 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Le9669
Date: 2011-03-31 04:49
Hello. I've been noticing that after using the reed wizard to adjust my reeds, sometimes it leaves cut marks on the reed the next day after playing them and storing them (yes, they are humidified). Although this balances the reed better and increases response, it deadens the sound slightly sometimes. Before using the Wizard, I never soak the butt of the reed, only the part where it vibrates for about 30 seconds or so. I also have an ATG to polish the reed if I find the reed to be a little on the heavy side after using the Wizard. For all you Reed Wizard owners, may I have some tips on how to preserve the sound and keep the reeds consistent after adjustment? Thanks a bunch! =)
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Author: reedwizard
Date: 2011-03-31 13:29
My personal experience with my reed wizard is that it does deaden the sound. It does balance the reed but the higher frequencies are lost. For this reason I only use it on practice reeds and use a reed knife on performance reeds.
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Author: kdk ★2017
Date: 2011-03-31 13:35
Well, for starters, like other semi-automated reed tools, I've found Reed Wizard helpful only when the problem with the reed is the one the tool is designed to solve. Look at the cutting path of the blade on the reed (hold it up to a light and look along the surface for the shiny track). If that's not where the reed was too stiff, the Wizard has done little to free it up. It happens that thinning the area the Wizard blade scrapes along between the rail and the heart near the tip is often helpful, which is the rationale for the machine's design. But there's lots of cane on either side of that scrape that can still be causing too much resistance. It also cuts from just off-center at the end of the bark diagonally across the heart area on its way to the tip, so if taking wood out of this area removes some needed resistance, the sound can be compromised. The same thing is true, by the way, for the ATG sander. It hits the tip on its way into the reed vamp on every stroke, so it becomes a balancing act getting the vamp behind the tip to vibrate easily and making the tip itself so thin its vibration is damped by normal embouchure pressure.
If you're getting actual cut marks in the reed after using the Wizard, you may be pressing too hard. Ben Armato recommends putting very little pressure on top of the cutter - just enough in my experience to keep it from bouncing or chattering. Don't bear down with any force. Just keep repeating the light strokes until no more cane is being removed.
As to keeping reeds consistent after adjustment, that's what all the various theories and practices of "breaking in" your reeds are about. Do a search here and you'll see a variety of techniques described. Cane is unstable when it goes through it's first wetting-drying cycles. Reed humidifiers like Rico's Reed Vitalizer are meant to minimize the swings between wet and dry. Ben Armato recommends (you'll have seen it if you read the instructions that come with the Wizard) never wetting the vibrating area directly, but instead sitting the butt of the reed in water and letting it wick up into the vamp. There's enough science, superstition, witchcraft and experiential wisdom about this to fill a book. If you find a definitive solution to this problem, let us know. The one solution to reed instability that undeniably works is to use synthetic reeds. But they bring their own issues, which are the topic of a different discussion (which you can follow by searching the BB archive).
Karl
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Author: Le9669
Date: 2011-03-31 14:39
Thank you Karl. The only problem with following the instructions and wetting the butt of the reed is that it will cause warpage even more. Perhaps Ed Palanker can support me on this. However, I will still experiment and take your advice to not apply too much pressure. I also do use the rico reed vitalizer to store the reeds after. Believe me, it's hard stuff. I will keep trying though.
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Author: kdk ★2017
Date: 2011-03-31 15:39
I tried butt-down wetting for a couple of days but found the water never wicked up far enough within a reasonable time (20 minutes to a half-hour?) to moisten tip area, which needs most to be moist. Maybe the water I was using was too slow. I never got far enough with it to notice whether it caused more or less warping.
Karl
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Author: Ed Palanker
Date: 2011-03-31 18:43
Yes, I believe wetting the butt of the reed will cause the reed to warp quicker, keeping it dry will definitely help prevent warpage. Also, using the Rico Vitalizer the way I always suggest, never allowing it or your reeds to sit out in the air for more than just a few seconds once their broken in. I agree that you're probably using too much pressure when using the Wizard. Also, it might help not to wet your reeds for more than 4-5 seconds, especially before using the wizard because being to soaked will "expand" the wood slightly.
I use my wizard only after I've balanced to tips by hand - knife and haven broken the reed in for a few days at least to allow it to settle. If I determine it needs more vibration below the tip then that's when I use the wizard, to balance the portion below the tip portion where I can't tell by the "touchy feely" technique.
The ATG tool is good for balancing the tip portion if you're not comfortable using a reek knife, which I prefer for most balancing. ESP
http://eddiesclarinet.com
PS. Feel free to contact me direct if I can be of any more assistance if you've already read my website about reed adjustment.
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Author: johng ★2017
Date: 2011-03-31 21:56
Remember also that you can control where the cane is taken off by moving the reed tip around the white line. Over the line takes more from the tip and in back of the line takes less from the tip. Using the cutter with a light hand is also the way to go.
John Gibson, Founder of JB Linear Music, www.music4woodwinds.com
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