Reeds
The Clarinet Reed
Citation: McKinney, Roger W. The Clarinet Reed. College of New Jersey. <http://www.tcnj.edu/~mckinney/the%20reed.htm>
Article Title: The Clarinet Reed
Author: Roger W. McKinney
Instrument: Clarinet
Magazine or Journal Title: None
Summary:
- Arundo donax: cane from which woodwinds reeds are made
- Grown in Southern France; only golden yellow-brown bark is selected
- Fix Reeds?
- Spend necessary time preparing, adjusting and breaking-in reeds
- Teachers should show students to make critical adjustments for greatest success
- Brands
- Jumping between reed brands will allow for embouchure problems
- Should have uniform set of broken-in reeds
- Testing students reeds
- Teachers should test their students reeds
- Can disinfect or wash between people, but no real harm
- Preliminaries
- Break reeds in over a period of days
- When adjusting reeds:
- Use flat dark surface
- Reed trimmer (make sure it is not faulty)
- Dutch Rush (Equisetum hyemale)
- Emery board
- Wet/Dry sand paper #600
- Patience
- Reed strength depends on length and curve of face and opening
- Choose reeds with:
- Yellow-golden color to cane
- Smooth texture
- Bell-shaped heart
- Test reads by just blowing through the dry
- Listen for clear sound and determine strength
- Test reeds at different positions on mouthpiece.
- Scrap thick side of reed down if it is out of balance
- Work with reeds with more wood in the center
- Determined a warped reed
- Keep reeds in sufficient moisture to keep them from warping
- Reed Life Expectancy
- Depends on tension of embouchure, articulation, amount of playing, type of playing, variation in saliva
- Keep records and make records of reed adjustments
Article Title: The Clarinet Reed
Author: Roger W. McKinney
Instrument: Clarinet
Magazine or Journal Title: None
Summary:
- Arundo donax: cane from which woodwinds reeds are made
- Grown in Southern France; only golden yellow-brown bark is selected
- Fix Reeds?
- Spend necessary time preparing, adjusting and breaking-in reeds
- Teachers should show students to make critical adjustments for greatest success
- Brands
- Jumping between reed brands will allow for embouchure problems
- Should have uniform set of broken-in reeds
- Testing students reeds
- Teachers should test their students reeds
- Can disinfect or wash between people, but no real harm
- Preliminaries
- Break reeds in over a period of days
- When adjusting reeds:
- Use flat dark surface
- Reed trimmer (make sure it is not faulty)
- Dutch Rush (Equisetum hyemale)
- Emery board
- Wet/Dry sand paper #600
- Patience
- Reed strength depends on length and curve of face and opening
- Choose reeds with:
- Yellow-golden color to cane
- Smooth texture
- Bell-shaped heart
- Test reads by just blowing through the dry
- Listen for clear sound and determine strength
- Test reeds at different positions on mouthpiece.
- Scrap thick side of reed down if it is out of balance
- Work with reeds with more wood in the center
- Determined a warped reed
- Keep reeds in sufficient moisture to keep them from warping
- Reed Life Expectancy
- Depends on tension of embouchure, articulation, amount of playing, type of playing, variation in saliva
- Keep records and make records of reed adjustments
Clarinet Reeds and Diving Boards
Citation: Saville, Kirt. Clarinet Reeds and Diving Boards.Instrumentalist, Jan. 1995, Vol. 49, Issue 6, p 34.
Article Title: Clarinet Reeds and Diving Boards
Author: Kirt Saville
Instrument: Clarinet
Magazine or Journal Title: Instrumentalist
Summary:
I. Diving Boards
A. Thin but sturdy brace yields the best board response
B. Reeds function in same way
II. Clarinet reeds
A. Secured by ligature to mouthpiece
B. Low lip acts like brace or support like in a diving board
C. Lip placed closer to the ligature
1. Produces better sound and will vibrate more
D. Mouthpieces designed for lower lip is at juncture of reed and mouthpiece
E. Make sure lips aren't too close to the ligature: will produce a wild and unfocused sound
F. Learn to play with thin lower lip
G. Approximately half of red part of lip visible
H. Think lower lip results in muffled response
I. Dont use too much pressure
1. Think of embouchure as a draw string
2. Experimenting will help students find the correct pressure
3. Keep teeth apart
J. Opinions on reed strength
K. A poor mouthpiece may cause pitch and tuning troubles
1. Check for proper proportions in the chamber, facing, and bore.
L. Make sure ligature is secure and proper size
M. Dry instrument, reed, and mouthpiece after playing every time
N. Encourage good maintenance of corks
O. Embouchure
1. Chin pointed down
2. Upper teeth should be on top of mouthpiece
P. Breath support often cause of intonation, tone quality and dynamic problems
1. Try playing with reed and mouthpiece alone
Q. Reed placement is important
1. Higher up creates a bittier sound, projects better
2. Lower is gentler, less aggressive sound
R. Playing in tune
1. Changing vowel syllables in different ranges
Article Title: Clarinet Reeds and Diving Boards
Author: Kirt Saville
Instrument: Clarinet
Magazine or Journal Title: Instrumentalist
Summary:
I. Diving Boards
A. Thin but sturdy brace yields the best board response
B. Reeds function in same way
II. Clarinet reeds
A. Secured by ligature to mouthpiece
B. Low lip acts like brace or support like in a diving board
C. Lip placed closer to the ligature
1. Produces better sound and will vibrate more
D. Mouthpieces designed for lower lip is at juncture of reed and mouthpiece
E. Make sure lips aren't too close to the ligature: will produce a wild and unfocused sound
F. Learn to play with thin lower lip
G. Approximately half of red part of lip visible
H. Think lower lip results in muffled response
I. Dont use too much pressure
1. Think of embouchure as a draw string
2. Experimenting will help students find the correct pressure
3. Keep teeth apart
J. Opinions on reed strength
K. A poor mouthpiece may cause pitch and tuning troubles
1. Check for proper proportions in the chamber, facing, and bore.
L. Make sure ligature is secure and proper size
M. Dry instrument, reed, and mouthpiece after playing every time
N. Encourage good maintenance of corks
O. Embouchure
1. Chin pointed down
2. Upper teeth should be on top of mouthpiece
P. Breath support often cause of intonation, tone quality and dynamic problems
1. Try playing with reed and mouthpiece alone
Q. Reed placement is important
1. Higher up creates a bittier sound, projects better
2. Lower is gentler, less aggressive sound
R. Playing in tune
1. Changing vowel syllables in different ranges