Bassoon Reed Making:

A Zen Art

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Contents and Intentions

Reed making is a very complicated process. It is both technical and artistic. This presentation will acquaint you with the art and craft of making bassoon reeds. Marvel at the great detail that is involved. I entitled the presentation “Bassoon Reed Making: A Zen Art” because it is absolutely necessary to become as stress-free as possible when making reeds. You must learn to enjoy simplification even within such great detail and care. Otherwise, you just may go crazy!

Here is a basic outline of the details of reed making included in this presentation: Tools for beginners, function of each: beginners should at least form their

own reeds and be able to finish the blanks. Tools for more advanced reed makers The Process (due to time constraints there will not be complete picture

demonstrations for every step of the process…yet. Check back later!) Profiling Shaping: excel w/chart of different sizes of shaper

Forming Wrapping Finishing

Making Reeds is a very important part of my life. I hope this presentation helps you understand my world a little better.

The Path to PeaceTHE PROBLEM• Making reeds takes a lot of

time and practice• This can be frustrating

when you are under pressure (e.g., you need new reeds badly because the old ones aren’t working anymore)

• One tiny slip-up can destroy the delicate cane and you have to start over with a new piece

A SOLUTION• Making reeds does NOT

need to be stressful• You can lead yourself to a

calm state of mind by accepting the process and the cane as-is

• You will work more slowly and carefully

• Your reeds will turn out better

• You will learn to enjoy every moment of the process!

Yay!

Essential Toolsfor beginners

Reed Knife

Double-hollow ground or single-beveled

edge, made of sword steel or some equally strong steel. Used for

delicate finishing work.

Arrow Plaque

Sculptured, made of nickel. Placed

between the blades of a reed for security during finishing.

Pliers

Used for forming the tube, placing and

tightening wires, and opening or closing the reed blades for better

response. I prefer pliers with the tube shape included and

serrated jaws to clip wires.

Brass Wire

22-gauge brass wire, for supporting the

shape and form of the reed. The wire is

basically the skeleton of the reed.

Mandrel

Used for forming the tube of the reed and

holds it securely during wire adjustments and

blade finishing. I prefer a mandrel with

removable mandrel tips and drying rack

included.

Reamer

Sharp spiraled flutes of steel with firm wooden or plastic handle. Used

to widen the inside throat of the formed reed, for response,

intonation, and so it fits properly on the bocal.

Diamond FilesUsed for finishing work when cane is very soft and you want an even removal of cane from the blades. Some bassoonists prefer files to using a reed knife for all their finishing work.

ShoelaceUsed for forming the

blank, keeps the pressure even across the entire reed as you

knead it with the pliers.

More Advanced Tools

Dial Indicator

Measures the thickness of the reed blades or

the cane at any points desired.

Profiling Machine

The prized possession of every bassoonist. A

very expensive tool which cuts off the

precise thickness of bark from gouged cane

that the bassoonist requires for his/her

reeds.

Shaper Used to precisely create the desired shape of cane for folding over and

creating into a good reed. Symmetry is

essential. Point A is the length of the tip opening, B is the

smallest length, the throat, and C is the length of the base.

Tip Cutter A very useful tool for cutting the tip of the reed once it is formed and wrapped. If unable to get one of these tools, using the reed knife and a cutting block should suffice. This tool ensures there will be an even cut across the blade, error-free.

Price Each140.00$ 46.00$ 10.50$ 50.00$ 24.00$ 10.00$

100.00$ 1.75$

1,500.00$ 195.00$ 188.00$ 125.00$

2,390.25$

Files

Tip CutterShaper w/ 1 tipDial Indicator

Price of Reed Making

COST OF BASSOON TOOLS

ReamerHeat Shrink TubingProfiling Machine

ITEMReed Knife

PliersArrow Plaque

Mandrel/ Drying RackBrass Wire, 1 lb

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

Reed Knife

Pliers

Arrow Plaque

Mandrel/Drying Rack

Brass Wire, 1 lb

Files

Reamer

Heat Shrink Tubing

Profiling Machine

Tip Cutter

Shaper w/1 tip

Dial Indicator

Price of Reed Making

THE PROCESS

There are several stages that a piece of cane goes through in becoming a reed. I begin my reed-making from the fourth stage. The first three,

splitting the tube cane, filiering it, and gouging it, will not be shown in this presentation.

ProfilingThese instructions come with the Mark Popkin Bassoon/Contrabassoon

Profiling Machine.

• Soak gouged cane in warm water for at least 12 hours.• Center the soaked cane on the profiling machine barrel• Remove cane by grasping the knife carrier firmly with the right

hand and pulling it toward you while rotating the cane barrel slowly with each cut. Be careful not to jam the knife by cuttin grepeatedly in the same position.

• Reverse the barrel and repeat #3.• Continue removing cane by reversing the barrel with each

completed series of cuts. Use very little pressure, and be patient.

Shaping• I use the Rigotti Folding Shaper with Tip #3 (wide shape).• Fold the profiled cane in exactly the center so the shoulders meet,

on the shaper. Clamp the cane to the shaper tightly.• Use the X-acto knife to carefully remove the excess cane so it

conforms to the shaper. Cut down from the tip to smallest part of the shaper (the throat) and from the base of the cane to the smallest part until there is no more excess cane.

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

#1 Shape #2 Shape #3 Shape

Tip

Throat

Back

Comparison of Dimensions: Rigotti Shaper tips

(in millimeters)

Forming the Tube1. Bevel the inside of the rails toward the bottom of the cane with an X-

acto knife or the reed knife. Hold the cane so the blade portion is perpendicular to the floor. Place the knife blade parallel to the floor against the side of the reed 2/8 inch below the shoulder on the barky part of the cane. Bend the knife inward to a 17° angle and slowly drag the knife down to the bottom of the cane.

2. Place the first wire at 1/8 inch from the shoulder. Twist tightly with the pliers and clip off any excessively pokey parts extending from the twist.

3. Wrap tightly in wet shoelace or thick string. Soak in warm water for 5 minutes.

4. Insert mandrel tip into back of reed with shoelace still on. Begin kneading the very back of the reed to conform to the round shape of the mandrel. Slowly work the cane further onto the mandrel and start kneading up closer and closer to the throat, to about ½ inch. Check to see if the cane is conforming evenly to the shape of the mandrel, and that it is round in the back. Remove the shoelace.

5. Place the third wire on the reed. The twisted part of the wire should be on the same side as the first wire’s.

Wrapping the ReedMost bassoonists use embroidery thread or reed wrapping thread to create a turban around the base of the reed, to prevent air leaks and maintain a solidly sealed tube.

I prefer to use heat shrink wrap, a plastic that when heated next to a flame will shrink to form around the blank. It is less time-consuming and very effective, although not as beautiful.

Finishing the BlankPart One

1. Bend the wires down onto the sides of the blank. Clip them shorter if necessary. While the blank is still dry, ream the tube. Then soak the reed for five minutes. Ream the tube again after it is fully soaked.

2. Clip the tip using the tip cutter. I like to clip the tip once the blades will measure 1 inch from the shoulder to the tip.

3. Using the reed knife, carefully work down from 1/8 inch to the tip evenly across so it is very thin and even on both sides.

4. File down the back of the blades with the flat file up to 3/8 from the shoulder so it is an even .035-in thickness. Check this with the dial indicator, or by eye (so it looks straight). Try not to take too much off the back.

Finishing the BlankPart Two

5. Form the spine of the reed by working the rails down a bit evenly on both sides with the flat file. Work both rails on each blade at a 45° angle from the center.

6. File again close to the tip but at angles from the center of the reed so that a crescent moon shape is formed and visible when you hold the reed up to light.

7. Crow on the reed. With a tuner, check the pitch. Anywhere between a sharp Eb and F# is a healthy crow. If the pitch is too low, clip the tip just a little bit again. If the reed is sharp or bright, DO NOTHING just yet. Don’t get carried away and take off too much cane at once. As reeds age, they darken. You may need to make adjustments to it later, but

Resources

Pictures from www.forrestsmusic.com and www.charlesdoublereeds.com

Knowledge of reed making from my teacher, Dr. Don DaGrade