 The Oboe BBoard
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Author: mjfoboe
Date: 2014-01-10 03:17
Hi,
I just that realized my reed making environment has changed with this terrible cold spell here is the US. Even with the humidifier blowing full blast - I can only get the room between 30 and if I am lucky 40 percent humidity. The average is more like 34 percent. So in hind sight I realize that the reed making has been more problematic.
Suggestions .... Comments?
I know some of you out there play in very cold dry climates.
Mark
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Author: Tita
Date: 2014-01-10 11:43
That's interesting, I live in Finland and I've always thought that the cold and dry February is the best month for making reeds. They get to dry well during the making process and seem to become more stable and long-lived (also fewer break during the process). Summer and autumn reeds are just awful, you can't trust them at all... But I don't know if american and European reeds react differently to humidity, and maybe you and your reeds are used to more stable conditions..
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Author: mjfoboe
Date: 2014-01-10 18:48
Hi Tita,
How Interesting!
I find high humidity which I hate (summer) or extreme low humidity (less of a problem) is not optimal. I find I make the best and long lasting reeds in the fall and spring. Not too hot and not too cold with pleasant humidity.
Mark
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Author: ptarmiganfeather
Date: 2014-01-11 19:22
Our house gets super dry, 10 to 15% when it's -20F outside. Humidity goes up slightly when the weather is 20's and 30's. In fall, the "rainy" season, I've had 90% humidity indoors - which is very bad. In fall we have to use a dehumidifier on a daily basis. I make more reeds during the winter when it's cold outside because the relative humidity is more stable and the reeds can really rest without so much variation.
I like less humidity because my reeds dry so fast. The drawback is that the reeds dry so fast. Especially during long rests in rehearsal. I do rough scraping on a dry but perfectly sealed blank. I have also learned to soak my reeds for a longer time in warm water. I am so used to playing reeds in low humidity that when it is humid the difference night and day.
Last week we had a baptism at church and the musicians sit ten feet or so from the water which is heated to pretty warm, making the church nice and tropical. My reeds were so funny it took me a second to realize what the problem was.
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Author: Wes
Date: 2014-01-12 02:30
A few weeks ago, my reeds acted strangely, but I learned from the weather report that rain storms were coming. When it gets too humid, I put the reed case under an incandescent lamp for 5 minutes or so, which helps, especially when the relative humidity is above 70 per cent. Low humidity is fine with me, except that one has to wet the reeds before playing on them.
Oversoaking reeds does not work for me, but only stiffens the reed too much.
Air barometric pressure seems to have an effect, also. Perhaps when air pressure goes up and down, humid air is drawn into the reed tubes, and the moisture stays there, stiffening the reed. In the Mojave desert, I saw antenna feed horns that were full of water because of daily ups and downs of air pressure drawing in moisture laden air. The feeds were normally pressurized with dry nitrogen but when it ran out, the feeds would fill with water from the daily variations in air pressure. due to tiny leaks in the semi-sealed feeds.
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Author: oboi
Date: 2014-01-12 05:42
In the winter, my house is around 30% humidity. (I argue to set the furnace humidifier higher, but then it fogs up all the windows in the house.) So I just set a large jar of water over the heat vent and my room is sitting at around 40%. I don't think it goes more than 60% in the summer.
I don't change my reedmaking techniques, nor do I notice any difference specifically due to the time of year. Because I tend to have the door closed in the small room, it can get pretty hot in there, even moreso than in the summer when I have the AC running.
I don't really get paranoid about my reeds and weather. They are often not in my case and I have a huge tendency of soaking for variable amounts of time. I do get paranoid about the instrument and keeping it stable.
From a place where the Mars weather scientists recently compared to the temps out here.
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Author: WoodwindOz
Date: 2014-01-12 01:43
I am very glad to live in a place where relative humidity and temperature variations are not much of an issue. Certainly not to the point of affecting reedmaking.
Having said that, it was 45C yesterday here, and hit 41C at 10am this morning. The one thing preventing me from making reeds is that it is too darn hot to concentrate!
Rachel
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Author: Wes
Date: 2014-01-12 10:16
It also seems to be a good idea to keep the reed container closed as much as possible, to minimize the effects of room air circulating around it.
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Author: mjfoboe
Date: 2014-01-13 03:57
Hey,
I just want to add all the Oboists I have spoken to during this weather (extreme cold dry to warm humid and back again) period complained a reed difficulties!
Mark
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Author: Oboe Craig
Date: 2014-01-17 09:36
So, its dry.... and still we stick our reeds into cups of water and soak them, arguably to 100% 'humidity'.
They are soak through and through for minutes to 10s of minutes.
Seriously, think about the other variables. If you put something under water, for a while, what does relative humidity have to do with much, at least for a while?
Consider altitude and barometric pressure and it begins to make a little more sense.
Play, suck, dip for a soak. The air is a relatively minor variable.
And I admit, at altitude in Colorado, it can be difficult to keep the reed wet.
Wet a couple fingers and wipe the outside oft he reed. Repeat at 2 minute intervals. And for sure, take frequent sips of water. Every minute of two at times.
It is only cane. If your mouth is dry, the reed will dry out quickly.
Something from my 20 years of playing a mile high in CO.
Water is cheap. Use it, liberally.
It makes a huge difference.
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Author: oboi
Date: 2014-01-20 09:56
One good thing about living in a dry region is that I never get smelly reeds. On the other hand, they dry out fast and it's quite a pain when there are long rests or the conductor keeps on stopping the group to talk! Stop talking, my reed is getting dry!!!! Redip ad infinitum.
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