Author: Ken Lagace
Date: 2022-01-18 07:53
As for weather, it is a humidity problem. Cold weather equals very dry humidity, and if you soak reeds the same as in humid weather, they won't play well - BUT, it isn't the reeds fault!
Rock the reed back and forth by the sides of the cut on a flat (glass) surface. If it rocks back and forth, it isn’t wet enough. The table has swollen. I soak in water after they are broken in – broken in means the reed pores are sufficiently clogged to prevent much change while playing.
I mark reeds that need more soaking with a groove at the heel. One groove needs at least a 2 hour soak and two grooves need a 4+ hour soak. The bark is more waterproof and when soaking a very dry reed, the bark swells into the table area.
If 4+ hours aren’t enough, the table needs to be re-flattened because it was cut that way.
This works for me and surly it won’t work for everyone. But try it, and if it works, you will be discarding not so many of your good reeds.
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