dstack79 said:
Response is sluggish, sound is dead, and all the reeds feel too hard......
Have you considered the possibility that the reeds
are too hard? Try a slightly softer reed, or, if you think they're only slightly too hard, give them a light sanding.
Back on the original topic, I don't understand how humidity can dry out reeds. I would think just the opposite would be the case. Dry heat, otoh, would do this and is a definite problem when playing outdoors in a hot, dry climate. I'm lucky to live on the coast (heat is never a problem here, lol), but occasionally I have to go inland and play an outdoor gig in the summer (in Calif.). As long as I'm playing during a set, the reed doesn't get much chance to dry out. After a break, at the start of a set, I take the reed off, put it in my mouth to get it wet again, then put it back on the mpc and I'm ready to go.