The Clarinet BBoard

The Clarinet BBoard The C4 standard

New Topic | Go to Top | Go to Topic | Search | Help/Rules | Smileys/Notes | Log In

Previous Message | Next Message

Re: permanently wet reeds

Author: Buster
Date: 2012-08-16 23:14

Donald,

If I spoke a bit out of turn I apologize...

A scientific study done for a dissertation is one matter; I admire the tedious observations and tests done to generate data and stated prose that result. The patience required to dissect all components of reed survival, let alone the skill to translate raw data into coherent prose, are skills that I would admit I do not possess.

Though I currently am in a temporary retirement from active professional performance, I can answer your posted query from my own personal experience:

How many good reeds do you get per box?

Reeds that were reliable in a performance setting?... I would say 1, maybe 2, in most cases; though an occasional box would offer 3 or 4 if the planets aligned. Or none in other cases. I should honestly state that I would simply disregard a reed if it immediately didn't strike my fancy without any adjustments; having suited equipment was part of my job and I didn't have time to fool around with possibly suspect reeds beyond a light touch-up--- if only to keep some semblance of sanity.

If an occasion arose where I found nothing to feel exactly as I would like it to be (which is truly a frequent situation) I would have to rely on making those 80% reeds function as if they possessed no faults.

Suppose you only found the perfect reed once.

I don't know if I have ever found a perfect reed... though I have found several that I'd classify as exceptionally excellent.

Regardless of any interventions, some of those reeds would last 3 days and cease to offer me anything while others would last 3 months in spite of blatant abuse.

Others may have actually improved after a week. I might surmise that the accumulated bacteria made the tip heavier, and thus less responsive, somehow tempering the other less than ideal qualities of a reed turning it into a far more comfortable tool.

Reed companies hope you never find a way to preserve reeds.

Perhaps so... but several do offer special reed-cases and humidity packs intended to keep any reed functional for a longer time period; whether they are merit-able or not is up to the user. Maybe we'd guess that those purchasable tools are simply a ruse to make money and not more useable reeds over an extended period of time.

Yet, preservation is always a limited proposition no matter what means are employed.

...economic necessity to find the cause of reed breakdown

As a performer... not really. Once a reed was dying, it immediately died as I smashed the tip against the stage floor.

For students, more so. In all honesty, I spent more time addressing reeds, a tad in words to lengthen their life-span, and more so with knife in hand--- making adjustments to remove any empty excuse they might have thrown at me to justify any "problem" they were experiencing. Many of my 50% reeds were adjusted for my students needs than they were for my own travails.

Or I could simply play their bacteria laden setup without their reed-attributed errors to remove all support they might attempt to concoct to explain an "error."

I simply didn't have the time, ganas, or patience to bake or pasteurize my reeds. Other ventures, be they musical, jovial, or self-degrading in nature offered more self-gratifying and personally fulfilling ends to occupy my attention.

-Jason

Reply To Message | Avail. Forums | Flat View

Newer Topic | Older Topic

Topics

Author

Date

permanently wet reeds new

vjoet

2012-07-17 12:05