Casein-derived Peptide

Question: How can you tell when an oboe reed needs to be replaced? I've been playing oboe for around two months now but I can't tell if this new reed is getting worn out or if I'm using the wrong technique. Its really hard to play and I have a hard time getting air through. How can you tell if the reed needs to be replaced or if its just too hard or if its just my lack of experience and practice?

Answer: When you're just starting out (the first year or so) you should alternate between two different reeds every other day. After a month the reeds will start sounding different and should be replaced. If you don't replace your reed every month, everything will become really flat.

Question: Legere reed for alto sax hard to blow? I have a legere reed for alto sax and its hard to blow. Also the sound sounds a little strange. Is it supposed to be like this because its new because today's my first day of getting this reed. Also what does it mean by "break in"?

Answer: The issue may be less about the brand of reed, but the strength of reed. If you are using a thicker reed than usual, then it will be harder to play. With it being your first time playing the reed, it may take a little longer to get it playing perfectly, but it shouldn't take it long. Breaking it in means getting the reed to the mode in which it is fully playable.

Question: How much does a reed bed home waste water disposal system cost? I'm talking about the eco-friendly sewage and grey-water treatment system that uses settling tanks, a reed bed and an overflow pond, to avoid using any septic tanks or mains. Say, for a typical family home.

Answer: The cost would depend on many things! Like how much your planning consents cost and what the requirements were. In most cases if you are not using a standard system that has been through all the health and safety checks Etc. you will have to pass it by the health authorities. There has been a lot of discussion lately about people doing these things illegally due to the obsessive and over bearing bureaucratic requirements and the costs of compliance. The cost will also depend on where in the world you are located. I would think that in the usa that you would need to have some sort of insurance. The other thing that you need is a lot of land and the right soil type. If you pollute the ground water then you might be forced to pay to clean it up. Most jurisdictions that I know require that you deal with your own Grey water within your property boundaries. Please contact me as I have information that I have not put in here. I also have questions about the cost quoted by Dr Henry. I know for example that a reed bed type system that you are talking about with permits and everything in Australia is around $30,000 Australian. Like I said it would depend on a lot of things.

Question: What is the difference between a proximity switch and a reed switch? I know that proximity switches can be infrared, magnetic and more. I'm interested in the magnetic ones and i want to know if there are any difference between this and a reed switch? I'm studying for an exam, and am i bit unclear. Thx.

Answer: A proximity switch is just a more general description, a reed switch is an specific example of a proximity switch.

Question: How do you open the liquid container to a fragranced reed diffuser? I got a frangranced reed diffuser made by essential elements for xmas, but i can't get the liquid container open to put the sticks in...

Answer: Usually there is a paper or plastic wrapping you have to remove first. Then you uncork the top. Be careful not to tip the bottle when you do this as some oil may spill out. You may have to pull really hard to get the top off--they really out them on good. If you put your thumb under one side of the cork and PUSH it might work! Good luck!

Question: What is a good reed to play on a wooden Bb Clarinet for college? I've been playing with a shet Mitchell Lurie reed for the past 6 months. The sound is awful and the reed is chipped and it just looks pathetic. I want a new kind of reed. I'm thinking V-12. Should I and what strength?

Answer: VanDoren and Rico second .You do not say what your mouthpiece is but if it is plastic ditch it. Hard rubber will give you a tone chamber. Depending on your bite try a Selmer HS* with various reed thickness starting with a 21/2-3.Whatever ligature you have do not over tighten it .The reed needs to vibrate.

Question: Where can I find the Reed 2 (clarinet) orchestra part for Fiddler on The Roof? I would really like the orchestra part, not some solo book to Fiddler on the Roof. Where are we able to purchase just the clarinet or reed 2 orchestration.

Answer: You're going to have to contact the licensing agency that handles the show. That would be one of the following: Dramtists' Play Service, Samuel French, or Rodgers and Hammerstein. Google, and then figure out the purchase price (it might come expensively). Another possibility: if you live near where a full-orchestra production of Fiddler was done in recent memory, the producing company might have retained the parts. Call them and see if you can photocopy (which would be fair use if you're doing it for personal study).

Question: How can i reverse the effect of a reed switch? I have just made an alarm circuit consisting of a buzzer, switch, reed switch and battery in series. However, when the door is closed (reed switch and contact are together) the alarm sounds. I want the alarm to sound when the door is open instead. Is there are simple way to do this?

Answer: The simplest way may be an arrangement involving another magnet and careful placement of the magnet on the door. Place a magnet next to the reed switch, with it's North pole facing the side of the reed switch. Put it close enough that it just reliably closes the reed switch. Now move the reed switch on the door so that its North pole ends up next to the other end of the reed switch when the door is closed (and the South pole is not near the reed switch). The idea is to arrange things so when the door is shut, the stationary magnet makes one end of the reed switch North, and the door magnet makes the other end of the reed switch also North, so both sides repel and the reed switch opens. I've not tried to build an installation this way, however I did a lot of experimenting with reed switches and magnets and found that this does work if the magnets are just right. Do not put the stationary magnet too close, and it must be arranged so both magnets have the North pole pointing towards their respective ends of the reed switch with the South poles pointing away from the reed switch. Note that North and South are not that important, but only that the magnets have the same pole pointed to the reed switch. Which you can figure out by finding which ends of the magnets repel each other. I hope this helps.

Question: How do I get a magnetic reed switch to send a +ve signal one time and a negative one the next? I need +ve to turn the power"on" and negative to turn it off. I have one reed switch two trigger magnets.

Answer: When open connect terminal 1 to –V via a resistor connect the side of the resistor tied to the reed to the sense circuit. Connect terminal 2 to +V with a small resistor. So when the reed is open, the sense circuit will see –V, and when the reed closes, it will see a positive voltage, determined by the resistor ratio. Or swap +V and –V if you want it the other way. .

Question: How do I connect a 6V battery to an electromagnet with a reed switch? This is a science project that I am working on and I'm trying to find a compatible reed switch with very limited electrical knowledge.

Answer: First thing, a reed switch is a magnetically operated switch. The actual switch consists of a glass tube which has at least two contacts inside usually in vacuum. Because they are usually made for maximum sensitivity, they have low mass reeds in them and very small contacts. That means the can not be used with capacitive or inductive loads because of high transitory currents and voltages. You can get mercury wetted contacts but these have there own problems and I wouldn't recommend them. Rather, I suggest you make a buffer amplifier to allow you to interface with the load. It would consist of a transistor and a couple of resistors. The reed switch would switch the base current switching the transistor on and off and isolating the magnetic circuit.