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Author: ColorFiend
Date: 2011-01-11 23:57
Lately, it seems like every reed I've opened has been crappy. I use Vandoren V12's, size 4. The last 5 or so that I've opened have sounded extremely fuzzy and don't play well. How can I fix these reeds so that they don't sound so fuzzy? Should I switch to another brand? I know Vandoren is notorious for half of their reeds being duds...
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Author: PrincessJ
Date: 2011-01-12 00:13
I like the 56 Rue Lepics. Personal opinion. I guess they're made of thicker cane.
Last box of those (3.5s) I played through only had one dud, and it wasn't even that bad.
Also, did you change your ligature? Are you tightening the screws too much? If it's too tight the reeds won't vibrate properly. Check the positioning of your ligature as well. Too far forward or back?
-Jenn
Circa 1940s Zebra Pan Am
1972 Noblet Paris 27
Leblanc Bliss 210
1928 Selmer Full Boehm in A
Amateur tech, amateur clarinetist, looking to learn!
Post Edited (2011-01-12 00:14)
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Author: Ed
Date: 2011-01-12 00:36
I never found any truth in those supposed issues with Vandoren's. (Although recently I have been very happy with Rico Reserve Classis)
Make sure the back is flat, check the tip for balance. Look at at Ed P's site for reed tips
http://eddiesclarinet.com/
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Author: kdk
Date: 2011-01-12 00:52
Well, if you got 5 duds out of a box half f which will be predictably, the rest should be terrific.
I don't know what mouthpiece you're using these reeds on (if you tell us, it may be obvious to many here whether #4 V12 are likely to work or not). If #4 V12s worked well before: sometimes a whole box of reeds just seems to have been made of bad cane; sometimes you've changed something; sometimes the humidity in the environment has changed. Fuzzy sounding reeds can often be gotten to play better by taking some cane out (with a knife, rush, an ATG sanding block or other tool of your choice) of the area along the side of the reed from the tip back toward the shoulders. You will read a lot here and other places about balance - both sides of the reed should ideally vibrate equally easily for the reed to resonate and respond at its best. There are a number of websites around (e.g. Ed Palanker's at http://eddiesclarinet.com) that give excellent advice about where to remove cane to improve reed response.
If V12s have never produced any better than a couple or three good reeds in a box for you, try #3-1/2. The folklore about Vandorens is really not entirely true. If you're using the right strength, there will always be a couple of reeds in the box that are too stiff - only very occasionally as many as half the box - because the method of grading them for strength is just not precise enough to produce uniform reeds - each piece of cane is different. If most of the reeds play at least acceptably in most boxes you buy, probably the strength is the right one for you and your mouthpiece. If most of the reeds in a box are consistently unplayable or nearly so, chances are you've picked the wrong strength. It never hurts to experiment with something different - if another strength or brand doesn't work any better (or is worse) then it just didn't work out. If it does work better, you've made your life a little easier.
Karl
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Author: Bob Barnhart ★2017
Date: 2011-01-12 15:17
Generally a reed that is too hard will seem/sound fuzzy. If so, the solution would be to (1) try a softer reed, or (2) determine why/where the reed is too stiff and balance it accordingly. I prefer (2) as it gets to the "heart" of the problem.
You didn't say what mouthpiece/facing you are using. It is important to know the facing characteristics so that you can adjust reeds specifically for that facing. In general, the reed must be "balanced" with respect to both the facing and the effect your embouchure has on its performance.
As Karl noted above, I have found (using V12 3 1/2 reeds on VD B40 Lyre mouthpieces) that the left-hand rail is often too strong back towards the bark. As the B40 Lyres are a long-facing mouthpiece, it is important that the reed be flexible over a long area. I use reed-rush to smooth the entire vamp and work specific areas for specific problems. For me working the lower-left rail will reduce resistance, clear up the sound and help take the edge off the sound, making the tone more mellow. On the other hand, working the lower-right rail seems to clear up the tone and make the reed more responsive.
In any case, a little experimentation can help you determine how best to adjust your reeds to your mouthpiece, embouchure and tonal concept. It doesn't take a lot of effort to get significantly better performance from any reed and is more productive and cost-effective than searching through hundreds of seemingly bad reeds.
Good luck!
Bob
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Author: William
Date: 2011-01-12 15:45
There is a better way. Instead of going through box-after-box of cane reeds on those "never ending" searches for a *good* reed and then, having to condition the cane to play, balance for optimum resilience (that forever changes), perform endless episodes of moistening and vamp sealing only to have the reed dry out during the second movement or develop a crack when you really need it the most, etc. etc. etc.--get yourselves some great new Forestone reeds that do not need moistening, conditioning, balancing and whatever other cane hassel you can think of. Once you have determined which Forestone strength is best for your mouthpiece, all you have to worry about is playing the notes. The reeds will always perform and play consistantly, reed to reed. I have been playing F4's on my Chicago Kaspar #14 mpc for almost two years now with excellant feedback from fellow musicians, conductors and audience members regarding "how nice" my clarinets (sop & bass) sound--all with Forestone reeds. I also use them on my alto and tenor sax mouthpieces with similar results.
My first experiance using Forestone clarinet reeds was in May of 2009 when I decided to try one during a performance of "Peter & the Wolf" by our BJSO for a city wide student concert event. After two shows of successfully chasing that cat up the tree, I have never looked back to my old V12's. It's been Forestone in my clarinet case ever since. Forestone reeds allow me to play the music without having to worry about playing the reeds. Simple as that.
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Author: Iceland clarinet
Date: 2011-01-12 18:19
An unbalanced reed is an unbalanced reed no matter if it's too stiff or too light.
If you know how to balance your reeds properly you might want to try it on another similar mouthpiece you might have to determine if the problem is worn lay on your mouthpiece.
And another thing: A very well balanced reed will alter very little through it's lifespan compared to poorly or just ok balanced reed.
Balance your reeds from day 1 and break it in balanced.
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Author: Ed Palanker
Date: 2011-01-12 19:20
Well, I'm a Rico player myself, Thick Blanks and Reserves #4, need I say more. I do have a reed page on my website, you might get several ideas of how to adjust the ones you have to make them better but if the cane is crap the reed will be crap too. As I've said before, you can't polish a turd. ESP http://eddiesclarinet.com
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