Author: Matt74
Date: 2017-10-19 03:28
My theory is that reeds benefit from a stable humidity, rather than a high humidity. While they certainly get damp when played, the higher humidity of the basement is closer to playing than the heated indoor air. The refrigerator is almost certainly more dry than the indoor air. The refrigerator really sucks the moisture out of vegetables. I think heating evaporates the moisture out of the air, and cooling condenses it out. Plastic bags in the refrigerator get water drops all over them, and things in the freezer get frost. Also, the air in the refrigerator is the same air as in the heated house, but cooled, which doesn’t add humidity (unless there is a bunch of damp stuff in the frige). The basement air is damp because it hasn’t been heated, and because the moisture comes from the earth - even through concrete.
I had the most luck very briefly wetting before playing, like a quick dunk of the vamp, and a wipe off. The reeds were in a reed case, but not sealed air tight. This worked in Minnesota. They stay relatively dry, and don’t mold.
I find soaking reeds for several minutes when they are new, or haven’t been played for a long time, helps. Soaking them everytime I play didn’t work for me.
- Matthew Simington
Post Edited (2017-10-19 03:32)
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