 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: dahong
Date: 2011-10-16 19:03
Hi,
I always dread when I need a new reed. I usually don't break them so I just have one, and a bunch of backups that don't sound that great overall. New reeds have this edgy-sharp sound and is really hard to play smoothly either that or I'm extremely ADD/OCD. What is your reed break-in process? I want to be able to play the reeds as soon as possible!
Thanks for your input!
-Daniel
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Author: Bb R13 greenline
Date: 2011-10-16 20:59
I wet the reed and let it dry on a piece of glass 10 times, than when im ready to play on it i soak the butt for 4 minutes and the rest for a minute. it sure does prevent warping and keeps my reeds lasting long.
another thing that might be useful is to use a reed knife to adjust your reeds
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Author: kdk
Date: 2011-10-16 22:21
Everyone has his/her own break-in process. Some will insist theirs is the only method that works. I don't think there is a single method.
If your goal is to play on them as soon as possible, you'll need to start a new one before the old one has died (worn out), which you should do regardless of your break-in routine. Wet it and play it for a very short time - the first time may only be long enough to get through a few scales or part of an etude. Let it dry *flat side up.* (I never dry reeds, even broken-in ones, flat side down.) Next day play it a little longer. Repeat the process for several sessions, always going back to your old reed after you've played the one you're breaking in. After maybe a week, you can play on the new one with less limitation, just watch to see that it isn't becoming waterlogged.
Throughout the process you may find the resistance changing. This needs to be adjusted, which is another skill you should learn (ideas are also in Ridenour's and sever others' books).
Karl
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Author: William
Date: 2011-10-17 15:01
Now that I play Forestone reeds, I do not have to worry about break in rituals, nor balancing, re-adjustments nor reeds drying out or dying half way though a concert. Nor searching through boxes of reeds to find a couple good ones, nor actually buying whole boxes of reeds. Just order a few Forestone reeds and they will all play right away and last much longer than any cane reed on the market. Some of mine two year old Forestones are still playing adequately for occassional use during practice or concert.
I do prefer Forestone reeds to those offered by Legere, but I prefer BOTH to any cane reed available. Synthetic reeds are hassle free and fun to play. I use Forestones on all of my clarinets and saxophones in all of my performances, orchestral, wind ensemble and jazz.
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Author: Bob Phillips
Date: 2011-10-17 16:53
ME?
I polish the mouthpiece side of a new reed on 600 grit sandpaper supported on a flat piece of glass.
Then, I turn it over and polish the cut-away portion on the lip side of the reed. I spread the sandpaper over the reed so that it never slides off of the reed and catches on the tip.
The top polish is just enough to get rid of the rough grain left over from the machining.
I play the reed square on the mouthpiece for about 10-minutes and set in curved side down on the glass to dry out.
I usually do 4-8 reeds at a time, going through them a couple of times in the 10-minute dry cycles.
After a few days of short playing sessions and drying, I'll take a read and balance it. I use the Ridenour ATG system, but my teacher would rather feel the edge of the tip with his thumb, look through the reed at a light source and scrape with his reed knife. He sounds better than I do. ATG is a good system --particularly if you can identify the hard edge and ruin just a couple of reeds learning what to do with the sanding block. I use 320 grit paper on the ATG sanding block.
EDIT:
Before putting a reed away, I scrape the lip scum off of it with a fingernail under running water, dry it on a towel and put it in the reed holder.
END EDIT.
I toss reeds that don't give me my best tone and responsiveness. I'm in this to play beautifully, and just grit my teeth that throw that $3 hunk of can in the trash. I always hold a ceremonial BREAK THE DAMNED THING's tip off first, though.
I carry 4 quad reed holders in my case. Two (eight reeds) are my playing set, and I swap them every practice session or every couple of hours. I they get rough from wed/dry cycles raising the grain, I'll repolish them with the 600 grit paper.
The 3rd (4 reeds) are harder than comfortable, and they come in handy sometimes on a day when the base reeds are just not working for me. The fourth reed case has my Forestone synthetics, for when nothing else works.
I like the Forestone reeds, but like a good stick of wood better. They are the inspiration for the lip-side polish. SMOOTH (feeling, if not playing)
Bob Phillips
Post Edited (2011-10-18 05:32)
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