 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Micke Isotalo ★2017
Date: 2015-12-24 12:28
In your opinion, is there a correlation between different reed tip curvatures and a certain impact on sound or other aspects of reed performance? If so, in which way? Or how about altering a given curvature for a change in sound or other properties? Anyone who has done any such experimenting?
I ask this despite my assumption that the curvature on different reed types has been more or less carefully selected by the manufacturers and probably also in some kind of harmony and interaction with other characteristics of that particular reed type.
I'm also aware that usually a reed curvature corresponding to that of the tip of the mouthpiece is recommended, and also that some mouthpieces are even designed for a certain type of reed and thus probably also matching it's tip curvature.
Nevertheless there is a lot of variety, also between different cuts from the same reeed maker - as Vandoren traditional, V12 and Rue Lepic, and each one beeing used on a lot of different mouthpieces.
Personally I've done just a few experiments and not to the extent that I've reached any conclusions. I have three reed trimmers with different curvatures, one "main line" and close to such reeds as Vandoren black box (Rue Lepics), another one close to Rico Reserve Classics (the flattest curvature on any reed known to me and the trimmer in guestion is actually for Soprano Sax reeds) and finally a recently bought regular Cordier Bb-clarinet reed trimmer but with a curvature with amazingly steep corners. Such corners are far from matching any mouthpiece known to me but I can't tell for sure if such a shape is doing either any good or any bad.
Micke Isotalo
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2015-12-24 15:15
Within the last few years Vandoren has marketed a trimmer that has an identical curvature to...well....at least one of their reeds (traditional?).
When I used to do more with reeds I was disappointed with the appearance of the Cordier cut, but it always did what it was supposed to do (with a MINIMAL cut that is).
Here is my two cents. By far the most important aspect of the reed is shape of the vamp. By that I mean the spine versus the thinner parts. This is best appreciated by looking at the reed against a strong light.
Part of that shape is also how much curvature there is across the width of the reed. If you look at a standard French cut reed then look at a (real) German cut reed (ie the Vandoren White Master), you'll see the German cut is flatter, cut more like a "chisel."
Within that shape, it is also important how LONG they exist before the reed completely flattens out at the tip.
And then there is the tip. It MUST be a certain thinness. I wish I knew that number but that is SOOOOO important. For example, if you take a reed that is a little too soft and trim it slightly, you must also make sure the tip is thinned back down to the proper dimension to ensure that it vibrates correctly.
Additionally (as we just spoke about this on another recent thread) there are some players who extend the reed quite a bit beyond the tip of the mouthpiece (ie Julian Bliss). Someone said it takes the harshness out of the highest notes (I don't really know about that).
Given all that, I don't necessarily think the exact shape of the tip from side to side makes much of a difference, unless the corners are so round as to not cover the corners of a very square shaped window. And I don't ever recall running into that (close, but not that extreme).
...............Paul Aviles
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Author: Tony F
Date: 2015-12-24 19:03
I've often wondered why clarinet mouthpieces and reeds have the curved tip. Is there any reason why they could not be square-cut?
Tony F.
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Author: Caroline Smale
Date: 2015-12-24 22:01
Tony, I think square would reuslt in a very uncomfortable tounging experience.
Ideally the reed shape should match the mouthpiece tip closely if for no other reason that it allows maximum vertical adjustment of the reed without uncovering the windway or overlapping the tip rail.
This is especially important when the tiprail is very narrow.
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Author: kdk ★2017
Date: 2015-12-24 22:23
I think Paul's response is very complete and accurate. I have occasionally had mouthpieces that had rounder tip shapes than most of the commercially available reeds, and the only real problem was that I found it harder to position the reed.
Karl
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2015-12-25 03:01
In my experience, the wider the rails the more sluggish the response, particularly around the tip.
Almost all hand-made mouthpiece I own have thin side rails and tip rail. Also, makers cut the line of intersection between the baffle and the side so that the corners where the tip meets the side rails are very small.
Even a tiny lack of sealing between the mouthpiece and the reed destroys the tone and response and causes squeaks.
Finally, any overlapping of the rails by the reed makes the response stuffy because the lower lip wraps around the reed area that overlaps the rails and binds the reed against the outside of the mouthpiece.
For me, it's crucial that the reed seals the mouthpiece completely at the corners. If my reed clipper (I've always used Cordier) doesn't match the tip curve, I jigger the reed sideways (on both sides) to make the cut match the mouthpiece rim and cover the corners. I then finish up with an extra-fine nail-file. (I've used a Relon Diamond file for years.)
If a reed doesn't respond well, I often move it up slightly, so that it overlaps the tip by say .5 mm. This makes sure that the seal at the corners is good. If this improves the response, I know that I have to re-shape the reed tip. This works better than simply leaving the reed higher because the excess cane beyond the tip dulls the sound and slows the response. And at least for me, it makes articulation less precise.
Ken Shaw
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