 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: quilter_gal
Date: 2007-08-09 23:48
Hi all,
My 14yr old is working on her science experiment (yes, during summer vacation - it's a two-year project) on the effect of humidity on the pitch of various reeds (plastic, 2.0, 2.5, 3.0, 3.5). Her protocol will call for setting the reeds in a humid area (outside right now it's 85%) for a predetermined length of time, and then playing them in a random order and measure the pitch with a tuner. She will be taking these measurements for several months as the humidity decreases with the seasons.
The big question right now is - how long would a reed have to sit in the humidity to be affected by it? 15min? an hour? More?
Thanks.
Janet
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Author: L. Omar Henderson
Date: 2007-08-10 01:12
Hi - I am all for experimentation. There are a number of reed variables and a number of measurement variables to consider. Perhaps an even speedier experiment would remove some of the measurement variables. The instrument and/or the player testing will react to changes in humidity and perhaps the extended time period that you propose.
I think if I were doing it (and I probably would not given the number of variables) that I would have a number of Tupperware containers at different relative humidity’s (I'll let you figure out how to do this - would also require some hygrometers to measure the actual RH in each container) and then put get at least 29 reeds (a statistician's trick, and yes that is for each variable tested) in the lowest RH container for at least 2 hours (a guesstimate from previous RH work). I would number each reed and make up a spreadsheet to record the results.
Each reed would hopefully be correctly positioned on the mouthpiece and three observations (very quickly before the reed reaches breath water vapor level) made with each reed and recorded. The reeds would then be transferred to the next highest RH container and the whole testing procedure repeated.
With this number of reeds and observations you could possibly get enough data to state a conclusion based on your experimental design. I can see some minor flaws that do not address the many variables but possibly good enough to pass science fair muster.
The big question - which you will have to ponder, is if you detect a significant difference with RH, then what is the cause? Would reeds made from different cane react differently? Would reeds of different strength react in the same way? How long does the RH effect last before the reed reaches saturation from lung water vapor soaking it? Does ambient RH in the testing room affect the time course? Ad Infinitum ?? (But do not let this deter you from giving it a try).
L. Omar Henderson
www.doctorsprod.com
Post Edited (2007-08-10 01:20)
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Author: timg
Date: 2007-08-10 01:33
I don't know, but it would be easy to make the measurement. For example, you could leave a few numbered identical reeds in a dry place (an air conditioned office, or a sealed box containing a desiccant) for a couple of days, and then measure the pitch. Leave them a few days more to dry out again, and then take them into a humid environment. Every few minutes test one of the reeds and note how it has changed since it was tested in the dry environment.
Then try the opposite, by taking humid reeds and moving them into a dry environment.
If this test were to give consistent results, it would be an excellent demonstration that your testing method works.
Ideally one person should handle the reeds, and another person should test the reeds in a random order, without knowing how long each one has been exposed to the new environment. But that could be complex to set up.
Of course the act of testing the reed will affect its moisture content, so no reed should be tested twice in a row without being allowed to re-acclimatise to its environment.
The clarinet is a fascinating instrument for anybody interested in the physics of musical instruments.
Tim (physicist by day; beginner clarinetist by night)
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2007-08-10 12:08
Good luck on the experiment. I wonder though if the individual reeds themselves may offer too wide a variable since reeds of the same labeled strength (and given brand/style) will vary greatly in resistance and their reactions to environmental conditions. Then they vary in their "evolution" as they go from freshly "broken in" to old and brittle making it necessary to move to .........a new reed.
My experience with VERY dry conditions is that a reed which is completely soaked in water can dry up completely within 60 seconds of being placed on a mouthpiece and become virtually unplayable. This reaction can be lessened by prolonging the break-in period. But winter months in the north where indoor heaters are blasting without humidifiers will be brutal on any reed.
..........Paul Aviles
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