 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: David
Date: 2002-12-14 18:32
I have been playing about 5 years (started age 42), a Yamaha SE with Vandoren mouthpiece and reed. It was my third Shabbat musical service in 6 weeks, the first two went just fine. It was raining cats and dogs this December. The room was humid but comfortable. I play 2 tunes on my favorite reed, but in the last measures of the second, I get a squeak. That wasn't typical... I have a 15 minute break. I wet the reed by putting my mouth over the mouthpiece every so often. With measures to go I pick up the instrument and... nothing. No sound! I have a little time, I loosen the reed, move it about, tighten down the ligature as per usual. In the mouth, its my turn... nothing. NO THING. Silence. I look at the pianist with pleading eyes. She jumps in and plays my solo for me.
I switched out the reed, and the new one played much better for the final song.
1) Can anyone tell me what happened? 2) How might i prevent it in the future? 3) Are there warning signs that some attention is needed to the horn? Or to the clarinetist?
Thanks, David
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Author: RS
Date: 2002-12-14 19:34
Keep the reed moist by always placing the cap over the mouthpiece during breaks. Tape over any airholes in the cap.
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Author: Synonymous Botch
Date: 2002-12-14 23:15
You're on the right track with the 'raining cats and dogs' lead...
Omissive heartbraking spontaneous heuristic instantaneous termination with reeds (ohs**t) cannot be predicted.
I play the Legere synthetic when the humidity change is rapid.
It's NOT you, man.
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Author: Larry Liberson
Date: 2002-12-15 02:02
"It's NOT you, man."
Well, if you're going to spend your energy looking at your reed, ligature, pads, case cover, kid sister, etc. as a scapegoat.....
One should take a little responsibility for what comes out of the horn.
In reality, it's ALWAYS you -- or else "it" never improves.
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Author: Synonymous Botch
Date: 2002-12-15 02:07
Gee Larry, get out much?
Planning on another fun-filled New Year's eve with your support group, no doubt.
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Author: Benni
Date: 2002-12-15 03:04
I had something similar happen once during a lesson - I took a break as my teacher explained something, picked up the horn again and nothing came out. Finally, I got an odd, forced sound when I over-loosened my embouchure, and my teacher deduced that the reed had gotten too soft and was closing up on me when I tried to play normally. If it was very humid out (and you can't get much more humid than rain!), this might be what happened to you.
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Author: Wes
Date: 2002-12-15 07:11
It is quite easy to get contamination on the flat side of the reed which will lessen the response of the reed and, if it is a small chunk of something, make the reed not work. Before I leave home for a rehearsal or a gig, I will often lightly clean the flat side of the reed with a single edge razor blade. The area from 1/2 inch from the butt end for about 3/4 inch toward the tip is certainly an area to keep clean as this part of the reed vibrates in the opposite direction from the tip as the reed vibrates over the fulcrum near the start of the curve. Good luck!!
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Author: David
Date: 2002-12-15 12:18
Thanks for the thoughts. Since the instrument and I played fine for most of the first 10 minutes, I am inclined to believe the reed got too soft to vibrate with the humidity and my effort to keep it moist. But honestly, I will continue to evaluate this as it took me by complete surprise and has only rarely happened. I do generate alot of moisture when I play, always swabbing the instrument in and often out. Could just be too much in some weather and I need to think about drying the reed, or maybe the suggestion for the synthetic makes sense.
Hope you all don't have much of the same happen.
David
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Author: Brenda
Date: 2002-12-15 13:37
This is one of the times when the Legere reeds are great. I always say that there should be one thrown in your clarinet case as a backup, because it doesn't warp, doesn't dry out, doesn't get soaked and so on. It's not to be used everyday since your embouchure gets lazy on it, but when you're stuck it's sure nice to have one on hand!
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Author: William
Date: 2002-12-15 16:28
I will once again offer that rubbing the vamp of the reed before and after playing will seal the exposed xylem left after manufacture and prevent absorbtion of excess moisture during playing. Conditioning the reed in this manner will also prevent drying out during performance and give more consistancy to your reeds playable life. Rubbing the vamp (sealing) might prevent performance "surprises" like you just experianced. I know that it works for me--my reeds never dry out nor drastically change during use.
Recommended routine: 1) Saliva soak your reed (never water) before playing for about the amount of time it would take you to assemble your clarinet; 2) Lay the reed on a flat surface and vigorusly rub the vamp forward and backward until it feels smoother; 3) Play with exuberance and character--hopefully, no unwanted surprises--until you have accomplished your practice goal (or the conductor stops waving his arms); 4) Remover the reed from your mpc, re-rub the vamp vigorusly for a bit and then store on a flat surface until needed again. Hope this helps--good luck!!! (God knows that clarinetists need all the "luck" we can get)
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