 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: joevacc
Date: 2000-05-18 03:19
Hi,
I made a couple of reeds in the last few weeks and after tweaking them for awhile they play pretty
well for a first attempt, but they sound a little strident. All of them have the same strident sound even though
I have experimented with different cuttings in the heart area. Any suggestions?
jv
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Author: ron b.
Date: 2000-05-18 06:15
Hi, jv -
I, too, but not for a very long time, have fooled around with making reeds. In my earlier years of youthful craziness I made some reeds out of bamboo. Got somewhat the same results you describe. They were't good by any stretch of the imagination but were actually playable. What material did you use?
I've recently thought of trying some of the cane that grows around here in the Sacramento (CA) valley area. It's free for the cutting and probably better than bamboo. When I get around to doing something rather than just thinking about it I'll post my findings here. I don't expect any startling results; it's more of a fun hobby persuit than anything else. Kind of like designing your own kites. For any halfway serious playing (which is the only kind I do) I still use the store bought variety. It doesn't matter so much if you mess up while making your own from free material.
I would be fun to compare notes with you and others who've tried this.
ron b.
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Author: Frank
Date: 2000-05-18 20:54
I just finished my BM at Sac. State and the former oboe professor there used to cut his cane of the Sacramento River. But he's been using cane that he cut in the early 80's. If you're gonna cut that cane, the let it age for many years. I hear that it's pretty different that French/Spanish cane.
Good luck,
Frank
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Author: joevacc
Date: 2000-05-19 03:26
I wish I was brave enough to start with cane that I cut myself, but I bought pre cut blanks from a retailer. You would think that they are aged as long as store bought reeds (which is probably not very long at all). I have some blanks that I plan to store for a couple of years just to see what happens. The thing that prompted me to write is that when I first got done, two of the reeds sounded unbelievable! It was like seeing the holy grail!!! I only played the reeds for a minute and set them aside to start breaking them in. After they were broken in, they started to get @##$%, I mean a little strident. Does anyone make their own reeds in real life??? ron b. cut some of that cane and please let us know if we should flock to your neck of the woods!
jv
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Author: ron b.
Date: 2000-05-19 06:30
I hope that what I posted above won't cause a mass stampede, Joe. California is overpopulated and overrated in many ways. With urban sprawl daily encroaching the Sacto valley wetlands cane may become a scarce commodity in a few weeks. I know, that's an exaggeration, but the wildlife habitat in CA is shrinking despite present conservation measures. I have no intention of starting a mail order situation but I wouldn't mind sending you some cane from here to try for your reed making 'experiments' - to 'compare notes'(!)
When I fashioned the reeds I mentioned previously, I was in junior hi. I walked a mile daily through an open field to school and back so I had time then to do that. I used a pocket knife to rough cut them, then finished the job at home with sandpaper. I wouldn't do it that crudely now, however I know very little more about the process today than I did way back then. As I recall, the bamboo was not green.
I don't know how cane should be cured and I'm too old to wait ten years for the process.
Maybe it could be sun dried, kiln dried or left out to weather for a while - I don't know.
I'm not sure what the best diameter stalk should be. It seems that what I see around here, from a distance anyway, is rather small. I hope to take some time this weekend to get a closer look.
Some oboe players make their own reeds in real life and do quite well with them.
Anyway, if you want to follow up with this idea you can e-mail me.
ron b.
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2000-05-19 11:35
joevacc wrote:
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Does anyone make their own reeds in real life???
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A number of working pros do - recently I was talking to Bob Spring and found out he makes all of his, and there are a number of others (but whose names I didn't record - and at my age it's easy to forget who said what).
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Author: joevacc
Date: 2000-05-19 16:23
Ron,
Thank you very much for such a gracious offer. The people on this BB never cease to amaze me with their generosity. I wouldn't dream of putting you out. As far as sprawl, I was born in NYC and going to the country meant going to my grandparents bungalow on Long Island! Now 100 miles north of the city, all of our woods are disappearing by the day. The last chunk of woods that were cut was for the third home depot in a forty mile radius!!! I digress....... Thank you again for the offer... Let us know how the cane looks if you get a closer look this weekend.
jv
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Author: ron b.
Date: 2000-05-19 19:56
It's no inconvenience, jv. I've been thinking about this for a long time anyway. Glad you started this thread. I'll be glad to share if I'm able to.
I have a question while we're discussing reeds. This may be a little off the track, I don't know...
I served in the Air Force many long years ago as a bandsman and met many knowledgeable people along the way. I remember one in particular, a Julliard graduate, who claimed that reeds do not vibrate lengthwise, rather crosswise. I've always wondered about that, not that it amounts to much. Or, does it? Well, maybe it does - couldn't prove or disprove it by me. I don't know how that could be determined anyway. Maybe they vibrate both ways for all I know. It wouldn't have crossed my mind had he not said that. I've been curious about it ever since though. Can anyone comment to that? I admit I haven't searched all the resources this BB has to offer (shame on me).
ron b.
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Author: joevacc
Date: 2000-05-20 03:42
I have always heard that a reed vibrates with the grain. That's why they say one should sand a reed with the grain so as to not cross cut any of the fibers. The more I read about the subject, the more I realize that there are still a lot of unknowns about how reeds really work. As far as I can tell, and anyone please correct me if I wrong, cane for clarinets should be about 30mm in diameter and about 3.5mm thick or more. The cane should be two years old and cut during the dormant season so that there is no sap in the fibers. Then it should be stored in the sun and turned every so often until it turns the color that we are accustomed to. Then it is usually stored for two years indoors. Like Ron said, I don't want to hold my breath waiting for that reed I harvested myself, but if I ever come across the perfect reed I'll be sure to let everyone know!
jv
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Author: Mike Irish
Date: 2000-05-20 11:02
I use to make my oboe reeds, that was 23 years ago.... they were high dollar to a teen. so had to do what I had to do.... as far as clarinet reeds, they were cheap at .50 cent each.... ( actually didnt do the cutting, got oboe blanks and just shaved then and tied, wasted a few, but was cheaper then... now I just buy good one. I did use to clip clar reeds and shave them. I dont even do that now... it chips or cracks, well, Bye Bye..... new one on the way..
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Author: ron b.
Date: 2000-05-21 03:52
I can understand double reed players making their own reeds, Mike, - aside from wanting to 'customize' them to individual preference. Store bought clarinet reeds, by comparison, are cheap.
Found what I assume is some 'Sacramento cane' this afternoon, growing out in a semi-rural Rio Linda neighborhood by a roadside mudhole area about two by twenty yards, an ideal mosquito breeding site. Right now the stuff is very green and the largest stalks are about 3/4" in diameter. Too small for clarinet reeds I think (?). I only hope the county doesn't eradicate it too soon, but then... nobody loves mosquitos. Maybe tomorrow I'll be able to explore some creekside places.
Will keep you posted.
ron b.
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Author: ron b.
Date: 2000-05-21 08:37
Looking up Arundo donax on the web tonight I gather that 'tall cane' is viewed by conservationists from here to the east coast as Kudzu is in the south - a hardy nuisance. Hmmmm.
ron b.
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