Author: jhoyla
Date: 2012-09-20 12:32
Drew,
The reed looks good, if a little unfinished - you definitely have the right concept. One thing I noticed is that you have torn a sliver off the edge of the tip. This happens if your knife is not quite sharp enough since it grabs the cane but does not cut, so the cane is pulled loose.
This can also happen if you are trying to adjust the sides of the tip with a convex plaque, which "presents" too much cane to the blade. Try a flat plaque.
I cannot see the other side of the reed but remember that a balanced reed has four quadrants, all scraped the same way. compare often, and consider using a micrometer initially, for consistency.
Overall, it looks like you can take a little more from the channels (especially from the back), and refine the extreme corners by dusting with a very sharp knife on a flat plaque.
Try this, in order:
1. If the reed is still too open (this does NOT seem the case with this reed), squeeze the tip against a flat plaque, and try again
2. scrape the channels of the back to the "catch" area, and try again
3. dust the channels of the heart with a sharp knife, and try again
4. LIGHTLY DUST with an EXTREMELY SHARP knife the corners of the tip and try again
5. LIGHTLY DUST with an EXTREMELY SHARP knife the edges of the tip, and try again.
When I say "try again", I mean it. Play through a page of music, before you decide you need to adjust some more. You cannot replace cane you have scraped off, so make sure the reed really needs scraping before you adjust it with a knife.
Do not be surprised if you have to do this again the first couple of times you play on the reed. When you scrape you weaken the cane fibers, but they recover when given a chance to rest. Using a very sharp knife reduces the pressure on the fibers as you scrape, so the reed changes less between sessions.
Let us know how you get on!
J.
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