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Re: Practice and Reed Rotation

Author: TomS
Date: 2017-04-19 06:32

About 50-100 percent of the reeds out of a box are bad, or need adjustments.

This is the easiest, fastest and cheapest way, IMO, to have very little problems with reeds ... I spend VERY little time messing with reeds. Apology if I am repeating something you already know or are doing:

Buy good reeds (Vandoren for example).

Do not sand the flat side of the reed, except when all else fails. You may polish the flat side by rubbing over standard typewriter (Xerographic) paper, if you wish.

Always wet reeds in tap water using a small medicine cup and only wet the vamp or vibrating part for about 5-10 seconds. This helps prevent the reed from warping as much, and the water wetting is easier on the reed than your saliva.

Watch this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cUceTpnywwc and (IMHO) ignore the comments about the "V" profile as seen in the light ...

Rock the MP in the mouth left to right and blow Forte to Piano breath attacks or "puff tests" to determine the reed unbalance. You will normally notice that one side has more resistance. This takes a little practice and a knack that you will develop.

Take down the side that is too resistant with the shop blade, as seen in the video. Do this right away on new reeds. An unbalanced reed will self destruct sooner than a balanced reed. You will also self-destruct sooner if you play unbalanced reeds. Reeds will need re-balancing from time to time, as they will change.

Easy. No expensive equipment. Not a lot of skill. Only a couple of minutes per reed. Just do 1/2 box at a time. You will find some reeds that are just "duds" and can't be fixed.

Dry reeds by rubbing between the index finger and thumb and store in a controlled humidity case as made by Rico or Vandoren ... although if the weather is OK, I will let them stay out in the atmosphere ...

A Ridenour RTG system is fairly cheap and will do a much better job than the shop blade ... get one. You will still have to do the "puff tests" ... Watch Tom Ridenour's videos on reed adjustment.

Tom

Post Edited (2017-04-19 06:40)

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