Author: RobinDesHautbois
Date: 2011-01-02 03:07
Yeeeaaaahhhh,
the question you are asking would require some really advanced mathematics. You see, the reed length (cane+staple) is definitely not the only factors involved here!!!!
The reed length does play with the harmonics of the individual instrument because of the tone-hole setting, the length independently of other factors. But the joke begins with the definition of length: where the vibration begins and where the actual pipe of the instrument begins. When we start adding instrument conicity, shaper profile and scraping techniques to the "equation", modelling in mathematics what is going on becomes more conjecture than anything else.
For my part, I really like the idea of long cane (don't really care about the overall length) for 2 reasons:
1. the shaper allows for it.... I know, not really a valid reason
2. they play more easily and the sound has shown itself to be darker and warmer.
On my Lorée, longer reeds tend to sag in the 2nd octave key notes and play relatively sharp in the lowest notes. Conversely, shorter reeds play sharp on short-pipe notes (C, B, A, with or without octave key) and the longest pipe notes play relatively flatter. This does make sense in terms of air-pipe length as the instrument's fundamental is the D (not Bb - the octave changes officially at the D).
I'm sure Laubins, Coveys, Moennings and so on react very differently in this respect.
But the one thing that has consistently bothered me with long reeds and wide reeds (RDG 2, no minus) is that they tend to be much more open and scraping to close them will make them wimpy, buzzy and unstable.
Argh, this is one of those "good" questions!
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!
Robin Tropper
M.A.Sc., B.Mus., B.Ed.
http://RobinDesHautbois.blogspot.ca/music
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