V12 Clarinet Reeds
V.12 reeds(grey box) in strengths 2 1/2 to 5+ (2 1/2, 3, 3 1/2, 4, 4 1/2, 5, 5+)
V.12 reeds are manufactured from cane tubes
of the same diameter as those used for saxophone reeds. This leads
to a higher manufacturing cost, as large
diameter cane is more rare.
V.12 reeds are thicker at each end :
Thickness at the tip: .10 mm (0.004 inch)
Thickness at the heel: 3.15 mm (0.124 inches,
hence the name V.12)
In comparing strengths, a V.12 strength
4 reed is almost equal to a Traditional strength 3 1/2 reed.
The Choice: Traditional Reeds vs. V12
Musicians who are not
quite sure which reed will suit them best to the nearest 1/2
strength can be helped by the fact that
the cut of these two types of reed is different.
The tone of the V.12 is generally bigger
and more consistent than that of the
Traditional reed. To evaluate the acoustic
qualities of each type of reed, it is an
interesting experiment to play them in
various acoustic settings. Indeed, many
professional clarinetists advise their
pupils to keep both V.12 and Traditional reeds in
their cases for the following reasons.
When playing in acoustics where the musician
feels that his reed sounds too 'muted,' he
may choose a traditional reed to give him
a better response and increased flexibility.
Conversely, a musician finding his tone
a little too bright (the so-called clear tone),
might change to a V.12 to achieve a darker,
warmer sound without an aggressive
edge.
In addition to the acoustic considerations
there is also the matter of the precise tonal
requirements of a particular piece to be
taken into account. Indeed many professionals
agree that one would not play the Brahms
sonatas with the same tone as that used to
perform the Rossini Variations,
These comments are relatively subjective,
but if taken into account by the musician
who is looking for a specific tone, his
choice between V.l2 and Traditional reeds can
be made more easily.
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