The Clarinet BBoard

Re: Rico/D'addario/Boveda humidipaks

Author: WhitePlainsDave  Date:   2016-01-18 18:20 Maybe it's best we identify what causes your problem, even if already known, before we talk solutions. Ask even your experienced clarinetists why we wet cane and they'll look at you like you have 3 heads and respond something akin to "because it makes the reed easier to play." But press them much beyond this answer as to cause and don't be surprised if either no, or a wrong answer is furnished. http://www.doitpoms.ac.uk/tlplib/wood/water_effect.php The pliability or flexibility of wood increases when exposed to water because the hydrogen bonds that give wood strength break apart somewhat, given the hydrogen's greater affinity for water. The reverse occurs, but not in its entirety, when the reed dries. This helps explain the useless of wetting synthetic reeds, beyond perhaps the adhesive properties that the water can provide, temporarily "gluing" the synthetic to the mouthpiece until the ligature can be attached. Sadly for us though, the reed doesn't dry evenly. And the wood's polymer chain's reformation, as hydrogen is given up by evaporating water, back into these chains to strengthen them, causes small changes to the wood's shape, that adjacent sections of the reed, wetter and more pliable, accommodate, a.k.a. warpage. === Once wet, it's easier for us to keep the reed moist, than manage its even drying, or even its even rewetting. === With the science behind us, your reeds are warping Peter, as if I have to tell you, because they are drying (too much), and drying unevenly. While I can't easily help you with the latter's uneveness, I can help you to prevent it from happening. I suggest you: - Buy Humidity packs directly, online, from Boveda rather than Rico, who simply rebrands the Bovedas. Boveda "moves" more humidity controlled product than Rico and you're more likely to get fresher product--although packs are well wrapped from either vendor and have good shelf life. - Label your packs opening dates. Change them when they dry out. Don't hesitate to use more packs per volume of humidified area, recognizing that one 84% pack is not a substitute for two 58% packs in one enclosure. - Use good enclosure. A well closed good quality plastic bag's all that's needed here. - Recognize that the more reeds per enclosure, even holding enclosure size constant, the more humidity packs needed. - Wet reeds with tap water after use. Not only will this rinse off saliva, which has properties that help digest (molecularly break apart) things, including cane, (this preserving reed life) but this will help keep the reed moist prior to storage. Get rid of excess water on the reed from this process, but don't dry it off. Finally, practice more (). It will not only make you a better player, but perhaps play will become easier as the drying cycle will be reduced in time.

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