Author: mberkowski
Date: 2016-09-09 07:05
mschmidt wrote:
> I am not completely certain what you mean by "extra screechy
> partials on high notes," but I have noticed that reeds which
> "chirp" when tonguing above A can generally be tamed by making
> less of drastic transition between tip and heart.
The "chirp" in my case is sustained rather than transient and manifests as a buzzy whistle.
> A less drastic transition can
> also be achieved by taking more off the sides of the heart.
That seems to darken the problem reed I'm dealing with right now, but did not eliminate the chirp.
> Now, you say that you are trying to avoid "overly" thinning the
> heart, but I wonder if your "embarassingly soft reeds" could be
> better be made less soft by leaving a little more in the tip
> but keeping the heart somewhat thinner. This also tends to give
> more color to the sound--although pitch can be a problem.
This sounds more consistent with a few reeds I've purchased recently. I was taught to produce a very thin tip, practically transparent against the plaque, but most reeds I've bought from various makers have drastically thicker tips.
> A final thought--I just remembered that you didn't blend much
> for "better low response," and that is somewhat mystifying to
> me, as I associate low response with reeds that are
> sufficiently thin in the back.
I've been finding that I'm able to tongue the low notes with greater confidence when I leave a steeper blend into the tip. I do thin the back quite a bit, but leave a defined catch where the back meets the heart.
Thanks for your input--
Michael
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