 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Meg
Date: 2001-06-24 19:36
Hey guys, I know you must be sick of this topic, but I would like some advice on reeds. I play on Zonda 4 reeds and a 5RVLyre mouthpiece, and my tone is no where near consistent, it can be gorgeous and full, but other days it's tenny and bright, what I can I do to combat this? Any suggestions??
Thanks a bunch:)
Meg
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Author: Irwin
Date: 2001-06-24 19:41
At the risk of stirring up others who don't agree with me . . . I'm not wild about your setup. Zondas never do well for me, and I gave awaymy 5RVLyre long ago for the same reason. I use Vandoren V12's (3.5 strength) and a Greg Smith mouthpiece. Always sounds great.
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Author: Suzanne
Date: 2001-06-24 22:40
Try matching your moutpiece to the reeds--Vandoren w/ Vandoren. I can get a good sound with Vandoren blue box and an assortment of Vandoren mouthpiece models, including 5RV Lyre.
Mostly, though, I think the REAL factor in how you sound, is how you use your wind. If I stay relaxed, and blow nice, full wind that fills the bore of the instrument, while imagining the sound that I want in my mind, it will come out, even with a less than perfect reed.
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Author: Suzanne
Date: 2001-06-24 22:42
PS
REEDS are inconsistent--even a good reed can have a bad day--and revive later.
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Author: William
Date: 2001-06-25 03:17
What you are experiancing in inconsistant tone qualities is a normal and, unfortunately, life-long problem for all wind players who use cane reeds to generate the sound. Reeds are, at best, inconsistant because cane grows with different densities--like our bodies put on weight in different areas--and it is therefore hard to manufacture a consistant product at a specific strength (V-12s 3.5s as an ex) And, to complicate matters, a reed will change from day-to-day as it ages with use and reacts to the surrounding himidity changes. To develope the ability to play with a consistant tone quality means learning to control the problems reeds keep presenting to us. Sometimes, the trombone seems sooooooo logical and appealing. Reeds must be addictive in some way, otherwise more woodwind players would "shake the habit" and switch to a "reedless" wind--or brass, percussion, string, vocal, anything to "get away" from the "evil" reed. But, since you are probably hopelessly hooked on the clarinet (like many of the rest of use) keep trying, and with time, you will learn to control those little wooden monsters and play with an even and predictable sound. Have a good sound in your head and try to project it through your clarinet with even breath support. Always start each practice with some long tones in different registers and try to maintain a consistant resonance or quality from tone to tone. Ex: (each tone four counts) low C, add register and slur to G, slur to T/R high C, back down to low C. Any excercise will work as long as you listen and maintain a certain quality of sound that you dersire in all registers of your instrument. Concept and listening are key issues for developing any consistancy in sound. Good luck and Good Clarineting!!!!!!
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Author: Sue B
Date: 2001-06-25 04:39
Anybody want to weigh in on the virtues of plastics for consistant reeds???
I have found the plastic reeds to produce at least a consistent tone for me BUT I am just back at this after 20 years off.
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Author: jenna
Date: 2001-06-26 03:26
Plastic reeds have their positive aspects for me.. I'm allergic to cane, so if I don't use plastic (at least when playing soprano) my whole lower lip and chin breaks out in a rash. They defintely take getting used to. They're much more consistent, but you have to be ready to compensate a bit. I find plastics more likely to sound kind of shrieky. On a cane I have a decent tone, but when I switched to plastic I really had to learn how to work my tone back, and adjust for that. That's just my experience, though. Maybe I'm just clarinetally challenged. =)
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