 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Chrissy
Date: 2010-02-25 15:46
What is everyone's take on keeping clarinet reeds humidified? I live in North Carolina and I feel like my reeds, no matter what environment they are stored in, fluctuate a lot depending on the weather. Instead of using the Rico revitalize packs and spending money on them every few weeks, what are some techniques you do to keep your reeds humidified?
Thanks
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Author: Tobin
Date: 2010-02-25 16:09
I keep my reeds in a clear plastic shoe box. Within the shoe box is a smaller sandwich sized tupperware box that contains a slice of Wet Oasis foam (a block of this is $2 from floral store).
The foam is wet (not soaked) with 50/50 mix of propolyene glycol and water (available a cigar store for $5): this maintains the humidity at 60%. The PG prevents mold from forming at any time.
When the foam dries out, soak with distilled water (1 gallon = 89cents). Ever third or fourth time the foam dries, re wet with the 50/50 PG mix.
Total cost around $10. Obviously a hygrometer is helpful, and that will cost you $10 itself.
I set this up over two years ago: I'm still on my first bottle of 50/50 PG mix and first bottle of distilled water.
James
Gnothi Seauton
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Author: Paul Miller
Date: 2010-02-25 16:12
I have a humidor for my reeds and keep it at around 60% RH. I always have at least two opened boxes of reeds in there just waiting... the longer they're in there, the more stable the reeds seem to be. If you're in an area where there's a lot of fluctuation in humidity, you might want to have a few reeds of different strengths just in case... And maybe even a few synthetics.
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Author: kdk
Date: 2010-02-25 16:29
At the risk of sounding like a smartaleck (not my intent), I wet them in my mouth or in a film can of water (if I have one with me) before I play on them. If they're very dry, I wet them a little longer. They probably take a couple of minutes more to perk up to full vibrancy than ones that have been maintained in a humidified condition. I am not unhappy with the lifespan of the reeds I use this way - I'm still playing on a couple of them that I started in my regular rotation before Christmas.
Karl
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Author: Tobin
Date: 2010-02-25 16:34
Karl, I think each one of us does that. So clearly we're looking for something that improves the reeds above and beyond wetting them before we play.
We also wouldn't continue unless we found there was an improvement over leaving them to the variant humidity that we have wherever we live.
If you haven't compared your reeds the way you normally keep them to the way that is being suggested here, you have little to offer the conversation don't you think?
Not being rude, just pointing out the obvious.
James
edited for ridiculous double-negative that didn't make any sense.
Gnothi Seauton
Post Edited (2010-02-25 16:35)
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Author: Chris Hill
Date: 2010-02-25 16:41
The need for humidification is dependent upon your local climate. When I lived in Philadelphia, I used to keep my reeds in a plastic bag with no humidifiers. Now that I live in a very dry climate (it gets down to 5% or lower at times,) I use the Rico reed case, with 58% humidity. These lower humidity packs work well for me, and last a lot longer than the 73% packs. Vandoren also makes humididty control cases, and I'm guessing that other companies do, as well.
Yes, wetting them a little longer will help if they dry out in a dry climate, but they may still crack or warp, and be changed.
NC is probably even more humid than Philly, so you may be able to get away with a plastic bag with no humidifier.
The problem with using a sponge or something similar in a bag is that you may end up with mold if you don't have two-way humidity control, like the Vandoren or Rico cases.
Chris Hill
Disclaimer- I am a Rico Artist
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Author: Arnoldstang
Date: 2010-02-25 16:44
Karl, It seems logical what you say but reeds are illogical. It isn't just a matter of replacing the water that has evaporated from a reed. Somehow the reed shrinks in a non uniform fashion during drying out and when you just wet it again to play it things change even more. You can't put Humpty Dumpty back together again. Of course in good weather/humidity the reed doesn't change enough for there to be a problem. Your approach works in this case. all the best
Freelance woodwind performer
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Author: DavidBlumberg
Date: 2010-02-25 16:44
It won't be like you are spending money "every few weeks" on a new humidipack.
One can last for 6 months!! I suggest the Rico reed vault - lasts forever, and the packs have lasted over a year in several of my students cases.
Packs are only a couple of bucks too.
http://www.SkypeClarinetLessons.com
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Author: TianL
Date: 2010-02-25 16:57
I use a "damp it" (it's like a foam in a rubber tube) - I put it with my reeds in a sealed zip-lock bag. Then I just wet the "dampit" everyday.
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Author: mrn
Date: 2010-02-25 17:00
Quote:
Instead of using the Rico revitalize packs and spending money on them every few weeks, what are some techniques you do to keep your reeds humidified?
There are different schools of thought on this, and I don't know if there's a right or wrong answer.
I guess I come from the "just let them dry out" school. I simply store my reeds in the little plastic Vandoren sleeves the reeds come in when you buy them. However, I grew up and received all my formal instruction in clarinet playing in Houston (near the coast), where the relative humidity is always 60-90% anyway. Where I live now (near Dallas), the humidity is generally 60-80%, still enough to qualify as a humid subtropical climate.
The biggest differences in reed behavior show up in the winter, when everyone fires up their natural gas furnaces, and it's a bigger deal in Dallas than in Houston (because we're not on the coast and the climate is colder here, too).
In winter, when the indoor air is dry from forced-air heating, the reeds feel like they go down in strength. My usual remedy for this is simply to play on slightly harder reeds.
The other reason I'm aware of that people humidify their reeds is to prevent warpage. Warpage occurs when part of the reed dries more thoroughly than another, because wood shrinks when it loses moisture. My poor-man's approach to reed storage seems to take care of this issue, as well, since the little Vandoren sleeves do allow for some degree of airflow on the top and bottom sides of the reed.
There may be other reasons why people humidify their reeds, but these are the only two I'm aware of, namely to prevent fluctuations in strength/behavior due to ambient humidity and to prevent warpage.
Now one thing about James' approach that I think may have some additional side benefits is that the humectant he uses, propylene glycol, aside from regulating the humidity, has bactericidal properties. Since it is believed (at least based on one paper I read) that it is the accumulation of bacteria on the reed that is primarily responsible for the limited lifetime of reeds, it's conceivable that storing your reeds in a propylene glycol-humidified environment could slow down the growth of the bacteria and thus extend the life expectancy of your reeds.
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Author: reedwizard
Date: 2010-02-25 17:14
I use a dampit in a zip loc bag. I purchased a digital hygrometer from a cigar store so that I can monitor the humidity inside the bag. I have not had the reeds mold using a dampit and monitoring it with a hygrometer.
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Author: Bob Bernardo
Date: 2010-02-25 17:31
I worked at Rico for 15 years, quality control. I was the person that designed the Grand Concert series and was head of the Mitchell Lurie and the Hemke sop. sax reeds. Don't waste your money. I'm actually in a lawsuit against Rico for using pesticides on the cane, resulting in me getting really sick. The company never told the musicians about the pesticides. Thats another story for later issue. If you need more details feel free in emailing me.
Use some sort of humidor. I made a few by cutting holes in one of those perscription pill bottles and adding a sponge inside of the bottle. Every few days you simply re-wet the small piece of sponge.
This also worked very well for the actual clarinet. We all know that the metal rings get loose in dry weather. This prevented the clarinet from drying out in the winter.
Designer of - Vintage 1940 Cicero Mouthpieces and the La Vecchia mouthpieces
Yamaha Artist 2015
Post Edited (2010-02-25 17:38)
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Author: salzo
Date: 2010-02-25 17:57
"The problem with using a sponge or something similar in a bag is that you may end up with mold if you don't have two-way humidity control, like the Vandoren or Rico cases. "
Last time I was in a cigar store, I picked up a product that cigar smokers use instead of water for humidifiation. Cant remember the name, I think Xytol. It is a liquid used instead of water, and it says on the bottle it has an "anti fungal" agent. I wonder if using this for humidity control, instead of plain water. would help prevent mold for those who experience moldy reeds.
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Author: Tobin
Date: 2010-02-25 18:04
Xytol would almost certainly have to have Propolyene Glycol in it. If it doesn't, then it is an additional liquid that will safely humidify your reeds and inhibit mold formation.
James
Gnothi Seauton
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Author: kdk
Date: 2010-02-25 18:12
Well, actually I *have* tried a couple of different humidifiers - those carbon cartridges in the blue Vandoren reed holders for awhile, and at different times plastic bags with and without either dampits or orange peels in the bag with the reeds. Obviously, I found no meaningful improvement or I *would* have continued with one of those devices. I'm sure it was my own insensitivity and incompetence.
I didn't say anyone else's suggestion was wrong, pointless or a waste of money. I simply offered my own experience.
But obviously, once again my contribution was worthless or perhaps, even worse, may have been harmful to someone, so I think I'll just slink into lurk mode for at least awhile and not bother to participate actively - I don't want my inexperience, ineptitude or lack of foundation to lead anyone astray or interfere with conversations that will clearly be more meaningful without my being involved.
Karl
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Author: mrn
Date: 2010-02-25 18:23
It could be xylitol. Xylitol is an artificial sweetener (used in sugarless gum), but it also has anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties. You see it in nasal sprays sometimes because it kills bacteria. I don't think it's a humectant, like propylene glycol, but I could see somebody using a xylitol/H2O solution to avoid microbial growth.
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Author: cxgreen48
Date: 2010-02-25 19:15
I've found that by putting reeds in a ReedGard inside a Ziploc bag with a small orange peel can actually unwarp reeds.
The Rico reed case with a Vitalizer pack works well too. The Vitalizer pack has lasted longer than 60 days already, although I can feel a few small crystalized bits in the pack.
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Author: salzo
Date: 2010-02-25 20:01
"It could be xylitol. Xylitol is an artificial sweetener (used in sugarless gum), but it also has anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties."
This I find interesting. I have never had an issue with mold and reeds. My bags can stay in a closed bag for a week, and no mold. I have students who just think about wetting them, and they get moldy. I am a trident sugarless gum junky- I chew it often. I wonder if this has an effect on my reeds?
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Author: cxgreen48
Date: 2010-02-25 21:00
David B.,
By warp, I mean side-to-side movement of the reed when placed on a glass surface. (air leaking from the sides of the reed, not wavy tips)
Yesterday, my teacher gave me a reed that was very warped. When I got home, I put it in a ReedGard and put that in a ziploc bag with 2 small orange peels. Today, I checked the reed for flatness again, and the reed is flat.
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Author: Tobin
Date: 2010-02-26 01:00
Interesting to find a naturally occurring substance, Xylitol, which functions to inhibit growth. I was completely incorrect about it having PG.
Propylene Glycol has an advantage in that is maintains the humidity: if the more moisture is added (by wet reeds) is absorbs it. If the humidity level drops (because of dry reeds) it produces it.
Karl, I'm sorry if I offended you. You didn't begin by sharing that you've already tried the process and found it unnecessary. To me, (perhaps incorrectly) that changes the nature of your original statement.
Ultimately, though, it isn't about how wet the reed is in the mouth and on the mouthpiece (we all know we prefer a different levels of moisture introduced to the reed), it is about maintaining the reed when it is not being played.
James
Gnothi Seauton
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Author: kdk
Date: 2010-02-26 01:52
Tobin wrote:
>
> Ultimately, though, it isn't about how wet the reed is in the
> mouth and on the mouthpiece (we all know we prefer a different
> levels of moisture introduced to the reed), it is about
> maintaining the reed when it is not being played.
>
> James
>
But, implicit in my original comment is the question "why?" Why is it important what condition the reed is kept in when it isn't being played, so long, of course, as it doesn't warp as a result of its treatment or lose its vibrancy in an unreasonably short time as a result (mine do neither)? What is the purpose, other than to prevent warpage and premature deterioration, of any regimen of maintenance between playing sessions?
It really isn't as though I just post things with no reason or experience behind them. I'm sorry if the background or the intent of what I wrote was unclear - that's my fault, although a more tactful response might have been simply to ask whether I had any basis for what I said. I did find "... you have little to offer the conversation don't you think?" just a little raw, especially added to the exchange Liquorice and I had over your post (with which I never had a quarrel) in the other thread in which he insisted that I must have spent the last 50 years incapable of performing with any rhythmic accuracy. I'm perhaps (I think justifiably, but that's just my opinion) just a little hyper-sensitive (or maybe hyper-irritable) just now.
Karl
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Author: Tobin
Date: 2010-02-26 02:14
Sorry Karl, I should have phrased that more eloquently or left it out entirely.
I had forgotten about the previous thread. I once spent a more time here on the BB, but these kinds of things (and the endless recurring topics) provided enough reason to spend my energy elsewhere.
I find that, in the humidor, the reeds play more consistently, last longer, and change less through the course of their lives: more so than out of the humidor.
On occasion I leave a reed case in the bag overnight (or worse...several days). When I have compared these reeds side by side with those fresh out of the humidor the latter reeds are more responsive for me.
I have never thought to compare them within vs without in a meaningful way that factors in current humidity. At certain times of year I'm sure there would be no difference...but we do get a great deal of variation here in VA.
I also have no problem with the cost of other products. For those who are interested in giving a humidor a try, however, it is a cheap experiment.
James
Gnothi Seauton
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Author: Chris Hill
Date: 2010-02-26 05:04
Karl,
I've heard you play- obviously your method works for you, because you sound great. I still remember the beautiful round focus of your sound today, 25 years after we last played together. My point is that in different parts of the country, different things work. Philly is relatively humid, so you can do things (the same things I did when I lived there) that I can't in a dry climate. I humidify my clarinets differently now, use reed humidifiers, etc.
Perhaps I should have left the thread on what works in a humid place like Philly or NC, but I thought that it would be helpful to those who live in other places to have a comment on what to do in dry locations.
I apologize if I offended you- you're certainly one of the people on this board I greatly respect.
Chris
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Author: Bob Bernardo
Date: 2010-02-26 05:56
I don't really agree that a warped reed is dead. Actually I don't agree at all, but we all have different ideas about reeds. When working at Rico I would save good quality cane and run it on the Mitchell Lurie machines and the Grand Concert machines. I remember Mitchell saying he often plays a reed for 6 months. Trust me these reeds were warped. One of his last recordings was the Mozart Clarinet Quintet and the reed of choice was 6 months old.
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Author: kdk
Date: 2010-02-26 10:59
Hi, Chris
Thanks for the kind words. It wasn't your post at all that upset me, but the tone of the one I responded to (from James).
Karl
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Author: L. Omar Henderson
Date: 2010-02-26 12:52
(Disclaimer - I sell humidity control products and hygrometers)
Many people have different opinions about reed storage and reed hydration techniques but a few facts need to be understood.
Mold spores are everywhere in the environment and will grow into vegetative mold (black, green or brown) if the Relative Humidity (depends on several parameters including temperature) is above 50% and temperature is above 60 degrees F. Whatever you use to humidify reeds in a closed space has no effect on mold growth except when there are volatile fungicidal vapors emitted from your humidifying media - be it Rico Vitalizer Packs, glycol/water mixtures, water itself, etc. We probably do not want volatile fungicidal vapors trapped in reeds which we put in our mouths or direct contact with propylene glycol (a poison).
Fungicidal properties of the humidifying agent however will keep it from contaminating reeds stored in close proximity, which is a good thing. Without volatile fungicidal vapors the humidifying agent just adds (or for saturated salt solutions such as the Rico Vitalizer which add and subtract moisture) water vapor to the air. If there are mold spores on the reeds and RH is > 50% then mold will grow. Keeping reeds clean and sanitized in an environment of > 50% RH is much more important than the agent that you use to add or take away humidity.
Some will say that they have no problem with mold growth storing reeds at >50% RH but they must be lucky because in many climates with heat and humidity (like here in Georgia, US) mold growth is a huge problem.
L. Omar Henderson
www.doctorsprod.com
Post Edited (2010-02-26 12:57)
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Author: Lee
Date: 2010-02-26 20:06
I've meen using a ReedMate for over 10 years and find it does a good job. The reeds are immediately ready without being too wet or too dry. Never had any problem with mold.
http://www.reedmate.com/
I have no connection with this product other than being a satisfied customer.
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Author: mrn
Date: 2010-02-26 22:40
The Doctor wrote:
Quote:
We probably do not want volatile fungicidal vapors trapped in reeds which we put in our mouths or direct contact with propylene glycol (a poison).
Propylene glycol is a common food additive, "generally recognized as safe" by the FDA. It's also described by the CDC as "generally considered to be a safe chemical."
http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/tfacts189.html
It's toxic if ingested in large amounts (so is Vitamin A), but it doesn't sound to me as if what James does with his reeds poses any significant health risk, especially given what the above link states. Am I wrong to think that?
I had another question (and I hope you don't think I'm picking on you by asking it--you're not the first person I've heard use this term, and one of the things I frequently have to do in my job is to split hairs about scientific terminology). My question is this: Is it really meaningful to call something a "volatile vapor?" My understanding of the term "volatile" in relation to chemistry was that it referred to a substance that vaporizes readily. So it seemed to me (a non-chemist) that you could have a volatile liquid or a volatile solid (such as dry ice, which sublimates), but to call something a volatile vapor (a vapor that readily converts into a vapor) would be kind of meaningless, or at best redundant. Since you're not the first person I've heard use that terminology, though, I thought I'd ask if there isn't some little shade of meaning I'm missing here.
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Author: Tobin
Date: 2010-02-26 23:13
MRN,
That's the conclusion I had come to as well. The World Health Organization also classifies PG in the same way. Even if you believe the FDA is suspect in classifying PG as GRAS, I have used half of an 8 oz bottle of 50/50 mix in two years.
I would find a regular fast food diet more life threatening than the small amount of PG I have exposed myself to.
James
Gnothi Seauton
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Author: Tobin
Date: 2010-02-26 23:18
Thanks for the levity David!!! RMAOFLOL!
James
Gnothi Seauton
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Author: L. Omar Henderson
Date: 2010-02-27 00:04
Volitile vapor is indeed redundant but for layman vapor is more understandable. Propylene glycol is indeed a food additative but also not fungicidal at vapor concentrations. A 50/50 mixture will not support mold growth for other more esoteric reasons but also will not prevent mold growth by spores on reeds.
We all need a guage - hygrometer to determine what the actual RH is in our container so any mixture stated is meaningless unless given the context and exterior and interior RH conditions.
L. Omar Henderson
www.doctorsprod.com
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Author: Tobin
Date: 2010-02-27 02:13
60-70% on the hygrometer, and no mold has ever formed. This portion of Virginia I live in frequently has 85% humidity or more during the summer.
James
Gnothi Seauton
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Author: Tobin
Date: 2010-02-27 16:52
PG functions to prohibit the growth. Otherwise it's use in tobacco humidors (and reed humidors) would have no purpose.
A search of PG and anti-fungal produces a number of sites that I can decipher in amounts that are worthless to pass along!
James
Gnothi Seauton
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Author: L. Omar Henderson
Date: 2010-02-27 18:44
Actually, the PG forms an azeotrope (solution of a specified amount of water per PG which will not volitilaze all the water as vapor because it becomes a true solution with PG) which controls the RH in the 50% - 70% range - otherwise the water 50% part would saturate the air at 90%-95% RH. The PG - water solution will not support mold growth because of the PG - true, but the water vapor in the air is just that - water vapor which will support mold growth. Glad that it works for you.
L. Omar Henderson
www.doctorsprod.com
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Author: Tobin
Date: 2010-02-27 19:04
It has to date, Omar. In reality your understanding of the science of it will far surpass my own.
Again, many people may try this and find no discernible positive outcome for their reeds. It is another in a long list of equipment for which each individual will find that YMMV.
James
Gnothi Seauton
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Author: L. Omar Henderson
Date: 2010-02-27 19:19
Tobin - I am a great believer in "what ever works for you". We are all in search of the Holy Grail in equipment, accessories, procedures, etc. and every so often we find a piece that actually works for us better than anything else - it may not work at all well for others but that does not matter!
L. Omar Henderson
www.doctorsprod.com
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Author: Grandpa
Date: 2010-02-27 22:59
Someone has to have thought of this before. If mold and bacteria attack reeds, are there any problem storing reeds in a refrigerator to prevent this growth?
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Author: pewd
Date: 2010-02-27 23:24
i guess i'm lucky - i have never had mold on reeds in 42 years of playing.
i pretty much ignore my reeds. sometimes i just throw them onto the table in the studio, and pick one up the next day and have at it.
usually i simply store them in a selmer reed case.
but just throwing them onto the table seems to work just as well.
the older i get, the less i fuss with reeds - i just play... if it stops playing i throw it out and grab a new one from a box.
sometimes a touch of sandpaper, once in a while i mess with them with a knife.
other than that, i pretty much ignore them.
- Paul Dods
Dallas, Texas
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Author: mrn
Date: 2010-02-27 23:42
The Doctor wrote:
Quote:
Actually, the PG forms an azeotrope (solution of a specified amount of water per PG which will not volitilaze all the water as vapor because it becomes a true solution with PG) which controls the RH in the 50% - 70% range - otherwise the water 50% part would saturate the air at 90%-95% RH. The PG - water solution will not support mold growth because of the PG - true, but the water vapor in the air is just that - water vapor which will support mold growth.
But if the PG/H2O solution forms an azeotrope, then that means you don't just get water vapor, you'd get PG vapor, too, right?
My understanding was that an azeotrope is a mixture that can't be separated through distillation because the two components evaporate together.
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Author: L. Omar Henderson
Date: 2010-02-28 02:14
MRN - yes and no, when an azeotrope forms it cannot be separated but in this case PG forms an azeotrope with excess water present (not sure of the percentage - would have to look it up) that can evaporate. The azeotrope of PG just dictates the amount of water that PG can bind. Ethanol forms a 95% azeotrope with water, isopropyl alcohol forms a 91% azeotrope. If you put in more water than can be used to form the azeotrope it can evaporate as water vapor. The PG water azeotrope has a higher (always get this one wrong too) vapor pressure than water so water will evaporate first. If you have a very dry environment in your chamber you could exhaust the excess water but usually there is such an abundance of liquid to space that it will last a long time. In order to pull this off you need a suitable container for the PG/water mixture that will not spill out on your reeds. As mentioned, cigar humidors often use this to keep a 60%-70% RH for cigars.
L. Omar Henderson
www.doctorsprod.com
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Author: Chrissy
Date: 2010-02-28 04:46
Hmm... I wonder why my reed revitalizer packs get hard after only 4 weeks. I find that when I put them in the Rico reed revitalizer humidity control plastic bag, they do not get hard quickly. I have stopped using this bad because my reeds were becoming very soft and all of my reed cases did not fit in this small bag. What environment is your reed revitalizer pack stored in?... what kind of reed case is it?
Thanks!
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Author: Chrissy
Date: 2010-02-28 04:53
Thanks for your advice!
Do you put the medicine jar and sponge in a ziplock bag with your reed case in it? And if so, is the reed case air tight when it is closed? I was using a zip lock bag for a while and storing my reeds in the little plastic holders they come in, but my reeds were not staying flat on the tip. What kind of case would you recommend ? The case I have now is air tight and I currently have a reed rivitalizer pack in it, but the pack is wearing out.
Thank you so much
-Chrissy
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Author: mrn
Date: 2010-02-28 13:05
The Doctor wrote:
Quote:
MRN - yes and no, when an azeotrope forms it cannot be separated but in this case PG forms an azeotrope with excess water present (not sure of the percentage - would have to look it up) that can evaporate.
Ahhh....now I see. Thanks!
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Author: mrn
Date: 2010-02-28 13:40
Chrissy wrote:
Quote:
I was using a zip lock bag for a while and storing my reeds in the little plastic holders they come in, but my reeds were not staying flat on the tip.
It's pretty normal for reeds to wrinkle at the tip when they dry out. If you get them sufficiently wet when you go to play on them, the tips will straighten out.
When people talk about reed warpage, they're usually talking about a phenomenon where the heel of the reed starts to bulge outward, so the reed doesn't seal properly on the mouthpiece. I have found that this doesn't happen all that frequently for me. One thing I have learned from reading the BBoard is that most mouthpieces you can buy are slightly concave so they can accomodate a little bit of reed warpage.
I don't keep my reeds in a sealed container. I simply put them in the little sleeves and either put them in an old Vandoren reed box (the smaller sized cardboard box the Vandorens used to come in before they started using the new, larger "flowpack" packaging) or just put them directly in my instrument case.
The only time I ever had mold grow on my reeds was when I tried using the blue plastic Vandoren reed case with the charcoal insert in it. The charcoal absorbs moisture to keep the humidity in the case controlled, but once the charcoal becomes saturated (which doesn't take long), the fact that the case is not ventilated means that the humidity gets very high and the mold start growing.
I've never had mold grow on my reeds when they weren't stored in an airtight container.
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Author: Connor
Date: 2010-03-03 03:54
What works is important, however, living in eastern Colorado, a sealed environment for reeds is a must. I use the humid packs that come with the Rico Reserve reeds (The red box Ricos). In my plastic bag, I have about 15 of the packs and estimate that the humidity is around 50%.
If your humid packs become hard (essentially, they dry out), place them in a plastic back with a wet sponge covered in salt. Salt helps elevate some mold growth and the damp sponge in a sealed environment will keep the humidity around 70%. Since the humid packs act as a two way humidity control device, spent, or dried out pack will absorb moisture and will once again be functional at their advertised humidity level.
MM. Clarinet Performance University of Texas at Austin (2012).
BM. Clarinet Performance University of Northern Colorado (2010).
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Author: NBeaty
Date: 2010-03-04 02:46
The packs that come with the regular reserve reeds never dry out (at least mine haven't). I don't think it's because they're magically moist, I think they're magically a gimmick. The revitalizer packs that you can buy do dry out (because they actually do something).
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