Reed Care
Soaking Reeds
One of the most important parts of keeping your reed functioning is soaking it properly. I have seen many young students through the years try to wet their reeds in their mouth. What this does is only wet the outside of the reed (and not very thoroughly) and not the inside. This causes the reed to vibrate inconsistently and forces the reed tip to become very open, making the reed more resistant.
I recommend getting a container that is water tight and can completely submerge the reed in water. Items that work are (thoroughly cleaned) film canisters, waterproof match vials, prescription pill containers (you can usually get an unused one if you ask your pharmacist and explain what it is for) and various rubbermaid containers. For contrabassoon the best is a large pill container from a pharmacy (I usually bring my reeds in to demonstrate what it is for). Keep it filled with fresh water.
To soak the reed, I recommend to all my clients to put the reed completely submerged in water before they take their bassoon or contrabassoon out. By the time the instrument is assembled the reed should be properly soaked. Soaking time can vary due to the reed's age and humidity levels. Also, if you haven't used your reed in a while (like an occasionally used contrabassoon reed), it is good to soak it in water for a minute or two, take it out and let it sit for anywhere from 5-30 minutes to soak up the water, and then re-soaking it again like you normally would right before you play it.
As an extra hint - keep the water container in an outside pocket of your bassoon case. This way if it leaks it won't hurt your bassoon or cause dampness inside the case (which can cause mildew).
I recommend getting a container that is water tight and can completely submerge the reed in water. Items that work are (thoroughly cleaned) film canisters, waterproof match vials, prescription pill containers (you can usually get an unused one if you ask your pharmacist and explain what it is for) and various rubbermaid containers. For contrabassoon the best is a large pill container from a pharmacy (I usually bring my reeds in to demonstrate what it is for). Keep it filled with fresh water.
To soak the reed, I recommend to all my clients to put the reed completely submerged in water before they take their bassoon or contrabassoon out. By the time the instrument is assembled the reed should be properly soaked. Soaking time can vary due to the reed's age and humidity levels. Also, if you haven't used your reed in a while (like an occasionally used contrabassoon reed), it is good to soak it in water for a minute or two, take it out and let it sit for anywhere from 5-30 minutes to soak up the water, and then re-soaking it again like you normally would right before you play it.
As an extra hint - keep the water container in an outside pocket of your bassoon case. This way if it leaks it won't hurt your bassoon or cause dampness inside the case (which can cause mildew).
Reed Storage
Where you store your reed can affect how long it will last. All reeds need to be stored in a container that protects the reed from being damaged between uses and that allows proper ventilation, allowing the reed to fully dry out between uses.
The best cases I have found for storing both bassoon and contrabassoon reeds are wooden ones where there are holes drilled into the case for ventilation and where the reed rests in between foam or ribbon and not on pegs (pegs can sometimes cause the tube to rot if the reed is pressed down too hard on the pegs preventing good air flow). As these are not a small investment (they usually start around $45 for a three reed case and go up from there), the cheaper option is a tin case, like the one Altoids are found in. If you put cotton or paper towels to pad the tin case (so that the reeds aren't just bouncing around inside) it provides good protection and very good ventilation. This is what comes with every GoBassoon reed purchase.
Beware of the plastic "vials" that some bassoon and contrabassoon reeds are sold in. Once the reeds have been soaked they should not be returned to this container as it is airtight. In a pinch, holes can be punched into these allowing some ventilation but I have found even this can reduce the life of the reed. This is why I sell my reeds in tin cases to prevent any temptation from using something that will shorten the life of your investment.
The best cases I have found for storing both bassoon and contrabassoon reeds are wooden ones where there are holes drilled into the case for ventilation and where the reed rests in between foam or ribbon and not on pegs (pegs can sometimes cause the tube to rot if the reed is pressed down too hard on the pegs preventing good air flow). As these are not a small investment (they usually start around $45 for a three reed case and go up from there), the cheaper option is a tin case, like the one Altoids are found in. If you put cotton or paper towels to pad the tin case (so that the reeds aren't just bouncing around inside) it provides good protection and very good ventilation. This is what comes with every GoBassoon reed purchase.
Beware of the plastic "vials" that some bassoon and contrabassoon reeds are sold in. Once the reeds have been soaked they should not be returned to this container as it is airtight. In a pinch, holes can be punched into these allowing some ventilation but I have found even this can reduce the life of the reed. This is why I sell my reeds in tin cases to prevent any temptation from using something that will shorten the life of your investment.
Keeping Reeds Clean
Keeping your reeds clean is an easy way to extend the life of your reed. I will end this article with instructions how to clean a reed but cleaning it can also shorten the reed's life so the best bet is to not let it get dirty to begin with.
Exterior
Reed blades can turn grey or black with mildew if not stored properly. Keeping them in a well ventilated case is a good place to start (see Reed Storage above). But also keep in mind where the reed case is kept. If you keep your reed case in a musty, old, dark bassoon case then it wouldn't be surprising that the moisture on the reed causes mildew to grow. Try keeping it in a pocket outside the case or in a separate bag. Mildew is pretty reticent stuff. If you keep a new reed with an old reed that has mildew on it then the new reed will start to mildew. If you keep a new reed in a case that used to store mildewy reeds then again they will also start to mildew. Your best bet is if any reed starts to change color, never use that same reed case to store any new reeds (keep the new reed case stored somewhere else in your case if you can).
Lipstick, lipgloss and chapstick can also hurt the exterior of your reed. Make sure your lips are clean before playing.
Interior
The best way to protect the inside of your reed is done in two steps. First making sure that you always soak your reed in clean, fresh water and never in your mouth (see Soaking Reeds above). Second, always make sure that you have brushed your teeth or gargled with mouthwash before playing. Residue from food particles or bacteria from food and beverages you drink can cause buildup between your reeds blades (to check for buildup, pinch the blades of the reed together gently, and look to see if something appears on the inside of your reed). If this buildup gets to be to much it can stop your reed from vibrating properly and change the internal shape of the reed.
Cleaning
It should be mentioned again, that the best way to clean your reeds is to never let them get dirty but if it is already too late here are a few things that you can try (they don't always work but it least is something to try). The very first thing to try (and minimally invasive) is running your reed under very warm water. You can also use an arrowhead plaque (a reed tool) to help gently scrape out a little of the buildup that has developed in your reed. Next is to try threading a pipe cleaner through it (like the soft fuzzy ones you used in grade school art projects) while holding it under running water. And finally you can completely submerge your reed in hydrogen peroxide and then run it under warm water until clean. This last step should be your very last option as the reed usually only lasts for a couple of playings after doing this.
Exterior
Reed blades can turn grey or black with mildew if not stored properly. Keeping them in a well ventilated case is a good place to start (see Reed Storage above). But also keep in mind where the reed case is kept. If you keep your reed case in a musty, old, dark bassoon case then it wouldn't be surprising that the moisture on the reed causes mildew to grow. Try keeping it in a pocket outside the case or in a separate bag. Mildew is pretty reticent stuff. If you keep a new reed with an old reed that has mildew on it then the new reed will start to mildew. If you keep a new reed in a case that used to store mildewy reeds then again they will also start to mildew. Your best bet is if any reed starts to change color, never use that same reed case to store any new reeds (keep the new reed case stored somewhere else in your case if you can).
Lipstick, lipgloss and chapstick can also hurt the exterior of your reed. Make sure your lips are clean before playing.
Interior
The best way to protect the inside of your reed is done in two steps. First making sure that you always soak your reed in clean, fresh water and never in your mouth (see Soaking Reeds above). Second, always make sure that you have brushed your teeth or gargled with mouthwash before playing. Residue from food particles or bacteria from food and beverages you drink can cause buildup between your reeds blades (to check for buildup, pinch the blades of the reed together gently, and look to see if something appears on the inside of your reed). If this buildup gets to be to much it can stop your reed from vibrating properly and change the internal shape of the reed.
Cleaning
It should be mentioned again, that the best way to clean your reeds is to never let them get dirty but if it is already too late here are a few things that you can try (they don't always work but it least is something to try). The very first thing to try (and minimally invasive) is running your reed under very warm water. You can also use an arrowhead plaque (a reed tool) to help gently scrape out a little of the buildup that has developed in your reed. Next is to try threading a pipe cleaner through it (like the soft fuzzy ones you used in grade school art projects) while holding it under running water. And finally you can completely submerge your reed in hydrogen peroxide and then run it under warm water until clean. This last step should be your very last option as the reed usually only lasts for a couple of playings after doing this.
Rotating Reeds
Reed rotation is something I have been experimenting with for quite a while. It is a method that can double the time your reed lasts. Instead of using one reed at a time until it finally dies and then switching to a new reed, try using two reeds (or more) and rotate them: use one reed one day and then give it the "day off" and use the other reed the next day. By allowing the reeds this extra rest you will find that both reeds will last much longer than if you had used two reeds consecutively. I usually have at least one reed for every day of the week for bassoon and usually three reeds on rotation for contrabassoon.