 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: wan
Date: 2004-03-02 05:23
I've been recently talking with players about their way of breaking in their new reeds, interesting enough, 10 people have 10 different ideas. So what is your idea?
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Author: EEBaum
Date: 2004-03-02 06:03
I more or less follow the 10-day process in the Larry Guy book. I break in 6 reeds at a time, usually 3 different types (e.g. V12, 56, FOF). Following the initial breakin: after a couple of rotations, this set becomes my "primary" for rehearsals and performances, and the previous 6 gets most of the practice abuse and serves as backups. A hierarchy of 24 reeds of various ages is available at all times in my case.
Maintenance: I soak a reed in water, never saliva, (half submersed) for a minute or two before playing. After a couple months, I may try to extend the life of some dying reeds with an Efferdent rinse.
-Alex
www.mostlydifferent.com
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Author: William
Date: 2004-03-02 14:41
I'm a saliva only person who never uses water to moisten my reeds, clarinet or sax.
Break in: I open a new box of V12s and briefly play through all the reeds, moistening each one (in my mouth) for about two minutes and rubbing it down before testing. I then let them dry on a glass for a couple of days before retesting, again only briefly with saliva moistening and rub down on each. After three or four days of similar tests, the "good" ones began to separate from those that are only "OK" and others that are "questionable". Ultimately, I will use my Reed Wizard for those that are just too hard, my knife for those that need balancing, and subject the few remaining "hopeless" reeds to the fabled "Wall Test"--which almost always produces definitive results.
Maintainance: After selecting four or five "good" reeds for my set of "active" reeds, they join a rotation of about twelve reeds which--on the average--includes the 4 "newbies", 4 current "concert" reeds, and 4 practice/rehearsal reeds. I rely mostly on four or five reeds to be in "tip top" shape at all times, and play the newly selected ones sparingly--balancing as needed--until they are needed for serious playing. Some "practice" reeds last six months or more before they actually die (or fail the "wall test"). But I always have a variety of reeds in various states of developement and experiance to draw from.
Always: saliva moisten--never water, rub down before playing and let reed dry on glass for two days (at least) before replaying. FYI--I use Harrison reed cases
Motto: Play the reed--don't let the reed play you. But treat them with lots of TLC for best results.
(and, once again for the record, with the use of my reed knife and Reed Wizard, I usually can use nine out of ten reeds in any given box of VDs. Some are better than others, but I seldom resort to the "wall" test or discard more than one reed per box of ten)
Post Edited (2004-03-02 17:16)
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Author: laughhearty
Date: 2004-03-02 19:58
Hi Alex,
Can you give the title of this Larry Guy book? I need to learn ALOT.
Thanks,
Alicia
"I long to accomplish a great and noble task, but it is my
chief duty to accomplish small tasks as if they were great
and noble."
- Helen Keller, Author and Inspiration
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Author: jez
Date: 2004-03-03 10:10
I soak the reed for a few minutes in water then, holding it against a piece of plate glass, rub repeatedly down the scraped part pressing quite hard. This has the effect of removing the starchy stuff that usually leaves a white deposit on your mouthpiece. It also compresses the fibres together. I then rub the whole reed up and down against the glass ensuring a smooth, flat back surface. I repeat this whole operation about 3 times or until no more starch is coming out on the glass and that's it.
I never even try a reed until I've performed this operation and find that they then need no 'breaking in', they don't change after playing for a while and they last a surprisingly long time.
It's a lot of trouble but I think it's worth a try.
jez
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Author: Aussie Nick
Date: 2004-03-03 11:35
William: WHat do you mean you "rub the reed down before playing"? Does that mean rubbing the back on paper? or using the fingers or what?
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Author: William
Date: 2004-03-03 14:58
Aussie--I mean that I rub the vamp (cut) of the reed with one of my fingers, vigoruosely, back and forth from tip to the bark, to reseal the xylum that are left open after manufacture. Rubbing is an old trick that seems to extend the reeds durability by preventing the over absorbtion of saliva during playing and also keeps the reed from drying out on the mouthpiece during long rests. I also used to "glaze" (until shinny like glass) the backs of my reeds by rubbing them on the back of a sheet of waterproof #600 sandpaper--after sanding for flatness--but I have discontinued this process as I did not realize any tangeble benefits. Now (at my old age) I just concentrate on sealing the vamp before playing, rubbing the reed, vigorously, both ways from the tip to the bark--after saliva moistening and before playing.
The same process also works for my sax reeds, although I am now trying to use Legere reeds exclusively on all of them as well as my bass clarinet. I like the playing consistancey and durability of the plastic, but still get the best sound from cane, which--as we all know--is not consistant and lacks durability. So legere versus cane, it's so far a trade-off with plastic holding a slight edge.
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Author: EEBaum
Date: 2004-03-03 15:42
I've also had great success with rubbing it down.
The Larry Guy book is "Selection, Adjustment, and Care of Single Reeds." (it also gives a nice, detailed description of the rubdown.) This and a couple other books have been recommended quite a few times on the board; a search should find you good results.
-Alex
www.mostlydifferent.com
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Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2004-03-03 16:55
I verbally berate my reeds, while waggling my index finger at them (I do this in a rather loud and fearsome tone of voice). I threaten them with breakage and disposal should they fail to perform up to par. I admonish them to play well, lest they end up in the trash like so many other reeds before them......
......after which I break them in properly as follows:
1) Soak (standing the reeds upright, tip-downward) in a cup of water with the water level around the end of the vamp (cut portion) for about 10 minutes. Dry each reed by rubbing between my (clean) fingers, from back towards tip only (never in the opposite direction).
2) Lay them on a flat table, upside down (flat side facing up) until the following day.
3) Repeat above steps for a week or so.
4) Start playing the reeds a few minutes at a time each, drying them immediately afterwards as above. Delay making any adjustments (sanding/scraping) until the reeds have been played a few days.
This process may seem to be a bit ritualistic (and perhaps it is), but it has served me well for many years. I think I originally got it from the old Kalmen Opperman book "Handbook for Making and Adjusting Single Reeds" (or maybe I dreamed it up during an opium fog, I can't remember...)
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