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Re: Softening Forestone reeds

Author: Barry Vincent
Date: 2013-12-21 04:43

Old habits die hard apparently. We have always 'fiddled' around with cane reeds, forever trying to make them play (sound) better.
Now a new form of reed (synthetic) is available to those who are willing to try something new. But some just can't help themselves. They have to 'touch up' the new synthetic (Forestone) which is meant to be used as is.
Even the makers of this new type of reed say that there is no need to modify their reeds. The correct approach is to match the correct mouthpiece with the correct resistance of the reed.
These Forestone reeds of plastic & bamboo pulp are as near perfect as can be. There is no such thing as an 'unbalanced' Forestone.
But they do wear out and get weaker over time but it takes a lot of use before this happens. Much longer than a cane reed.
I"ve already 'worn out ' several Forestones and have then 'fiddled' with these to try and get them to continue being used. This involves using a reed trimmer to remove a tiny slither off the blade. This has resulted in success more or less but I"ve found that you can really only do this once. Remove too much and the whole reed is then obviously 'out of wack'. Time to move onto a new one. And these marvellous reeds need no 'breaking in' and they never get water logged and their the blades never warp.

Are they as good as a top quality cane reed. Probably not , but they sure are convenient. I just did a Xmas concert with a group of other players , mostly strings and a choir on my Ridenour C Clarinet and it was a delight to play with the Forestone synthetic.

Skyfacer

Post Edited (2013-12-21 09:46)

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Softening Forestone reeds new

Tony F

2013-12-20 08:51