Tuesday, March 25, 2008.4:02 PM

Really no canes...

I refer to my previous post on 10th March 2008 regarding the suspension of the Jones Double Reed Products domain space.

They're officially closed as of 10th March 2008 according to a thread in the IDRS forum.

Hello All: It is with much dissappointment that I post to say that I recieved a
call from my good friend Ken Wagner to inform me of the official closing of
Jones Double Reed Products as of 3/8/2008. The is some talk that some other
company may come in to try to salvage JDRP, but as of now this is currently just
talk. I will keep you posted as things unfold.

Best Regards,

ChadTaylor
Bassoon Services723 Steamboat CtOttawa, IL 61350PH-815-343-2492

Here is the link to the IDRS forum thread on the Jones Double Reed issue.

Now, where should I get my cane supplies from? :o

.:. 1C o m m e n t s.:.

Wednesday, March 19, 2008.2:26 PM

Of Reeds, Music, Books and Anime...

I find it a joy to make reeds at my own leisure and not being under any stress to prepare good reeds for senior recitals and the like. It is only at this time when I feel so relaxed that I can truly have the luxury of time to...try to make perfect reeds. At any other times, reed-making is a chore and can be an utterly frustrating, hair-pulling affair.

Inspired by a blog that allows cyber users to order DURIANS online, I'm now quite set on the idea of creating a blog to sell my bassoon reeds, and oboe reeds if my friends want to sell theirs. :D

Am currently studying Tchaikovsky's Symphony no.4 - playing 2nd bsn in a school orchestra concert on 9th April at Esplanade Concert Hall. Personally, it's one of the hardest symphony I've ever played. I am not very much concerned with the technical difficulties cos they will be overcome. But the 1st movement is full of hemiolas, endless dialogues between the strings, woodwinds and amongst themselves - it will require a laborious effort to make it sound decent. Even Berlin Phil couldn't do it well. How can a conductor who calls herself a policewoman and does not realise her double basses were rushing their quavers??? And that everyone is just not together?! Most of the time, she just doesn't realise how best to rehearse a student orchestra to get the desired results. Or maybe, it's empty up there.

Sibelius Symphony no.2 is nice...especially the pastoral sounds of the 1st movement. Reminds of vast green meadows and birds chirping in the dawn of day. Looking forward to hearing it live. Hee...

For book lovers, you might have heard of this FREE audiobook library online called librivox (click!). For those who haven't, it's a wonderful website that offers tons and tons of books you can download in the form of mp3s. They have such a wide range of books you'd be surprised. It ranges from bibles (yes, you read it correctly) to literature greats like Hamlet, children's stories, history books and even Princicples of Economics. I even found a collection of Beethoven's letters. I'm currently listening to Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice". The first 3 chapters were read by an Englishwoman, which suited me very well. However, I can't say the same for the rest of the book for they were read by Americans. Not very nice for a story written by an English novelist. It loses its flavour. Like putting bah kwa into clam chowder.

I'm totally hooked to Naruto now. I don't have to say more. ;)

.:. 0C o m m e n t s.:.

Friday, March 14, 2008.12:12 PM

Senior recital 13.03.08

It is finally over...

Was really nervous for the 1st half of the recital, so my favourite piece by Hummel wasn't played nicely...but kind of settled in for the 2nd half and started enjoying playing the pieces. To me, there were a few funny moments...

I was halfway through the 1st piece of the 2nd half when my mouth and throat were so dry it could combust in flames. And the stage crew brought my water bottle in backstage by mistake. So I had no water onstage and was so desperate. I took a look at my reed soaker... drink it or run in backstage to drink after this variation VI? Haha. Of cos running in in the midst of playing was impossible and it was too gross to drink the water in my reed soaker, so I tried picturing chocolate in front of me. It worked!!! Hehehe...

The other one was when I was moving so much that I almost lost my balance and quickly shifted my weight backwards to prevent me from tripping over myself in the middle of my playing. Lol.

Oh, my friend had used her phone to take some videos of me playing (the Variations and the Trio). Will post it when I get it from her!

Doing a 1hour solo recital is no joke. It's so physically & mentally tiring and the experience was so intense that after I had gone to bed, my mind was still going through all that had happened at the recital. So that kept me up till early this morning before I could finally get some sleep. Conclusion: Solo recitals are bad for health.

My friend thinks that I'm more comfortable playing with people than alone by myself. I totally agree. However, I'm glad I had a chance to push my limits - to see whether I am a solo material. Apparently not. But no regrets whatsoever. I'm still glad I did this performance degree though. A very special experience. :) Credits go to my teachers in school, friends in school who shared with me days of good and bad, friends outside who support me by helping me with getting a bassoon, reed-making tools and canes and lastly my parents who gave me their support and totally liked my recital. My dad gave me full marks for my recital. :D

Next, it's stepping out into the real world and searching for the "perfect" jobfit. Of cos it'll never be perfect. Well, still have a few months to muse. :)

.:. 0C o m m e n t s.:.

Monday, March 10, 2008.10:58 PM

No canes!

Dear old Jones Double Reed Co. has forgotten to pay for their domain space at http://www.jonesdoublereed.com/ and it has been suspended until...they pay up lah. All of us can't get our canes now since they only take orders online via the website.

What might happen months down the road if Jones still doesn't pay for its domain space:
(assuming Jones is the best cane available and the most preferred brand)

1 month: People who make their own reeds stop selling reeds. Income is reduced.

Students start buying commercially-made reeds like Rico for instance. Playing is compromised.

3 months: Bassoonists start to run out of reeds to play. Recycle reeds. Playing is very compromised. Overall pitch of orchestra and band is super compromised to 438Hz. (old reeds play flat)

6months: Bassoonists go on strike until they have new reeds made from Jones canes. Orchestras and Bands have to fly bassoonists in from other places (given that they don't play on Jones reeds). Those on low budget cancel concerts due to lack of the important bassoon section.

Music scene comes to a standstill. No people go for concerts. Restaurants and shops in the arts hub face difficulties. Gigsters have no income at all. S'pore's economy falls into a slump due to consumers' reduced expenditure and careful spending.

See how important bassoonists are? Don't take them for granted ok...reeds are most important to a bassoonist. Good reeds are hard to come by and they have to come from good quality cane.

So, help Jones get back into business by sending in your donations now! :D

.:. 0C o m m e n t s.:.

Sunday, March 9, 2008.2:15 PM

Almenraeder's way of reed-making

This excerpt's taken from an article written by Gerald E. Corey in the IDRS Journal...

(Forming the reed)

When you think the cane is ready to be folded, take a knife with a rectangular end and notch the rear of the cane (here Almenraeder means to score the tube section at the bottom only, as in his drawing, Table IV, Fig 5). The flatter the two halves are against each other at point 'a' and 'b', the better the prospect for a good reed. (See Table IV, Figs. 4 and 7.) Shape the other side of the reed blade to match the already shaped side and bind the halves together tightly (as shown in Fig. 5.).

Immerse the bound reed in water for about five minutes, and after greasing the mandrel force it between the two halves being careful not to push the mandrel quite as far into the reed as is tied with the string. If the cane has been gouged properly, the two halves will round out about the mandrel equally.

Using a wire which has had its temper removed and is flexible, attach it to the middle of the reed just where the string wrapped around it comes to an end. Unwind the string and push this wire into place as shown in Table IV, Fig. 1, at 'h' and 'i', tightening the wire again with the pliers.
Score the reed across 1/4-inch below the first wire, using the three-cornered file, so that the second wire once fastened into position will not be able to move. About four windings from the very bottom of the reed score the bark again so that when string is rewound onto the reed it will not slip.

After greasing the mandrel again, fasten the ring of it into the vise and place the reed on the mandrel. With a waxed cord, begin to bind the reed as tightly as possible, starting downwards from the second wire ring. The tighter this binding is made the less opportunity the two reed blades have to slip. If the reed does not come off the mandrel with ease, gently squeeze the cheeks of the reed and it will slip off readily.

With the reed held at the binding between the thumb and forefinger so that the flat part rests on the base of the thumb, and using a slender pen knife, carefully peel the bark off from the area 'f' and 'g'. File smooth any unevenness which remains.
Dampen the blades of the reed and place them upon a flat chopping block. Using a razor pressed against the tip of the blades, separate the halves of the reed by hitting the razor with a small hammer. The reed's tip will now have the shape of Fig. 4. If the two halves are more open than is illustrated in Fig. 3, correct this by squeezing the first wire ring. If the sides, on the other hand, be too close together, they can be opened by pressing with the pliers at points 'h' and 'i'.

(Scraping the reed)

With slightly dampened shave grass which has been squeezed flat, scrape the inside of the reed as far as it is possible to enter. Now try the reed on the bassoon to determine if the high or the low range responds best. If the low register is difficult, the fault is due to the wood being too thick near the first wire. In this case the reed is filed in this area on both blades, care being taken that a gradual taper to the tip is maintained.

When response is difficult in the upper register, more wood should be removed from the tip area of both blades. Generally speaking, the tip of the reed blades should approximate the thickness of writing paper, thickening gradually all the way to the first wire.

Scrape both sides of the reed (see Fig. 6, 'k' and 'l') a little thinner than the middle thickness of the reed. Caution must be taken that the reedmaker observe the solidity of the cane with which he works, always bearing in mind the hardness of the wood being worked. Incidentally, it is best to have the sides of the reed of equal thickness (see Fig. 8). It must be emphasized that enough thickness must be retained in the area of 'o' and 'p', (Fig. 8) to give the reed the needed power and strength. Additional ease of response can be assured by filing the inside of the reed with shave grass, always with the reed damp.

If all the foregoing instructions have been carefully observed, the reed should now be ready for use. During the first four, five or six days reeds undergo many changes. The blades may spread too far apart or come too close together. Adjustments can readily be made by following the previously given instructions. Reeds have a tendency to become stronger after the first few days' use. When this occurs scrape towards the tip of the blades as often as necessary using shave grass. A little wood may also be removed from the sides of the reed.

Any accumulation of food particles on the inside of the reed may be removed by using a chicken feather, and if the reed is used a great amount it should be aired out.

If by chance, during the gouging process, the cane which now lies near the first ring has remained too thick, the reed will not produce the lower tones on the bassoon freely. The blades will not vibrate freely or respond easily to the breath. To overcome this difficulty I have found it advisable to push the first wire ring closer to the second.

Should the opposite condition prevail, that is, too much wood gouged from the cane and the higher tones do not respond correctly the reed may be improved by pushing the first ring up towards the tip of the reed.

A word of caution: do not tamper with the ring too much. It is best to leave the ring in its original place, but if movement of the ring is needed, care should be taken to move it as little as possible. The finished reed must have the shape of the illustrated reed shown at Fig. 9.

.:. 0C o m m e n t s.:.

Friday, March 7, 2008.2:04 PM

Phone call from a friendly Indian man...

Me: Hello?
Indian: Allo...(interrupted by bad phone reception) may i speak to @#*$&(#% ...?
Me (cannot make out who he's asking for) : Who are you looking for?
Indian: Alloou....can i speak to mr mohammed -something- ?
Me: Wrong number.
Indian: Is this 6#######?
Me: Yes.
Indian: Then can i speak to mr !*&%&##^&?
Me: Who are you looking for? (getting impatient)
Indian: Can i speak to mr ($&%^#(?
Me: Er...are you looking for Mr Y?
Indian: Yes. %$(%*&%(#
Me: He's not at home.
Indian: Are you @(*$*&#%^_!... ?
Me: Are you....wat??
Indian: Do you understand English ???
Me (irritated): I don't understand it cos your accent is so strong.
Indian: ...... (and hung up)

That was quite rude of me. But you funny guy. You asking me if I understand English?!
What else could I have responded in that situation? *roll eyes*

.:. 0C o m m e n t s.:.

Wednesday, March 5, 2008.1:52 PM

Newest batch of reeds!

These 6 new reeds I made (from the last remaining stock of reed blanks). All appear satisfactory other than for 2 whose blades don't really meet perfectly. This time round, I had taken extra care to make sure the line I cut in the centre of the blade is straight - marking the centre line and bending the reed blank over the edge of a knife. Otherwise, your reed might have this kind of opening after it's cut open... (( or )) :c

This is about the most important/difficult step from my experience, since this line will determine whether both blades of your reed will meet perfectly. If they do, you'll have a well-balanced reed to start with. If not, you'll have a hard time trying to adjust a badly-formed reed. Bending the reed blank over a knife reduces that possibility of making a badly-formed reed by 60% as compared to the method of using the knife to mark a straight and fine 'cut', which almost always ends up with a smiley )) , sad (( or confused S reed.

.:. 0C o m m e n t s.:.