 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: C2thew
Date: 2006-11-28 05:04
Some people treat reeds as chips while others treat them like long time old friends. I know this is pretty hard to determine (i've lost track) but how many reeds do you throw away after say a month? honestly, i have 5 reeds that i cycle through that have been holding for the past 3 months off and on playing so to speak. sure there are issues of mold and what not, but i a knife serves to keep it clean.
i did notice however that the reed began retaining alot more saliva. when do you call it quits on the reed?
Our inventions are wont to be pretty toys, which distract our attention from serious things. they are but improved means to an unimproved end, an end which was already but too easy to arrive as railroads lead to Boston to New York
-Walden; Henry Thoreau
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Author: GBK
Date: 2006-11-28 05:52
C2thew wrote:
> when do you call it quits on the reed?
When after 3 weeks of non-use, it's greenish brown and still wet ![[wink]](http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/smileys/smilie3.gif) ...GBK
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Author: clarnibass
Date: 2006-11-28 05:57
"How long do YOUR reeds last?"
Ususally somewhere between an hour and a month.
"when do you call it quits on the reed?"
Either when I just feel it is not good anymore, or when the back is black.
By the way I don't adjust reeds at all.
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Author: Mike Clarinet
Date: 2006-11-28 08:20
I reckon on a box of 10 lasting 6 months. Some individuals barely last a week, whilst others last the full 6 months or longer. I sometimes find that a reed that I have given up on works well a few weeks later after being rested. I have 2 reed cases in my clarinet case - a 4-pack of Currenty In Use reeds, and an 8-pack, one side is Working In , and the other side is Resting. I periodically go through the Resting and either chuck 'em out or re-instate them to In Use. But to answer the original question in a misleading way, 10 reeds / 6 months = 26 weeks = 2.6 weeks / reed.
Obviously, reed life depends on the amount you play. I am an amateur, I play for about 30 mins a day most days, 2hr band practice once a week, 6-7 concerts a year. A pro or full-time student will be playing a lot more.
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Author: EEBaum
Date: 2006-11-28 08:26
I just continuously demote them. I have the new set (usually 4) that is being broken in (less than 10 days played), followed by 12 reeds in active duty. Those 12 are sorted, more or less, by age. I cycle through those as necessary. Given that weather has a significant impact on how good a reed is, I don't toss one that's having a less than stellar day immediately. Instead, it is marked with an X in pencil.
A reed is retired when:
a) It has received three strikes (although a pardon can still be issued in rare cases)
b) It waives its right to a trial by jury and is subjected to the wall test (or floor test, as appropriate)
c) It is significantly old and/or nasty
Some last only a few days, most last a couple months (with 16 reeds to use in practice and performance, some may see one play a week), and on a few, I've wished I'd written the *year* of inauguration as well as the month on the back of the reed (happens if I'm on bass or Eb for a while and neglect the Bb). Yes, it says October 22nd, but WHICH October 22nd??? :P
-Alex
www.mostlydifferent.com
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Author: jmsa
Date: 2006-11-28 09:58
I recently tried Legere reeds again and found them much improved from a few years ago. Hygene issues are not a problem because they can be washed with dish detergent after using each time. One reed lasts for about a year.
jmsa
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Author: David Peacham
Date: 2006-11-28 11:05
I frequently use keep a reed in use for several weeks, and have never noticed any untoward flora developing on them.
Am I doing something wrong? Do I need to buy a pair of "reeding" glasses? (sorry)
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If there are so many people on this board unwilling or unable to have a civil and balanced discussion about important issues, then I shan't bother to post here any more.
To the great relief of many of you, no doubt.
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Author: hinotehud ★2017
Date: 2006-11-28 11:23
When I was working on my masters degree (1969-71), I labled every reed (Morre) and played each reed for only 30 minutes and then changed to another. I charted each time I used a reed in a time log. I found that for me, every reed lasted exactly 26 1/2 hours of playing before its response headed downhill. It seemed uncanny, but it really helped me predict how much playing time was left on my best reeds, used for solo performances.
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Author: beejay
Date: 2006-11-28 20:53
If its a really good reed, it lasts too little.
If its bad, it lasts forever, or until I break it.
If its in between, it goes into a perhaps box -- meaning that perhaps today I'll find a good one. Yesterday's bad reed is sometimes tomorrow's good one.
I rinse reeds along with the mouthpiece, so am not worried about flora. If a reed looks grungy and there is still life in it, I dip it in a weak solution of hydrogen peroxide.
My teacher told me to mark good reeds, but as soon as I do so they seem to turn bad, so I don't bother to mark them any more.
I have the same problem with both of my passions - clarinets and books. I am always in search of a good read,
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Author: Bassie
Date: 2006-11-29 12:30
Few weeks, I guess... Bear in mind I don't play every day! Depends on the brand, tho. When I played Rico Royal on Bass I'd reckon a reed per gig - pricey business. Friend of mine had a Vandoren Blue that he'd had for as long as he could remember. He played 3.5 but this was a 4 that he'd played /until/ it was a 3.5... and at that point it appeared to stop changing... The other day I found some really old VanD's that had gone a sort of nut-brown colour with age, and they work just fine.
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Author: D Dow
Date: 2006-11-29 14:11
Reeds are like tires..be sure to rotate them...
David Dow
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Author: Detru Cofidin
Date: 2006-11-29 22:18
For the longest most remarkable length of time, until a very important event comes up, then the decide to poop out on me...
Nicholas Arend
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Author: C2thew
Date: 2006-11-29 23:11
2.6 weeks is a good number. the four reeds that i've been cycling just absorb too much water and distort the tone. glad to hear.
Our inventions are wont to be pretty toys, which distract our attention from serious things. they are but improved means to an unimproved end, an end which was already but too easy to arrive as railroads lead to Boston to New York
-Walden; Henry Thoreau
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Author: bcl1dso
Date: 2006-11-30 19:47
I think it really depends on how many hours you a playing a day, so to say a number of days really isn't that accurate, a number a hours would be more specific. However I make my own reeds and I could play a single reed every single day and it would last about 2 months.
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Author: sherman
Date: 2006-11-30 20:00
Fernand Gillet, formerly principal oboe with the Boston Symphony and the Lameureux Orchestra, told us in Chamber Music Class at the New England Conservatory: "Never change to a new good reed prior to a concert. The newness of the reed, even if basically better still has to be experienced prior to playing and that experience can cost you a job". I have never ever forgotten that statement and I sincerely urge all to takle it"right to the bank"
Sherman Friedland
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