 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Ted Donaldson
Date: 2001-09-07 01:11
Is it possible to make a reed higher? And if so by a half size? I just purchased about 10 - 15 bass clarinet reeds and they are 3's and my new mouthpiece requires 3.5s.
Thanks
Ted
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Author: mw
Date: 2001-09-07 01:51
Not higher, but "harder" or "stronger" perhaps ....
Yes, technically, it's possible. You'll need a clipper that fits the size of reed that you aim to clip (to make the reed "stronger"). I say technically because it takes practice, and my experience is that no 2 reeds are (exactly) alike. SO, your mileage varies. You could of course save them for the future when you might have a mouthpiece which could utilize them. None of the music stores That I know or have dealt with will take back an opened box of reeds --- hygiene issues. best, mw
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Author: Hiroshi
Date: 2001-09-07 03:43
Although reed trimming is described in books such as Keith Stein's 'Art of Clarinet Playing' using a reed trimmer such as Corbier's, almost all modern high quality reeds tips are diamond cut and are not recommended to trim them since trimmed surface does not recover the same surface smoothness of the original. That Iwas what I experienced. IMHO.
By the way, new reed becomes a little harder as reed cane fibres becomes stiff..
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Author: Hiroshi
Date: 2001-09-07 03:49
Although reed trimming is described in books such as Keith Stein's 'Art of Clarinet Playing' using a reed trimmer such as Corbier's, almost all modern high quality reeds tips are diamond cut and are not recommended to trim them since trimmed surface does not recover the same surface smoothness of the original. That Iwas what I experienced. IMHO.
By the way, new reed becomes a little harder as reed cane fibres becomes stiff..
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Author: jeff
Date: 2001-09-07 04:49
Hello
If you are willing to invest in a clipper i say give it a shot. I clip a lot of my reeds but the trick is to then adjust them after you clip. What happens is that you shift all of the dimensions of the reed forward so you may even have to take it down again. You can either create a mess of frustration for yourself or great deal of delight. good luck
jeff
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Author: Dee
Date: 2001-09-07 11:07
You might also try simply mounting the reed a little higher on the mouthpiece. This will make it act like a harder reed.
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Author: Stephen Froehlich
Date: 2001-09-07 13:41
I know Bass reeds are expensive. The best overall way to save money on them is to get <a href="http://www.vcisinc.com/">Larry Guy's Book</a> on reed adjusting. Not only will it teach you how to sort out the wheat from the chaff at the music store (a big money saver), then it will teach you to make the most of your reeds. It will even teach you proper use of a reed clipper.
As for Hiroshi's comment about them being diamond cut. Though I agree that you can't get quite the same tip quality back, I don't think this is that important. Compared to the vibration length, how does the microstructure of the tip effect the vibration of the reed? I understand that any fiber being out of proper proportion in terms of strength will ruin the resonance and cause problems, but I don't think the fine quality of the tip will make that big of a difference. I can remember several reeds that were missing a small chip at the tip and played great.
Of course, Hiroshi is a much better player than I and should have the final word, but it feels like the diamond cutter is in the process simply because it lasts longer. The marketing folks at Vandoren and/or LaVoz then hear this and think "OOOH, Marketing GIMMICK!" - which are invaluable in the highly subjective world of reeds.
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Author: Bill
Date: 2001-09-07 14:00
Rub the sides of the reed (by holding the reed perpendicular to the sandpaper). A few strokes, but the same number of strokes on each side. The best way to increase the reed's blowing resistance.
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Author: Ken Shaw
Date: 2001-09-07 17:40
Hiroshi -
I think it's mouthpiece lays that are cut with a diamond, not reeds. And anyway, I do extensive scraping and adjusting of reeds, which removes any special surface. In fact, the surfaces, top and bottom, end up a lot smoother than the original.
People have said that a reed trimmer crushes the cane at the tip, but I don't believe it. I've never been able to tell any difference in playing qualities between a new reed and a clipped one of equal strength. I even looked at several clipped and un-clipped reed tips under a 30X microscope, but couldn't see any difference, at least if the red trimmer is fairly new and has a sharp cutting edge. (I give myself a birthday present of a new Courdier trimmer every year.)
I wouldn't be without a reed trimmer. I use it all the time. When I got a bass clarinet, I automatically bought a bass reed trimmer.
Best regards.
Ken Shaw
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Author: David Kinder
Date: 2001-09-08 03:32
IMOE, my cordier reed trimmer would produce a different tip cut than the original reed cut. with the new cut, it wouldn't fit my mouthpiece as much as it did before the trimming. Any tips on trimming reeds right? Or should I go all out and get a $70 plastic Vandoren reed trimmer.
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Author: Stephen Froehlich
Date: 2001-09-08 20:18
I'll agree with David there. My reed trimmer cuts a different profile than the reeds come with. Its wider (flatter) tipped. I do use an emory board to round the corners, like Larry Guy recommends. I have even played around with shaping the tip with the emory board - you can do it, but it is easy to mess up. However, what I do remember is that before I clipped it, the reed was too soft and after I clipped it it was just right. (And Goldy Locks....) Thickness is a more fundamental adjustment than the fine points of tip shape.
Clipping the reed is not ideal - having the perfect reed out of the box, every time, that lasts 5 monts and costs $0.50 apiece is ideal. Alas, we are quite a way from that ideal.
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Author: Ken Shaw
Date: 2001-09-10 17:32
David -
To make the trimmed reed tip match the exact curve of your mouthpiece, you can jockey the reed from side to side, perhaps moving the butt from side to side to put the reed slightly crooked on the trimmer to do one side and then the other.
I find it easier to use an emery board. Even better is the Revlon Diamond file, which lasts indefinitely and has diamond dust to do the cutting. It's slightly less abrasive than an emery board. Pinch the reed between your thumb and index finger as close to the the tip as possible and work very lightly.
Best regards.
Ken Shaw
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Author: mw
Date: 2001-09-10 18:59
Ken is correct, I do MUCH the same --- "jockey" the reed clipper. Walter Grabner has posted some good info on the Klarinet List (to be found in the Archives) about how he clips & then, IMMSMR, uses sand paper on the TIP to relieve/undo the effect that the Clipper has on the Tip of the reed. Personally, I take the clipped reed & run it through water MASSAGING it from bottom to top with my thumb --- never coming down from top to bottom --- upstroke ONLY. Works for me. mw
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