 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: nahya^^
Date: 2002-08-19 23:04
i got home and started practicing, and it squeeked when i hit high notes then after like 10 minutes, i noticed that my reed was split.
are there any things that i should be careful or take care of to prevent this? i just bought this reed box like less than a week ago. i must have done something wrong w/ it.
i use a number 2 reed and i moisten it before i practice and during i practice. but come to think of it, i didn't wipe it after i finished. could that perhaps have caused this problem?
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and also, when would i be ready to use a number 3 reed? or 2/1/2 reed if there is one?
oh and please don't tell me to get some lessons cause i already have like once w/ a friend but i'm looking for a professional to teach me.
so please... lol
i appreciate you guys replying
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Author: mike
Date: 2002-08-20 00:59
Maybe you should sit down for this: reeds are an ongoing problem. Even the best reed will have a finite lifetime so you're going to be spending money on reeds over and over again as long as you play the clarinet. Some reeds have agonizingly short lifetimes. Such is the variability of cane. That's why so much effort goes into developing synthetic reeds...
There has been much written on reed preparation to maximize the playability and longevity of reeds. You should search the archives for the various rituals people use.
The strength of reed depends on you and the mouthpiece you are using. About the best thing I can recommend is to buy a BOX (yes, a box of 5-10 reeds) in strengths 2 and 2 1/2 and play test all of them. To me, a reed is too soft if it sounds harsh and buzzy. How you interpret harsh and buzzy is somewhat a matter of taste.
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Author: JMcAulay
Date: 2002-08-20 02:07
Hi, nahya^^: Reeds falling apart? I suspect Denner himself pondered that problem. No solutions are yet in sight.
I bought a few #3 1/2 reeds once upon a time, used one, and gave the rest away. I bought one #1 1/2 reed, and I saved it for use whenever I might want to sound really bad. I generally use a #2, never harder than a #3, because these reeds offer me better control of the sound and intonation of the instrument. Unless my saliva productiion seems above normal, the #3 is not used at all. But that does happen, so I keep a box or two. To me, it's really tough to do a good-sounding slide (if you believe there is such a thing) with a stiff reed. I enjoy jazz, and a stiffer reed (even with a very open mouthpiece) just doesn't do what I want it to do. YMMV.
Some seem to think that experience will drive you to harder reeds. For me, it has never been that way. Perhaps this is because I have not tried to cultivate a "symphony" sound.
Regards,
John
who used to know a Tenor Sax player who always used #1 reeds (and sounded miserable)
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Author: Karel
Date: 2002-08-20 03:01
Like Mike says, you will have to experiment which strength reeds play best with your mouthpiece. Someone with knowledge and expertise should be able to guide you; my teacher did. Good luck. Karel
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Author: Synonymous Botch
Date: 2002-08-20 12:32
Legere synthetic, #2 1/2
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Author: Sara
Date: 2002-08-20 19:23
Try putting on your ligiture first and then your reed, then it's not as easy to split it.
GOOD LUCK
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Author: lala
Date: 2002-08-21 07:45
Some of my working reeds have minor splits. Check if your reed is warped. If yes, wet it thoroughly and leave it, back down, on a flat surface to dry, then rub the back of it on a piece of typing paper spread on hard, smooth, flat surface.
The strength of reeds varies from brand to brand, lot to lot and even within the same box. Always buy a box and try all of them. Pick what you like, and store the rest away. They may improve after a few months, or you may learn how to adjust them.
Lala
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Author: David
Date: 2002-08-21 14:40
And it won't be the first. Reeds exist to do that.
As you go on, you will come across a good reed now and again. It will then split by itself, or you'll drop it / stand on it / put your reed cap on between it and the mouthpiece / crunch it off your teeth / dog'll eat it. It's just The Way Things Are.
A crap reed, conversely, will last forever. Many people use them to get cars out of snowdrifts for several winters without the slightest damage. There is a rubbish reed in the Bikini Atoll Science Museum.
You're lucky you picked a relatively low-maintenance instrument. If you're really looking for trouble, try an oboe and have the reed take over your life, (in a bad way).
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