Klarinet Archive - Posting 000650.txt from 2004/11

From: "Larisa Duffy and David Dow" <duffyl@-----.ca>
Subj: Re: [kl] Sandpaper vs. Reed knife
Date: Tue, 23 Nov 2004 14:39:45 -0500

Beer is an excellent antidote to solving problems with reeds...
sadly we have had a bit of trouble getting the top line
German blond lagers here as of late!

However, reeds are like Beers...and one with a bad taste is
of no pleasure...
that being said if it plays well most clarinetists would
probably play even with a bad taste in their mouths...

Reeds are always an important element in intonation as well...
there is a danger always of oversimplipification in our short posts
on these topics...
tuning is directly affected by how hard or soft
a given reed plays and performs....

Much of the time I spend is also working on getting reed(s) to
sound decent octaves...especially in the throat register and upper
chalumeau which is a very difficult region to get a good tone..
this is not a coincidence as well. James Campbell spoke at a masterclass
a good deal about how difficult getting a rich sound and in tune sound
in this register is. A reed that plays flexibly is must in this region as
well...
most orchestral solos are either in the upper chalumeau or clarion registers
for the Principal clarinetist...!

Another element is just how well the ligature and reed work together and
sit on the facing of the mouthpiece..sometimes the slightest adjustment or
movement of a reed will allow it to play much better and more vibrantly!

David Dow
Symphoniker of the Disgruntled Clarinet Realm

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