Author: Bob Barnhart ★2017
Date: 2022-01-18 23:21
OK, I confess, I was/am-still fussy about reeds, but now for different reasons.
I've always broken reeds in, striven to balance them, smoothed the vamp to ensure resistance to changes in humidity (as recommended by Ben Armato), kept them in sealed containers on flat surfaces, etc.
However, I used to select reeds that (I thought) gave the darkest/roundest sound, typically harder reeds. These were often uncomfortable, less flexible and made (my already slow) articulation slower.
When I consulted with Greg Smith (ultimately selected one of his Chedeville 1* mouthpieces), he commented that we typically play reeds that are too hard and do not allow the mouthpiece to contribute appropriately to tone, response, flexibility, etc.
I also recall a post on this board about Robert Marcellus (asking a student?) to select the buzziest reed for an upcoming performance because he knew it would respond better but still sound just fine out in the hall. (I don't seem to be able to locate this post any more...?)
During pandemic I've played less, but still got older, so I've experimented with various factors to allow me to get the results I want with less effort. Recently, I've tried the Selmer Echo Mouthpiece which is both more resistant and closer in facing than the mouthpieces I've played in more recent years (M30, B40 [Lyre], Backun Arabesque, BD5, BD4). I've also been recording and analyzing the performance of various combinations of mouthpiece, reed and ligature.
Based on these experiments, I've learned that:
1) By keeping the airstream focused and intense, it is possible to obtain a good tone even when using a softer reed. Moreover, with softer reeds I have more control over nuances in tone/response/dynamics/range.
2) When using a softer reed, the mouthpiece contributes more to the overall resulting tone/response/dynamics/range just as Greg Smith said. That being said, it is important to have good compatibility between your mouthpiece and the brand/cut of reed you are using.
3) Not all mouthpieces are sufficiently reed-friendly to achieve the results (1) and (2). I have found that (for me) the Selmer Echo is much more reed friendly than most mouthpieces I have favored in the past, providing great tone/response/dynamics/range with less effort using softer reeds. It may also be that slightly more resistance in the mouthpiece may also help using softer reeds (e.g., my BD4 is almost as good, but in general favors a bit stronger reed than the Echo).
4) Using quality recordings is essential to determining the desired reed/mouthpiece/ligature combination as what we hear when playing is probably not what our audience hears.
I still break-in/balance/adjust reeds, but after listening to the recorded results, I find that I'm happy with the performance of a larger number of (softer) reeds (which need less adjustment) than I used to be.
Bob Barnhart
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