Author: SecondTry
Date: 2023-05-28 23:03
Like Karl has opined, I'd be inclined to find the foil packaging more hype than substance.
The theory is that, like in this segment of video, https://youtu.be/XvmfrTsC7GU?t=158 that the reed is less susceptible to changes in humidity as it makes its way from the environmentally controlled room in which it is cut, to a player's mouth or humidified reed case once opened.
The question though is if whether, assuming this packaging even works, it's beneficial.
I keep my reeds in a humidity controlled environment. I find that doing so brings them up to playing speed faster than if I don't. Maybe the also tend to form less wavy tips: a product of unequal absorption of water perhaps more likely when a reed moves from dry to moist state: and hence the case (no pun intended) for never allowing the reed, once first used, to never fully dry.
But if Vandoren started boxing their reeds like they did before those plastic holders, stacked on top of each other (Karl, like I , I am sure remembers this,) would much bad come of this: my guess is no.
This said, an anecdote: I am fine with all sorts of questions from students. But sometimes incredible nuanced questions from so-so skilled players about things so subtle like ligature choice will come my way, to which I reply, "do you know what tool will improve your play on reeds," as the eager student's ears perk up.
At this point I pick up a copy of Bearmann III.
I've seen some Russian extracted players of incredible virtuosity who trained with clarinets held together with rubber bands, gum, and wishful thinking in the former Soviet Union. Where their gear was short, their access to etude books and tenacity was long.
If this forum supported tag lines mine might read, "a clarinetist's most important piece of gear is an etude book." ;-)
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