 The Bassoon BBoard
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Author: dummer musiker
Date: 2006-04-21 18:47
Anyone have any special or unique tricks they use when making reeds and want to share?
"There are two means of refuge from the miseries of life: music and cats."
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Author: martinbaxter
Date: 2006-04-22 15:11
Hi
If you use heat shrinkable binders this probably won't work,
After I have put the wires on but before I bind the reed I bid the stem with Teflon tape. It does seem to stop leks developing. I bind to just below the first wire. My problem is in scraping; I think I am too heavy handed. Last time I made reeds I finished off with Reed Rush - it seems to make a better reed, and certainly leves them more comfortable in the mouth. If you've never used it, it is certainly worth a try.
Phone 01229583504
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Author: dummer musiker
Date: 2006-04-22 17:13
Uhm, the reed rush idea is interesting. I'm going to give that a try. I usually finish off my reeds with a very smooth sandpaper. That seems to smooth them out nicely. Also works good if you just want to take a wee bit of cane off for an adjustment.
With your scraping, do you use a knife or a file?
I usually wrap my reeds with thread and then two coats of duco cement.
For some reason I usually end up with one really strong blade and the other blade weaker. I haven't quite figured out what causes this yet (this is before finishing).
"There are two means of refuge from the miseries of life: music and cats."
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Author: martinbaxter
Date: 2006-04-22 18:39
I always use a knife to scrape, I have a couple of good ones plus one that I keep for chopping off the tip. I prefer to do this with a knife and a wooden block; I've never had any joy with a reed cutter. I've made my own clarinet reeds too but I don't really think itis worth the trouble; they are more time consuming than you would think.
I find I prefer to leave reeds rather hard then play them for a few days, leave them about a month, soak them and then work on them again. All my most successful reeds have been made that way, but you have to force yourself to make reeds when you don't really need to. I have made a (contra) reed the morning of the final rehearsal for a concert, but I scraped it so much to make it playable that it only just lasted out the concert. NOT a good technique!
Martin
Phone 01229583504
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