 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Leigh
Date: 2002-01-24 14:51
OK, I must first admit that it was a relief to hear that someone else out there had the problem of their reeds drying out while playing. That aside, I have tried the suggestions given (mainly not soaking my reeds in water) for about a month and at this point I've still had no luck. An interesting observation I made yesterday occurred while playing on a Legere reed - it too produced the same pattern of uneven moisture on the reverse (flat) of the reed. Had this been a cane reed I would not have been able to play on it. Could this be an embouchure problem?
Thanks for your help!
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Author: William
Date: 2002-01-24 15:26
I think that the pattern of moisture distribution that you observed on your L. reed is a normal result of the way air flows over the reed and through the mpc, and not any particular result of your embouchure. After wetting your reed (cane) with saliva, have you tried rubbing the face as well as the back (up to the trademark) to seal the surface and prevent over wetting? This also helps maintain moisutre dispersment and prevent evaporation from BOTH sides of the reed, and may help prevent that pesky drying problem. I also rub both surfaces after performance before retiring the reed to its case. Like I have posted before, drying used to be a major problem for me--especially ourdoor concerts--until I started wetting with saliva only and rubbing down the reeds before and after playing. I still don't know why it works--or even if is a result of the rubbing efforts--but drying reeds during performance is no longer a major problem for me. I have even started doing this for my sax reeds on jazz gigs where, for example, my sop sax will sit idle for whole sets at a time before being picked up for a solo. Quite often , the reed would become dry and even warped after the first set (of inactivity), even though I had soaked it in a glass of water for almost a half an hour before the gig. With saliva and rubbing (and no more water soaking), the reed is now ready to go after long periods of inactivity (with the mpc cap in place) and the drying problem seems to have disappeared. Why it seems to work is a mystery to me, but it does--and I am almost never plagued by reeds that dry out in the middle of the concert. So again (being the King of Redundency this AM) try this routine: saliva soak (while you assemble your instrument)--rub both reeds surfaces--play magnificently and enjoy music--after that, rub both surfaces--store on flat surface to dry. Hope this helps--Good Clarineting!!!!!!!!!
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Author: Chris Hill
Date: 2002-01-24 15:49
Smoetimes my reeds dry out more if the bottom of the reed is not flat. If this is the case, you can flatten it with 400 grit sandpaper, a mill bastard file, or a reed knife. Another possible problem is that the table of your mouthpiece is warped.
Even if the reed and mouthpiece are correct, you may experience this dryness if you are playing in a dry climate. (When the heat is on in a building, it tends to dry out, especially with forced hot air heating.) Before I made my own reeds, I used to use Vandoren reeds, which tend to dry out faster than other brands (at least for me.) In the dry months of January and February, I would switch to Steuer, which wouldn't dry out nearly as fast.
Chris
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Author: Hiroshi
Date: 2002-01-25 05:52
In Klarinet mailing list I read some people, professionals, apply nail color to the reed heel end. This seems reasonable to close the route through which moisture inside cane fibres will run away.
I prefer transparnet nail color but other colors will do the same thing.
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Author: Bob
Date: 2002-01-29 16:16
I have come to the conclusion that soaking in water is not a preferable pre-treatment before playing reeds. I now use only saliva using the "hold it in your mouth while you're assembling your instrument" procedure. I am currently experimenting with soaking in household bleach which began as an attempt to eliminate "mildew" which some call mold. I have a funny feeling that some of my mildew problem was actually the printing ink used on the back of the reed. I'm also experimenting with using tung oil treatment. I wonder if anyone has ever experimented with impregnating reeds with "plastic" in a vacuum and then curing the plastic by "irradiation" or whatever. I am aware that such treatments have been used with some wood products....i.e. bowling pins. I think I'll try the nail polish thing.
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