Reed Slicing

[Jedi2427]

Ok, here goes...A while ago I became very interested in Bootman's reed drilling technique to increase the playability of my tenor reeds... the problem was I had no drill. So I got the idea to come up with a similar concept, which I could mainly use on reeds which had gone dead, or just didn't play well from the beginning. I have tried this method on Fibracells as well as LaVoz reeds, and a friend of mine has tried it on his Fibracll alto reeds too with great success. So if you are to try this...please try it on a reed you don't mind experimenting on. Play the reed first to make sure you get in your ears how bad the reed already is, so you have something to compare it to.

For this technique find a serrated household knife, like a steak knife or something with some teeth on it, the thinner and sharper the blade the better. I then took my reed, and layed it down on a flat surface, like the reed would lay on your mouthpiece. I placed the knife on the edge of the lower vamp of the reed, which is located where the cut of the reed ends and the plain cane begins. I then start sawing or slicing if you will from rail to rail across the arch or curve of the cane making a saw cut. Start with just an 1/16 - 1/8 inch deep cut, which probably won't make it from rail to to rail. Then put the reed back on your mouthpiece and try it. If there is no change cut a little deeper. Be careful not to cut too deep otherwise the reed will become too fexible and soft and maybe even break in hafe because of too deep of a cut.

For some reason I found the cut in the reed "opens up" or "Fattens up" the sound and resonace of the reed. Maybe the cut or insission takes some of the ligature restriction out also. I have cut a couple reeds pretty deep (1/2 way through the reed) with some interesting results. I sometimes very lightly sand the overall top of the reed also, staying away from the tip of the reed. I don't know if anyone has tried this or anything else like it, but it has really made a difference for me and my friend, who both of us play professionally...Good Luck

[Jedi2427]

I want to correct the my previous post...When I said to cut 1/16 - 1/8 of an inch through the reed, I meant 1/16 - 1/8 of a cut through the reed as more of a percentage, though you may be able to cut deeper. Reeds can differ in thickness so 1/8 of an inch through some reeds might result in a cut all the way through it. Be careful! Also, if anyone trys this technique and wants to post their experience or results, I would appreciate it.

[Sassaphone]

Just before reading this thread, I was trying out some Jave 3's. One was so hard I could barely get a sound out of it. I grabbed a serated stake knife and followed your directions. I now have a playable reed--not the best reed, but definately not destined for the garbage can.
Thanks. :wink:

[Jedi2427]

Sassaphone,
I'm glad the technique helped...For added playability try laying the reed flat on a table and lightly sand the overall top of the reed, but be careful near the reed tip. The combination of slicing and sanding mixed with some play testing has produced some really great playing reeds for me. I know with Fibracell, it has given these synth. reeds way more resonance.

[Brendan Muse]

Vandoren hates us bari players. So, I've got a question.

Do you cut... (http://www.geocities.com/themuffinmage/reed.html)

[Jedi2427]

Hi,
From looking at your picture I would say it is at the point of the reed where the cane and the "U" shaped cut meet (lower vamp). I would cut at "Here, where the cane Starts" I cut at the bottom edge of the "U" or lower vamp. I hope this helps you.

Also, with some of the reeds I have cut, especially the really "bad" or "played out" reeds, they take on some interesting qualities... Some of them develop an almost "vinatge" sound to them... very "reedy" and expressive. Some of the really "good" reeds I have cut, play even better if I cut them right, (cut a little, play test, maybe cut a little more) My set-up is: YTS-62II tenor, Lawton 8BB stainless mouthpiece, Fibracell and LaVoz med.-med. soft reeds.

[Brendan Muse]

I did a bit of experimentation and now have two playable reeds! Of the two that I worked on. Good odds, eh? It'll take a bit of work to find for my metal piece, but they're great with my Runyon Custom. The Rico 2 remains a peice of crap, but the pair of Vandoren 3 1/2s is workable.

[Jedi2427]

Excellent!
I'm glad you and others are having success. I have found that if a reed is too soft, and already plays "bad", Reed Slicing doesn't work as well... But, reeds that are too hard, and/or hard and "dead" playing reeds are greatly enhanced by slicing with some light surface sanding.

I believe that the slicing increases the response of the overall reed. I think the ligature might restrict a reed to the point where it doesn't vibrate very well. I usually make sure I can see the slice when I ajust the position of the ligature on the reed. In other words I don't cover up the slice with ligature.

This is something I have only been experimenting with for a couple of months, so I do not claim to be a reed/sonic authority, only a passionate
R&B Tenorman, looking to enhance my sound!

[Jedi2427]

Hi All,
Has anyone else experimented with Reed Slicing? And if so, wish to share their results. I found the other thread interesting on Vibrating Reeds, which I read existed in the 1950's or 1960's. I would guess that company was trying to accomplish the same result by putting "grooves" in the lower vamp of the reed.

[Brendan Muse]

I found a truly excellent reed that only got better when I sliced it. But, on the other hand, I bought a Vandoren 4 (it's like a friggin' popsicle stick!) and have inadvertantly gouged a cintimeter wide ditch across the reed, with little improvement. But it probably just needs to be played some more.

[Bill Mecca]

check this out

http://www.bootmanmusic.com/Reeds.htm

and this

http://www.geocities.com/reed_drilling/

[Coufman]

This thread got me thinking. I just got a new alto piece and the metal lig that comes with it has very little extra space for the reed. When I use a cane reed, I can just barely get the lig down far enough. The lig screws are out as far as they can go without losing the thread.

I just got some Fibracell's, which are thicker at the "cane" than my cane reeds. I can't even get the lig down below the vamp.

So here's the question: What if I removed the sticker of the Fibracells, and either sanded down the "cane" section or shaved some off with a razor blade? Would that be a bad idea? Would it really effect the playability of the reed?

[Jedi2427]

Hi,
In my opinion it could help the playability of the reed...If you check out Bootman's experiments in the links two posts back for here, he says his modifications to the cane under the ligature did make a positive difference in reed vibration. When I Slice across the edge of the lower vamp the increased reed flex tends to "free up" some resonance...especially with Fibarcells.

[1saxman]

"where the cane and the "U" shaped cut meet"
Yes, that's the reed's 'sweet spot'. There once was a reed by Boosey & Hawkes called the 'Oscillator'. it had a longitudinal slot in the bark starting at the cut and extending toward the butt about 3/8". Just another variation on Charpen's drilled hole (see Bootman's 'rediscovery' of this old technique'. I cut the slot into all my reeds now, using a Dremel with a 1/8" end mill. The old 'Vibrator' reeds used a modification, having parallel grooves cut into the bark. All these methods work - just find the one that suits you best. The simplest is the single drilled hole.

[Dlew]

another thing suggested to me if you have a broken tip or too soft a reed to take a toonies and place just back from the cracked part of the reed and take a sharp knife and cut around the toonie creating a new curve in the reed, masking a new tip. I was suppose this would throw off your slope so you'd have to sand but it would make a harder reed for you. this was suggested for me I have no idea if it works. The lady that suggested was a music store owner who never played saxophone.

Anyways Carry on...
don

[Sigmund451]

BTW, try taking an old reed and drill it. Make sure you go pretty deep...to where light passes through like in the tip area. You may find that the reed plays with a little more life again. I dont know why but Im assuming it does so because when you drill you reorganize and move all or many of the response regions a little so their "memory" is altered and they can still vibrate in the new area with more resilience. Give it a shot when your doing some other drilling.

Also despite mention by others I find a drilled reed plays brighter than a nondrilled reed...anyone else find this to be the case?

[Datsaxman04]

Hey Jedi I tried the reed slicing with a few of my old beat up reeds and found that slicing them bade them have a little bit more life in them. Thanks for sharing that idea to us...