 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Jessica
Date: 2001-08-28 02:22
I recently talked to someone who has been playing on the same single reed for two years! ...not that I would ever want to do this, but how can you make a reed last so long?
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Author: bob gardner
Date: 2001-08-28 02:42
don't play it and keep it in the box. i have had some for three years.
Only kidding.
bob
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Author: David Pegel
Date: 2001-08-28 03:01
There's an aging process that can last a few years... that seems to improve life. One person I talked to via this forum played on only 10 reeds over a 30-year time period. Cycling the reeds occasionally and using slight aging - not necessarily a few years, but at least a month - can GREATLY improve a reed's life.
Aging:
1) Soak the reed for at least 10 minutes.
2) Place reed on a glass plate.
3) Wait one year (If you want it to age a year's worth.)
4) If it's warped, don't use it. If it isn't, have fun!!
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Author: jenna
Date: 2001-08-28 03:12
I don't know about two years.. but you can get some good time out of the synthetic reeds. Try Legere or Fibracell..
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Author: Erica
Date: 2001-08-28 03:41
On alto sax, I played the same reed for 7 1/2 months. It was really cool, I didn't do anything to make it last long, it just did. It was the first reed I pulled out of the box, and for 7 1/2 months I didn't even touch the others. Then, tragically, at one of our jazz band performances, It...it, broke. *sigh*. J/k, it was fun while it lasted, but I was happy to finally pull out a new reed, playing that same reed was driving me insane! Things shouldn't work like that! It's just wrong! <|:o)
Erica
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Author: David Spiegelthal
Date: 2001-08-28 15:55
There's not much point in playing the same reed for months, except maybe to prove a point (?). A well-known clarinet instructor some years back, who shall remain unnamed, used to brag about having played the same reed for months. Well, this player had superb technique, but the nasty old reed he used made this person sound like garbage --- buzz, spit sounds, fuzz. Nobody had the heart (or maybe guts) to say anything about it, but it was very sad that this otherwise superb player threw it all away just to save a few bucks on reeds. Get some reeds!
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Author: Mario
Date: 2001-08-28 16:08
Family herlooms (to quote Dr. Klug great metaphore) sometimes have nice tone, but they tend to loose their "pop". If your music requires much articulation (especially around the middle break), older reeds (i.e.: reeds which have been played a lot) will not perform well.
Naturally, "aging" a reed should keep it popping for a longer period of time. There is no consensus on this topic though, and all reed manufacturers I have spoken with tell me it is not useful.
Reeds simply do not last. Perfecting a preparation routine is a must for anything beyond beginner's level.
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Author: William
Date: 2001-08-28 17:30
According to Ben Armato's book, "Perfect A Reed.....and Beyond", a properly balanced reed should provide about twenty hours of playing service--ten hours to reach it's peak, and then another ten during which the performance efficiency declines. One trick that helps lengthen the playing time of a good reed is to keep the vamp (cut part) sealed by placing it on a flat surface and rubbing it with your forefinger, before and after playing. This "waterproofs" the reed, to a certain extent, and prevents it from aborbing too much saliva during playing. But playing the same reed for ten years!?!?!?. I knew a clarinetist--principal with our local VFW band--who claimed to have been playing the same reed for twelve years. He was an excellant reader with great technique, but could only be heard when no one else was playing. He had the most consistant and even ppppppppppppppppp level of playing I have ever heard!!! (almost, that is....) He was good with solos, but as a section leader, the other clarinetists had to look at his fingers for guidence. Never heard him make a mistake, however. OK---I'm otta here. Good Clarineting!!!! (at acceptable audible readings)
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Author: A.J.
Date: 2001-08-29 00:17
I rotate four or five reeds. This makes them last a little longer. Now I play bass clarinet and I do the same thing. Reeds last me close to a month if somebody doesn’t break them, anything after that the reed is still playable but the tone isn’t as good as a new reed.
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Author: dan powell
Date: 2001-08-29 01:00
the only reed that ever lasted me a year was a bari synthetic . i use them on bass clarinet. unfortunately the quality of them is not as good as in the past and now i have to search to find a good one .whats the point? i might as well go back to cane.
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