiment with the plastic holders that Vandorens come
in, or even an old-fashioned cardboard and paper holder.

(4) The Gigliotti ligature has four nibs at the corners that hold the reed
down. I used one for a while, but changed when I found it made indentations
in the bark and didn't put pressure on a large enough area to prevent small
leaks. Try a standard metal ligature or a Bonade or a Rovner. Tighten it up
good and snug, and then back off the screw(s) 1/4 turn.

(4) Mouthpieces wear. Check to make sure the table is flat. Wet it with
saliva and hold it against a the bottom of a piece of plate glass. If there
are noticeable gaps, it's time to send it back to the maker for a touchup.
Kalmen Opperman told me that wear on the table is particularly likely if you
put the ligature on first and slide the reed under it. Your student should
put the reed on first and then the ligature, and she shouldn't slide it
around without loosening the ligature quite a bit. Also, if she's rubbing
the table to get crud off when she disassembles the instrument, that could be
causing problems.

(4) Some mouthpiece makers put a small dip in the table to make response more
lively. If Borbeck uses this design, it can often help to turn the reed over
and take off a shaving about 1/16" thick on the bottom 1/8" of the butt.

(5) Finally, as Gene says, the reed cut may be the problem. As I recall,
Gonzalez reeds are made with a thick blank, like the old Morres.
Thick-blanks mean that the reed tip comes from an area deeper in the cane
than it would with standard blanks, and most of the fibers are higher up.
Have your student try the Mozart reeds from the same maker, or standard
Vandorens, both of which have more fiber.

Best regards.

Ken Shaw

---------------------------------------------------------------------