 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: RichA
Date: 2009-12-13 20:46
I don't work for Tom Ridenour, I don't know Tom Ridenour, I don't even want to know Tom Ridenour, but I want to tell you his ATG Reed Finishing System is the best. I hesitated buying it because of the cost, but EVERY review I read about it on this Board was extremely positive. I never bought a product before that literally everyone rated as "the best" and I am glad that I took the chance. If you are thinking about it - don't, just do it. The materials you will receive are probably worth about $1.50 but the instruction DVD is valuable and the system itself works and works well. Yes, it will save you dollars by "saving" bad reeds but more importantly it will just make you feel better when reaching for a reed, knowing that it will be a good one. This Board is a great source of information for non-professionals like me. Thank you for all of your assistance.
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Author: Ed Palanker
Date: 2009-12-14 02:44
I own one and have used it on occasion. I agree that for someone that does not know much about adjusting reeds it's very useful and helpful. I learned to use a reed knife year before I bought it so I already knew how to adjust my reeds in second. What the ATG doesn't doesn't show you is how to make a reed harder or darker by clipping and tappering. It's good for making a reed softer and balancing the tip but there's more you can do to adjust a reed than the ATG does. As I stated, if you can't adjust them already, it's pretty good but it's only as good as the quality of the cane to start with. You simply can't make a good reed from a poor piece of cane. You may be able to make it play better but never good. As I've said before too, you can't make good wine from poor grapes and you can't polish a turd. (excuse the example) ESP http://eddiesclarinet.com
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Author: Iceland clarinet
Date: 2009-12-14 04:33
Just start with reeds that are a bit too hard to begin with and you don't have to taper and clip them because I don't know many players that find it satisfacotry.
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Author: Ed Palanker
Date: 2009-12-15 02:55
Icland, I believe we've had this conversation before. I am not suggesting, or never have suggested, that anyone begin with a soft reed just so they can tapper and clip. You always base you're opinions on people you know. I would suggest that those players that you say don't find it satisfactory simply don't know how to do the procedure properly. I am quite successful doing it but I only do it if I have a good reed that has become a little soft after playing it for some time or the reed is a bit soft to begin with but is a good piece of cane. Once again, I am not advocating people begin with a soft reed just so they can tapper and clip it. It is a fantastic method of keeping a good reed play longer once it gets a little soft without having the unsatisfactory effect of just clipping the reed that so many players complain about. Don't twist what I said around. Sometimes a reed is really good but has simply gotten too soft. I had a bass clarinet reed last year, I wrote about it several months ago, that I tapered and clipped half a dozen times over a period of almost nine months using it for numerous concerts, rehearsals and professional recordings with the BSO. If you know how to do it properly and have a good piece of cane it's a fantastic technique IF YOU KNOW HOW TO DO IT PROPERLY! That goes for any type of clarinet reed. Obviously you and most players you know don't know how to do it properly. ESP
ESP eddiesclarinet.com
Post Edited (2009-12-15 03:15)
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Author: TianL
Date: 2009-12-15 05:12
Ed I've read several times of you mentioning use of a reed knife, but I couldn't find anything related to how to use it on your website. Maybe when you have time you can add that to your pages? Just a suggestion though, it will be helpful to us who never used a reed knife.
My first teacher kinda showed me before, but I wasn't too interested in it back then and never learned it..
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Author: Ed Palanker
Date: 2009-12-15 12:56
Good suggestion TianL I will consider doing that. It may be difficult to do it in words rather then in demonstration but I will give it a shot in the next few weeks. If I can find a way to express myself in words I will post it on our bboard as well as my website so you, and anyone else interested, will be know it's done. Thanks for your request. ESP
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Author: Clarimeister
Date: 2009-12-15 20:09
Or Ed, if you really think it'd be easier, and of course if you had the time, maybe you can make a video demonstration of it instead or in addition to or whichever. 
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Author: cxgreen48
Date: 2009-12-15 21:23
Is tapering the reed like the tip finishing part of the ATG system?
I also like the idea of putting up a video of it.
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Author: Ed Palanker
Date: 2009-12-16 01:40
Ok, good idea, I will look into doing a video. Give me time folks, I have two shows a day for the next week, Christmas concerts you know. I'll try to get it done after the holiday. I've never done that before but I think I can figure it out. I'll let you all know once it's done by posting it on a new topic here on our board. I'll also look into putting it on youtube with a link to my website as David suggested. That way I can make a fortune when people go to my site. Oh, I forgot, I don't make anything when that happens, it actually costs me to keep it going. Never mind, I'll become famous all over the world and people will just send me cash for being so nice. OK, so that won't happen but i'll do it anyway because you asked so nice.
"Is tapering the reed like the tip finishing part of the ATG system?" I'm not sure since I've never done that with my ATG. I'm sure you can taper a reed with it or just fine sand paper but remember, it has to be only "peace fuss" that comes off of the tip of the reed and only take off just below the curve of the tip. You have to experiment. Be careful not to take off too much or you're actually making the reed softer instead of "tapering" it. Remember, the idea is to have the new Tip the same thickness as the old tip just closer to the heart of the reed. You're trying to add resistance not make the tip thicker. ESP
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Author: TianL
Date: 2009-12-16 04:14
I'm still a little confused.. what exactly is tapering? Does it mean to change the shape of the tip?
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Author: scot455
Date: 2009-12-16 07:29
I am waiting for an ATG to come from America to Scotland. I am a 70-year old learner on clarinet
Here is a reference I found on www about treating a reed, which I found to be useful
http://www.tcnj.edu/~mckinney/the%20reed.htm
It may help until Ed Palanker gets his video up
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Author: Ed Palanker
Date: 2009-12-16 15:15
TianL, have you read my reed page about tapering on my website and seen the picture of the reed? If you did and still don't understand it e-mail me directly and I'll try to explain it to you. In short though it's taking just a tiny bit of wood, I call it "Peach fuss" off of the very tip of the reed before you clip it so that the new tip is about the same "thickness" as it was before but the new tip is now closer to the heart of the reed. In theory, and it works well for me, it makes the reed a little more resistant, the goal, but eliminates the harshness so ofter associated with just clipping the reed without tapering it first. It not only has to be only the very tip, but you have to clip it just a tiny bit because you can always clip it again but you can't put the clip back on. You only taper it once though, even if you clip it several times, which is why you only clip a tiny bit each time and play test it. ESP
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Author: kdk ★2017
Date: 2009-12-16 22:14
Ed, I'm not clear on why this needs to be done *before* clipping. Couldn't you just as easily taper the extreme tip as needed after you clip and play test the reed?
Karl
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