- Does F4 crack? If so, the reed is too strong. Flatten the first wire. Rarely, the second wire may be too round. Also, check the tip bevel for the proper taper.
- Is F4 flat but the rest of the reed is sharp? If so, the rails from the front third to the middle third of the reed are too heavy in proportion to the spine. Work in very small increments to avoid over scraping. Integrate with the overall taper of the rails.
Result of Wire Work: more flexible, flatter, more responsive, more free blowing
Result of Scraping: more stable, seems stronger
The material in this learning module comes from The Banana of Life: Peeling Away the Mysteries of Reed Making for the Bassoon by Rian Craypo and has been edited for clarity by Jessi Vandagriff. Please do not share or distribute this information to those not using the decision-based learning model. Used with permission. Fingering and note diagrams were generated using the free resources from Bret Pimentel.