 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: John
Date: 2002-05-08 04:48
with the rico grand concert evolution size 4 (pretty sure it's thick blank) reeds that i use sometimes, if i soak them in me spit for more than .00000606994 milliseconds the dern thing warps at the tip and the sound is uneven. is there any way to prevent this? shall i never soak my reed again? has the world gone mad? anyway, my vandoren v12 don't do that but they also seem to be quite a bit thicker.
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Author: Karel
Date: 2002-05-08 11:41
John, if you mean the crinkly appearance of the reed tip as it is initially wetted, that is normal, and takes only a minute or two to even out.
Karel
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Author: Dan Borlawsky
Date: 2002-05-08 12:05
Oh, now I see what this thread is about! From the title, one might think it's a page devoted to conflicts among brands of reeds! -- never mind!
-- Dan
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Author: Tim
Date: 2002-05-08 13:32
That is exactly the same thing that I was thinking when I saw the title.
Tim
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Author: jez
Date: 2002-05-08 14:07
Can I suggest again a treatment for reeds that seems to reduce warpage amongst other benefits. I think it comes from a book by Keith Stein and involves soaking new reeds in water for a few minutes, then holding them on a flat surface and rubbing a finger repeatedly over the shaved part, pressing hard. This compresses the fibres of the reed and gets rid of the starchy material that, normally deposits itself on your mouthpiece. Repeat this a few times, then rub the reed itself up & down against the surface (mirror or whatever) to meke sure the back is really flat.
I find this makes the reed more stable, stops it changing in use and makes them last longer.
I never even try a reed 'til I've done this and am convinced it makes a definite improvement.
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Author: Sarah
Date: 2002-05-08 14:20
If V12s don't warp, then why not try the next sixe or half size down?
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Author: beejay
Date: 2002-05-08 14:22
Me too. I took it for a declaration of hostilities against Van Doren. I'm on their side. I just bought a box of absolutely consistent V12s -- all were eminently playable and four were just beautiful. It must be Spring.
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Author: Bob
Date: 2002-05-08 14:44
I've adopted jez' method. When I rub the flat side on a flat surface I move the reed in only one direction, tip end trailing. Seems to help.
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Author: Ed
Date: 2002-05-08 16:21
Soak your reed longer. When the reed is dry and starts to absorb moisture, it will due so unevenly. It starts to swell and the tip will crinkle up. Wait a few more minutes, it will flatten on its own.
You might also have luck with some of the reed cases such as the Reedmate or the Vandoren (with the dessicant). These often help to hold the moisture in the reed a bit better and keep them from drying out too fast when you put them away. You might also take the tip of the reed and place it perpendicular on the table of the mouthpiece, pressing it gently with your thumb. This can help it flatten a bit more quickly. The other suggestions people have made about breaking in and sealing the reed will also help.
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Author: Bob
Date: 2002-05-08 18:53
"the Vandoren (with the dessicant). These often help to hold the moisture in the reed a bit better and keep them from drying out too fast when you put them away."
>I thought dessicants removed moisture. Also, I can't imagine how those vd dessicant sticks work since the stuff is inside a plastic capsule. Also, I don't understand the instructions about placing the tip perpendicular....maybe you could explain further.
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Author: Ken Shaw
Date: 2002-05-08 22:23
John -
Any reed will get the ripple effect at the tip when you wet it initially, because the fibrous and non-fibrous parts absorb water at different rates. The tip flattens out after 2 or 3 minutes, and you have to go through that process before you can play the reed at all.
Some people advise pressing the tip of the reed against the table of the mouthpiece with your thumb to flatten out the ripples. I've found that doing that means it takes about 180 seconds, rather than 3 minutes ;-).
Before I start playing, I put several reeds in a small bowl of water and let them soak while I put my clarinet together. If you can't do this, put a couple of reeds in your mouth and wet them up while putting things together.
There's no rushing things. You just have to wait.
Best regards.
Ken Shaw
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Author: thomas piercy
Date: 2002-05-08 22:46
Yes, take time, patience is a virtue. Perhaps because I make my reeds by hand from cane tubes, I rarely get the warp or ripples as discussed previously in this thread. Proper soaking and sealing before and during the break period, even with commercial reeds, will eliminate most warp problems. If there is a ripple, I would not recommend pressing the tip against the table or anything else to force it to flatten out. The tip and the fibers of the reed are incredibly sensitive and you can ruin a good reed by treating it harshly by such pressure, or as I recently observed, bending it back and forth while holding tip against table to get flat. Try not to crush the fibers. Soak in mouth, or in water, for a minute or two, then, if needed, gently slide back and forth across flat surface without pressing on tip, and then try on mouthpiece.
Good luck, Tom Piercy
thomaspiercy.com
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Author: John
Date: 2002-05-08 23:57
thanks guys, i'll try all your suggestions and see which one is best. i have a concert coming up within the month, so i really need to find a good reed...but i don't have $30 to spend looking for a decent vandoren reed in the box. and i don't like the rico evolution sound as much as i do the vandoren v12. sigh, lousy reeds.
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Author: GBK
Date: 2002-05-09 00:10
"$30 to spend looking for a decent vandoren reed in the box."
????? Where are you buying your reeds?
Seriously, many of us have written (ad nauseum) on this bulletin board about suggestions and ideas for breaking in and adjusting reeds. Use the search feature and do a little reading.
Also, there are many good texts to consult if you want some printed matter in front of you.
These suggestions could save you some money...GBK
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Author: John
Date: 2002-05-09 04:29
i don't have any tools to adjust reeds...and that would cost me money (at first) too. my teacher is going to show me how to model a "bad" reed after a good one in a week or so anyway.
btw, i hate my neighbors dogs
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