 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Connor
Date: 2006-01-11 23:50
hello all
im in a bit of a dilema...
My reeds are warping all the time...as i am playing, after overnight storage, after a full month of continous playing. I am using a bastard file to level the table of my reeds, however, i have been spending more time filing than practicing. Is there any hope?
I currently use a selmer reed case enclosed in a plastic bag containing a moist sponge to store my reeds.
Thanks
Connor
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Author: Chris Hill
Date: 2006-01-12 00:21
Try using the plastic Vito reed holders, as they allow the reeds to dry evenly. Also, when I flatten my warped reeds, I use a Vandoren Reed Resurfacer, as I find it seems to be more precise than a file.
A sponge in a bag may make your reeds mold. I just leave them to dry in the Vito holders sitting in my case, and they don't seem to warp after the first day or two. I've had success with many different brands of reeds using this method.
Chris Hill
Rico Grand Concert Artist
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Author: BassClarinetGirl
Date: 2006-01-12 01:57
I love my Vandoren reed case. It is compact (holds 4 reeds and fits perfectly in my case), and I haven't had a single problem with warping yet. Some people have reported mold on the reeds, but I play every day, rotate reeds, and wipe the reed off (I take it off the mpc, wipe it off, and let it sit so it is the last thing I put away) before storing it, so it has a chance to lose any excess moisture that is on it. I also periodically take the case apart and wash it with mild soap and warm water. No warping at all, and no mold yet.
It might also go to say that I keep a humistat in my case, and the humidity in the case stays pretty constant at about 50%.
BCG
BCG
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Author: Bill
Date: 2006-01-12 22:32
Get a Selmer reed case and the Doctor's "Thirsty Reed Pad."
Bill.
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Author: Bob Phillips
Date: 2006-01-13 01:19
I have no trouble with warping Mitchell-Lurie or Vandoren reeds. I usually just rack them in a reed holder (or leave them curved side down on a table) and leave them out in my "music" room. At this time of the year, the indoor air is pretty dry.
Bob Phillips
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Author: Morrigan
Date: 2006-01-13 01:27
I think you may be overdoing it with the flat glass surface and the moisture in the bag. You see, that's all fine and good to store them that way - but unless ther playing condition is the same as the storage condition, your reeds are going to warp.
Where I am, we have a fairly mild and stable climate, so my reeds sit in the Davie Cane case, on their side, in the open air, so they dry out. I play them in the same climate I store them in (most of the time).
I don't have an immediate solution for you other than to store your reeds in the climate they're going to be played in.
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Author: BobD
Date: 2006-01-13 12:00
Some reeds tend to warp even when stored properly..some don't ..variability is inherent in the product.
Bob Draznik
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Author: Lelia Loban ★2017
Date: 2006-01-13 13:13
I use those cheap little Vito plastic reed holders, because that way, the reed and the mouthpiece dry out quickly. Here in Virginia, anything that stays damp gets moldy and disgusting very fast. I've never had reeds stored this way warp in some catastrophic manner (curl up like tubes all the way down to the heel, etc.). My reeds often do warp by rippling across the tip, sometimes down as much as half an inch. What I do is: Ignore the warp, put the reed on the clarinet and practice. The combination of moisture and lip pressure against the mouthpiece flattens the reed out to normal playing contour in no time.
Lelia
http://www.scoreexchange.com/profiles/Lelia_Loban
To hear the audio, click on the "Scorch Plug-In" box above the score.
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Author: DavidBlumberg
Date: 2006-01-13 13:19
I'm an artist for the Rico Corp Grand Concert Reed so I may, or may not, possibly may, or totally may not be biased towards or against them in any real or imagined way
or not
But I use the Rico "Reed Vitalizer" at the 73% humidity level (they have 3 bag choices which regulate the humidity level).
I've used it for all of a month and not a single reed has warped, not one. They sent it to me about 2 years ago, but I never bothered to use it, and figured I would give it a shot. It does a really good job of keeping the humidity level constant. If you live in a really dry environment, I still would suggest trying the 73% medium bag first instead of going for the most humid level as it really does regulate the humidity based on the reed already being wet from your playing it. The reeds that I play don't dry out completely from day to day and the warping has gone.
I would still suggest that you have a good reed holder such as the Selmer Reed Case, or another premium reed case with glass on the bottom, or the Doctor's reed holders which are very good also (I have students using them). I would use the Doctor's holder if I didn't have a gorgeous wooden name-engraved case (w/glass) which has vents that I got at Morrie's shop.
The difference between the bag that Rico makes is that their bag is really, really thick so it keeps out the outside environment a lot better than any freezer bag, as well as the humidity pack which comes with it. Cost is around $10.
As mentioned, some reeds will just warp, but it really prevents that from happening a lot.
Also, what will almost guarantee that a reed will warp is if you play it too long the first few days. Don't play a reed longer than about 10 minutes the first 3 days as if you completely soak it all the way through so that it becomes "watersoaked", it can curl when it dries as the center takes much longer to dry than the edges.
That's why a reed can warp on day 2 when you are thinking "how can this possibly be????"
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Author: Brent
Date: 2006-01-13 15:30
When people are talking about reeds warping, what do they mean? I have had reeds that develop a wavy tip when dry. After soaking briefly that usually goes away, but i can hold them (wet) against a flat surface to speed the process.
I have also had reeds that become slightly convex on the flat surface so that they might rock side-to-side on the table of the mouthpiece. This causes air leaks. Sanding fixes that problem.
For me reed storage methods have little effect on either of these issues. I can leave a reed in open air after playing or i can store it on flat non-porous material and a reed will still either warp or not. Seems to be more dependent on the reed (perhaps the curing of the cane before manufacture?)
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Author: DavidBlumberg
Date: 2006-01-13 16:14
Problem with sanding the bottom is that it usually brightens the sound of the reed, so best to prevent it from happening if possible.
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Author: BobD
Date: 2006-01-13 23:04
I subscribe to the theory that the reed should mount to the table as solidly as possible. Most(many?) reeds out of the box have a back side that contains "sawdust" , small fibres, etc etc. Rubbing the backside against a 3x5 file card removes this residue and thus allows a more solid mounting surface. In my experience reed warping usually involves a wavy tip.
Bob Draznik
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Author: DavidBlumberg
Date: 2006-01-14 01:12
Reed warping has nothing to do with the tip at all - wavy tip is a wavy tip and can easily and 100% be changed by putting your thumb on the reed when it is perpendicular to the reed table, pressing the thumb and "ironing the tip". Also make sure that the reed is completely wet as often the wave will go away when it is wet.
Warping can't be changed without taking wood off of the reed. I remember seeing Harold Wright say that a warped reed should just be thrown away as you can't trust it anymore or something to that effect.
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Author: Chalumeau Joe
Date: 2006-01-14 02:11
The Doctor's reed stone works well, but the rubber "bands" lost a lot of their elasticity...I had to supplement them with conventional rubber bands to keep the reeds on the stone.
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Author: BobD
Date: 2006-01-14 08:37
Joe...you can usually find O-rings the right size at Ace Hardware....at least I can at my Ace.
Bob Draznik
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