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Re: Reeds dying...

Author: jhoyla
Date: 2012-04-09 11:47

I have some practical advice that may or may not help. You may be well beyond this, and if so I apologize in advance.

1. The optimal embouchure exerts very little closing pressure on a reed. Think about "sealing", not about "squeezing shut". A biting embouchure is bad for you in so many ways!
o You ruin your reeds
o It is not sustainable, so you are not able to play for any length of time
o You fight a losing battle with intonation, especially in the high register
o Your tone will sound tight and unpleasant
o worst of all - you are not at ease when you play, so your playing will suffer musically.

2. The danger is that many new reeds are hard to play at first, and when we try and get them into playing condition we over-compensate with our embouchure. RESIST this temptation! Instead, try squeezing the extreme tip (2-3 mm) closed with finger and thumb on a flat plaque for a few seconds, and then try to play again without any squeezing pressure from your embouchure. Rinse and repeat. "Never try and play on a reed that is not in playing order." [Evelyn Rothwell]

Your objective should be a reed that speaks easily but that still has a lot of spring to it.

3. You MUST soak your reed before you play. The finger-and-thumb squeeze will crack it otherwise, and you will damage the tip trying to play the reed dry.
Give the reed a chance to soak up enough moisture by putting it in your water cup before you take your instrument out of its case. I know there will be a lot of different opinions about this. Try it, it may work for you.

4. You MUST soak your reed after you play. Flushing under running water is best, but at the very least leave it soaking in your water container while you dry and put away your instrument. This is in order to dilute any of the salival digestive juices which will slowly eat away at the cane. Then let it dry in your reed case.

I push from the bottom of my lungs. I seal with my lips. My reed speaks. My instrument sings. My air connects them all.

I have (short-scrape) reeds that have lasted months, including heavy rehearsal and performance. There is no reason why a reed should not last a month or more if it is carefully broken in and well tended.

J.

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