Questions tagged [reeds]
A piece of thin cane, metal, or other material, sometimes doubled, that vibrates in a current of air to produce a sound on a musical instrument.
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Can a reed be mounted to directly vibrate strings? [closed]
Can a reed be mounted in such a way as to directly vibrate a string?
Granted that for the sake of playability, the string instrument would have a length similar to a 1/8 violin. Also, how much would ...
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Diatonic harmonica: draw bends from Hole 1 to Hole 6 - principles
Why the diatonic harmonica have different draw bends available? What is the principle behind this setup?
Like:
Hole 1 draw bend has only 1 semitone down.
Hole 2 draw bend has 2 choices of semitones ...
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Diatonic harmonica: How to play the draw bend with the three semitones down (effectively)?
For the diatonic harmonica, in the 3rd draw position B, how to play the draw bend with the three semitones down (marked in blue rectangle) B, Bb, A?
I could play a semitones down, most easily in the ...
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If I were to switch from playing clarinet (6 years) to starting oboe, how hard would it be? [closed]
So I'm aware that oboe is one of the hardest instruments to pick up and learn (partially because of embouchure, reed maintenance, etc.) but I love the instrument and I'd really like to start learning. ...
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Why are western double-reed instruments smoother than double-reed instruments outside Europe?
When one thinks of the timbre of double reed instruments, we tend to divide them as two groups:
Oboe, English horn, bassoon. (Western instruments.) The sound is very smooth and pure.
Other double-...
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Why do bagpipes drones use single reeds?
At least in the Great Highland Bagpipes, the drones use single reeds while the chanter uses double reeds. What is the reason for this, and would the bagpipes still work if the chanter had single reeds ...
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Which types of woods or materials make good reeds?
A reed is often attached to a musical instrument. They come in different quantities, such as double or triple. I wonder which type of wood and/or other material is available for making an effective ...
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How do I know where to place holes on an instrument?
I've been trying to build a double reeded instrument out of plastic straws. I've run into a problem though, when I place fingering holes, the instrument doesn't seem to follow the $$f=/frac{nv}{4L}$$ ...
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Is it possible to make a single free reed that plays on both air directions?
If you open an accordion, you will find that for every button there are two reeds, one which plays when in the pull direction of the bellows and one in the push. Sometimes these reeds are tuned to ...
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When playing the oboe, should I touch the top or the bottom side of the reed?
I have been playing the oboe for one year now but I was touching the reed on its top side and I was told that's now the best way.
My teacher says I should touch just the bottom side
So my question ...
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Are there any melodicas out there that use steel reeds?
Or another ferromagnetic material.
Most Harmonicas use Brass reeds, I think Seydel is the only exception, who make the "session steel", a stainless steel reeded harmonica. Seydel don't make ...
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Any way to make my oboe reed shorter?
I had an oboe reed handmade for me and the reed itself is very good and responsive, but the cork of the reed is too long, essentially making everything I play sound flat, even when pushed in all the ...
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Possible Harmonium/Reed Organ Synthesizing Techniques
I am working on a project to make a synthesizer for RaspberryPi capable of playing Harmonium/Reed Organ using external MIDI keyboard. I am making it in Python 2.7 using Numpy. Till now I have ...
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How closely related in history, construction and use are these two instruments?
A friend shared these two videos with me. He called the double reed instrument a Suona and said that it is traditional both in the Middle East, and central Asia, China and Taiwan. I do not know what ...
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Is this theoretical "reed" acoustically possible?
I suppose this isn't exactly a reed, but it seems like a method of producing a sound that I've never seen on any instrument, at least on any commonly known instrument.
This "reed" consists of two ...
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A tenor mouthpiece made to use alto reeds
Around 15 years ago I played in a band with a tenor sax player who had a metal (silver or aluminum finish) mouthpiece but he used alto reeds. This seems strange to me, but I know this to be true ...
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Why can't oboes play softly while clarinets can?
Clarinets are famed for being able to play diminuendo and crescendo to and from niente. Oboes, however, have trouble playing in very low dynamics.
The difference in construction of oboe and clarinet ...
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Reed of the Duduk —how to get a sound?
Does anyone know how wide the reed is supposed to be open? Also do I need to squeeze it together again while playing?
I have two reeds, one 5 mm open, the other 2.5, but out of neither can I squeeze ...
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who were the first known people to play a reed instrument
I would like to know who the first people to come up with the idea of reed instruments of any kind
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Is it possible to play all melody songs on 10 hole diatonic harmonica?
I know that melody songs can be easily played on a chromatic harmonica. I have horner Chrometta 12 as well as Horner golden melody. However I feel tunes from 10 holes diatonic harmonica are better ...
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Strength of clarinet plastic reeds compared to wooden
I play the clarinet at an intermediate-advanced level, and I have recently joined an orchestra. Our conductor wants all the woodwinds to switch to plastic reeds, since they are more audible in the ...
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Is there a pickup for Melodica?
I've got a couple of melodicas I want to run through guitar pedals, especially distortion and wah and then run the signal into a guitar amp.
Is there some kind of pickup I can put in or attach to ...
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Difference between different kinds and brands of reeds on the alto sax
I've been playing with traditional Vandoren reed strenght 3, and Rico Royal strengt 3,5
I want to try the Vandoren Java.
What is the difference between red and green java? And is is a big ...
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Stronger reeds for clarinet and saxophone
Are stronger reeds an advantage for playing clarinet and saxophone? If so, how?
I usually play with a 2½ strength reed.
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Effect of Rubbing Alcohol Upon Reeds
Apparently it is common to briefly soak reeds in rubbing alcohol to disinfect them. This could be due to sickness, reed-sharing, etc.
Any thoughts on how damaging this would be to the cane?
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Why isn't there a reed aerophone with valves?
Most reed instruments instruments have keys or finger holes. Most brass instruments have valves. There are brass instruments with keys, though, like the (fairly unsuccessful) keyed bugle. I can find ...
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What is the best position for a Sax reed?
What is the best position for a Sax reed? Is it to be level with the front edge of the mouthpiece or slightly ahead or behind the front edge? By how much. Is this the same for Clarinet too?
I have ...
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Adjusting clarinet or saxophone reeds
How do various techniques and equipments for adjusting reeds compare? e.g.
(blade perpendicular strokes)
(Tom Ridenour's Tools + DVD)
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What is the benefit of soaking double reeds in water?
My bassoon teacher advises me to soak my reed in water before playing. Apparently water has properties that my saliva alone doesn't. Why would this be useful?
Also I have seen Oboe players doing this,...
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