Klarinet Archive - Posting 000348.txt from 2003/05

From: Kenneth Wolman <kenneth.wolman@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] Reeds
Date: Sun, 18 May 2003 22:01:06 -0400

At 04:57 PM 5/18/2003 -0700, you wrote:
>Your teacher was probably right. This stuff, Arundo Donax, grows like a
>weed in
>Southern California. Here in San Diego the stuff grows along the San
>Diego River
>and is considered a "weed". There is, from time to time, a considered
>effort to
>get rid of the weed. I don't think that the cane growing wild on the
>river bank is
>clarinet quality.

The Irish uilleann pipes are a double-reed instrument, but the reed is
concealed inside the chanter (this actually is like any bagpipe). Most
reeds that I know of are made of cane. However, one player/instrument
maker named Brendan Ring, and Irishman who is based in France, makes his
reeds from elder, and claims to get results superior to what he got from
"ordinary" cane. I don't know if this can be turned to mouth-blown
instruments: the uilleann reed is "dry" in that it never comes in contact
with the player's mouth. I don't known whether the material would prove
unsuitable when an instrument such as the clarinet, oboe, etc., is "played
wet."

Ken

-----------------------------
Kenneth Wolman http://www.kenwolman.com http://kenwolman.blogspot.com
Lord, steel us against the expectation of disappointment and our belief in
the certainty of heartbreak....

---------------------------------------------------------------------
Klarinet is supported by Woodwind.Org, http://www.woodwind.org/