 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Clarinetgirl06
Date: 2005-03-24 23:19
I just found a box of Vandoren Blue Box 2 1/2's and now I play Vandoren V12 4's. The 2 1/2's were from when I was in 5th grade, and I just now found a nearly full box of the 2.5 reeds.
I have been expirementing with putting nail polish on the backs of the reeds in different designs to see if that would make them harder. Some polish on the whole back, some on just the tips, and some on the rails. I think it helped them go from 2.5 to 2.75-3.0, but it's really hard to tell if it actually changed anything.
Does anyone know of a way to make a reed harder? I don't know if it's really possible or not. I am just curious and I am sorry if this is a stupid question.
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Author: John Stackpole
Date: 2005-03-24 23:41
I'm totally non-expert but I have heard you can clip a LITTLE bit off the end.
Too much and I suppose that's it for that reed.
But maybe the pros here can advize better than I.
JDS
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Author: larryb
Date: 2005-03-25 01:04
another alternative would be to try a mouthpiece with a wider tip opening
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Author: sfalexi
Date: 2005-03-25 02:07
A very BAD way, but it does work, is to let very little of the tip of the reed sit over a quarter, take a cigarette lighter, and light it under the quarter (burning away the thinner part of the tip and leaving roughly the curvature of the quarter). I'd go for reed clipper if you're intent on using them as performance reeds, but this trick DOES work. (used to use it in high school when I'd chip the tip due to uncouth playing habits)
Alexi
US Army Japan Band
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Author: clarinetist04
Date: 2005-03-25 02:09
You need to buy a reed trimmer (or clipper). Don't just go at it with scissors or it won't be even, I don't care how good you are at using scissors. Do that and you'll waste the box that way and be in the same spot as if you had thrown them away! But it's not too terribly expensive, anywhere between 15 and 35 dollars. Small trims, as it's easy to cut even, but not so easy to sand evenly until you've had a lot of practice.
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Author: Bigno16
Date: 2005-03-25 02:21
If you sand down/trim down around the edges of the reed (leaving the heart of the reed alone, thus making the heart bigger), you "make the reed harder".
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Author: sfalexi
Date: 2005-03-25 02:36
If you sand the top or bottom and make it thinner, it becomes softer. if you sand down the edges, you have the same big heart, but on a smaller sized reed, and so it becomes harder (in a sense of the word. Same hardness, but different area, so it SEEMS harder. More 'dense' would probably be a more correct way to describe this)
Alexi
US Army Japan Band
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Author: GBK
Date: 2005-03-25 03:18
"... Is there any way to make a reed harder?..."
Put it on upside down...GBK
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Author: clarnibass
Date: 2005-03-25 07:04
"But it's not too terribly expensive, anywhere between 15 and 35 dollars."
Cheaper would be to buy another new box of Vandoren #4.
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Author: Aussiegirl
Date: 2005-03-25 07:10
To make reeds a tiny bit harder, put it a bit higher on the mouthpiece....but i dont think that can work for that much softer
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Author: Steve Epstein
Date: 2005-03-25 07:21
Glue two 2.5's together. Then you'll have a #5, and get an incredibly big tip opening as well, when you set it on the mouthpiece. Gives new meaning to the term "double reed".
Seriously, I'd hold on to them. At some point you may decide to try more open mouthpieces. And if not, you will have aged cane, which may be a very valuable investment as oil prices move higher. ![[grin]](http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/smileys/smilie5.gif)
Steve Epstein
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Author: GBK
Date: 2005-03-25 14:53
Now for the serious answer:
Clipping a reed completely changes its dimensions, and it then must be rebalanced and re-profiled (is that a word?).
After clipping, start by slightly taking down the rails, and then working carefully and slowly back through the entire vamp.
Test after each small adjustment...GBK
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Author: bob49t
Date: 2005-03-25 17:28
Aye Aye, GBK I'm sure that's absolutely right - my experience however is that after minimal clipping, a little simple use of the ATG system to balance the reed, works just splendidly.
This of course assumes that the reed has not softened too much and clipping is done minimally.
After doctoring the reed in this way - set it aside as a great spare if the other 6 perfect reeds (which,of course, you have in your case) go up in smoke.
RT
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Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2005-03-25 17:31
Clip the tip, but do not snip
too much or (I think) you will rip
the playing qualities asunder
and then regret your clipping blunder!
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Author: BobD
Date: 2005-03-25 21:24
I do not recommend that you do this. I have treated reeds with polyurethane "varnish" and this indeed does make them act as if they were stiffer. I have not yet decided if this is a useful treatment. Most people will tell you not to put something like this in your mouth due to potential health reasons.
Bob Draznik
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Author: RodRubber
Date: 2005-03-25 21:53
The best way to harden a reed is to not practice for about 18 months. When you start up again, it will feel pretty hard.
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Author: Clarinetgirl06
Date: 2005-03-25 21:56
Thanks for the help! I'll try clipping them with my friends clipper! I just bought Perfect a Reed and Beyond by Ben Armato and I'm going to try adjusting my reeds with the tips in that book. I have never adjusted a reed before! Any tips for a first timer?
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Author: GEM
Date: 2005-03-25 22:24
Sell the box to someone who wants it and buy the reeds you use.
GEM
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Author: sfalexi
Date: 2005-03-25 23:55
Tips on adjusting a reed,
The best tip I could probably say is to adjust very little at a time, and playtest it as you go. It's not too hard to take off a little of the wood, but it's damned near impossible to put it back on if you take off too much.
Alexi
US Army Japan Band
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Author: Joel Clifton
Date: 2005-03-26 16:19
"Don't just go at it with scissors or it won't be even, I don't care how good you are at using scissors."
:-)
Actually, I've used scissors on many reeds. I've never done a drastic chance like turning a 2.5 into a 4, but I do take my 4s and harden them occasionally. I just use another reed as a template and take very tiny snips. Works great and you can hardly tell it was ever cut.
-------------
"You have to play just right to make dissonant music sound wrong in the right way"
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