 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Ed Palanker
Date: 2009-10-10 19:12
Any regular reader of this BB knows that I am the bass clarinetist – clarinetist of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. I’ve often had good luck with bass clarinet reeds; I’ve been using Rico Grand Concerts for many years now but open a box of Vandorens from the 1990s that I still have left over as well. I’ve always aged my reeds. I usually open two boxes of the Rico’s and one box of Vandorens when I’m choosing my reeds. That’s only 15 reeds total, five to a box. In an average year I do that twice a year. I often find 2-3 really good reeds from each group and a good reed will last me anywhere from one week to three months on occasion. Well this time I’ve been using the same reed going on nine months now, it’s a miracle reed. Please keep in mind that I use the same reed for every single concert and rehearsal unlike my clarinet reeds that I rotate a great many. I practice on others but use the same bass reed for everything else. I do always have at least four quality reeds ready to go just in case and practice on them now and then to keep them in good playing shape. This one reed, which I always keep on the mouthpiece after loosening the ligature first, together with my reserve reeds in a plastic bag with a Rico Vitalizer in it, always closed. Every time this reed became a little soft I would clip it once or twice, not unusual for me, but this time I clipped it at least six times, which is very unusual.
After my summer break I was sure I would have to replace it because it had a dark spot on it and it was already seven months old. But when I played it I realized it was still very good. When we recorded the Bartok Concerto for Orchestra two weeks ago I thought I would certainly have to replace it, especially after I felt it got soft again, but after another little clip it was great. This week, at a pops rehearsal, I put a chip in the tip when putting the cap on. I thought for sure that was it but I was able to finish the rehearsals with it having nothing really exposed. The next day when I tried it I could not believe how good it still sounded. It looks terrible but sounds really good.
Well, I’m off this week and when returning I have some big stuff coming up, Adams, Mahler and Gershwin and we are recording the Gershwin next month. I think I’ll have to go to my other reeds now because I think nine months playing the same reed for every single concert and rehearsal from winter to spring to summer to fall is enough. I should frame it and give it to the Smithsonian Museum but it looks terrible at this point. Oh well, I have several other very good reeds waiting anxiously to be played. I can hear them crying every time I open the bag, play me, play me, please play me!
For those that are going to write other reed stories remember, I have a very high standard when using a reed, it has to sound and feel very good all the time when I’m on the job, not simply play. ESP http://eddiesclarinet.com
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Author: Iceland clarinet
Date: 2009-10-11 00:25
Woww that's really good. How on earth do you get good result from clipping a reed ? I always taper it and clip but I usually only get average result from it.
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Author: yearsofwisdom
Date: 2009-10-11 01:35
what reed is this? vandoren or the rico??? and how do you age reeds/ what are the benefits?
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Author: Ed Palanker
Date: 2009-10-11 16:26
For Iceland, I'm not sure what we do differently but I'm very successful in tapering and clipping a reed but it has to have been a good reed to start that is simply just a bit to soft or slightly worn. As I state on my reed page on my website, I just take off "peach" fuss when tapering and a very small clip at a time.
For Yearsofwisdom, It was the Rico Grand Concert, I use #3 1/2s on bass clarinet, #4 on clarinet. I don't do anything special to age them I just keep them in a draw in my studio at home. I do have a humidifier on my furnace so the house does not get overly dry in the winter but nothing else. I try to keep reeds from 5-10 years before I open a box but my bass Vandorens are from the 90s because I stocked up on the Rico Grand Concerts once I began using them. I think the benefit is that they "mellow" a bit when aged, at least for me. The Vandorens I have are #4s and many of them are a bit hard for me now and need more "breaking" in. The Grand Concert # 3 1/2s are just about right, sometimes a bit hard, sometimes a bit soft, just like every other type and brand reed I've ever tried. This one reed is truly a miracle reed and it's still play well. Today is the last day for it though, our last "pops" concert this week and I'm going to retire it then. I'll have to at least have a ceremony over it. ESP http://eddiesclarinet.com
ESP eddiesclarinet.com
Post Edited (2009-10-11 17:05)
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Author: knotty
Date: 2009-10-11 17:09
Eddie, what reed trimmer do you use? and is there another way to trim reeds without using a trimmer?
Thanks, knotty
~ Musical Progress: None ~
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Author: yearsofwisdom
Date: 2009-10-11 19:32
my teacher taught me to use a nickel and place the tip of the reed BARELY over the edge. Usin a match, you can burn that little bit off and you have basically trimmed your reed. make sure it is moist though.
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2009-10-11 22:26
Bronze it, and frame it.
When all looks bleak in the reed world again, just look at the beautiful shadow boxed one that REALLY worked.
..............Paul Aviles
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Author: Ed Palanker
Date: 2009-10-12 03:05
Burning the tip off of the reed is an old fashion way of "clipping" a reed, before the invention of the modern types though I assume some folks still do it. I use a normal Cordier reed clipper. The one I use for bass clarinet is the same as the Ternor Sax clipper, the tips are the same. I learned how to tapper and clip a reed from my bass clarinet teacher, Joe Allard, and it works great on clarinet and bass reeds, as long as it's a good reed to start with, just a bit soft or worn. A good piece of cane is a good piece of cane, you just have to learn not to ruin it. I have that on my reed page on my site. ESP http://eddiesclarinet.com
ESP eddiesclarinet.com
Post Edited (2009-10-12 03:18)
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