Double Reed Care

     Directors often observe young double-reed players struggling with their reeds. Reeds will break or suddenly stop working at the most inconvenient times, but some basic techniques
of reed care can help the reeds last longer and play better.
     A double reed is small and fragile, subjected to tremendous pressures dur-ing normal playing. As an organic object it decays further every time it gets wet and dries again. The combination of mechanical strain and biological change means that reeds need to be replaced often. Even beginning students who practice 30 minutes a day outside of rehearsals should use a new reed at least once a month. With the price of reeds and cane rising rapidly, students are likely to use reeds for a longer time than desirable.
     Good care can extend the life of a reed. The parade of horrors on overused reeds can include cracks, separated blades, unraveling string, chipped corners, lipstick stains, and even streaks of black mold. Much of this can easily be prevented.
     First, never store a reed in the container in which it was bought. These airtight containers are designed to protect the new reed from the environment before it is sold. However, such conditions are harmful for storing a damp reed. If a reed is not allowed to dry completely, it will mold. Each student should have a reed case that holds reeds safely and allows air to circulate around them.
     Many beginners, when instructed to wet their reeds, will hold the reed in their mouth for a few seconds or wet it under a running faucet. Neither of these methods will soak the reed adequately. A reed should not merely be dipped or rinsed but should be submersed the entire height of the vibrating blades in still, warm water. A dry reed cannot vibrate easily and rapidly, and playing on one causes cracks, chips, and a coarse, uncontrolled sound. Saliva is too thick and does not penetrate the cane. Running water is better but still does not soak the cane enough.
     Each student should have a small sealable container of water. The first stage of putting the instrument together is placing the reed in water. By the time the instrument is assembled, the read will be ready to play. The student should fill the container with fresh water every day.
     Reed cleanliness can be a recurrent problem. A thumbnail scraped along a reed’s surface will likely pick up a layer of gray or pink slime: a combination of saliva, food, decaying cane, and lipstick. There may not be time for all reed players to brush their teeth before rehearsals, but girls should wipe off their lipstick. All should take a drink of water to rinse their mouths on the way to rehearsal. At the end of rehearsal, they can rinse their reeds under water or dip them into the water container. Saliva is the first stage in digestion and breaks down the carbohydrates in the cane. Cleaning the reed after playing slows this process and keeps the reed fresh longer.
     Students can learn to prevent most mechanical damage by always keeping the reed in sight when it is not soaking or in the reed case. If the reed stays off the instrument, someone will certainly bump it. If a bassoonist rests by holding the bassoon against the body with the reed and bocal over the shoulder, eventually the reed will be crushed against the back of a chair. This will most likely happen during a concert in an unfamiliar hall, a bad time to break a reed. A safer position is to let the bassoon rest diagonally across the body, keeping the reed where the player can see it. If students leave their instruments on their chairs during breaks, double-reed players should take the reed off the instrument and leave it in the water container (for a shorter break) or in the reed case (for a longer break).
     Even with the best of care, reeds change. At first they play hard, bright, and loud. Although new reeds can be difficult to control the tone is strong and clear. A few days later, the reed softens and sounds pleasant throughout the student’s range. Eventually, a reed will become weak and soft. The high register becomes fuzzy, the low register sounds sharp, and students can no longer play with good dynamics even in the middle register. Still, the failing reed feels safer and more reliable than a new one and most students won’t start playing on a new reed until the old one is completely dead. This means students spend two thirds of their playing time fighting a new reed or coddling an old one.
     The ideal time to start playing on a new reed is just when the old one begins to sound good. By setting aside the comfortable reed to start breaking in a new, raucous one students will benefit from having at least two reeds in prime condition. Also, by dividing playing time between two or more reeds, each one can dry out thoroughly and last longer.
     These basic techniques of reed care may seem elementary, but students who do not study privately have no way of knowing these things. Even if the director tells players to soak the reed, detailed instructions are needed to explain what this means. If they learn to care for their reeds, they will find that reeds last longer in better condition. This, in turn, makes band much more pleasant and rewarding.