Behind the Reeds – Episode 4 – Interview Marc Charpentier

First of all, we have to listen to the demands and expectations of musicians. Feedback and experience then enable me to design an initial steel prototype, the “pattern”, a mold designed to a precision of one hundredth of a millimeter, which will be used to create the first reeds.

These are sent to musicians and tested under extreme playing conditions.

The musicians’ feedback will enable me to adjust the initial pattern. Several other tests will then be repeated until the new model is finalized. Once the model meets the desired criteria, the steel pattern is placed in an oven at over 800°C. This is the "steel hardening" stage. The steel mold is the central component of the beveling machine. It serves as the replicating element, ensuring consistent shaping. A measuring roller will read the dimensions of this steel template, and by means of a cutting mechanism, precisely shape the reed with utmost accuracy. This process gives it great stability over time. 

For example, in total, more than 18 months were necessary to develop the mold for the Exclusive model. Similarly, the different saxophone models also underwent an extensive journey of refinement and innovation.