Klarinet Archive - Posting 000119.txt from 2006/06

From: "David Blumberg" <blummy@-----.net>
Subj: RE: [kl] There were once a few good reeds
Date: Mon, 26 Jun 2006 17:00:51 -0400

"Lacy, Edwin" <el2@-----.edu>
Date: Mon, 26 Jun 2006 15:32:16 -0400
I remember well about 1970 when I was a graduate student at Indiana
University, and Kalmen Opperman was hired to teach clarinet in the
summer sessions for a few years. As those of my vintage and older will
remember, he was the guru of clarinet reed making during that period.
When he was at Indiana, all the clarinet players spent all their time in
the practice rooms cutting, scraping, sanding, and otherwise agonizing
over their cane and reeds. And, the level of clarinet playing went
steadily down in all the ensembles during the same time.

I have never seen any convincing evidence that a player of a single reed
instrument can make reeds that work better for them than the ones that
can be purchased.

I welcome all efforts to change my mind about this.

Ed Lacy
University of Evansville

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Ed, just as some players are better at adjusting reeds than others, some are
more proficient at making reeds than others who try it and quit. From the
players I have played with who made their own reeds, I constantly hear from
them that their reeds last months as opposed to weeks as with the
commercially bought reeds.

I'm just glad that the current reeds out there are high enough quality to
play and sound good on without feeling like I have to make mine to get the
job done.
And with the tools out there (Reed Wizard and ATG) fixing a great
comercially bought reed in no time is common.

David Blumberg
http://www.mytempo.com

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