The Clarinet BBoard

The Clarinet BBoard The C4 standard

New Topic | Go to Top | Go to Topic | Search | Help/Rules | Smileys/Notes | Log In

Previous Message | Next Message

Re: Sanding Reeds

Author: kdk
Date: 2015-08-05 23:42

If you truly want to make the whole reed "weaker" you might try sanding the flat side - lay the reed on a piece of extra-fine (400) wet-or-dry on a flat glass plate and slide it back and forth with very light pressure over the abrasive. Better to hang the tip a little beyond the end of the paper so you don't sand the tip - especially avoid sanding the tip as the leading edge.

I agree with Norman that most experienced players are a little more surgical about this. If you use Tom Ridenour's sanding tool and follow his instructions (the ATG Method - sanding Against The Grain), you will work more generally over the tip and side rails with less deliberate precision than other methods using sandpaper, rush, a knife or other available tools. But reed adjustment techniques tend to be idiosyncratic to individual players and you can find written instructions by many players advocating many different approaches.

Whatever you do, the goal is generally to make the tapers in each direction even, without bumps or "boundaries" that can encourage unwanted division into partials. The test of success is how the reed feels and sounds.

If you really feel a need to make all of your reeds weaker by sanding them in some way, you may be (probably are) buying reeds that are too hard to begin with. Try a lower (softer) strength to see if that reduces the need to do anything to your reeds except play on them.

Karl

Reply To Message | Avail. Forums | Flat View

Newer Topic | Older Topic

Topics