Bassoon Reeds

**spopepro** · 05-04-2010

I know there are some music enthusiasts here and figured that it might be fun to outline the process that all of us double reed players have to go through as part of playing our instruments. I hope that there aren't any accomplished players lurking... I'm by no means a pro at this.

I buy my cane (species: arundo donax) already gouged, shaped and profiled. The tools to do these steps cost upwards of $6k so only the most committed do these themselves. Pieces come flat ready to be formed into blanks.

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After soaking the pieces, the cane is folded and wires are wrapped to hold the tube shape and allow for adjustment later.

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Thread helps support the cane as a mandrel is used to bend the two flat pieces into a round tube. About 1 out of every 10 or so just splits and is lost.

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After the tube is formed, the lower reed is sealed using clear nail polish and then wrapped with thread. The fancy wrapped thread is kind of a nod to tradition, as waxed thread would be used to seal the tube 100 years ago. Now it just gives some support and a nice place to hold, but I couldn't imagine making a reed without the wrap.

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The blank is finished and will sit for 3 weeks to settle.

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The finishing of the reed controls the tone and response. A ledge is cut to make a clear divider between tube (not vibrating) and beak (vibrating).

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After some rough filing to get the shape close, the tip is cut to make the opening.

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Knives are used to to fine work to remove cane from specific parts to enable correct response. Since no two pieces of cane are the same density throughout, there is no measurement that can be replicated here. Scrape some cane, check for seal, crow (the noise the reed makes when played alone tells much about how the reed will play on the instrument) and repeat until it's all good. My prized tools are my 4" double hollow ground blades.

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The reed is now "finished" but won't be ready for public performance for another month or so. The cane will settle, the xylem will get plugged and collapse a little and the reed will play into shape. I could make a reed that sounds good right away, but it would only be good for a week or so. A good reed will last me about 6 months in rotation.

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**zetroc** · 05-04-2010

Nice job. Being a brass player I had no idea that double reed instruments took that kind of dedication.

**Too Tall** · 05-04-2010

Busted ;) I played Bassoon starting in 5th grade thru college and 1/2 yr. in DC symphony orchestra. I've still got a well loved roll of soft brass wire and some old tools that get used for other things these days. I played a modified Puchner and heckler bocals. My funny old teacher insisted that I learn how to make reeds early on and like yourself always had a rack of 12 to 15 marching around my peg rack!!! My best reeds were kept in a shirt pocket in a velvet lined hard leather case. Jayzus dewd you are taking me way back. You work looks nice :)

**soupless** · 05-05-2010

I love double reeds. Especially English Horn, you got one of those?

**Too Tall** · 05-05-2010

Originally Posted by soupless

I love double reeds. Especially English Horn, you got one of those?

Double reed players spend alot of time in O2 debt. They be a bit tetched in the head ;)

**dashDustin** · 05-06-2010

Damn. Impressive.

I played sax, and got to the point where I'd buy stock 3.5 Vandorens and tweak them as needed. Always wanted to learn how to make my own, but never got around to it.

**Bob Ross** · 11-12-2010

Originally Posted by spopepro

I hope that there aren't any accomplished players lurking... I'm by no means a pro at this.

It's funny you mention that. My only direct experience with bassoon players has been with accomplished players (during grad school at the conservatory and then various professional performances thereafter) and I always just presumed that the only people with the patience & dedication to be bassoonists already had achieved a pretty high level of musical accomplishment on some other instrument before they even became bassoonists. It never occurred to me that someone starting out would be able to deal with the idiosyncracies of playing the damn thing, much less having to make your own reeds! And so (sadly) I've never met a beginner or amateur bassoonist before...it's encouraging to learn they don't just spring fully formed from Zeus' forehead...or from bored clarinetists. :)

**Too Tall** · 11-12-2010

No kidding Bob. One of my teachers was recently profiled in the Washington Post because he is now playing a recently perfected contra-bassoon. Very interesting stuff for ah uh maybe 10 people in the entire universe ;) Now I'm interested in learning to play piano badly.