 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Joarkh
Date: 2012-01-11 08:48
Previously on this board, I've been advocating the importance of being able to make reeds oneself.
Now, I have been trying for a while to make reeds from blanks with a knife, some files, sand paper and a reed clipper, and it is very frustrating indeed. It takes a lot of time and doesn't give any results... yet.
So my question is: Should I rather give up, spend my money on reeds instead of expensive equipment and concentrate on practicing?
I know some of you told me this the last time I brought up this subject on this board. Perhaps you were right.
However, if there's anyone here with a reasonably busy performing schedule who still finds time to make their own reeds and perform on them, I'd love to hear from them too.
And, I mean, oboists do it all the time, so clearly it's possible...
Joar
Clarinet and saxophone teacher, clarinet freelancer
Post Edited (2012-01-11 08:54)
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2012-01-11 08:56
Considering the huge variety of ready made clarinet reeds available, I personally don't see the point of wasting time and effort in making your own reeds if you can't get the results or the cosistency you want.
All you should have to do at most is adjust and balance any reeds to make them work better if you really have to. If they still don't work, bin them and try another strength or make.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2012-01-11 09:36
Former Professor Rieckhoff of the Hochschuller in Berlin does fine making reed almost completely with files. His process (from the finishing standpoint) is arduous though. Karl Leister said a long time ago that he uses Vandoren's so he can just practice.
The point used to be that quality reeds were hard to come by. This is really why oboists DO make their own reeds. Their reeds are so much more intricate to get right. If you fall into the camp that cannot find good commercial reeds, then by all means continue. However if you can get by (and we have now seen many Germanic players going to synthetic reeds !!!) with buying boxes of reeds, it does free up a lot of time.
............Paul Aviles
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Author: Joarkh
Date: 2012-01-11 12:38
I do find good commercial reeds, it's just that they're not too many per box and I don't think they last too long either. So it's more a question of trying to minimize the cost of decent reeds - however I'm not sure if buying expensive reed making equipment would help immediately.
In a way, I also feel that reed making is something I should know at least a little about, simply because I am a clarinettist. Perhaps Kalmen Opperman would have agreed?
I would welcome any views on what a clarinettist's role is today and what abilities he should have. Like Jack Brymer in his chapter about The Practical Clarinettist, I'm sure most of us agree that we should have, as instrumentalists, a certain knowledge of how our instruments work - at least enough to make an emergency fix when needed.
But no one expects you to make your own clarinet either.
The clarinettist - musician and craftsman, yes, but to what degree?
Joar
Clarinet and saxophone teacher, clarinet freelancer
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Author: Ed
Date: 2012-01-11 13:25
Learning to make reeds is a great skill. Stanley Hasty had all of his students learn how to make reeds. I have known a number of players who have made their own reeds with great success.
I would suggest get your hands on any books on the subject. Opperman's book is probably the best known. You can find some others here
http://www.vcisinc.com/clarinet.htm
Then, just as in playing- practice making reeds. I recall once in a reed class that Opperman said you might have to make 25-30 reeds before you have something you can play on.
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Author: Dileep Gangolli
Date: 2012-01-11 14:42
I just tried the UHL Technic (courtesy of Joe LeBlanc who writes on this bboard) in DEC.
I was very impressed with the result and efficiency of this device.
Will purchase one when I have the necessary funds.
I have seen some amazing practitioners of reed making do things strictly by hand using knife and sandpaper or files and I can attest that they get amazing results.
One thing to consider however is making reeds for the Germanic style of mouthpiece (smaller window, closer tip, longer facing) is easier than on the French-American style of mouthpiece. My opinion.
And again your cane is the big variable....but the price of tube cane is so cheap that if you get good at making reeds, one can save any initial investment costs in equipment and machinery within the first year.
Opperman book is good, Hadcock book has a chapter that discusses the Hasty method of making reeds.
But experience and determination seem to work best.
It took Edison 3000 tries to invent the light bulb.
Post Edited (2012-01-11 14:43)
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Author: AC0FC
Date: 2012-01-11 15:16
I know I'm probably going to get flooded with "hack", beginner (which I'm not), and other purist slanders, but I've been pleasantly surprised by the Fibracell brand synthetic reeds. And No, ... I don't sell them!
There's something to be said about EVERY reed being playable and no soaking time (for you switchers). It's especially nice for my bass since they aren't as prone to warping with moisture variances.
They aren’t plastic. They are layered like cane, have the same density as cane, and hey...they even LOOK like cane.
Have a friend blind-test them and see if you can tell the difference AND if it's actually a bad difference. (I find that I find what I'm looking for. If I think something is bad, I hear it.) They may not convince Mark Nuccio, but mere mortals might find them usefull.
Here's a website that describes the characteristics and a comparison chart if you want to check them out. http://www.bill-lewington.com/fibra.htm
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Author: gwie
Date: 2012-01-11 15:32
I've played Fibracell on saxophone for years, and while I've tried different cane reeds from time to time, I don't hear enough difference (either from behind the instrument or in recording) that would justify switching. The consistency is wonderful!
I couldn't find a Fibracell for my clarinet with the appropriate sound and response though, probably because of my setup. Even the hardest version of the Fibracell plays like a wet noodle.
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Author: Dileep Gangolli
Date: 2012-01-11 16:18
Yes and I use both Legere and Forestone reeds as well.
We are in the 21st century after all.
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2012-01-11 19:18
Fibracell is pretty good on bass but I find it too thin and edgy in the clarion to altissimo of the Bb to make it practical. For the Bb I have used Legere in really dry weather conditions during the Winter when keeping my sanity was paramount.
................Paul Aviles
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Author: EEBaum
Date: 2012-01-11 20:05
For reed-making, look at it as a matter of opportunity cost. What else could you be doing with the time you're spending on reeds, and how much benefit are you getting out of your time reedmaking.
Given that you can get a good reed for $2 or so (let's say $6 if you get 1 good one out of 3), how long does it take you to make that reed, how good is the reed you made, how much do you value your time, and do you consider the enjoyment, interest, and side benefits sufficient enough to make up the difference?
There's only so much time in life, and there are a lot of things I consider more worth my time than reedmaking.
-Alex
www.mostlydifferent.com
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2012-01-12 01:01
I studied reed making with Kal. Using only a knife, he could go from a blank to a finished reed in under two minutes. Even when I mastered the process, it would take me maybe 20 minutes, and they never sounded as good as his. These days I use Rico Reserve Classic, which work for me right out of the box or with only slight adjustment.
When you make reeds by hand, the thing most people get wrong is the profile along the edges. It has to be a straight line from the shoulder to the tip, with no dips or curves and keeping its thickness all the way down.
Ken Shaw
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Author: Bob Phillips
Date: 2012-01-12 16:10
YES, I think you should surrender to mass production, the middle men, the markups and the generally poor quality control of commercial reeds.
In a box of Vandoren reeds, you'll have ample opportunity to apply your reed (re) making skills as you balance them and adjust their stiffness. Opperman evidently could make a reed faster than I can balance one...
Bob Phillips
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Author: sonicbang
Date: 2012-01-12 18:25
You shouldn't give up this!
My first 20-25 reeds were unplayable. From the next 30-40 I could only use 4-5 but just for playing long notes at the begining of the warming-up. Then suddenly I made a surprisingly good series and finally I found that all reeds in my case was mine and I gave my Vandorens a rest. I used my reeds in several concerts in solo and orchestra and they worked well.
Nowdays I play commercial reeds, because reed making is very time consuming, but once in a month I have time to make 2-3 good reeds and I feel good while playing on them.
I don't use expensive tools. I have a knife, sandpapers, plexiglass and perfectly smooth piece of granite.
Make sure that the cane you use is really high quality, unless you will never able to make good reeds no matter how skillful you are. Select the cane tubes for yourself if you have the opportunity.
Good luck,
Mark
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Author: Wes
Date: 2012-01-12 21:25
As an oboe player, I find that it is absolutely necessary to make ones own reeds and to be able to adjust them throughout the life of the reed. I've never found a satisfactory purchased reed.
For the clarinet, it seems to be a waste of time to make reeds when such great reeds are available at low cost from dependable commercial sources. However, one should learn how to adjust them yourself with a minimum of hardware.
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Author: Joarkh
Date: 2012-01-22 00:19
I've actually managed to make a reed that's playable now! Not a great sound, but playable. My reeds were a lot better once I thought about the point of resistance.
Joar
Clarinet and saxophone teacher, clarinet freelancer
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