 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Sandee
Date: 2001-12-07 02:09
Yesterday I got tired and went to bed without taking my clarinet apart, just threw the mouthpiece cap in place. When I got home from work today, the reed had a big black splotch on it, roughly coresponding the the mouthpiece opening. What was it? I peroxided the reedmostly because I had no other ideas.
Thanx!
Sandee
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Author: Fred
Date: 2001-12-07 02:21
It's getting to be the time of year that kindling wood is in demand for fireplaces. I'd be tempted to send it to its great reward. I've never seen mold grow that fast, but I guess it's possible. Moisture + cellulose makes for the preferred growth conditions for the dreaded "black mold" - stachybotrys chartarum (not positive of spelling, but that is close).
Then again . . . it could be black lipstick.
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Author: Sandee
Date: 2001-12-07 20:09
Black lipstick! Do you think some one snuck in my house and was having a goth-style affair with my clarinet?
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Author: Mandy
Date: 2001-12-07 21:52
I would be careful about not taking your clarinet apart, because I left my clarinet together while I was on a break during rehersal and my top cork swelled and I couldn't get my barrel off!!
*Mandy*
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Author: Casey WooooooO
Date: 2001-12-08 02:25
IS IT MOLD?!!?!? my friend that plays clarinet....always has mold on hers....i got used to it......she even named one of her reeds "Mr. Smiley" cause the mold shaped over a few DECADES OR SO into the shape of a smile..lol..
*casey
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Author: jenna
Date: 2001-12-08 15:14
Casey - There's a girl that play second in my school band that is like that. It's rather disgusting, but who am I to say anything to her? She also the one that chews gum while she plays. *shudders*
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Author: David Pegel
Date: 2001-12-08 22:44
One girl in my band had a polycrystal mouthpeice, the ones you can see through... it turned green on the inside. Yeeechh!
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Author: donald nicholls
Date: 2001-12-09 10:04
one time (in about 1993) i had the misfortune of being the teacher brave enough to remove the reed from a mouthpiece played by a 12 year old called Woody. He claimed that this reed had been on his mouthpiece since he began lessons (at age 9) and he had never removed it. Initially i really didn't take this claim seriously..... until i too his reed off.
I had to leave the room, i nearly threw up as both the smell and the visual were quite revolting. It was a Rico Graftonite mouthpiece (i believe that these should all be melted down for the sake of the music loving public) filled with green, blue and grey mould.... in adition to a milky white and yellow slime.
so when one of my "bad students" has me at wits end and i'm feeling really grumpy, i just think "at least no ones made me retch this week".... and while 3 times in about 15 years of teaching i've made my students cry (not something i set out to do deliberately)- not one of them has ever succeeded in making me "chuck" (Woody came pretty close though).
donald
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Author: Bob
Date: 2001-12-09 21:00
I seem to get this same black "stuff" on some reeds. I refer to it as mildew but am not convinced it is that. Peroxide doesn't seem to remove it at all but abrasion with a toothbrush does to an extent but the stain is still there. I have tentatively concluded that it is due to just the right combination of moisture and absence of light. Sure would like to know for sure how to prevent it.
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Author: Hiroshi
Date: 2001-12-09 23:38
It is moth. The reed does not recover by sanitizing it since the moth inside the reed fills the pores even if they are killed. Besides it will be not good for your health obviously. After playing, reed should be cleansed by flowing water to get rid of dirty matters.
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Author: Peter
Date: 2001-12-10 01:06
Folks,
I have a Selmer 1400 that I keep all put together all the time just for those occassions when I don't feel like cleaning and taking care of a good, wood clarinet after I'm done playing, which is really not very often. Even if I have to take care of it, I usually still prefer to play on a "good" instrument.
Anyway, the jist is that I live in Miami, Florida (humidity-city U.S.A.,) and the reed only comes off of that clarinet every month, or so, if and/or when I happen to think of it, but I've never had any mold or mildew problems whatsoever.
I wonder if it may have anything to do with the chemical contents of your saliva inducing some sort of bacterial or fungoidal reaction on your reed.
What type of climate do you guys live in?
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Author: Emms
Date: 2001-12-10 08:19
Hiroshi, I think you mean mould!!!! Or maybe butterflies?
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Author: Emms
Date: 2001-12-10 08:37
I'd throw the reeds away if they have this mould (or mold) on them. The fungus eats away at the reed and will eventually destroy the fibres. I also wonder if treating them with peroxide would damage the fibres, - it is a bleach. Fungus can grow really fast if given the right conditions. The microclimate is more important then the climate outside. A few spores on the reed will start to grow, but may not be obvious. Left in a damp, warm environment, the fungus will then multiply at an enormous rate, doubling every few hours. Just a thought for those who don't brush their teeth before they play- think about all the minute food particles left on your reed after each playing, then think about a slice of bread, left moist in a warm place for a few days!
By the way, not all fungi are harmful. Penicillin is is a fungus - but not black!
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Author: Dave
Date: 2001-12-11 14:38
Being a beginner I can't say too much about this, but if this continues to be a problem perhaps you should consider a synthetic reed. Being a synthetic should cut down on the mold growth because it wont have that natural medium to grow on. A lot of people seem to like the Legere reeds. I have one, but it's too hard for me at the moment ( it's a 3). Until I work up to that point I use another synthetic reed, a Fibracell, which is about a 2. I adjusted the Fibracell a little after a little tip damage and it works great now, but this isn't recommended. It's DEFINITELY not recommended to do that to a Legere!
Just my two cents worth.
Dave
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