 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Aussie Nick
Date: 2002-11-04 08:17
I am totally confused. The last time I did a search on this topic, and I think I may have also posted, I was told to keep a silica gell canister in my read container to keep the RH below 50%? I've been having alot of trouble with my reeds warping lately. I put them on a flat surface like a piano lid, and I can wobble them side to side, and see a gap underneath. I keep my good reeds in my reed case and reed holders, but the new ones that are being broken in are kept in their vandoren etc cases from the box. My teacher think it may be because I am not storing them flat to start with.
I generally soak them in water for a couple of mins each day for 7-10 days and play them for a minute or so each time and then let them dry and put them away in a sealed container with a silica gell canister until the next day. My teacher suggested soaking them a few minutes a day for a week, but not play them. He stressed however that it's only a suggestion for experimental reasons, because he probably knows less about reeds than I do. "I just play the damn things" is all he has to offer
Anyway, HELP! Should I be keeping them in a moist environment? or in an environment below 50% RH. And how can i stop them warping?
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Author: julia
Date: 2002-11-04 11:06
if you keep them in a moist environment (higher than the magic 50%) they will warp---but it's not a problem, because all you need to do is sand the back of it until there is no legnthwise space. You should only have to do that once, maybe twice, for each reed once started humidifying them.
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Author: Aussie Nick
Date: 2002-11-04 11:11
Well mine have been stored at below 50%, and have still warped. And I have tried using my mill-bastard file on the backs of them to flatten it but it usually just make it worse and goes soft.
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Author: Nick
Date: 2002-11-04 13:48
When my reeds warp, I put them in hot water for a few minutes and that seems to fix them.
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Author: William
Date: 2002-11-04 14:28
Again (and perhaps, for the last time) I will advocated *saliva only* moistening. I used to be a water soaker and all of my reeds--clarinet and sax alike--suffered inconsistant performance problems from gig to gig and dried out between (and sometimes during) uses. Since I started saliva only (and rubbing the vamp to seal any exposed xylum) I had had virtually no drying problems, more consistancy of peformance and my reeds are lasting longer than ever. When not in use, they are stored in a Harrison reed case which seems to prevent warping and allows uniform drying resulting in flat (and ready to play) tips. Any flat storage case will do, these are just the kind that I have.
Bottom Line: The common theme that seems to go through all postings citing warpage of reeds is the word *water*. Saliva only may be the answer (at least, for me it is).
Saliva is cheap--give it a try!!
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Author: L. Omar Henderson
Date: 2002-11-04 14:59
All rehydration techniques aside - the reeds should not warp if they are allowed to dry on a flat surface - eg. piece of glass with downward pressure - a rubber band, large "O" ring, etc.. The top surface will tend to dry out first because the surface in contact with the glass is impermeable but with time and the downward pressure the reed will dry flat. Correcting a warped reed by filing or sanding the back does not work - as you have discovered. One wrinkle on the drying technique that I use is an absorbent flat surface(Patent applied for) - (in my case a milled piece of sandstone like the absorbent drink coasters, but another approach would be to use a flat piece of bisque pottery, or the cheap way is to get a piece of glazed tile that has the unfired bisque surface on the back >it may take some looking because most have ridges to better bind the mortar< and use this to dry the reeds). In this approach moisture escapes from both sides of the reed, and with the reed pressed against the flat surface most do not warp. In daily practice I use the LaVoz reed guard that flattens the tip with the cam action of inserting the reed in the holder. Reed warpage is however one parameter of the quality of the cane and the cut of the reed and some reeds will always warp not matter how they are stored.
The Doctor
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Author: William
Date: 2002-11-04 15:52
In support of Doc: This is "second hand" info but Greg Smith, CSO second clarinetist extrodinaire, also avocates drying the reed on an absorbant surface so the the top and bottom of the reed dry evenly to prevent warping. And, I also find that the LaVoz blue reed guards work well with my sax and bass clarinet reeds, allowing even drying and keeping the reed flat for optimum performance.
But still, *saliva only* for moistening purposes.
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Author: jono
Date: 2002-11-05 00:46
I've been having problems like that too for the last few weeks, because the weather has been changing so much here in brisbane. I believe that the humidity levels have been going up and down so much its a pain. But the reeds warping is prob due to as soon as u take the thing out its in a different humidity level or as soon as u wet it it is 2. After a minute or two in ur mouth the warping should go away and be fine. If not u can talk to me sometime for some other ideas.
jono
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