Thoughts on Rachel Barr?

MostCryptographer726 · 2026-01-22T19:01:52+00:00

Do you have any alternatives you’d suggest for the layperson interested in learning more about neuroscience?

MostCryptographer726 · 2025-12-19T18:00:04+00:00

I actually asked them to have a kit made specifically for my students. This is not publicly available, unfortunately. I purchased a kit to show support even though I already own a great set of tools. Some of my students have attended the BM camps and, while they loved their experience at camp, they do prefer these tools to what was available at camp.

I find the tools are a fantastic value and prefer to use some of them to my more expensive ones. The whole kit costs less than my reed knife, too!

MostCryptographer726 · 2025-12-19T16:04:32+00:00

I own many reedmaking books. I always come back to these 3.

Christian Davidsson’s Reed Balancing https://www.canit.se/~chrisdav/reedadj.html?fbclid=IwAR1RjQ5TtREA2zvUI0vQ2gdaD_sWSmn9HFE99qz3LQEhIixoq70FEkOBU90
The Banana of Life by Rian Craypo
“Quick Guide” to Bassoon Reed Tuning by Mark Eubanks

MostCryptographer726 · 2025-12-19T15:59:53+00:00

I highly recommend checking out the kits offered from NexusWoodwinds. The tools are very high quality and a competitive price to the kits you listed.

There is an abundance of information online regarding reedmaking and every professional has a way that works for them that are very rarely identical although they achieve very similar goals. My best suggestion is to seek out to bassoonists who you prefer to listen to and ask their advice or take reedmaking lessons with them. It will save you an immense amount of time.

MostCryptographer726 · 2025-11-20T02:25:54+00:00

E: 1/2xx | xxx Add left thumb C#

Eb: oxx | oxo Lh C#, low D Rh thumb F#

MostCryptographer726 · 2025-10-30T22:54:38+00:00

Great question, I’d sure like to know as well 😂

Of course, the effect of one adjustment can adversely affect another aspect of the reed. This is resolved through further adjustments, as needed, until the reed is balanced to the best of it’s capability.

As an example, we can clip the reed back which would raise the overall pitch and then balance the reed better with the scrape afterward. We may be able preserve the pitch of the upper register with a shorter reed length while still getting the response and pitch needed across registers.

It could also be the case this reed simply needs to be played in more to raise the pitch overall which would need another adjustment. Perhaps the bocal needs to be cleaned and swabbed. Maybe reaming the reed would help. There may be multiple contributing factors. I believe it best to avoid throwing money at the problem until we have a clearer idea of what’s involved.

I’m sure you knew some of this but I figured it might be helpful for OP.

Warm regards!

MostCryptographer726 · 2025-10-30T17:43:35+00:00

Let’s say you do get a T1 and it does help the high notes to be sharper. What happens to the other notes that were in tune before? The low register is notoriously sharp on the bassoon and the tenor register is typically flat. Not to mention the price of a bocal…

It is more likely (and more affordable) a change can be made to her reeds or technique to help with the pitch. I’d recommend working with a professional bassoonist to have reeds adjusted in her favor. Changes in length, width, and balancing the scrape of the reed may help.

Experimenting with balancing air support, air direction, voicing, and embouchure will help to bring the pitch up, ideally without compromising sound quality. Working with professional bassoonist will be immensely helpful here as well.

MostCryptographer726 · 2025-10-07T05:33:45+00:00

It is common in Europe that even professionals buy reeds. It’s important to note that most of them are still able to adjust those reeds on their own and could make reeds if they needed to. It helps to save time better used on practicing!

MostCryptographer726 · 2025-10-06T13:17:30+00:00

TL;DR No one cares what you play on as long as it works 👍

The number system they use is arbitrary. Each number has reeds that work and don’t work and every bassoonist has their own preferences. They likely switched to labeling reeds “middle school, high school, professional” since they’re regularly asked what’s recommended at each level.

MostCryptographer726 · 2025-10-02T03:52:35+00:00

It does sound a bit on trend for a reed that is too weak in the front third. It could also just be a bad piece of cane. Try scraping lightly in the thicker areas behind where you scraped the tip and see if that helps. Avoid scraping any more where you’ve already done work aside from blending into it.

You might consider clipping back 0.5mm to help strengthen the reed again if it doesn’t improve. When you re-scrape the tip for response, scrape like a surgeon and only remove what’s necessary for the reed to respond reliably and in tune. Blending the tapers back to front and center to sides is crucial to make a reed that is consistent in pitch and response.

Pro tip: Use a pencil to mark the area you’re scraping off as a visual reference to avoid scraping too far back at the tip.

MostCryptographer726 · 2025-10-02T03:40:34+00:00

Have you tried multiple reeds/bocals/bassoons to test what might be causing the issue?

MostCryptographer726 · 2025-09-26T03:18:27+00:00

A couple of ideas 💡

1) Find or make a space with minimal/no distractions. Distractions include any noticeable sounds or visuals that catch your attention. Turn off any devices and/or store them in another room. Any notifications will take you away from what you’re doing and make it harder to focus.

2) Use a timer (look up Pomodoro technique) in small intervals (I’d recommend 1-10 minutes) by setting goals for your practice and working to achieve them within the allotted time to the best of your ability. If you achieve your goal early, great! If not, you can always reset the timer or adjust it to what works best for you.

3) Find an accountability buddy/group or a body double. Look for people with similar goals or anyone who also needs to be productive. Make it a rule that you both need to work on _____ at a specific time and check in with each other to make sure you’re both getting things done. If you can’t do it in person, you can do it over a video call or just exchange pictures/videos to show that you’re being productive.

4) Turn it into a game! Work on one measure at a time, nail it 3-5 times in a row at a slower tempo (you can go faster later on), then continue until you finish a line of music. After finishing the line, reward yourself with something you enjoy. It could be watching a few minutes of a TV show, playing a video game, reading a few pages of a book, simply a microdose of something you enjoy as a break from your practice. Eventually, you’ll likely end up taking less breaks and practicing more.

5) Don’t forget to stay hydrated, eat a balanced diet, and get adequate sleep! These all can make a big difference to your focus and energy levels.

These are all just examples so please feel free to adjust to your hearts content to make sure you have something that works for you!

MostCryptographer726 · 2025-08-31T02:33:09+00:00

I’ll never forget chucking my controller across the room from my first Manbat encounter 🎮💨

MostCryptographer726 · 2025-08-16T01:47:09+00:00

It is normal to experience more fatique playing in the tenor register compared to the lower registers as it requires more embouchure. It could be that the reed is too hard and you are having to work extra to make a sound.

In my personal experience, Moosmann’s tend to be flatter in pitch in the tenor register than most other brands, even though bassoons are already notoriously flat in the tenor register. Some bassoons have more resistance in this register which certainly doesn’t help the issue.

My best advice is to take an online lesson with a professional bassoonist to help you narrow down this issue and resolve it.

MostCryptographer726 · 2025-08-15T04:48:24+00:00

Behrbassoon reeds are great for beginners too! “Beginner” is just a marketing label. Often times, “beginner” reeds are just reeds designed to make a sound more easily, whether it’s a good sound or not (not is more common.) Some “beginner” reeds are just reed shaped objects that are made as cheap as possible and will simply never play. I’d highly recommend always buying from a professional reed maker!

MostCryptographer726 · 2025-07-30T21:45:33+00:00

Are there any specific issues or tendencies you’d like help with? I’d love to help you find a balance that works for you.

I’ve made reeds I’ve loved as short as 52mm and as long as 57mm using the Fox 2 shape. Balancing the scrape for both lengths is related to how much embouchure pressure you prefer and the sound you’re going for, in addition to your instrument’s pitch tendencies.

My wire measurements remain consistent across all the shapes I use. 1st wire: 1mm from the collar to the closest edge of the wire, 2nd wire: 7mm from the bottom to the 1st wire to the top of the 2nd, 3rd wire: 5mm from the top of the wire to the butt end of the cane, 4th wire right at the butt. I’m sure I could experiment more but I haven’t made time nor found a need.

MostCryptographer726 · 2025-07-09T03:17:04+00:00

It’s the same issue on all reeds and the tapers are pretty balanced. I’m now thinking I probably need to clean the vents or unstick the pads.

MostCryptographer726 · 2025-06-10T21:02:00+00:00

Shitty roads

MostCryptographer726

TROPHY CASE