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As per some advice I got a short while back, I started breaking in my reeds. I would play them Messo Piano for 10 minutes, no articulation, no real low or high notes and put them away. The following day I'd wail on them as usual but for 15-20 minutes, then put them away. Day 3 it's normal playing.
This is a pain whenever I have a new box, the first 50-60 minutes of my practice consists of quiet long tones & middle key scale work. I have new reeds coming in tomorrow and I'm thinking about just wailing on them right away.
I do use printer paper to flatten the back and top, then soak them for a few minutes before I play them.
A reed is made of Cane. It's strongest when you first purchase it, they're designed for longevity. I don't see how playing them right out of the box could "Kill the reed" which is why most recommend MP playing in short bursts for the first few days.
Why would a reed all of a sudden have a longer life span when playing full blast after fussing with it? If a reed can hold up to wailing on it for hours upon hours after a break in period, why can't it hold up to wailing on it for hours upon hours right out of the box?
Does the break in magically change the formula of the reed, the composition of the reed, the fibre structure of the reed?
I could cut time back to wailing on them as normal for 10-15 minutes a day for the first few days before playing them longer if that would truly make a difference. Again, why would doing this for a few days increase the life of the reed vs just playing it for 4 hours straight right out of the box. I don't see how the science actually works behind it.
What do you guys do? For those who just pop in and play, did you ever notice a difference if you cut your sessions down to 10-15 minutes for the first few days before you spend an hour plus on that reed?
I have Jazz selects coming in tomorrow, I'm very excited to try them! I don't want to wait a few days before I can see what there all about, I just want to play them straight away! I also don't want to pre-maturely kill my reeds if wailing on them right away can actually damage there longevity.
Where is Bill Nye the Science guy when you need him?
This is a pain whenever I have a new box, the first 50-60 minutes of my practice consists of quiet long tones & middle key scale work. I have new reeds coming in tomorrow and I'm thinking about just wailing on them right away.
I do use printer paper to flatten the back and top, then soak them for a few minutes before I play them.
A reed is made of Cane. It's strongest when you first purchase it, they're designed for longevity. I don't see how playing them right out of the box could "Kill the reed" which is why most recommend MP playing in short bursts for the first few days.
Why would a reed all of a sudden have a longer life span when playing full blast after fussing with it? If a reed can hold up to wailing on it for hours upon hours after a break in period, why can't it hold up to wailing on it for hours upon hours right out of the box?
Does the break in magically change the formula of the reed, the composition of the reed, the fibre structure of the reed?
I could cut time back to wailing on them as normal for 10-15 minutes a day for the first few days before playing them longer if that would truly make a difference. Again, why would doing this for a few days increase the life of the reed vs just playing it for 4 hours straight right out of the box. I don't see how the science actually works behind it.
What do you guys do? For those who just pop in and play, did you ever notice a difference if you cut your sessions down to 10-15 minutes for the first few days before you spend an hour plus on that reed?
I have Jazz selects coming in tomorrow, I'm very excited to try them! I don't want to wait a few days before I can see what there all about, I just want to play them straight away! I also don't want to pre-maturely kill my reeds if wailing on them right away can actually damage there longevity.
Where is Bill Nye the Science guy when you need him?