 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: crvsp
Date: 2021-01-08 23:05
As most of you would know, Vandoren v12s are known for being very inconsistent...
Right now I play on v12 3.5s and have also played on 3.5+ in the past. I find that the majority of the reeds I open end up being too strident in sound. Even for the 3.5+, after adjusting, they are too strident in nature.
That was just for context. Recently I opened a really good reed that was very dense in sound and "covered", and I was wondering if the density of the cane used for reeds actually impacts the sound? If so, are there any reed brands that use denser cane?
I was also looking into D'addario reeds, as they seem to have gotten better over the years. If anyone has good recommendations for reeds that are both consistent and has denser cane, please, do tell!
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Author: kdk ★2017
Date: 2021-01-08 23:50
crvsp wrote:
> That was just for context. Recently I opened a really good reed
> that was very dense in sound and "covered", and I was wondering
> if the density of the cane used for reeds actually impacts the
> sound? If so, are there any reed brands that use denser cane?
>
So, what reed was it?
> I was also looking into D'addario reeds, as they seem to have
> gotten better over the years. If anyone has good
> recommendations for reeds that are both consistent and has
> denser cane, please, do tell!
A #4 V.12 would on average have denser cane than a #3.5+. That's essentially the way they're graded, AFAIK.
What you're (or should be) looking for are reeds that consistently sound good to you and respond in a way you find comfortable. The way you find them, unfortunately, is to buy and try.
"Covered" (whatever that means) doesn't necessarily come from dense cane. The way the reed is profiled - the manufacturer's design - has a lot (maybe everything) to do with the vibrancy and the frequency distribution that a reed produces. The mouthpiece and the player contribute a lot to the overall sound quality - the part of the frequency distribution that is amplified and heard.
D'Addarios are consistent. So are Aria, Brio, Pilgerstorfer (in any of their several styles), Leuthner, Steuer, AW and Lurie, to name a few that I've personally tried over the past few years. I didn't enjoy playing on all of them, but they were consistent and seemed to be cut from good quality cane. You might even consider Legere (European Cut).
The thing about switching reeds if you aren't happy with what you're using is to just take the leap to something else and see what you get. Don't overthink it - it isn't a marriage or even an expensive instrument change.
Karl
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Author: ruben
Date: 2021-01-09 00:05
Pilgerstorfer Morré cut reeds are far and away my favorites.
rubengreenbergparisfrance@gmail.com
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2021-01-09 01:58
Hi,
Don't forget the time of year. If it is cold where you are and the heat is on all the time, your indoor humidity is probably less than 20% (that's not good for cane). When drying out on your mouthpiece cane reeds will manifest all sorts of poor performance from brittle to weak and unresponsive. Get a cheap hygrometer from the hardware store and if your humidity is lower than 60%, get a humidifier for the room where you practice.
Once humidity is not the problem, try Vandoren V21s. Those have the "filed" shoulders and consequently vibrate more freely and result in much more color in the sound. For a more robust sound, I prefer the Vandoren 56 Rue Lepic.
..................Paul Aviles
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Author: kdk ★2017
Date: 2021-01-09 18:37
Paul Aviles wrote:
> If it is cold where you are and
> the heat is on all the time, your indoor humidity is probably
> less than 20% (that's not good for cane).
Not very good for people, either, not to mention wood instruments.
> When drying out on
> your mouthpiece cane reeds will manifest all sorts of poor
> performance from brittle to weak and unresponsive. Get a
> cheap hygrometer from the hardware store and if your humidity
> is lower than 60%, get a humidifier for the room where you
> practice.
60% *sounds* high. Paul, do you find that 60% is comfortable and doesn't leave any moist film on things around the room?
> Once humidity is not the problem, try Vandoren V21s. Those
> have the "filed" shoulders and consequently vibrate more freely
> and result in much more color in the sound.
V.12s are also filed. But, to crvsp, you might like them more than V.12s. Or you might like 56 Rue lepics. Of the four (Traditional, V.12, V21, 56 Rue) I, like Paul, prefer the 56 Rue lepic reeds. But you'd have to decide for yourself if Paul's "robust" and your "covered" are in conflict.
Karl
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2021-01-09 19:37
Well, my "figures" on humidity are based on what I have experienced during the years when ambient humidity was good and when it was bad.
The best cane performance I ever had was while living for two years in Orlando where humidity was always north of 90%. But besides having good reeds, I would not recommend to anyone live in Orlando. The worst time I had with reeds was a particularly cold Fall and Winter in Boston where I was lucky to see 20% ambient humidity. And yes, I kept a room at 60% to get through the rest of that period until Spring.
Also, I know that many say good things about V12s but I personally NEVER was able to get those to work for me. Most of my time was spent on standard Vandorens up to about 2005 when I moved to the 56s. I think I'd still use V21s if I had not moved to Legere European Signatures permanently. Now I have no problem with humidity, and I'll NEVER use cane again.
.....................Paul Aviles
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