     |
           |
 |
 |
When it comes to reed care and selection there are many different and completely varied opinions on the subject. But, it seems that the one thing all reed players can agree on is this: quality of the reed is ever important. And, unfortunately for reed players, probably only 4 or 5 out of every 10 selections will yield a completely usable reed. The rest may play, but will play with difficulty, intonation problems, and inconsistency. So, selecting a reed of high quality is viewed as the first of many steps. And when you go to buy reeds, you may want to either go to a special dealer who allows you the opportunity to go through the reed boxes and individually hand-pick each reed, or simply buy many boxes at a time and then go through and select the best reeds - but this can become expensive very quickly. What is the best reed? Well, again, this varies from player to player and begins and what is recommended here is only one idea of what a "good" reed is. For the most part, a player really wants to have a reed with a good, flat butt with no warpage issues (i.e. when you place it on a plate of glass with it's butt against the glass it shouldn't rock or wobble). Another method for checking is the use of a simple sheet of paper. Put the reed on its back and rub the reed back and forth using a bit of pressure. If you rub the reed on the paper and then examine it, you should see that the entire back surface of the reed has a bit of shine to it. If there are spots with no such shine, there is a warpage problem. Sanding the back of a reed can help flatten it, but go ahead and try to get one that's flat to save yourself a bit of work. Also, the reed should be cut straight with the grain of the cane. And when the angled cut of the reed is held up to the light you should be able to see a gently sloping "U" shape to the way the fibers thicken going from the tip of the reed all the way through the vamp area (the cut). It should be even and completely symmetrical, looking like a mirror image from one side to the next. Plus, there should be no discolored spots in the cut area which would indicate imperfections and inconsistencies in the cane. Once you've made a selection it's time to take the reed and start the break in process. This step is probably the most important for reed longevity. Most people seem to agree that the first step is to soak the reed in lukewarm water for a period of 2-5 minutes. Don't soak them too much as they will become waterlogged and may be prone to more frequent warpage, become more porous, and may wear out much faster than it originally would have. This makes sure that the whole reed is evenly moistened which will help prevent warpage. Keep the whole vamp (the cut) submersed while soaking to help evenly moisten the reed. After you've soaked the new reeds, take them and place them upon a flat piece of glass or some other similar surface and begin the polishing process. The top of the vamp, where it angles from the reed bark to the very tip, has thousands of little tubules that were used while the reed plant was alive to distribute water. In our case, we want to equally distribute the water and then seal the tubules off to stabilize the moisture levels. Simply take the tip of your thumbnail or fingernail and gently rub down the from from the beginning of the vamp to the tip until the reed has a bit of shine to its cut surface. Now, begin by playing each one of the reeds about 5-15 minutes each to get them used to vibrating properly. Only play up to mezzo-forte (medium loud) as playing too loudly too early may damage cell fibers and decrease longevity and response. When you are through playing the reeds, place them in a special reed case or container that keeps them flat and keeps them at a stable moisture level. Some people prefer plastic bags, although this has been known to promote the growth of mold on reeds. Others recommend a reed guard with charcoal built in to regulate the moisture levels. Find out what works for you, or talk to people in your area or performers that generally work the same areas you do. They might have some tricks or techniques that work at your elevation, barometric pressure levels, weather patterns, etc. Obviously, all of the aforementioned variables affect your reed and its playability. So, take all of this into consideration before trying to play in a different area with different variables. Now, the next time you get ready to use your new reeds, soak them again for a few minutes to make sure the moisture level in consistent across the whole reed. When you begin to use these new reeds on a daily basis, make sure to not play the same reed every day, over and over again. This will lead to a quick demise of that particular reed. Swap it out with another and at least play it every other day and no more than 2-3 hours at a time. This will greatly increase the longevity of your reeds as it promotes fiber elasticity without breaking down the fibers as much. With the proper care a good reed should last up to three or four months and still be fully playable. After this point a dead reed will play as such. And remember, every individual has their own special secret to reed care. Some of them are unique, and some of them are universal. What is written above may not gel with what you have been or may be told about reed care. Such is the mystic world of reeds. It is a bit like voodoo with more fanaticism as everyone wants to be the reed witch doctor with the correct mojo for great reed consistency. Again, if it has worked for someone else in the past then try it and see if it works for you. But, you be the judge of all ideas and read through many reed guides to find what does and what doesn't work for you. This is meant to be a general reed guide and doesn't proport to be the end all guide on reeds. Good luck and good reed hunting! Michael |
|
| If you are having problems viewing our website or are experiencing other difficulties, please contact the webmaster. |
Website and all materials Copyright © 2004 - Lenoir Saxophone Ensemble, Inc. all rights reserved |
Composers/Arrangers - click for info |