Hemke 3 Hell.....HELP!

[BobbyK]

I am currently playing a Selmer Ref 54 Alto, Meyer Richie Cole Mouthpiece and Hemke strength 3 reeds.

I find that this combination gives me "MY SOUND", and "I" LOVE IT.:)

My problem is that after only using these reeds for 3 or 4 days they become unplayable.:(

I set them on the 'piece exectly the same each time after moistening them first, but after only a few days it is almost impossible to blow the thing!

Replacing the reed with a new one resolves the problem, and everything is easy again.

I can see some warping in the reed, even when kept in the reed holder and believe this is the problem.

Can anyone suggest a reed that will match the strength and tonal characteristics of the Hemke, but which does not suffer the same troubles. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE.

[gary]

I can see some warping in the reed, even when kept in the reed holder and believe this is the problem.They're not supposed to warp? I thought that's what cane does...at least on most of mine. Are you saying that after your reeds have been sufficiently soaked that they remain warped?

Regarding how long Hemkes last, I haven't noticed much difference between them and others in general. My experience is that it just seems to be hit and miss, regardless of the brand. Have you always had this problem with Hemkes, and if so, how long is that? Also do you not have that problem with other brand reeds or do you use Hemkes exclusively?

[BobbyK]

I have only recently moved to sax, after having been a clarinet player.
What I have found is that the Hemke reeds are more prone to warp. Yes soaking them does resolve the issue somewhat, but I have not suffered the problem to the same extent with Vandoren or Rico Jazz Select.

I have only played the Hemke for 3 months, but they give me the sound I love and I would very much like to resolve the problem, or find a reed that plays with similar characteristics.

I failed to say I'm using a Rovner Light Ligature.

Thanks for taking time to reply.

Kev.

[gary]

Kev, I use Hemkes (#3 or 3.5) regularly and have for maybe a good seven or eight years. Any warping I get is resolved by soaking them, they don't stay warped after they've been soaked and while I am playing them. I can take 20 minute breaks of gigs and come back to them with no warping of problems.

If you've been playing them for three months, I would suspect that is long enough for you to have a pretty good perspective on them. Maybe you should just try some others so you can compare (which is what you're considering, I guess). I would say check out some Rico Jazz Select #3mediums, filed; Alexander DC #3s, and maybe even the traditional blue-box Vandorens, probably 1/2 strength softer than the others.

[BobbyK]

Thanks Gary,

I'll try soaking them again, but for a little longer, to see if it helps.

If that fails I'll try the alternatives you have suggested.

Kev.:)

[Saxland]

Just a few questions. Do you have a habit of chomping on the reed tip? You might and not know it. As well how humid is it generally where you are? I find that Hemkees die really fast for me when they are not washed after playing. They then must be slightly dried out then put in the reed holder, but out of the box they came in. I keep them loose in the sax case. Works for me I play on a Meyer 5 or 6, or a Rosseau studio jazz with the Hemkes. Try vandoren java or ZZ's they have a thin tip. I know a saxophonist here that substitutes Hemke's with Vandoren Java. I find all the Vandorens repond well in general but with different tones and resistances. Rico Royal is another standard reed that works well for me.
I do not drink anything but water when playing. My coffee with suger and cream, a coke with cookies, toast, crackers ect kills the adverage responce of any reed accross the board. Although some will dispute that in other threads.

If you can rotate the reeds that would help as well. I found Hemkes would only last once for me, until I did all of the above.

[BobbyK]

Hello Saxland. Thanks for your reply.

The reed tips show no signs of damage from chomping. I them dry out of the box in reed holders when I finish playing in a room heated to about 22c. They only thing you identify, that I must confess I am not always religious with, is washing them every time I play. Worth a try I guess. I also rotate my reeds.

I have also found them to work well on the Rosseau studio jazz 6.

[Toot Sweet!]

Could it be a sealing problem?

From time to time this happens to me with some reeds, especially if I use a Vandoren Optimum ligature with a plate that puts the pressure in the middle of the reed. Then the reed can begin to leak at one or both sides. This typically happens after playing for half an hour or so, when the reed gets more (or less?) wet at the end.

[gary]

Washing reeds?! :scratch:

I think the only time I've washed my reeds is if they fell on the floor. Well...sometimes :D

[BobbyK]

The problem manifests itself as follows.

The reed is moistened, placed on the 'piece in the normal fassion and the ligature is tightened to its usual pressure. All well thus far. Then try blowing the thing. It is as if someone has stuffued a bung in the 'piece and significant resistance is encountered.

I've now tried soaking the reed for prolonged periods of time with only slight improvement.

If it wasn't for the fact everything works fine with the other reeds, listed in my previous post, I'd think it was me.

(I'm left scratching my head with a bemused expression on my face!)

[BobbyK]

Seems Gary and I don't know which cycle to use on our automatic washing machines to wash our reeds:toothy10:

Err..... Is it OKAY to tumble them dry too? :lol:

[Saxland]

What you need to do is to wash them in Perrier, but do the rinse cycle in Evian. Hand dry by a maple wood fire with the breese blowing in a southwest direction. Put away until the next full moon in a ceder lined chest with a gold lock and a silver key. Then they will play. :D

I ment wash them under the tap for a few seconds. Its more becasue I used to play with coffee and think it ruins the reed. Now its just what I do for insurance.

I do notice that on my meyer, there are saliva leaks using Hemkee but not with a vandoren or rico royal. Mabey if the facing is not really efficiant then there is no room to compensate with a Hemkee?

[robbieg]

What you need to do is to wash them in Perrier, but do the rinse cycle in Evian. Hand dry by a maple wood fire with the breese blowing in a southwest direction. Put away until the next full moon in a ceder lined chest with a gold lock and a silver key. Then they will play. :D

You mean you do that too? Haha j/k... though you'd be surprised how many people do have odd preperation rituals... after all I belive there was that thread a couple years ago about soaking reeds in Vodka.

[badfella518]

Maybe try a vandoren traditional 2 or 2.5.
They will give a similar sound but nothing will match a hemke exactly. Hey, but it's worth a shot right?

[Sigmund451]

Alexander Classiques.

[gary]

Alexander Classiques.Really, Sigmund? Interesting. I tried them on alto and played the DC's on tenor, which is not the best comparison admittedly, but I thought the DC's were closer to the Hemkes. The Classiques seemed a little buzzy to me, which the Hemkes are not. But again, the Classiques were on alto and the DC's on tenor.

[baga]

If I might suggest one more thing to try, which I noticed recently about reeds and made me wonder.
Several years ago, when I was playing Vandorens, I used to soak them for 24 hrs, dry them, and then start playing them. Later on, when I switched to Alexanders, I started soaking them just for a couple of minutes before playing.
The Alexanders worked fine with this method, but when I started to use this 'couple-of-minutes' method on Rico Jazz Selects -- they started to warp the 'next day' after preliminary break-in.
Actually, I might be having a bad pack of reeds (though I manage ;) ), but if not, it is possible that various manufacturer's reeds respond differently to soaking. I am not very wise in that, but possibly Vandoren's recommended soaking period might have to do with stuff they use to preserve the reed (slightly different taste than Ricos, do notice) and not with the reed life expectancy as one might expect.
Therefore, I'd recommend trying a different soaking procedure. Maybe soak them longer, dry them, and then start breaking them. Or vice-versa, soak them for a short time and break them in for a longer time, if the previous method doesn't work.
I hope this made some sense :)

Oh two more things. Try only subtoning in the low register on the first break-in session. And another idea, technique of sealing the reed with the thumb just after the first soaking (I believe this idea came from Joe Henderson :))

[Saxland]

QUOTE :I am not very wise in that, but possibly Vandoren's recommended soaking period might have to do with stuff they use to preserve the reed (slightly different taste than Ricos, do notice) and not with the reed life expectancy as one might expect.

Anyone happen to know what they preserve the reed with?

[Sigmund451]

Maybe its just the nutty way I play them. I cant get a decent sound out of a DC to save my life...I know a lot of guys who do.

[gary]

Maybe its just the nutty way I play them. I cant get a decent sound out of a DC to save my life...I know a lot of guys who do.Sigmund...the fat part of the reed goes in the ligature and the thin part to the tip of the mouthpiece! :D

[robbieg]

Anyone happen to know what they preserve the reed with?

A couple years ago there was a thread about people soaking their reeds in vodka, something about the starch in the vodka replacing the holes in the fibers of the reed, making the reed more stable and lasting longer.

[BobbyK]

Have moved to Vandoren Java 3's and they show no signs of warping.
They play similarly to the Hemke's, which didn't wash well. I think it was the tumble drying that saw the last of them off.:toothy10:
Thanks for all the input.

[Sigmund451]

Dang Gary....its easier to blow that way. Thanks! I knew should have invested in lessons rather than all those reeds. No wonder I was buying -7 custom strength reeds 8-)

[gary]

:D

[ALVEGASAX]

BOBBYK,
I may be late to this thread,but the problem you mentioned happens to all of us
sax players at one time or another.What I have learned from years of playing is
a simple solution to that problem.I use Hempke #3 OR #31/2 and I never have that problem since I started using a trick I learned.
What you do to solve the problem takes only a few minutes just before a gig or practice.What you do is lie the reed on a flat surface (I always carry a piece of plaxiglass about 2x4 inches in my horncase) try not to move the reed once you place it flat on top of the plaxiglass.What you do next is wet the reed (if you dont have water close by,you can use your own saliva to do this)
you run your thumb from the thick part of the reed to the thin part of the reed with water or saliva.You keep doing this for about 3 to 4 minutes and you will find out that the warp on the reed dissapears.I use my reeds for as long as 2 month gigging & practicing before I throw them away (and I practice at least 3 hours a day.I have have found out that soaking the reeds overnight or longer doesnt help,it makes it worse.I hope that this trick helps
all of you out there with this problem.

ALVEGASAX