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Re: Making softer reeds

Author: SomeGuyWithAnInternetAlias
Date: 2012-05-07 18:51

Success in making good student reeds lies in making softer reeds while retaining large enough aperture. Reeds with too small aperture are easier to blow, but they limit the dynamic possibilites and make the lower register troublesome (at least on short scrape reeds, but I'm only familiar with such).

Gouge thickness affects both the hardness and the aperture, so if you want to make the reeds softer by lowering gouge thickness (which in my opinion the most effective and fastest way) you have to compensate for the smaller aperture in other parameters.

I'd recommend using cane with smaller diameter, but smaller diameter causes larger aperture.

So: Don't change anything except use thinner wood with smaller diameter.
There are more factors* that affect hardness and aperture, which can be tweaked, but this is the easiest way.

* Deeper scrape is softer, but it's more work scraping more - narrower shape causes larger aperture and more hardness, but you'd have to buy that - smaller staple diameter causes larger aperture - etc.

Post Edited (2012-05-07 19:15)

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