Thank you for this! I was struggling with my pianissimo dynamics, but I found out in my lessons that it was a problem with my reeds (I make mine). I've been making reeds for about half a year or so, but they've really been bad, mainly cause I didn't know how to scrape the reeds for a long time, so I just didn't! My Reed making lessons were too short to go over scraping so could only form reeds and cut the tip. Later I started scraping but it wasn't really enough, my lesson teacher compared her reeds to mine and my tip looked like cardboard; so she would be adjusting my reeds for most of our 30 minute lesson! She's taught me how to do her scraping of rails, back, tip, channels, and I have a new Rieger knife that I got for Christmas. It's way easier to do pianissimo dynamics (I also do herzberg long tones) but now my reeds are way thinner and darker sounding, and my band mates say I'm way quieter now, even though I sound better. I have big solos in two out of three of our band pieces.
I need to buy a pinwheel...... Great stuff! Loved the close-ups of the scraping process. Wish you would have held the scraped reed up to a light to show the low response windows you were creating. Were you scraping the entire back including the spine or just the channels? I would appreciate a lot more videos of reed adjustments and scraping specifics. Thanks as always. You're a big help and great resource for this isolated bassoonist.
+Paul Webb Hi Paul! Great to hear from you. I only realized when I did the editing that I did not have footage of the windows of the reed under the lamp. More videos on scraping are coming and I will try to add this in and more specifics. In order to film scraping videos- I've been looking for the right type of cane to start this series and have only recently found it! When I scrape the back I will lighten all of the back for all low note playing but it can adversely alter high notes if I take from the spine. If I am making a second bassoon Brahms reed, I take all of it- spine included. If I am creating a first/second bassoon hybrid bassoon reed I scrape on either side of the spine. A defined collar is also the key. Hope this helps!
And my band director is telling me to be louder constantly now, when i used to blare over some of the low brass! It's hard to make a Reed that can play softly and can really blaze over the ensemble!
+Cedar Speice I totally understand! You might consider trying harder cane now. It might help with projection now that you are scraping the reeds lighter. I find it's all a balancing act. I'd love to hear what you think of the Rieger knife. I haven't ever owned one. :) Thanks for watching and great to hear from you.
+Eryn Oft yeah I watched all your cane reviews and am currently starting to break in reeds from Medir cane (very loud and thick!) and am making blanks from Ghys and then later Womble Williams. Also yes the Rieger knife is really good, very sharp, and it has a shorter blade so for me easier accuracy. If I like the Medir I'll buy more of it cause I do need projection!
+Cedar Speice That's great! Thanks for the review on the Rieger knife- I had no idea it had a shorter blade. I will look into this for my students. What a great option! And keep you eyes peeled. I filmed a video today on MY NEW FAVORITE CANE! It should post later this month (in a week or 2).
+Eryn Oft yeah the knife was $110, more expensive than some other options, but my teacher (who studies under Kristen Wolfe Jensen, who recommended this to her) said I should get this cause it was time for an upgrade from my dull Fox Deluxe Knife
You can narrow the blades with a bit of sand paper or you can start with a different shape when forming the reed (around the step of profiling the cane). :)
Do you think you could do any tips on finishing a reed with a knife and plaque? I'm meaning like where to scrape to add response to certain registers as well as where to scrape for C# and E on the staff. I'm just getting started making reeds and I can't find anything good for that online
+Brainsicles Hi there, This is on the agenda. I have been looking for a type of cane that is consistent enough in a GSP form that I could do the tutorial and you guys could do it and end up with the same result. So much of the cane I had been trying I didn't like or was too variable to do this. And if you use a different type of cane you may have a different result- for softer cane I leave it heavier and for harder cane I scrape it lighter. I have only recently found the cane I need for the tutorial. For C# and E- those are two notes that are most great altered by the tip of the reed. The crescent moon. If it is too light for the cane type (hard or soft) the notes will feel unstable. This can also happen if the first wire is too loose. These are also the two notes that sag when the reed dies- so if you have had the reed for a long time it can tell you when to let it go. You might consider doing private lessons, if interested in more. The tutorials on scraping won't come out for another month or so (at least). Wish it was sooner but going as fast as I can! Thanks for watching.
Eryn Oft I actually take private lessons via skype from Kristilyn Woods. We've discussed making a reed-making lesson eventually, so I'm looking forward to that. It'd be much nicer if there was a private teacher that I could take lessons from in-person, but for some unknown reason, there seems to be a lack of bassonists where I live
+Brainsicles Bassoons can be like Unicorns- hard to find sometimes! ;) I am so glad you have lessons to help you! Let m know when you dig into reed making- so much fun.
Eryn Oft Yeah. It's tragic that the machines like tip cutters are so expensive though. I don't have a job since I'm only 14, and I can't cut straight for the life of me, so my reeds always come out crooked which kinda sucks.
+Brainsicles I used clippers until I got to college and the University had one I could borrow. I would mark the tip of the reed in three places to make sure I got a straight cut and was done, very effective. And you're right- I wish a lot of Bassoons and Bassoon Goodies were more affordable.
Thank you for this! I was struggling with my pianissimo dynamics, but I found out in my lessons that it was a problem with my reeds (I make mine). I've been making reeds for about half a year or so, but they've really been bad, mainly cause I didn't know how to scrape the reeds for a long time, so I just didn't! My Reed making lessons were too short to go over scraping so could only form reeds and cut the tip. Later I started scraping but it wasn't really enough, my lesson teacher compared her reeds to mine and my tip looked like cardboard; so she would be adjusting my reeds for most of our 30 minute lesson! She's taught me how to do her scraping of rails, back, tip, channels, and I have a new Rieger knife that I got for Christmas. It's way easier to do pianissimo dynamics (I also do herzberg long tones) but now my reeds are way thinner and darker sounding, and my band mates say I'm way quieter now, even though I sound better. I have big solos in two out of three of our band pieces.
I need to buy a pinwheel......
Great stuff! Loved the close-ups of the scraping process. Wish you would have held the scraped reed up to a light to show the low response windows you were creating. Were you scraping the entire back including the spine or just the channels? I would appreciate a lot more videos of reed adjustments and scraping specifics. Thanks as always. You're a big help and great resource for this isolated bassoonist.
+Paul Webb Hi Paul! Great to hear from you. I only realized when I did the editing that I did not have footage of the windows of the reed under the lamp. More videos on scraping are coming and I will try to add this in and more specifics.
In order to film scraping videos- I've been looking for the right type of cane to start this series and have only recently found it!
When I scrape the back I will lighten all of the back for all low note playing but it can adversely alter high notes if I take from the spine. If I am making a second bassoon Brahms reed, I take all of it- spine included. If I am creating a first/second bassoon hybrid bassoon reed I scrape on either side of the spine. A defined collar is also the key.
Hope this helps!
Wonderful 🎶
And my band director is telling me to be louder constantly now, when i used to blare over some of the low brass! It's hard to make a Reed that can play softly and can really blaze over the ensemble!
+Cedar Speice I totally understand! You might consider trying harder cane now. It might help with projection now that you are scraping the reeds lighter. I find it's all a balancing act. I'd love to hear what you think of the Rieger knife. I haven't ever owned one. :) Thanks for watching and great to hear from you.
+Eryn Oft yeah I watched all your cane reviews and am currently starting to break in reeds from Medir cane (very loud and thick!) and am making blanks from Ghys and then later Womble Williams. Also yes the Rieger knife is really good, very sharp, and it has a shorter blade so for me easier accuracy. If I like the Medir I'll buy more of it cause I do need projection!
+Cedar Speice That's great! Thanks for the review on the Rieger knife- I had no idea it had a shorter blade. I will look into this for my students. What a great option! And keep you eyes peeled. I filmed a video today on MY NEW FAVORITE CANE! It should post later this month (in a week or 2).
+Eryn Oft yeah the knife was $110, more expensive than some other options, but my teacher (who studies under Kristen Wolfe Jensen, who recommended this to her) said I should get this cause it was time for an upgrade from my dull Fox Deluxe Knife
+Eryn Oft I can't wait for the review of the cane!
Interesting idea about changing the shape of the reed--I've never heard of it. How do you change the shape of the reed without pinching it?
You can narrow the blades with a bit of sand paper or you can start with a different shape when forming the reed (around the step of profiling the cane). :)
Do you think you could do any tips on finishing a reed with a knife and plaque? I'm meaning like where to scrape to add response to certain registers as well as where to scrape for C# and E on the staff. I'm just getting started making reeds and I can't find anything good for that online
+Brainsicles Hi there, This is on the agenda. I have been looking for a type of cane that is consistent enough in a GSP form that I could do the tutorial and you guys could do it and end up with the same result. So much of the cane I had been trying I didn't like or was too variable to do this. And if you use a different type of cane you may have a different result- for softer cane I leave it heavier and for harder cane I scrape it lighter. I have only recently found the cane I need for the tutorial.
For C# and E- those are two notes that are most great altered by the tip of the reed. The crescent moon. If it is too light for the cane type (hard or soft) the notes will feel unstable. This can also happen if the first wire is too loose. These are also the two notes that sag when the reed dies- so if you have had the reed for a long time it can tell you when to let it go.
You might consider doing private lessons, if interested in more. The tutorials on scraping won't come out for another month or so (at least). Wish it was sooner but going as fast as I can! Thanks for watching.
Eryn Oft I actually take private lessons via skype from Kristilyn Woods. We've discussed making a reed-making lesson eventually, so I'm looking forward to that. It'd be much nicer if there was a private teacher that I could take lessons from in-person, but for some unknown reason, there seems to be a lack of bassonists where I live
+Brainsicles Bassoons can be like Unicorns- hard to find sometimes! ;) I am so glad you have lessons to help you! Let m know when you dig into reed making- so much fun.
Eryn Oft Yeah. It's tragic that the machines like tip cutters are so expensive though. I don't have a job since I'm only 14, and I can't cut straight for the life of me, so my reeds always come out crooked which kinda sucks.
+Brainsicles I used clippers until I got to college and the University had one I could borrow. I would mark the tip of the reed in three places to make sure I got a straight cut and was done, very effective. And you're right- I wish a lot of Bassoons and Bassoon Goodies were more affordable.