 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: diz
Date: 2002-03-04 21:38
Hi
I was having a discussion about all things wind last weekend with a friend who plays saxophone. She works for a music store and was telling me about these "flavoured reeds". The store she works for doesn't sell them and tells the parents that they're just a gimmick and not to waste their money.
My question is - why the heck would you flavour a reed? I've hear it all now - what next? Coloured keywork?
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Author: William
Date: 2002-03-04 21:50
Like the song says, "Just a spoonful of sugar makes the medicine go down." It's a gimmick to get kids to buy more reeds and maybe practice more. BTW, have you seen the snazzy Vito multicolored clarinets. PLEASE, Hold Me Back!!!!!!!!!!!
Good Clarineting!!!! (the old fashioned unflavored, basic Bb black way)
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Author: Bob Arney
Date: 2002-03-04 22:16
As a CHILD, about 70 years ago, I put a drop of "Oil of Cloves" on my brothers Tenor Sax reed and you should have heard the "colorful" comments.
Bob A
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Author: diz
Date: 2002-03-04 22:16
Bob - what a dreadful thing to do! So, you've been cantancerous ever since, then? *ducks for cover*
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Author: SWTClarinet
Date: 2002-03-04 22:27
Heh, my sister used to work the sheet music departmen of a music store down home (four hours of a drive from school for me), and one day they received a small sample shipment of these "Flavor Reeds". They never dared to sell them because they were, to use one of her co-worker's comments, "pieces of crap". Instead everyong working in the store was seen for a week walking around with these horrible, yet tasty, reeds in their mouths! Musical gourmets at their best!!!
Joey
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Author: David Pegel
Date: 2002-03-05 01:04
I dipped a reed in malt vingar once to see if any chemical reactions would change the reed's action. The action sped up very quickly- right out the window.
I found out that reeds dipped in malt viegar give off a different flame than flavored reeds.
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Author: Dan Borlawsky
Date: 2002-03-05 12:20
I don't know about flavored reeds, but has anyone tried (or had their students try) the reed flavoring that you dip the reeds into (peppermint, I think I recall) which I've seen in catalogs occasionally? If you have, what's the verdict? My students (5th grade beginners) would probably love it!
-- Dan
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2002-03-05 14:24
Somewhere in my "files" [boxes of paper], I have several patents on flavored reeds, perhaps I can come up with some, if anyone is still interested. I do have a partially used bottle of "Reed-Life" [I believe it is], whose main claim to fame, IMHO, was a minor concentration of hydroger peroxide [H2O2] presumably to oxidize and remove organics, food, saliva etc, and lengthen reed life. I havn't seen any more ads on it, so presume it had no great success. Again, cavaet emptor. Don
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Author: L. Omar Henderson
Date: 2002-03-05 15:27
Dear Don,
* Note - I sell ReedLife as a primary distributor but have no financial interests in, or receive kick-backs from the company.
I hope that this is not promotional and one should make choices of products based on available knowledge and experience - the current state of ReedLife is:
ReedLife is indeed alive and doing very well. It has no flavoring agents and is formulated to remove imbedded skin (lip type) particles and food particles, bacteria, and mold from the reed which (are said to) hinder the vibrational characteristics of used reeds. Many professional musicians use ReedLife mainly (I guess) because it enables the reed to hold moisture content for a longer period of time (often desired by doublers and symphony musicians that switch instruments) due to the addition of humectants and other proprietary agents (there is a US Patent issued for this product).
The major audiance (at least from my distribution figures) are at least 8 symphony orchestras worldwide (bulk quantities), professional musicans that play Las Vagas and other arid settings. Musicians in the southern parts of the U.S., Australia, etc., where mold and mildew is a problem due to the hot - moist climatic conditions, use the product to kill bacteria, mold and mildew spores. Certain international settings where hygiene levels are extremely high also consume large quantities of the product.
The Doctor
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Author: Dee
Date: 2002-03-05 16:21
When my younger daughter was 10, she asked me to buy her the flavored reeds for a reward for practicing. I did so as they were not expensive. She tried them and immediately informed me that they played terribly and that she never wanted any more of them. You see I had started her on much better reeds (Mitchell Lurie) and even though she had played only a few months at the time, could tell the difference.
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