Goal: more stability, more strength, more resistance Plan: The suggestions for finer work that follow in the model will help you make steeper tapers overall for strength and stability. You’ll work mostly in the front third of the reed toward the rails and very tip (according to the quality of the cane and the reed’s […]
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Unresponsive Reeds
Using your normal embouchure and air, if F#3 ends abruptly without tapering to an acceptable level of a niente while remaining in tune, your reed is unresponsive. Goal: better response Plan: Discover the ultimate degree to which this piece of cane is able to taper. Most pieces of cane will never have good response, so […]
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How do you tell if your reed is unresponsive or responsive? The degree of response a reed has is an intrinsic element of each individual piece or cane. Identify this characteristic early in your process by having a proper tip bevel and using the F#3 indicator test. Rolling out the embouchure ever so slightly in […]
Continue readingMore TagChronic Flatness
Are your reeds chronically flat? The front third of the reed is likely not well structured, or it is too thin too close to the spine. Try playing on both sides of the reed to see if one is better. Check the trimmed reed length. Confirm your profile measurements. Instrument maintenance – leaking can cause […]
Continue readingMore TagChronic Sharpness
Are your reeds chronically sharp? Make sure that you are not using a “biting” embouchure. Finish your reeds, they are too heavy! Don’t play on cane that won’t hold the trim! Check trimmed reed length. Confirm your profile measurements. Instrument maintenance – leaks can cause intonation/resistance issues. If your playing situation (new group/type of ensemble) […]
Continue readingMore TagTroubleshooting Intonation
How do you tell if your reed is strong, weak, stuffy, or free-blowing? To tell if your reed is strong or weak, using your normal embouchure and air, test the following indicators: Indicator Strong Weak High register easy, sharp unstable Low register difficult, sharp easy Slurring down difficult easy Slurring up easy difficult Embouchure manipulation […]
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How do you tell if your reed is sharp, flat, or unstable? Comparing how a reed does play with how a reed should play is the most important guide you have for determining what trim to make on an unfinished reed. There are two simple rules to follow when using fundamentals (scales, long tones, etc.), […]
Continue readingMore TagRachael Young’s B3 Pinchy Test
Does B3 respond to applied embouchure or air with an unmanageably quick rate of change? If so, the areas behind the tip are too strong in comparison to the very tip of the reed. Refine the tapers here as necessary: Result of These Steps: more stable
Continue readingMore TagF4 Test
Does F4 crack? If so, the reed is too strong. Flatten the first wire. Rarely, the second wire may be too round. Also, check the tip bevel for the proper taper. Is F4 flat but the rest of the reed is sharp? If so, the rails from the front third to the middle third of […]
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Is a mezzoforte attack on F2 very sharp? If so, the front third is too heavy compared to the back. Combine with the F#3, Bb3, A3 speaker key, and F4 indicator note tests to determine where to work. Result of These Steps: weaker, flatter, more responsive, more free blowing
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