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Re: 45 degrees?

Author: WhitePlainsDave
Date: 2016-05-15 00:09

If you have trouble figuring out which side of the reed needs adjusting (if either), the technique your using either doesn't work for you or is probably being approached the wrong way. And while I respect Paul's alternative, I'm more comfortable in the "rotation angle school."

Perhaps one of your issues goes back to the title of this thread. By no means do I turn the mouthpiece to 45 degrees. In fact at 45 degrees the reed would be halfway perpendicular to the floor; it's far far too much rotation.

I, and most turn the mouthpiece about 10 degrees in either direction--the point is that if you turn the mouthpiece 10 degrees clockwise, playing the reed will dampen it on its (your) right side, so the left side can blow, and its resistance determined. Note in your mind how freely the left side blows.

Now repeat this for the other side. Note which side gave you more resistance, if any. That's the side that needs to be made to blow easier.

Never rotate beyond the need to dampen a side.

Let's suppose the right side feels harder. One method I try is moving the reed on the mouthpiece, especially to correct subtle strength differences.

In such a case you might find that I've moved the reed to the left slightly (or vice versa). Were talking a couple of hair's thickness movement here.

In fact if the reed is somewhat soft I may move it up to the sky ever so subtly too.

Other methods involve removing material from the reed. One such, which you can search here is the ATG method (a purchasable kit with instruction video.) Another involves the use of abrasives on the harder side, even as it sits on the mouthpiece.

Do understand though that like medicine, too much of these techniques can be no good either, reducing the reed's strength too much--as useful as these can be to, in right dosage, in make a reed better playing.

I'm not a big fan of physical examination of the reed up to the light to deduce its thickness as a product of its translucence. YMMV but thickness is only a surrogate I think, for strength. Even intra-reed cane varies in ways that thickness isn't the final word for strength: playing is.

At around 1:41 note how Kathy Williams-Devries (someone whose content I respect) only very slightly twists the mouthpiece.

https://youtu.be/Nb-XzJwZgZU

(I own ATG and use/recommend it. I do not profit from its sale.)

Post Edited (2016-05-15 17:20)

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