 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: esheffer
Date: 2015-05-26 07:19
Just curious to see the different types of ways people keep track of their reeds. Right now, I have a baggie of reeds with humidifier and each day I try three to four new reeds and pick one maybe two reeds or none at all and put them in a separate baggie if I think they'll do well. Then the next day I will pick again. Meanwhile I will start playing the ones I like a little more until I am confident they are good to perform with and put them in my performance case.
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Author: alanporter
Date: 2015-05-26 07:54
Why do people still fuss with cane reeds when synthetic reeds work perfectly all the time ?
tiaroa@shaw.ca
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Author: esheffer
Date: 2015-05-26 07:59
I prefer cane because of the sound quality, I can customize the reed easily with sand paper, cheaper at first price, and most of all didn't like the synthetic reeds I did try. I tried multiple different brands just to see if I was picking a bum brand, but at heart I love cane reed's reaction, sound, and diversity better.
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2015-05-26 15:55
Because plastic reeds still do not offer the same huge spectrum of colors and the wide tuning flexibility of cane.
I'd say, if you are using Vandoren V12s or V21s, you'd be doing yourself a favor to go through all of them over the course of a four to six days. Over the course of going through many, many batches of reeds, I have had reeds that started out as among the worst which in five days became among the best of the lot. And I have also had those that started among the best become the worst once fully hydrated.
The Vandoren V12s and V21s are like 'wild stallions.' They will continue to settle in a bit after the break-in process. But once you get into the second 'iteration' or so (of fully rotating through the good ones - generally 6 to 8 of a box) they remain consistent for quite a while.
I like the idea of plastic reeds (they certainly are a LOT cheaper) but they need to develop quite a bit yet before they compare to cane. Though I do keep some around in case of emergencies when the weather may drives my reeds into the ground.
...............Paul Aviles
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Author: WhitePlainsDave
Date: 2015-05-26 16:37
I think the method you’re using represents the best paradigm for cane reed selection: in other words some method where you stage humidified reeds into different categories based upon your feelings of their degree of performance readiness, and perhaps the number of times you’ve played/worked on them. Don’t play any reed too long upon initial exposure to it.
The number of or method of staging may vary among player (I can’t suggest more than a few stages), but I think Marc Nuccio and Jessica Rieske Phillips cover this well in the following videos:
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=marc+nuccio+reeds
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=swVSeGSXjCk
Whether staging involves you physically placing reeds in different humidified containers, and/or marking the reeds , and/or simply numbering them and noting findings in a journal, I’ll leave to you with the following caveat:
Your most precious asset when it comes to clarinet play is your time. Accordingly, don’t memorialize extensive notes about your reeds beyond the ability for those notes to be helpful. Reeds are often just too transient in play (when first used) for writing more than could be noted in abbreviation on the back of a reed.
Diito Paul’s feelings on synthetics: they’ve made wonderful advancements, but IMHO just don’t replace good cane reeds yet. I wish I had Alan's good luck with them. Sadly I don't.
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Author: avins
Date: 2015-05-26 18:36
From to time i like comment on my experiene on synthetics .
Paul aviles i must say that i got much of my inspiration from your comments although i understand that you dont. Use them exclusively.
Im not professional but i used reeds on basoon for many years. Professionally at yhe time
Im now once again in asia and im grateful for using these reeds where humidity is very high
I think these reeds are just remarkable vz cane (i play legere signature 3 1/4 and 3/12. )cane is v12. 3 .3/12. I keep the vd just for the fun of it
Btw .in my last visit to berlin .i like going there for the music ..you know... I sat behind the orchestra .i could see the 1st clarinet play legere at the concert house orch
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2015-05-26 19:05
This is quite true. There are a number of top German players who are doing quite well with Legeres. Part of it in my view is the acoustic that German clarinets get in the first place. Another factor may be the size of the reed vs the size of the mouthpiece as well as the length of the lay versus the size of the opening. All those factors make a difference. For me, using a close, French facing, the situation with Legere is untenable.
.............Paul Aviles
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