 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Roxann
Date: 2017-10-04 01:49
I'm trying a new brand of reed and I'm finding that, on certain notes, when I tongue them, they squeak. It's a tiny squeak, but so annoying. Am I doing something incorrect, or is there some adjustment I could make on the reed to prevent this? I do not have that issue with the reeds I normally use, nor with other reeds from the same box as this one. I hate to throw it out without trying some different adjustments to it. Any suggestions? I realize it could, actually, be me, but why on this reed and not others?
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Author: kdk
Date: 2017-10-04 02:38
I'd say, throw it out. Reed squeaks are most of the time caused by a hard spot somewhere across the tip. You can go hunting for it and, if you think you've found it, you can try to even it off to the rest of the tip, but chances are in the process you'll have done enough damage to the rest of the tip area that the result won't be worthwhile. Life is too short.
Karl
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Author: ClarinetRobt
Date: 2017-10-04 02:48
If you have Ridenour's ATG system, sand the tip to make consistent...remove any high areas. I like Tom's analogy that the tip should be like spring, diving board.
~Robt L Schwebel
Mthpc: Behn Vintage
Lig: Ishimori, Behn Delrin
Reed: Legere French Cut 3.75/4, Behn Brio 4
Horns: Uebel Superior (Bb,A), Ridenour Lyrique, Buffet R13 (Eb)
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Author: TomS
Date: 2017-10-04 18:00
I have found that many of the closer facing Vandoren MPs have a tendency to "whistle", especially with Vandoren reeds ... seem OK with Legere and most other brands, like the Pilgerstorfers.
Something about the way Vandoren machines their facings ...
Make sure your reeds are well balanced and not too soft ...
Tom
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Author: kdk
Date: 2017-10-04 18:53
Roxann wrote:
> I do
> not have that issue with the reeds I normally use, nor with
> other reeds from the same box as this one. I hate to throw it
> out without trying some different adjustments to it.
Just to be clear, as I read this, you're having trouble with one specific reed from the new box and squeaks like these are not a general problem that you're trying to solve. Correct?
Karl
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Author: Roxann
Date: 2017-10-04 19:05
It's happened with several different reeds from this particular brand in three different boxes I've ordered. Others from this brand play beautifully, so I'm hoping I can make almost all of them in the boxes play equally as well. I DO have the ATG stem AND the Reed Geek system so I can mess around with the reeds to my heart's content. I just didn't know where to start. I'll do the "hold the reed up to the light" thing and see if I can see where it's more dense and have a go at it. If I end up tossing it, it's been a learning experience:) Thanks for the suggestions!
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Author: dorjepismo ★2017
Date: 2017-10-04 19:16
Had problems like this. Some brands, models and strengths of reeds interact badly with some mouthpieces, and squeak a lot more than others. Had maybe a 10% success rate in fixing them so that they don't squeak at all. Had a larger rate where they seemed OK for awhile and then squeaked in a concert. If you play for other people and don't want to get embarrassed, Karl's right; throw the ones that squeak out.
Post Edited (2017-10-04 19:17)
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Author: kdk
Date: 2017-10-04 20:51
Roxann wrote:
> I'll
> do the "hold the reed up to the light" thing and see if I can
> see where it's more dense and have a go at it. If I end up
> tossing it, it's been a learning experience:) Thanks for the
> suggestions!
You could try a couple of very light swipes at a time over the tip area with the ATG block - Tom explicitly recommends not even trying to find a high spot manually. But if it's just a spike of the grain fiber you'll have to find it whether by looking at it or, maybe better, using the method Bonade outlined years ago of very gently running the edge of your thumbnail behind the tip from one side to the other and noticing any place that flexes differently (I have no idea if that was original with Bonade - probably not).
The trouble, aside from the hunting and scraping and thinning the rest of the tip too much in the process, is that if it's a dense spot rather than a high spot that got past the cutter, it's very difficult to thin that one narrow area to make it more flexible without either thinning the surrounding area too much or creating a divot. As a project to prove it can be done, it may be an interesting project. As a practical matter of providing yourself with reeds that you can practice and perform on as efficiently as possible, the process can take (most likely waste) time with no guarantee of success.
For me, it's generally a choice between playing my clarinet and woodworking - sometimes the woodworking is a fun challenge in itself, but most of the time I want to be playing the clarinet.
Karl
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Author: Bob Bernardo
Date: 2017-10-05 00:28
Every reed maker comes across with a batch of reeds that just don't make make it. Here's the issue, they often change the cutting blades a few times a day or the cane is just bad. Or it can be both.
You can sole a few this by doing a few tricks such as clipping the reeds just a shade. You can play the reed off to i side side than the other side to see where the chirp is coming from. Once you know this clip the reed and take off some material off of the other side to balance the reed. Use sand paper or a reed knife, I prefer a reed knife or a sharp pocket knife.
I think this will solve your problem. You can send a few too me and I will look at them and give you my opinion but they cannot be a Rico brand, because these reeds are full of pesticides.
By the way, most reed cutting machines cut reeds between 5 to 12 seconds per reed, so if the cutters are off that day 3000 reeds could go out before someone notices it. This is so frustrating sometimes. Very bad Quality Control. We, the musicians have to be able to fix these mess ups. It's really not that had once we learn the basics.
Designer of - Vintage 1940 Cicero Mouthpieces and the La Vecchia mouthpieces
Yamaha Artist 2015
Post Edited (2017-10-05 00:56)
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Author: nellsonic
Date: 2017-10-05 07:44
I'd go for a few light swipes over the tip with the ATG. Only takes seconds and it might save at least a few. The ones that don't improve this way can undergo more intense experimentation if desired, including the 'wall test' if you must. Every reed has something to teach us, even if it's about what to not waste time on. I also agree with everything that's been said so far in this thread, which is always a good feeling. 
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