Clarinet & Saxophone Pads and Repadding CASS Article

Clarinet & Saxophone Pads and Repadding

I was asked the question below about pads last month for my Single Reed Doctor column in the Clarinet & Saxophone Society of Great Britain ( CASS ) magazine and following some time for thought and discussion I have tried to answer in general but, hopefully, still useful terms.

There are so many different pads on the market now. Why do different makers use different pads, and which should I choose if I get my instrument repadded?

My reply follows:

Since for most players a total replacement of pads – a ‘repad’ – is a rare occurrence a logical piece of standard advice would be to replace single or even multiple worn pads with whatever type of pad was previously used. Combining or mixing a variety of pads is not usually recommended. Your repairer should be able to advise you and employ the appropriate pads. However, on the occasion when a complete repad is required one really does have a choice to make.

The construction of musical instrument pads is quite a complicated business involving different layers of materials to provide the desired combination of stability, rigidity, flexibility, air tightness and durability. The quality of the finished pad also can vary greatly with more expensive pads (using better materials) often well worth the additional cost. Pads are usually referred to by the material used on their surface and there are indeed many options available from frequently used ‘skin’ pads traditionally made from fish bladder, to various types and qualities of leather (white, brown, black), cork, and numerous synthetic surface material pads. Virtually all will be found successfully in use depending upon both the quality of the materials used to create the pads and the expertise and familiarity of the installer (repairer) in their fitting. All pad types require experience and practice in their fitting to perform at their best. Do bear in mind that manufacturers choose and supply the type of pads they use in their new instruments for a variety of different reasons including but not limited to: durability, ease of installation, cost, tradition, artistic input, availability, air tightness and appearance.

Let’s consider clarinet and saxophone options separately as they have fundamentally different requirements from their padding.

Clarinets have traditionally been padded in either skin or leather pads. In my experience the performance of good quality pads made from either material, expertly fitted, is very similar and can be highly satisfactory. Leather pads are anecdotally often credited with being more slightly more durable and tending to mellow a tone quality when compared with skin pads. They may also be more forgiving for seating to tone holes. Cork pads are sometimes used for smaller upper joint tone holes but the successful employment of cork depends hugely the experience of the repairer doing the fitting  and on the quality of the cork itself as high quality ‘clean’ cork is increasingly difficult and costly to obtain. Cork is not suitable for lower joint pads so by default a less desirable ‘mix’ of pads ends up being used. New synthetic material pads have the opportunity to be more airtight than any natural product but, also anecdotally, have a tendency to acquire ’tackiness’ on their surfaces, which, while this can be addressed by cleaning when it occurs, can be very annoying.

For saxophones the widely respected quality of Gordon Beeson leather pads has set a standard of comparison for all padding options ever since their introduction in the 1940’s. Older instruments, dating to the 1940’s and earlier, were occasionally padded in white leather with inadequate backing materials and the quality of their performance varied widely. There were some examples of excellent pad performance but also much indifferent or poor performance as well. Skin and cork pads have never been routinely used. For some players synthetic pads may have a genuine role to play for use in smaller left and ‘palm key’ tone holes which attract a great deal of moisture and they are certainly capable of great durability. However they can be problematic for stability when used in pad cups covering larger tone holes and on pads that rely upon spring action to open, specifically the G# and low C# pads, as a result of the propensity for the surfaces of synthetic pads to become ‘tacky’ and stick. For the saxophone player the additional choice of reflectors, plastic or metal, flat or domed, also arises and one may wish to consider these options carefully as there are different sound qualities also attributed to the choice of reflector. Domed metal reflectors tend to brighten a tone and aid projection whereas plastic or ‘flat’ reflectors affect or ‘boost’ the tone far less.

My suggestion would be to hold a conversation with the repairer who will be entrusted with repadding your instrument to learn their opinions and what experience they have with the different pad options and their properties. Where it seems desirable I would advise one stay with what has worked well your instrument in the past. In general avoid any temptation to ‘mix’ pads. If you do wish to try something new and you discover that your repairer is less or even unfamiliar with the type of pad you are considering you should precede with caution – they could find themselves learning how to handle and seat the pads you that have specified with no prior experience and the final result may not be what you imagined. Hopefully the combination of an appropriate pad choice that is suitable for your future needs and expectations as well as the expertise of your repairer will result in an inspirational ‘fresh start’ and long lasting good performance from your instrument.

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The tips and comments above are the result of many years of providing help and advice, my personal interest and study, and the teaching that I have done during my career. I have many colleagues and teachers to thank for sharing their thoughts and suggestions on this and other topics. In addition I am indebted to Woodwind & Reed, Cambridge ( www.wwr.co.uk ) where, in the course of helping customers, many of these concepts have been refined and have proven helpful.

Thomas Dryer-Beers

How Long Should a Reed Last? ( Clarinet and Saxophone)

How Long Should a Clarinet or Saxophone Reed Last?

This question is sure to have occurred to all players of single reed instruments at some point in their playing journey. It must seem at times to be our version of  'How long is a piece of string?' and must surely be a real frustration to beginners, parents and non-players who need or wish to answer what might seem like a straight forward question.

The answer is not easy and a thorough explanation involves many variables, some of which we all would probably not wish to contemplate, i.e. cane is a natural product, we expose it to our acidic saliva and encase the reed under a mouthpiece cap or reed holder where bacteria can easily thrive, etc.

However a few observations and generalisations can be made that may be of some help - 

• Beginners tend to be very hard on their reeds, chipping the tips or breaking them during handling. For best results one should consider changing reeds frequently, perhaps every week
• If a reed has been chipped or split then it is best to through it away
• If a reed has become discoloured with mould or dirt it is unlikely to play its best and should be considered for retirement
• The more frequently you play a reed the shorter its 'life span' 
• A longer practise / playing session will shorten the time any reed will play at its peak 
• Rotating reeds (usually between 3 or 4 at a time) will allow them to recover and extend their useful life - as well as allow for more direct performance comparisons 
• Softer reeds 'give up' more quickly than medium strength and stronger reeds
• Reeds cut with thinner tips to be more immediately playable and more responsive will generally not last as long
• Reeds will not last as long in high humidity conditions
• Reeds change in their resistance with the change of the seasons i.e. a reed that played well in Winter may not play the same in Summer
• Reed performance changes with different altitudes and temperatures - anyone who might have toured or travelled extensively may have experienced this
• If you are a better player and your standard is high you will likely be more selective and critical of your reeds meaning that fewer may meet your expectations
• If you consciously improve your reed handling and storage habits, e.g. by using a storage case or reed holder, you will be able to get better performance from your reeds for longer
• If you learn the skills of reed adjustment, i.e. how to adjust your reeds by clipping the tip and also how, by altering the profile with reed rush, sandpaper, reed knife or finishing tool, you can extend the life of your reeds
• If you knowledgeably save your 'best' reeds for concert performance and are content to do at least some of your practice on reeds of slightly lower quality you will tend to be happier overall

SOME INDIVIDUAL REEDS ARE JUST NOT RIGHT FOR YOU OR YOUR EQUIPMENT- this does not mean that they are not likely to serve someone else well or that the manufacturer is awful or that you are a bad player - TRY SOMETHING ELSE

Every now and then we may find an EXCEPTIONAL REED.  It is almost of mystical status as it seems to make us capable of playing everything better: high notes speak more readily and accurately, low notes are pure and responsive, dynamics come easily, our tone is gorgeous and both we and our audience know it - HOWEVER - it also pays to remember that this is not normal and I suggest a quick read of the following:

An excerpt from the Merriam-Webster Dictionary offers this: 


Simple Definition of exceptional

• : not usual : unusual or uncommon
• : unusually good : much better than average
   

We are extremely fortunate to live in an age where commercial reed manufactures have, with the aid of computer technology, much research and mass production quality control, succeeded in making such a wide range of finely graded products that have a remarkable consistency. I often say to pupils and also must remind myself that, however frustrated I might become, I am more likely to have contributed to poor reed performance than the manufacturer, i.e. have I 'overplayed' the reed?, have I taken care in handling?, stabilised the moisture content?, kept my reed clean?, asked too much of it during rehearsals? etc. 

At such times it is worth remembering that we players have the responsibility to do our best with what we have available at any point in time and, of course, we can always change our reed - and we can be grateful that we are not brass players who have only their lips to blame!

Have fun.

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The tips and comments above are the result of many years of providing help and advice, my personal interest and study, and the teaching that I have done during my career. I have many colleagues and teachers to thank for sharing their thoughts and suggestions on this and other topics. In addition I am indebted to Woodwind & Reed, Cambridge ( www.wwr.co.uk ) where, in the course of helping customers, many of these concepts have been refined and have proven helpful.
 

Thomas Dryer-Beers

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Dry Weather / Wet Weather Single Reed Performance

The effects of Humidity, Altitude and Seasons Upon Reed Performance

It is in the experience of many players, certainly including my own, that on occasion an excellent reed which I/they enjoyed playing on a day or two previously suddenly seems to no longer work well - for reasons unexplained by any obvious damage or misalignment on the mouthpiece. On such occasions I look to the skies, not in exasperation but to see what the weather is doing - here is why:

Cane reeds are intended to vibrate and play their best in a controlled moisture environment. This is why soaking your reed prior to playing is so important and why many players develop a specific routine to ensure that they obtain the best results.

Assuming the reed has already been well wetted if the climate conditions indoors or out are very dry the moisture (both within the reed and on its surface creating the vacuum seal with the mouthpiece) is likely to be reduced within a very short period of time - possibly even seconds - and this change can effect reed performance dramatically. A reed will often feel much harder to play and perhaps begin to squeak as a result of a warp developing on the underside of the reed.

Conversely a reed that becomes overly wet, due perhaps to very humid conditions indoors or out, will be likely to 'give out' quite quickly becoming too easy to blow and sounding thin and buzzy. It is likely to lose its resilience and effectively 'collapse' into the mouthpiece facing in a very short period of time. High note control and tone quality are both likely to be affected .

Such changes in weather conditions can account for why a reed selected as good or promising one day may feel 'rubbish' the next and why a reed dismissed as poor at one sitting should perhaps be reviewed again when the weather changes.

Altitude can be a factor as well as the conditions at higher altitudes, all other things being equal, will tend towards low humidity and near sea level conditions are usually more humid. Such factors matter a great deal to touring musicians who learn how to plan for these changes and adjust their equipment accordingly but the experience of such changes in reed performance can arise for anyone at any time. Even seasonal changes from the warmer and more humid months of Spring and Summer to the colder temperatures and drier conditions of Autumn and Winter can have some effect.

Bearing all this in mind can seem tricky but may be some consolation and assistance should you experience an unexplained reed crisis. Armed with this knowledge you have be able to increase the number of 'good' reeds you obtain from any box!

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The tips and comments above are the result of many years of providing help and advice, my personal interest and study, and the teaching that I have done during my career. I have many colleagues and teachers to thank for sharing their thoughts and suggestions on this and other topics. In addition I am indebted to Woodwind & Reed, Cambridge ( www.wwr.co.uk ) where, in the course of helping customers, many of these concepts have been refined and have proven helpful.

Thomas Dryer-Beers