Upon becoming a resident of the desert Southwest, I noticed immediately the effects of this extraordinarily dry climate on my bassoon reeds. Although the region boasts a rainy season, which occurs in late summer, during the dry months the humidity often falls to below 10%. A bassoon reed left undisturbed for a day or two on a drying rack or in the standard style of reed case will often dry out so completely that the wires become quite loose, and the reed becomes very warped at the tip. This warping can be so extreme as to create cracking along the grain of the cane. In addition the reed's characteristics may change dramatically from playing to playing. I noticed that many of the single reed players in the area stored their reeds in a type of humidity box which they called a salt box, due to the salt which is added to retard fungal growth. This device served to keep their reeds at a somewhat constant humidity when not in use. Later I became acquainted with some local bassoonists who were experimenting with their own version of the salt box. After investigating the design of several colleagues, I proceeded to attempt to make my own salt box. I borrowed ideas from those I had seen and incorporated a few of my own innovations into the design which I present to you in this article.
I would like to suggest that the concept of maintaining a constant humidity for reed storage has validity not only to those who live in an unusually dry climate, but for anyone who wishes to maintain a somewhat stable environment for their reeds as they travel from one area to another, or as the climactic changes within their own area affect their reeds. I have no scientific data, but can only report my impressions after using this approach for six years. It appears that by maintaining a fairly constant humidity while storing one's reeds, the life of a reed can be extended. Of equal importance, a reed's characteristics become somewhat stabilized; the reed changes very little from playing to playing. An additional benefit is that a reed does not require a great deal of warm up time, but is nearly ready to play when taken from the salt box.
What is a salt box?
A salt box is a system for storing one's finished reeds in a constant humidity. There are two main parts to the salt box. These are:
1. The plastic reed cases.
2. The airtight plastic (tupperware works well) container in which the humidity will be controlled and into which the reed cases are placed along with the device for dispensing the humidity/salt.
This humidity device consists of dampened rock salt contained in a double layered nylon stocking. The plastic box should measure about 6
by 8" and have a depth of at least 2.5".
Preparing the reed case.
The main difficulty in designing a salt box for the bassoon reed is finding a method for containing the reeds inside the salt box which
.will keep them from direct contact with the salt. This is very important since the salt will corrode the metal wires of the reed. In addition, the reed cases can not be affected themselves by the salt, and therefore can not have any metal components. This is less of a problem for the single reed players. They simply fasten their reeds flat against a piece of plexiglass with heavy rubber bands. Occasional direct contact with the salt/humidity dispenser does not seem to af- fect their reeds. This approach is not suitable for the bassoon reed, which requires considerably more protection against breakage than the single reed and can not come into direct contact with the salt. Furthermore, once the reed cases are placed inside the salt box, the entire apparatus needs to be portable and fairly durable for travel. A solution for the problem of the reed case was found when I discovered a colleague using plastic deodorant dispensers for reed holders. After discarding the mechanical inner works, then administering a thorough cleansing with hot soapy water, the shell produced by this plastic container provides protection against breakage during carrying, as well as guarding the reed from direct contact with the salt. The cap of the plastic dispenser serves as the bottom of the reed holder. Into this unit are set, with heated wax or glue, plastic golf tees which are cut to the appropriate length. These golf tees become the mandrels for holding the reeds. Finally, holes must be drilled into the surface of the plastic holder for ventilation within the salt box. See Figure 1.
Preparation of the salt box.
The preparation of the tupperware salt container can be done in several manners. One simple method requires taking a doubled nylon stocking, filling it with rock salt, and tying off the end. Excess material should be cut away. See figure 2.
This is dipped in water and then drained, and will serve as the means of dispensing a constant humidity level once it is placed in the salt box. the salt bag should be flattened down to cover the bottom of the box. The plastic reed cases are then placed on top of the salt bag. See figure 3. The salt discourages growth of most fungi which would thrive on the high humidity found in the controlled atmosphere of the enclosed box. This particular approach works well for carrying. I also keep a larger salt box on my reed table with sponges cut to fit snugly together in the bottom of the box. For this method, I have soaked the sponges in a strong salt water solution. The sponges are allowed to become fairly dry before they are placed in the plastic box. Slight moisture remains, as well as the salt, now impregnated into the sponge. This arrangement serves as my salt box for unfinished reeds, or any I don't wish to carry with me.
Conclusion
Aside from the advantages found in utilizing a salt box, such as longer reed life, and less change in the reed from playing to playing, an added benefit of the salt box is that its use (even if ever so slightly) relieves some of the stress caused by the uncertainty of the state of ones reeds. Any system that allows us to spend less time at reed making, and more time at preparing and performing music is worthy of consideration.
[William Dietz teaches at the University of Arizona, Tucson.
Ed.]