 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Arnoldstang
Date: 2009-10-28 17:23
Oboists sometimes refer to holding the reed shut with your fingers for 10-60 seconds as "talking to the reed". This is used when the aperture is on the big side and pitch, control and sound focus are a little difficult. I have had some success with this particularly with Forestone reeds. If the reed is slightly on the heavy side try closing it off with the thumb. This is particularly useful at the beginning of a playing session. The reed will probably start cooperating without doing this but why wait and have your embouchure do all that pressing. I would suggest using this with discretion and don't make it a continual practice. The focus is immediately better.
Freelance woodwind performer
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Author: mrn
Date: 2009-10-28 17:35
I sometimes do something similar to my reeds when they are too hard. I don't hold them to the mouthpiece, but I will flex them a few times with my thumb (while on the mouthpiece) to limber them up. Sometimes that helps.
Post Edited (2009-10-28 17:55)
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Author: William
Date: 2009-10-28 17:40
I often used to converse with my cane reeds, but what was said is not appropriate for this forum.........
However, now that I play Forestone, I only say nice things :>)
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Author: Arnoldstang
Date: 2009-10-28 17:44
My post was more directed towards Forestone reed users. With cane reeds I would just adjust with ATG etc. I should also have added that oboists talk to the reed also by pressing the sides to open it up a bit. It is only temporary fix but it does help.
With clarinet perhaps that mouthpiece with a .043 tip opening is really.046" with a new reed and .041" when the reed is broken in.
Freelance woodwind performer
Post Edited (2009-10-28 19:49)
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Author: Dileep Gangolli
Date: 2009-10-29 03:10
If Mark "The Bird" Fidrich could talk to a baseball surely a clarinet player can talk to the reed.
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Author: skygardener
Date: 2009-10-29 04:38
Aging reeds or reeds that are too soft can be pulled back away from the mouthpiece to give them more life. I have done this often.
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Author: marcia
Date: 2009-10-29 06:18
The only time I have talked to my reeds is to say a brief farewell just before the tip makes sudden contact with the wall. ![[grin]](http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/smileys/smilie5.gif)
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Author: William
Date: 2009-10-29 14:23
Seriously, I have noticed that--like with cane--a Forestone reed that at first seems a "bit too" stiff will play easier after a few moments of use. But after that, it will retain it's resilience for the entire gig & beyond (unlike the typical cane reed). As far as pinching the tip to acheive this, I never do that but rather rely on natural embouchure pressure. I think that bending the tip with your finger before the Forestone material is "warmed up" causes stress damage like playing a cane reed too much too soon. It just never recovers. So I do not like the idea of "talking" to my Forestone reed--or any other artificial reed like Legere, Fibercane, etc. And I think that if you watch the oboist talking to their cane reeds, it is only after the reed has been moistened properly and not dry, out of the case.
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Author: Arnoldstang
Date: 2009-10-31 03:35
I agree with much of what you say but in my experience there is no long lasting negative effects of closing off the reed with your thumb. As an oboist myself there is no stress damage from "talking to your reed". It is just a way to control the tip opening for an entrance. The next time you use that same reed you will likely do the same thing. My clarinet setup with the Forestone reed is such that the reed strength is on the heavy side even after warming up. I will search for a more compatible reed.
Freelance woodwind performer
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Author: marcia
Date: 2009-10-31 23:59
>On Hallowe'en, the reed talks back.
So did they say anything interesting?? ![[rotate]](http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/smileys/smiley25.gif)
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Author: Lelia Loban ★2017
Date: 2009-11-01 18:01
>>So did they say anything interesting?? >>
They said it in Arundo Donaxese, so I'm not sure -- but the ghost of Shadow Cat claimed they uttered unprintables and invited rats to come in and listen.
Lelia
http://www.scoreexchange.com/profiles/Lelia_Loban
To hear the audio, click on the "Scorch Plug-In" box above the score.
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Author: ShazamaPajama
Date: 2009-11-01 23:21
i get my reeds to play better by kind of pushing the tip back. i tend to squeeze the mouthpiece a lot and on my m13 it starts to growl when i do. so bending reds back for me helps a lot.
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