 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: BGBG
Date: 2016-01-13 23:32
Am very confused about all the different things to do with reeds, and some completely opposite of others. Not sure if reed preparation means prior to playing or an ongoing process or only to fix if doesn't play well. Know many recommended things to do but dont seem to know how and when to use them.
Could someone post a simple step by step procedure of what to do for days 1-10 after opening new box and after the 10-14 days of preliminary breaking in? Wetting/soaking time, rubbing, polishing, playing register range, playing time, ranking, etc.
Right now I wet for 2-5 minutes, rub vamp, polish flat, play some long notes, play a few scales, then go to next trying to maybe do 10 each day if box of 10, or 5 each day if box of 5. After play I dip in water, wipe off, and lay on glass on bark-side until next day then store in plastic holder in zip-lock bag with hygrometer. I do not wet the bark half of reed. Humidity in bag runs 60-70%. Have read not to sand unless problems exist, not routinely or every day played.
Watching videos and reading allowed knowledge but also confusion and I want to have a good routine.
Post Edited (2016-01-14 00:17)
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Author: kdk
Date: 2016-01-14 00:22
BGBG wrote:
> Could someone post a simple step by step procedure of what to
> do for days 1-10 after opening new box and after the 10-14 days
> of preliminary breaking in?
Day 1: Wet for a few seconds, play for a minute or two, let dry (flat side up)
Day 2: Wet for 20 seconds, play for five minutes, let dry (flat side up)
Day 3: Wet for 30 seconds or until any tip crinkle straightens out, play for 10 minutes, let dry (fsu)
Day 4: Wet long enough for any tip crinkle to straighten out, play for 15 - 20 minutes or until it doesn't respond crisply, let dry (fsu)
Day 5: Wet until any tip crinkle straightens out, then just play it. Dry it flat side up and store it, or keep it humidified in a plastic bag with a humidi-pak or similar humidifier, whichever you think, after trying both ways, works better and just play it in rotation with 4 or 5 other similarly prepared reeds. Throw it away when it no longer responds well.
If by the end of the basic break-in, a reed doesn't respond well, discard it and start another one. Or focus on learning the craft of reed adjustment, which is to a large extent separate from all of this.
The point of playing the clarinet is not to break in reeds according to a set of rules. It's to make music. Ultimately, anything you do that allows you to play music is fine.
The value of any other witchcraft you want to try is completely for you to decide from your own experience. But my most general piece of advice is to stop obsessing over this and just play your clarinet. There are plenty of players who don't even do what I've outlined - they just play the hell out a reed until it won't play any more, then put it away. Works for them, it's just maybe more expensive.
Karl
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Author: Caroline Smale
Date: 2016-01-14 00:22
You will probably get almost as many different routines as there are members on this board as opinions on this subject (as many others) vary wildly.
I think Eddie Palanker has a pretty extensive list on reed preparartion on his website so look at that.
In my opinion key stages are:
1. wet the vamp only part of reed for a few minutes, then rub moisture from reed using finger with reed supported on plate gass. Let dry for 25-30 mins flat side up then clamp down on flat glass plate (or in reed holder).
I don't play reed at all for first 2 days.
2. Repeat 1). but this time test play reed for a couple of minutes avoiding exteme volume, altissimo register and staccato.
3). Repeat 2 for several days, gradually extending time and working to higher registers etc. May start gentle balancing of reed and adjust strength if wildly too hard/soft but only by small amounts until about day 5-6
4). After about week make any required adjustments to balance/strength etc and probably play for 15-20 mins.
5). Enter reed into my practice sessions but keep playing time to 30-40 mins max until about day 10 - then its service as normal.
I always rotate reeds during practice and never play any one reed more than about 60 mins even for reeds that have been in rotation for many months.
This is my personal approach and it works well for me - others opinions may vary.
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Author: fskelley
Date: 2016-01-14 02:41
We get a lot of threads about this topic- I've contributed periodically. I wonder if we can agree on 2 or 3 (whatever number) of well confirmed rules, that even the beginner or skeptical "expert" can agree on. Then beyond that each player can adapt as they choose- such things as whether you adjust during breakin, or limit your playing range or dynamics. Here are my initial suggestions.
1) Cane reeds play better and last longer if coaxed into service gradually. We call that "break-in" (hyphen or not).
2) Break-in to achieve #1 takes at least 3(?) play days, and anything beyond 10(?) play days is silly.
The following is optional and informational only, so it could be omitted:
3) The main (only?) thing breakin does is to get the reed accustomed to being wet and then dry.
Stan in Orlando
EWI 4000S with modifications
Post Edited (2016-01-14 02:45)
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Author: Una
Date: 2016-01-14 03:38
BGBG, what happens with your reeds if you just whip one out of the package and start playing it? What is lacking in your reeds that you feel you have to do so much to them?
I know everyone has different sensitivities when it comes to reeds. I've been playing for 45 years and have tried all the "recommendations". Eventually I found that most of those recommendations on soaking and laying them just right and so forth don't do much for my reeds. The placebo effect is quite strong but that's about all. Slowly breaking them in is the one fact with my reeds.
I just pick a reed, polish the flat side to make sure it seals properly and start playing it for 15-20 minutes a day for the first 2-3 days. If it doesn't sound or feel right, I might sand it or something but that's it.
Post Edited (2016-01-14 03:40)
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Author: knotty
Date: 2016-01-14 04:01
BG perhaps your trying to make it too scientific, too precise. What would happen if you just soak a couple minutes, put on mpc and played for perhaps 30-60 seconds, put away to dry. No back sanding, no rubbing vamp or anything else.
Each day just play a bit longer up to maybe 4-5 days, no sanding, rubbing, nothing.
I've been doing the above just to see and seems it makes no difference. Just after 4-5 days if there's a obvious inbalance or one develops left to right, I just do a little reed rush. That's all.
~ Musical Progress: None ~
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Author: BGBG
Date: 2016-01-14 06:40
Good...this helps me a lot. I have finished 5 days of some new reeds with a little wetting, a few minutes playing some E3 -C6 scales , rinse and let dry. Have only me and the laptop as a teacher so want to get it right. Thanks for the suggestions.
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Author: BGBG
Date: 2016-01-14 09:07
When I first started playing I just wet the reed in my mouth, played for up to half hour, and put it away. Then I read about soaking it in various liquids for 5 minutes to 24/7 for various reasons. Then I read too much soaking not good. Started watching YouTube clarinet instructional videos. Learned all sorts of different things one could do. Then wasn't sure just what I should do on a regular basis. Hence, the posted question. Went from nothing to overdo, now seeking a reasonable in between. Started playing May 2014. Since no band, companions, teachers, I am pretty much on my own to judge and decide. I feel the elaborate things didnt harm the reeds but were not really necessary and I plan to settle into a simpler routines as indicated above by those more experienced than myself.
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Author: knotty
Date: 2016-01-14 18:20
Eventually you will find what works the best for you BG but that comes after a while of trying things, it can be a long road.
~ Musical Progress: None ~
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Author: BGBG
Date: 2016-01-15 20:51
One trouble I seem to have is the low register good but when go to next register the reed tip seems to jam shut against mpc. Moving it up or tighten/loosen doesnt help or it squeaks. Fingers OK. Too wet? Other?
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Author: knotty
Date: 2016-01-15 21:08
Sounds like the reed is too weak and/or beginning to bite. M13 is pretty closed. Many times unknowingly, one starts to exert more embouchure pressure as they go higher.
~ Musical Progress: None ~
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Author: BGBG
Date: 2016-01-16 04:15
I am using 2.5 reeds a lot and with a 3 reed it does seem better. B4-C6.
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Author: fuzzystradjazz
Date: 2016-01-18 20:04
I've tried the entire gamut of reed "break-in" and reed "care" suggestions. I've come to the personal belief that it really depends on where you live, what the humidity is like, and numerous other unknown factors. For me - I've found that taking a reed out of the box and playing it (no break-in) provides the longest-lasting, most stable reed for me.
It is very arid here, so I have the luxury of being able to place my reeds on a flat glass type of storage case without issue. Never have a problem with reeds warping or molding.
On the flip side, I've seen guest performers from more humid environs go through their entire lineup of reeds during a single performance here, and still end the performance in frustration.
What works for one (most?) folks won't necessarily work for you. It sure didn't for me. My advice is: ignore the advice. Find what works for you.
Fuzzy
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Author: Caroline Smale
Date: 2016-01-18 22:53
Fuzzy is half right - you ultimately have to find what works for you.
However ignoring advice is a silly way to recommend in achieving this.
You look at all the advice and weigh up those avenues that look reasonable to you and then experiment a bit until you hit on a method that works for you.
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Author: fuzzystradjazz
Date: 2016-01-19 08:05
Haha - you got me there, Norman! Of course...my response was posted light-heartedly, with tongue planted firmly in cheek...sometimes I'm not too good at communicating such via text. The joke was that I was offering advice while telling the OP not to follow advice.
So while my initial post was made light-heartedly, I believe there is merit in ignoring subjective advice as needed. I believe reed care to be a very subjective topic with no known, provable "right" or "wrong" answer. To each her or his own.
Cheers!
Fuzzy
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