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Re: Synthetic Reeds

Author: Barry Vincent
Date: 2013-05-28 05:26

You have to get over some sort of psychological barrier when first trying out synthetic reeds for clarinet. Initially they just don't feel or sound right.
I use the Forestone synthetics with excellent results but it took me some time to get use to using them. I had to first match up the synthetic reed resistant grade with a suitable mouthpiece.
In my case it was resistant grade 3 or 3.5 with a Vandoren M13 Lyra. And I am having good results with other types of Vandoren mouthpieces but the highest resistance number I can use with Forestone is 4.
They are produced by the molding process and each is near perfect in dimension and shape, clones actually. There is no such thing as an unbalanced Forestone reed.
Forestone synthetics are suppose to be 50/50 plastic / bamboo pulp but that ratio apparently varies with the different resistant grades.
As for the altissiimo range of the clarinet using the Forestone synthetic reed , I felt that I had to approach this high range with a 'modified' embouchure but I"m not sure what exactly it was. I've always used a double embouchure when playing Clarinet anyway.
Now , after using synthetic clarinet reeds for some time now I am so pleased with the results that I'll never go back to natural cane reeds again.
Recently I played in a Gilbert & Sullivan operetta (HMS Pinafore) and no one realized I was using a synthetic reed, not even my fellow clarinetist.

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Synthetic Reeds new

Roxann

2013-05-28 00:46