 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: theclarinetist
Date: 2003-08-17 06:55
Just wondering about this... Don't worry. I'm not going to ask which is better. I was wondering in everyone's opinion, how much does a reed really matter in one's playing? I've heard both sides. Some people swear by certain brands while vehemently opposing others, and some people can pretty much make anything work. I've noticed these two trends from working with other clarinetists as well. During band/clarinet ensemble practices some people spend practically the whole time going through every single reed they own, while others just grab one and go.
I suppose this question is sort of two fold, one is regarding brands of reeds and the other regarding "consistency". Consistency (among Vandorens) is a constant complaint on this board, and I personally haven't noticed it much. I play on V12s 4.5 or 4s.... Personally, it's my philosophy that as a performer, you need to be flexible with your reeds. I've had reeds change how they play half way through performances or concerts, and I think it's something that we should learn to deal with. This being said, I don't just grab any reed and try to make it work. There is always a dud here and there, but for the most part I just play grab a reed from the box, play it until it dies, then grab another one. I remember in an earlier post, people were fighting over which clarinet (Opus or R-13 I believe) had the best tuning, tone, etc. And one poster said that those were qualities largely posessed by the player, not the instrument, which I thought was very intelligent. Does this apply to reeds also?
As far as reeds go, I've not tried many different brands (since I always order the wrong strength and it's a waste of money). Brands I have tried are Vandoren, Mitchell Lurie Premium, Rico GCS, Reeds Australia, Brancher, Alexander, Bay, and Legere. Each brand was not exactly the same, but I feel confident that I could have made any of them work if I had to. There are also a number of brands (as I said) I've not tried though, so it's possible I just haven't tried a reed good enough to change my mind yet!
So basically, are the people who switch reeds a hundred times to get that perfect sound actually wasting time when they should be learning to make a variety of reeds work? I fully accept that all reeds are different and a box contains reeds of varying "playability", so that's not my question. Is time better spent sorting through reeds looking for a gem or learning to make the ones you have work?
Don Hite
theclarinetist@yahoo.com
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Author: LeWhite
Date: 2003-08-17 09:17
I think if you're constantly changing reeds because 'the tone isn't good', then you're wasting your time. Any good reed that is properly broken in and adjusted will play well, provided it is not a dud.
I change reeds if the *feeling* isn't right. I'll always produce a sound very similar from reed to reed, but getting the feeling right, whether I'm in an orchestra rehearsal or performing solo, is very important for me.
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Author: GBK
Date: 2003-08-17 09:47
The bulk of your practice time should be spent practicing. If you are spending inordinate amounts of time fussing with reeds, then you need a better system.
Learn how to prepare, break in and adjust reeds. This skill, for the time invested, will pay huge dividends later.
However, reeds made with poor quality cane are not worth the time spent trying to save them. Like the adage says: "You can put a pig in a tuxedo, but it's still a pig."
Settle on one brand which comes closest to your playing needs. Everyone has different standards of what they will accept - you must find your own...GBK
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Author: krawfish3x
Date: 2003-08-17 13:14
most of you time should be spent practicing but i still find that reeds are a pain. some are great, others are crap, and some are in the middle. how can you play with a bad reed? i cant understand that concept so i spend at least an hour a week fixing reeds. maybe a problem that i have is that i dont know how to properly break in a reed. any suggestions on how to do this?
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Author: William
Date: 2003-08-17 15:31
Personally, I play Vandy V12's because I am used to them and have learned to deal with their (often overdocumented) problems. But frankly, if I took the time to become aquaintd with any number of "other" brands, I am certain they would do 'just fine' as well. In fact, for a while I was using Marca traditional cut reeds on Tom Ridenours recommendatin--and they seemed fine. But I am now back on the "VandyWagon" for the *long ride* (hopefully in F concert).
But I always remember what William Stubbins said (and often screamed) to his students at Michigan, "Play the reed, don't let the reed play you."
Also, as the venerable and ever informative GBK stated (to paraphrase), if you spend more time worrying about your reeds than you do practicing, your priorities need re-evaluating.
(also, regarding the pig, never try to teach it how to sing. You will completely waste your (practicing) time, and only annoy the pig)
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Author: theclarinetist
Date: 2003-08-17 16:27
krawfish asked how people can play on a bad reed.... I guess I feel the same. I've certainly come across a handful of reeds that were completely unplayable. I suppose it just depends on your definition of what is a "bad reed". It seems a person who grabs and goes would certainly differ from a person who switches reeds 100 times in their opinion of which reeds are "bad".
I guess it's the "personal" side of reed/clarinet issues and stuff that make these questions so difficult to definitively answer (and so much fun to try).
DH - theclarinetist@yahoo.com
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Author: Burt
Date: 2003-08-17 20:44
I've tried many brands. Once I found the right strength for each brand, I got good reeds. The best of each brand was much better than the worst Gonzalez.
I agree with GBK. I settled on one brand and one strength (in my case - Gonzalez FOF 3.5). Choice of reed is probably the biggest variable from person to person - even more than mouthpiece.
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