Klarinet Archive - Posting 000335.txt from 2003/01

From: "Alan J. Nussbaum" <ajn8@-----.edu>
Subj: Re: [kl] legere reeds and ligatures
Date: Sun, 19 Jan 2003 10:54:12 -0500

I have a somewhat different point about Legeres that I'd be
interested in hearing about. I wonder if the Legere users on the
list would mind making the following quick and simple experiments and
reporting back: Take a Legere, lay it flat-side-down on a flat
surface (like a piece of glass) and press down on the extreme butt
end of the reed with your thumb. Does the tip visibly rise off the
surface? Now press down on the tip in the same way. Does the butt
end rise off the surface? This *does* happen with all three Legeres
that I own. Now put the Legere on your mouthpiece and secure it with
the ligature in the usual way. Look at the mouthpiece and reed from
the side and form an impression of how far down the mouthpiece the
you can see light between the reed and the facing. If your
experience is like mine, the reed will stand away from mouthpiece for
an astoundingly long distance--well below the intended bottom of the
curve of the facing. Now do the same with a brand-new cane reed
(that has not had enough time and wetting to get warped). Is the
narrow V of light between reed and mouthpiece not noticeably shorter?
From my experiences with Legeres I think I have to conclude that they
have a marked tendency to warp away from their flat side for some
reason. If others have the same experience, I'd be interested to
know that. If not, I wonder what I could possibly be doing wrong to
make them curl away from the mouthpiece in this way.

Alan Nussbaum

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