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Thread Color!

Author: mschmidt
Date: 2006-03-12 20:37

With so many variables of reed, embouchre, breath and instrument, isn't it nice to have one variable that allows us just to be ourselves and let it all hang out? We can make our reeds any color we want! (Provided that we are making our own reeds....)

I just tied a blank with some bright red thread, for the first time in a long time. I think the first reeds I ever played with back in 1974 were tied with bright red thread, and I think the first spool of thread I had when I started making reeds in 1975 was also bright red, so I associate this color with "tradition." But how traditional is it, really?

Dunkel and Severson only offer white thread in their reed supplies catalog. I bought a reed from them once, and it was tied with white thread, too. I suppose white thread allows you to easily mark reeds to remember which is which. But I don't like the looks of it. Shows up the dirt too well. And it reminds me of the one reed I successfully tied with dental floss.

I've been using thread color to "code" the cane being used to tie them, as I've been exploring some variables in cane shape and hardness lately. But now I've pretty much settled on Gilbert -1N 10.5 XH, and I think I might just be mixing up the colors more to make it easier to remember the different reeds.

I've never heard it said that the "rainbow" colors make it easier to distinguish different reeds, but that would seem to be an advantage. Does anyone here use rainbow thread for that reason?

So what colors of thread do you use, and why? Do bright threads in some way affect us psychologically so that we play with a brighter tone? Are you afraid of using bright pink thread because it might offend your orchestra mates or your director? Do you use purple to match your Lorée case?

Inquiring minds want to know!

Mike

Still an Amateur, but not really middle-aged anymore

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Thread Color! new

mschmidt

2006-03-12 20:37