Klarinet Archive - Posting 000316.txt from 2003/11

From: Rob C Chaney <robratc@-----.com>
Subj: [kl] Reed hardness?
Date: Wed, 19 Nov 2003 22:28:40 -0500

How do you decide what hardness of reed to use? When I started in 5th
grade I used a 1 1/2. Then over the summer when I ran out of reed. My dad
asked the person at the music store what size I should use if I have been
playing for a year. The sales person said move up to a 2. About three
fourths of the way through 6th grade we got a new band director. He said
no you should be playing with a 2 1/2. I have been playing with a 2 1/2
since then. Now I am a junior in high school. I am wondering how do I
decide if I need a harder reed or the hardness of a reed you need? The
main problem I had when I started was I went through several band
directors in 5th grade, and a few more in 6th. At the end of 6th I got my
current director. He ignored me for a few years since there was so many
clarinets that he could not work with everyone. When I got to high school
he saw I was a serious player because I was one of the four surviving
clarinets of over a dozen. Now between 9, 10, 11, and 12 we have a dozen
soprano clarinets and one of them drifts between Alto, Bass, and Bb. My
director is considering switch my to bass because we have very little
bass from the brass and he needs some more. Does anyone have any
suggestions on how to drift to the bass?

PS thanks for your suggestion on how to improve my sharps and flats

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