Klarinet Archive - Posting 000220.txt from 2005/08

From: AnneLenoir@-----.net (Anne Lenoir)
Subj: Re: [kl] reeds warping
Date: Fri, 12 Aug 2005 16:28:41 -0400

I can't remember where I learned how to "iron" my reeds, but it is a
technic that I use several times a day, and I teach all my kids how to
do it. Of course I am not litterally "ironing" the reed with my iron,
but actually taking the reed off the mouthpiece, then pressing it
against the flat portion of the mouthpiece perpendicularly, then rubbing
the reed tip with my left thumb, then squashing it as flat as I can with
one thumb on top of the other. It almost always makes the reed respond
much better. It is the same thing as rubbing the from the tip of the
reed, all the way down to 1/2 inch, on a nice flat piece of glass. Then
I re-adjust the reed onto the mouthpiece carefully put the ligature back
on.
In band class when a student has a "fuzzy" or harsh tone, I
immedately look at them and say "What do you think you should do next?"
and they immediately say, "I think I need to 'iron' my reed. ANNIE

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