 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: BGBG
Date: 2017-04-17 20:19
Decided I was using wrong approach to practice. Have a number of reeds and was using say #1 & # 2 in a practice session. If reed performed poorly I was wasting practice time and playing on poor reed trying to analyze or fix it and either not learning technique or improving reed or fingering etc. Had read reeds can be good sometimes and poor other times. So now setting a certain number of minutes practice time, using #1 & #2 reed, and if squeaks, jamming, etc, going right to next 2 reeds instead of continuing on with poor ones, and noting poor reeds. When\if next rotations shows reeds repeatedly poor, can set aside time to explore it. That way I continue to improve by playing on good reeds, do not waste practice time with poor reeds, and if same reeds continue to be poor, I can discard or try to fix them.
Post Edited (2017-04-17 20:22)
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Author: Caroline Smale
Date: 2017-04-17 20:50
That sounds a perfectly logical approach to me.
I have heard many players recommend that it is important to separate your clarinet practice sessions from your reed break-in or fixing sessions.
Practice sessions always should take priority.
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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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Author: Bob Bernardo
Date: 2017-04-19 21:18
With the Steuer reeds, famous players such as Sabine Meyer play on them, I use them and still have to buy them just like everyone. These work well after a few days. The first 3 or 4 days they soak up a lot of water.
After they settle down I play the same reed for about a month or 2, whenever it decides to die. That is about 3 to 4 hours of hard playing a day. Most of the players get about 6 to 7 reeds to play great per box. If you are able to adjsut reeds you might get 8 reeds or 9 reeds per box. I do not rotate the reeds. The cane is that good. Many pros use them in major symphonies. The problem is the Steuer company sometimes can't keep up with the demands, so we, myself included, have to make sure we have a box or 2 of unopened reeds, if they are back ordered.
I must repeat this, I buy the reeds just like everyone. They are pesticide free, unlike Rico reeds. I do not make money on these. In fact I've lost money. I want to offer a safe reed of amazing qualities.
Some players are getting 3 to 5 months out of 1 reed. Sadly I'm not. Even with a double lip embouchure.
Designer of - Vintage 1940 Cicero Mouthpieces and the La Vecchia mouthpieces
Yamaha Artist 2015
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Author: TomS
Date: 2017-04-19 23:13
Bob
Gonna have to try the Steuer reeds ... VD is OK but not totally what I am looking for and Rico Classics are a bit "tubby" IMHO ... tried other brands with mixed results and just went back to VD.
How do the Steuer compare in cut and strength to Vandorens?
Tom
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Author: Ed Palanker
Date: 2017-04-20 00:24
I have some interesting reed thoughts that have worked well for me on my website if you want to check them out.
ESP eddiesclarinet.com
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Author: TomS
Date: 2017-04-20 20:06
Ed's advice, IMHO, is right on ... I didn't go into detail on breaking in reeds, but should be done slowly. And, I do usually polish or seal the vamp of the reed ... rubbed against your lip, it should feel like glass ...
The point is that you have to learn to break-in, adjust and store reeds or you will have a lot of grief and spend more time and money and less time practicing. It's easy and does not take a lot of time, you just have to develop a knack and just do it ...
I used Legere for quite a while, but frankly could not get them to respond as well and tune as well as real cane. The highest register seems to be, as an average, much flatter for the same reed strength ... and when you are regularly skipping around the altissimo register in a 1st part in band, you gotta have it work right.
Tom
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Author: kdk
Date: 2017-04-20 23:40
BGBG, when you first joined this BB, you were endlessly obsessing over details of reed management to the point that the process of choosing, breaking in, adjusting, storing and preserving reeds seemed to have become the main focus of your clarinet activity. IMO, the routine you've described here is much better than all that fussing.
The basic principle of your current approach seems to be to practice playing the clarinet, using the best reeds you have available on a given day. Breaking in reeds is a topic of unending discussion that never arrives at a point of agreement. Everyone has his own witchcraft that he or she is comfortable with and very rarely is that witchcraft the same for two experienced players. Likewise, reed adjustment has almost infinite possibilities for various approaches, but at root, the approach you eventually take depends very heavily on how you want your reeds to sound and respond. Players have different techniques, depending on the result they want.
What you've described is a much more playing-centered approach, which IMO will be far more productive for you than going back to worrying about processing and adjusting reeds beyond the minimal things you describe here. Wet one, put it on the mouthpiece, and, if it responds easily, practice on it. If it's a fight to make it sound good, put it aside or, after repeated unsuccessful tries, throw it away. Spend your time playing.
My 2 cents.
Karl
Post Edited (2017-04-21 15:42)
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Author: BGBG
Date: 2017-04-21 06:36
kdk, you are correct. I was too much into the mechanics of clarinets and reeds and too little into the playing part of it, the real reason one does it. I know the other is important also but I realized I was spending too little time actually playing and too much time transposing music, fooling around with reed modification and analysis, and since I got a new approach I am much happier and doing much better. It was all so confusing at first. I began learning to play in May 2014. And I find when I actually play more I get better at it. Thanks for the encouragement. BG
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