 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Kathy Handyside
Date: 2000-03-25 20:15
Hello Everybody -
I live near Detroit, Michigan. I played clarinet years ago in high school and community college. I haven't played for about twenty years but would like to get back to it. I have a Buffet Evette-Schaefer Master Model clarinet that my parents bought me back in '66 or'67. It needs re-padding and I would like to take it to someplace reputable, rather than just a local music store that mainly deals in guitars, etc., because it's a very good instrument. Does anyone know of anybody/anyplace near me that I could trust my clarinet with? Actually, anywhere in Michigan would be fine - I don't mind driving distances.
Thank you.
Kathy Handyside
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2000-03-25 20:24
I would suggest Robert Scott in my old home town of Lansing, and Mark C , who would you [in Novi?] suggest!! Don
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2000-03-25 20:39
The closest good repair place would be Woodwind Enterprises, 30100 Ford Rd. in Garden City. The best place to buy music for clarinet by far is Royal Music on Main St. in Royal Oak, MI. I hear the repair dept. is pretty good there, too, for general repairs.
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Author: Kathy Handyside
Date: 2000-03-29 22:19
Dear Don and Mark -
Thank you very much! I pursue both leads. Can you, by any chance, also recommend a book on working up reeds? None of my teachers during high school ever taught me that - and trying to find a decent reed that worked well out of the box soon made me regret ever having taken up a reed instrument? There must be a better way than just crossing one's fingers when buying a box of reeds!
Thanks very much!
Kathy
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2000-03-29 22:40
Ben Armato has one (www.reed-wizard.sneezy.org) along with Larry Guy ( available from www.vcisinc.com).
Both places are sponsors of Sneezy.Org
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Author: Dee
Date: 2000-03-29 23:07
Kathy Handyside wrote:
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Dear Don and Mark -
Thank you very much! I pursue both leads. Can you, by any chance, also recommend a book on working up reeds? None of my teachers during high school ever taught me that - and trying to find a decent reed that worked well out of the box soon made me regret ever having taken up a reed instrument? There must be a better way than just crossing one's fingers when buying a box of reeds!
Thanks very much!
Kathy
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Although you will want to learn some reed adjusment, the place to start is to make sure that you are buying the right brand and strength for you and that it is well matched to your mouthpiece. This alone will significantly increase the yield of good reeds.
Now no two reeds in the box will be exactly the same so here are some mounting tips.
1. If a reed plays as if it were too stiff, move it down so the tip of the reed is a hair below the tip of the mouthpiece. Also try moving the ligature down a bit. You can try these separately or in combination.
2. If a reed plays as if it were too soft, move it up a bit so the tip of the reed is a hair above the tip of the mouthpiece. Also try moving the ligature up a bit. You can try these separately or in combination.
3. If a reed seems generally sluggish, it could be unbalanced. Try moving it a hair to one side or the other. When you gain some skill in reed adjusment, you can fix unbalanced reeds but this approach will help in the meantime.
4. Rotate through plenty of reeds. Don't play the same reed two days in a row. If your practice session runs long, change the reed. I generally run a rotation of 10 reeds.
5. If a particular reed isn't playing, simply put it away and go to the next reed in the rotation. Due to the influence of weather changes, it may play fine on a different day.
6. When starting a new box, use one of the many breakin procedures. I keep mine simple. Soak the reeds, polish the back on a piece of typing paper, press the pores on the front closed with my thumb, then let them dry thoroughly and put them into my reed rotation.
In general, reeds that play great right out of the box tend to have a short life. Those reeds that require a little breaking, will generally last significantly longer.
You might want to try Mitchell Lurie reeds. Almost all of them play great right out of the box. However they do tend to have a shorter life than others. Breaking them in will help them to have their maximum life.
Every player will have his personal favorites. What works great for me may or may not suit you. While I can make any brand work if it's the right strength for the mouthpiece, I am happiest with regular Vandoren reeds or Mitchell Lurie reeds.
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Author: Kathy Handyside
Date: 2000-03-30 22:28
Dear Dee -
Thank you very much for the information! I've just ordered Mitchell Lurie reeds from the Woodwind Catalog.
Kathy
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Author: Dee
Date: 2000-03-31 03:54
Kathy Handyside wrote:
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Dear Dee -
Thank you very much for the information! I've just ordered Mitchell Lurie reeds from the Woodwind Catalog.
Kathy
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Hope you checked a reed strength chart so that you get the right strength. Mitchell Luries run about equal to Rico Royal but soft compared to Vandoren.
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2000-04-01 18:22
Good advice, Dee, I'll need to do more rotation! Also, investment in a Cordier Reed Trimmer is advised to "stiffen-up" the too-softs. Don
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