Double Reed Dynamics

[msupples]

I'm looking to reed more about the dynamics of double reeds and how the various dimensional variation can affect tuning, response, and tone.

For example, if I were to make two reeds that squawked at the same pitch, but one had a longer head and shorter staple, the other shorter head and longer staple, how would the tuning and responsiveness vary in the same chanter or regulator? What about larger vs. smaller staple eye? How does head width affect the above mentioned parameters?

I'd love to find a resource to read about this without having to make dozens of reeds (it takes me long enough just to make one)!

Thanks!

[benoit trémolières]

I'm working on that since years !
Je job is probably far from beeing finished, but if y wanted to write down all I have discovered, it would take pages and a very long time ! (Especially in english!)
All I can say is that, concerning the blades, you can not figure the things out in terms of mesurements.
You have to think: stiffness and flexibility, and how they are reparted around the surface.

The staple is working quite the same than the bore, but as soon as you modify the eye aperture, you change the blades setting, with noticeable consequences.
There's a few rules, but one more time, it's a to big job for me to explain the whole thing by writing.
Y have allready written a good deal of it, but it's in french, and only a first draft.

If by chance you come in France, just spend a few weeks at my home: i'll be glad to share all I can tell !

[rorybbellows]

Forget about reading about reeds, make three reeds everyday for the rest of your life and you will learn everything you need to know about reeds.

RORY

[bcullen]

Trying to understand reeds is a nightmare. I have made passable reeds for my Hunter chanter. I now have a brilliant reed that
came from trial and error. I was making the head bigger and the staple narrower and getting passable reeds. Now I am making the
head narrower leaving the staple at about 1.50mm X 52mm + Brass tube and my reeds are excellent. So I got to work on the many 13mm + reed heads, shaved approx 1/2 mm of each side blended the edges . They work so well that I will experiment making a larger reed head getting it voiced with the chanter and then trim to see how far i can go and what happens. Sometimes serendipity is the result of lots of hard work.

Write everything down and experiment




Bryan

[Sean Jones]

For years I've tried to compile rules for reed parameters. It's really hard correlate anything. I thinks it's a bit like carrots being good for night vision, they only help if you have a vitamin deficiency. Sometimes you make a change that brings in an octave tuning or stabilises one of the D's, but then it just doesn't apply to other reeds.
For me the solution is to make reeds regularly so that my method is repeatable. That way I can make one change at a time and try to make sense of the difference whilst making some good reeds in with the not so good.
Try not to blame the cane. I make a lot of plastic reeds for border and small pipes and the same thing applies even though the materials are uniform and consistent!

Sean

[PJ]

Dave Hegarty's Reed Maker's Guide has a trouble-shooting section in which he describes various problems and possible solutions, which could provide some answers to your questions, in terms of how overall length, staple length, reed-head width, length of "V", etc. affect tuning.

[msupples]

Thanks for the replies. I've been reading some of the suggestions. I guess I'll be making a lot of reeds!

[billh]

You say "dozens of reeds". Think hundreds.

The big variables to keep in mind when learning (and keeping good notes!) are: crow pitch, stiffness, internal volume, lip aperture/elevation. These four are tightly interconnected.

The big factors that should be constant: symmetry, airtightness, low or well regulated internal stresses. The reed should shut cleanly without the centers of the lips touching first.