 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: winthropguy
Date: 2010-02-17 00:33
I bought a box of reeds (Zonda 3.5, same that I always buy) and they all seem incredibly stiff and very hard to play on.
I'm working on Devienne's second sonata and, even considerably slower than marked and with the grace notes left out, just feel clumsy beyond belief.
I feel like I can't get the full dynamic range I should be getting, and I'm lacking that big, full, rounded sound - it comes, it goes...
Should I just go have a beer and say "the heck with it", or is this pretty normal for the rest of you, too?
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Author: cxgreen48
Date: 2010-02-17 00:50
Well obviously if your reeds "all seem incredibly stiff and very hard to play on," you're going to have some trouble getting "that big, full, rounded sound."
Also, make sure you're taking enough mouthpiece in and not biting. I have recently been making sure I've been taken enough mouthpiece in and also practicing with double lip embouchure. It was amazing to me how much more of a beautiful round, ringing sound I could get.
But of course, biting and not taking enough mouthpiece in can be attributed to too hard and/or unbalanced reeds.
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Author: concertmaster3
Date: 2010-02-17 01:20
All of what cxgreen said, and also, sometimes taking a break and coming back really can change things. If you relax, you'll generally do all of the things cx just said!
I'd also say that our rapid changes in weather we've been getting here could be affecting it. I was teaching an oboe lesson today, and if I stopped talk for a few seconds after demonstrating and played the same thing again, my reed had completely dried out.
Ron Ford
Woodwind Specialist
Performer/Teacher/Arranger
http://www.RonFordMusic.com
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Author: Clarimeister
Date: 2010-02-17 01:25
If you're pulling brand new reeds out of the box and slapping them on and saying that they're too stiff - have you tried breaking in your reeds? Usually they tend to loosen (i hate the word soften for reeds) up after a couple days of conditioning. Also do you know how to sand or make your reeds more loose? Or are you maybe using a strength size too high? These are some small things to consider at least about your reeds. I also agree with everyone else is that you need to be somewhat relaxed when practicing, 'cause if you tense up you usually fall into bad habits and then become more frustrated.
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Author: salzo
Date: 2010-02-17 02:08
"All of what cxgreen said, and also, sometimes taking a break and coming back really can change things. If you relax, you'll generally do all of the things cx just said!"
Excellent advice. I will not practice when I am in a "frustrated" state. It has been my experience that when things are not working right, I try "hard" to make it worse- lots of twisting contorting, and in the end, just makes the problems worse, and I develop bad habits in my technique. All the "hard" work i am doing to fix the problem, is ALWAYS contributing to the problem. The better I am playing, the more I practice. If I am not playing well, or frustrated, I take a break. The break gives me time to forget all of the wrong things I was doing, and when I come back, my "good playing" clarinet memory is all that is there.
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Author: winthropguy
Date: 2010-02-17 02:44
It is indeed all excellent advice - in fact, you all said things I can hear my teacher very clearly saying in my head! 
I make an effort not to bite, because my teacher does occasionally tell me to make sure I'm using enough mouthpiece (and coming from what is originally a sax background, it blows my mind that I have this problem nowadays).
I also do break reeds in and also use the ATG reed system. I rotated today between three reeds - one new and two that I've been playing on for a week or two - and they all just felt off somehow no matter how many adjustments I made to them on the mouthpiece. I considered that the reeds might be too strong, but out of a box of five, 2 or 3 of them typically play pretty openly right out of the box with only minor adjustments needed.
Maybe it was just an off day. Between orchestra and band practices (and all 12 pieces of music between the two), plus work for lessons, I've been pushing myself the past week to make sure I show some definite improvement in certain areas in my lesson later this week, so it's quite possible I was just tense.
I honestly do appreciate the feedback - getting some sound advice from folks with more experience does help relieve some of the frustration and gives me some great pointers for tomorrow's practice session!
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Author: Ed Palanker
Date: 2010-02-17 21:27
The beer sounds like a good idea right now. Yes, you need to break in your reeds the proper way and make adjustments as you do. If you don't know what or how to do that check out my website and look at the pages on reeds, it might help. If not, have two beers. ESP http://eddiesclarinet.com
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Author: winthropguy
Date: 2010-02-18 00:04
Personally, I think a beer or six sounds good nearly anytime.
But I would like to again thank you all - I had a GREAT session today! I relaxed, kept what you all said in the back of my mind, and feel confident going into my lesson tomorrow!
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Author: NBeaty
Date: 2010-02-20 12:52
On a more boring note, I have noted that Zondas produces entire boxes full of unlplayebly hard reeds from time to time. Luckly they are relitively inexpensive and a box is only 5 reeds.
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Author: Tony F
Date: 2010-02-22 11:43
Sounds as though it might be an idea to try some reeds from another manufacturer if the ones you are using are known for inconsistency. Sometimes its just not a good day to play. That's what beer was made for.
Tony F.
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