Placement of Single Reeds on Mouthpieces and a Useful Test

Placement of Single Reeds on Mouthpieces and a Useful Test

Over many years customer have regularly asked me how best to place their reeds on their mouthpiece. Since the reed and mouthpiece combine to vibrate the air column this actually quite an important question. 

Following soaking, the reed should be positioned on the mouthpiece with the reed lined up evenly distributed on the flat cutaway that is the mouthpiece ‘table’ with the tip of the reed aligned with the end of the tip rail of the mouthpiece. When examined perpendicularly you should be able to see a hairline of the tip rail over top of the reed tip in standard playing position. Once you are satisfied with the positioning hold the reed with a thumb and carefully place the ligature over top. Lower the ligature until it sits in a position where there is an equal amount of the ‘bark’ of the reed visible on either side of the ligature. Tighten the screw(s) (where present) finger tight but do not over tighten them as this can damage the reed fibres and inhibit vibration.

If you wish to check the success of your placement you can perform a suction test as follows to see if the reed is ready to use:

• Wet the palm of your hand and place the shank end of mouthpiece end on your palm

• Take the tip of the mouthpiece and reed in your mouth, wrap your lips around the mouthpiece and create a vacuum by sucking aggressively and repeatedly to remove air from within the mouthpiece

• When you feel this has been achieved release your lips and the reed should hold shut for a few seconds (you may even hear a ‘hissing’ sound) before it ‘pops’ open with a noise, as the vacuum is lost.

• If you do not get a ‘pop’ first try again – If after repeated attempts your reed does not hold a vacuum it may be miss-aligned, warped or damaged. If it seems to take a very long time to ‘pop’ then if may be fatigued and ready to be changed.

It takes a bit of practice to gain ‘the knack’ of this test but it can be quite useful in confirming that the set-up is likely to work well.

----------------

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

Reed Squeaks - Why this happens and what to do when it does

Reed Squeaks - Why this happens and what to do when it does

Almost all clarinet and saxophone players have at some point experienced their reed 'squeaking', often it seems in a most embarrassing situation or circumstance. Other reed players will usually offer sympathy - players of different instruments (brass, strings, percussion) just wonder what is going on - as we might well also. Here is my attempt to explain the 'reed squeak' in layman's terms and a few suggestions for what once can do to help.

The squeak of the reed is an uncontrolled harmonic or unintended sounding due to the vibration of the air column being adversely or improperly generated, usually at the mouthpiece / reed end or sometimes within the tube of the instrument.

Checklist:

• If this should happen to you the first place to check is the reed 'seat' on the mouthpiece. One can check this visually using a straight edge ruler or knife, sighting along the flat underside of the reed and looking in the direction of a strong light source. If light 'leaks' or shines through a gap under or around the reed then the cane has warped and must be flattened either by careful scraping using the straight knife blade or rubbing the reed on a sandpaper placed on a flat surface. A reed resurfacer may also be used for this purpose. Once the cane underside appears flat again retest by playing and see if the problem has disappeared. A suction test can be performed to see if the reed will do its job properly again - here is how:

Place the reed on the mouthpiece and tighten the ligature as normal. Lick or wet the palm of the hand. Place the 'back end' of the mouthpiece on your hand and placing your lips around the tip of the mouthpiece aggressively suck backwards removing as much air from inside the mouthpiece as you can. Release the mouthpiece from your lips pulling it out and hopefully the reed will hold in the closed position for 2-3 or more seconds until the vacuum is lost and the reed 'pops' open with a noise. This test takes a bit of practice but once you get the knack it is a very useful indication of a reeds state of readiness to perform.

• Less frequently wear or damage can occur to the facing of the mouthpiece itself and this can be the source of a air leak either between the reed and the 'table' of the facing or on the rails or tip where they come into contact with reed. This type of wear is often difficult to detect but if problems with squeaking or reed response are a regular occurrence then this may well be the explanation. Try some different mouthpieces and / or visit a mouthpiece craftsman with the proper tools to check and measure the mouthpiece.

• It is also possible on both clarinet and saxophone that a hairline or larger leak is affecting the accurate sounding of one or more notes. This can be due to pad seating but is often more subtle sometimes on the clarinet occurring due to an incomplete closure of the finger to the top of a tone hole on the instrument - i.e. the ring positioned to 'high' or the incomplete closure of a pad due to a ring positioned too 'low'. Check especially the left hand 1st and 2nd finger rings and the right hand rings. If your finger(s) bottom out on the tone hole before the ring fully closes the pad a leak will be present. If the pad closes before the ring allows your finger to cover an open hole air can leak out under the finger. Bend the key work in the appropriate direction to overcome the non-alignment. A butter knife or other thin, flat metal plate can be used.

• Common sources of response problems for the saxophone is found in the correspondence connections relating to the left had 2nd finger touch (which must hold down 3 key/pads in total) and also the right hand correspondences to the F# pad. Regulation screws, where present may help to return the correct function of these keys but be prepared to insert a butter knife or other thin, flat metal plate underneath a pad to be able to close a related key arm to overcome the closure problem. If you go too far you may have to reverse the process.

• Poor regulation of the G# key screw can account for poor performance of low C#, B and Bb. I recommend that this be checked each time you play.

• Whenever key work is adjusted there is a chance that the attempted correction will not go well or even be the wrong answer to a problem so having a good repairer available to visit should your best emergency efforts fail is always advisable.

-----------------

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