The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: krawfish3x
Date: 2003-08-23 16:44
its extremely humid here and my reeds keep getting moldy so i was thinking of putting them in the refridgerator. is this a good idea?
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Author: L. Omar Henderson
Date: 2003-08-23 20:26
If it is a humidity controlled unit it may help - but primarily because of the lower temperature. Temperature + humidity + ubiquitous mold spores + food (skin debris, tiny food detritus) = mold. Bread will still mold in the refrigerator after time but the lower temperature slows the process. Remove or limit any of the factors on the left side of the equation and mold growth will be depressed or halted.
The Doctor
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Author: theclarinetist
Date: 2003-08-24 17:55
I live in Houston, the humidity capital of the world (or so it seem right now), and I've never had any problem with reeds molding. I don't rotate reeds much though, I usually just play one until it's dead. My reeds do get a little discolored (mold I guess) after I've been playing it for some time, but the reeds is usually dead anyway by this time, so it's never really been a problem for me.
I usually keep my reeds on a piece of glass sitting in my room (it's not humid in the house). I think in an earlier post you (or someone asking about moldy reeds) mentioned possibly keeping them in a ziploc bag or something... Unless you dried them completely, I think this would make it a lot worse. While I'm no expert, I would say keep them in a nicely ventilated place so that they can dry out after you've played them. And if they still mold after an extended period of time, maybe that's mother nature's way of telling you to get a new reed! (but what do I know)?
Don
PS - if anything, I think putting them in the fridge would slow them from drying out...
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Author: fmadison
Date: 2003-08-31 10:07
Hi,
Houston humidity capital of the world...
I live in Miami Florida the real humidity capital of the world. Just ask the Houston Texans when the play the Miami Dolphins here in Miami next week....
Anyway I am just playing with ya....
I have a concern about reeds in the fridge..
If the reeds have moisture inside them and they are in the fridge would the cold cause the moisture to become solid?
Just like humans can not be frozen and thawed out because the water crystalizes and ruptures each cell membrane in the human body would that not also happen to the reed?
Thus changing the character of the reed?
Just curious....
-Frank
It's the wood that makes it good!
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Author: Synonymous Botch
Date: 2003-08-31 13:14
It seems to work with mine...
The NorthEast US states have been particularly damp this year.
Some reeds were not salvaged by this method.
Will it change the character of the reed?
Probably not worse than having one consumed by mold!
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Author: Henry
Date: 2003-08-31 15:47
fmadison:
krawfish didn't suggest putting them in the FREEZER! Just the refrigerator, which is not run at below-freezing.
Henry
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Author: fmadison
Date: 2003-08-31 20:53
LOL!!!
Okay good thing then!
Reed cubes would not be a good thing.
-Frank
It's the wood that makes it good!
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