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Reed Tables and Warping
Why is a flat table so important
Though often overlooked, even in advanced reed making and adjustment texts, the flatness of the
reed table (and corresponding region of the mouthpiece) is one of the most important factors in
the reed/mouthpiece/instrument system.
Unless the table of the reed is extremely flat, air will leak around or under the reed. Gaps can also
form between the reed and the table/facing. Even a tiny leak or gap will severley reduce the overall
efficiency of the system.
As every woodwind player knows, leaks are the bane of woodwind performance; even a small leak
at the mouthpiece table diminishes the performance the system at every stage. Even minor gaps
rob energy from the reed vibration and can deaden the sound drastically.
Mass Produced Reeds
Reeds are manufactured from a plant with the Latin name arundo donax. Reed cane grows in
stalks that look similar to bamboo. The stalks are cut and cured, then the outer region is cut
lengthwise to produce reed blanks. These reed blanks are then machined to the desired reed
profile in a special purpose reed-cutting machine.
The material of the reed is the work of nature, and each reed, no matter how precisely cut, is
unique. In cross section, the reed is composed of vertical fibers and pith. In nature, the vertical
fibers transport water and nutrients up and down the length of the cane.
Though often overlooked, even in advanced reed making and adjustment texts, the flatness of the
reed table (and corresponding region of the mouthpiece) is one of the most important factors in
the reed/mouthpiece/instrument system.
Unless the table of the reed is extremely flat, air will leak around or under the reed. Gaps can also
form between the reed and the table/facing. Even a tiny leak or gap will severley reduce the overall
efficiency of the system.
As every woodwind player knows, leaks are the bane of woodwind performance; even a small leak
at the mouthpiece table diminishes the performance the system at every stage. Even minor gaps
rob energy from the reed vibration and can deaden the sound drastically.
Mass Produced Reeds
Reeds are manufactured from a plant with the Latin name arundo donax. Reed cane grows in
stalks that look similar to bamboo. The stalks are cut and cured, then the outer region is cut
lengthwise to produce reed blanks. These reed blanks are then machined to the desired reed
profile in a special purpose reed-cutting machine.
The material of the reed is the work of nature, and each reed, no matter how precisely cut, is
unique. In cross section, the reed is composed of vertical fibers and pith. In nature, the vertical
fibers transport water and nutrients up and down the length of the cane.
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