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Reed Affordability

Author: Bartmann
Date: 2008-12-09 18:03

I just went to the Woodwind and Brasswind website. They listed Vandoren V12 reeds as:

Starting @ $27.99
List: $52.95 - a 47 % Savings

When I did my major reed buying in 1999-2000 I recall the reeds were around $13 a box. Granted the dollar was strong then. The reeds I bought back then, Strenth 4, reflected my playing skills at the time: practice every day for several hours - alone and with groups, and concerts.

But since I long ago abandoned any illusion of making music professionally, changed careers, and gradually my playing time diminished to mostly weekends, my embouchure has become weak. So blowing on a V12 strength 4 reed is like blowing a popsicle stick. Yet I still have lots of boxes of strength 4.

I had some boxes of 2, 2.5, and 3's that I had as I moved up in reed strength. But long ago I reached that point where I have no more boxes of soft reeds and will actually have to buy them. After a decade of playing a 4 reed and the "Ideal" tone in your head, playing a 2 reed sounds sickly. And using an open mouthpiece further deteriorates the sound by making it breathy.

I've tried sanding 4 strength reeds, but they really have to be sanded down a lot; long after the logo has vanished. And then these reeds don't last long and even don't sound as good a weaker reeds.

I've tried Legere reeds and I really hate them for many reasons.

So I'm not too sure I want to spend almost $30 creating a sound that is not what I perceive to be ideal.

The decision to buy reeds is further complicated because I also play flute which has no ongoing reed expense. Because the flute has a longer history than clarinet, I've been happily exploring the early music repertoire. Yet from time to time I want to feel the throaty depths of the chalumeau register shake my belly.

What have you been doing to mitigate the expense of reeds?

Bartmann

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Bartmann

2008-12-09 18:03