 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Veronica
Date: 2002-01-19 01:09
[Title rewritten by the Webmaster. Please re-read the BBoard etiquette post concerning titles]
I have my college audition for my first choice school next week. I was really happy because I've been playing very well lately. A few days ago, I went to practice and the reed felt completely dead. I couldn't get a sound out. It was so soft that it felt like I was playing a #1 or something. This was a good reed the day before. So I thought maybe something happened to the reed (humidity, weather or something) and I tried my other two that were broken in (these are Vanduran 3s). Well one of them was equally soft and the other sounded terribly stuffy, like it was almost as soft as the others -- hardly any sound came out. I didn't know what was going on so I tried to break in three new Vanduran 3 reeds that I had in my room (not my case), one at a time, and all of them sounded terrible. They were very airy and the sound was so thin, and once they were broken in completely, they were too soft. Well I got a Mitchel Lurie 3 1/2 from my band director and though I don't like Mitchel Lurie reeds (the Vandurans give me such great sound) it played like a normal reed, meaning, sound came out. Now... what could be going on?? I've got my audition NEXT WEEK and all of a sudden, I can't play!! I really want to use a Vanduran reed because my tone is much better with them and I'm used to playing on them. I'm so upset that I started crying in band today when I couldn't get any reeds to work. Please... anyone... tell me what could be wrong and what I could do about it. I need help as soon as possible because I'm really panicking and getting upset.
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Author: chuck
Date: 2002-01-19 01:34
Lots of things--sometimes psychological--can affect reed performance. Try a couple other makes as it is not the reed that is auditioning. I have had some very good luck recently with the Rico Grand Concert, thick blank. Chuck
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Author: Jill
Date: 2002-01-19 01:54
Reeds are really nerve-wracking, aren't they? Makes you want to take up the flute. Maybe you're ready for a VanDoren 3 1/2 if all those 3's are too soft. Get several--get a box-- and be patient. You'll find one (and hopefully more). Better not to find one too fast and "peak" too early, anyway. It'll happen. Good luck!
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Author: Kim L.
Date: 2002-01-19 03:28
Sounds like the reeds may be too soft for you. If you buy a new box of Vandoren 3's and get the same result, then the reeds are too soft. I'd try Vandoren 3 1/2 and V-12 3 1/2 to see which plays best. Always remember: DON'T play a new reed at your audition! Even if it is soft it is okay since it plays and you are comfortable with it. I'd rather play on a reed I'm comfortable with than something not broken in!
Good luck at your audition,
Kim L.
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Author: rmk
Date: 2002-01-19 03:57
It's also possible that your mouthpiece has warped. I have had this happen recently to several students (all playing the same brand of mpc). When they switched to one of mine, everything was normal. When I put one of my reeds on their mpc, I had the same experience (unable to get the reed to vibrate properly).
So, what can you do on such short notice? Hopefully, your teacher can lend you a mouthpiece. Most of us have a drawer-ful of decent mouthpieces that are just gathering dust. It's certainly possible to get used to a new mpc in a week, and anything that's more comfortable will give you more confidence.
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Author: Wes
Date: 2002-01-19 05:07
It has been my experience that when you think you have reed problems, you very likely have some other problem. It could be dirt or crud on the mouthpiece facing, leaks in the instrument, a loose pad, a lost cork piece, a bent key, etc. Mouthpieces warp, I believe, but probably only over a long period of time, not suddenly. Perhaps there is some local expert who could look at your equipment and evaluate it. Good Luck!!
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Author: Veronica
Date: 2002-01-23 20:24
Thanks for the advice. It turns out it was a mouthpiece problem after all.
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