My statement in MMD 000418 ("Reeds and Resonators in Organ Pipes"):

> It rather goes in a sequence of half-periods -- when trying to enter
> the 'negative' half-period it bangs into the shallot and immediately
> bounces back to start another 'positive' half-period.

is apparently refuted by John Page in MMD 000422:

> The _real_ art of reed voicing is to prevent the tongue "banging"
> against the shallot.  It should roll down the shallot face,
> progressively closing the opening, until it is fully closed, then roll
> back.  If the curve is not right the tongue may bang against the
> shallot, resulting a metallic clanging, spoiling the intended tone.

I do not in any way dispute John's description, which I find clarifying
and more detailed than the one I originally gave.  Those two views,
however, differ in the treatment of time.  When the reed 'rolls' down
the shallot face and back again, this motion is extremely fast, in
particular as the reed closure approaches the tip.  Think of a whiplash.
So I maintain that my description is right, seen as the happening in
time when the reed actually oscillates.

John's view is instead toward what can the voicer do to make the reed
behave properly, and now we are disconnected from time.  Instead we look
at _space_: the detail of precisely what shape is the reed as function
of the tip displacement.  I agree this is very important, otherwise the
reed oscillation will not be 'clean' (as I happened to call it).

So I would say both views are correct and relevant, but from different
perspectives.

As an analogy, let me bring up the classical paradox of Achilles who
runs about 100 times faster than the Turtle.  They compete running with
a proportional handicap: Achilles has to make 100 meters while the
Turtle only has 1 meter to run to the goal.  When A has completed 99
meters, then T is 0.99 meters ahead of him.  When A has completed those
0.99 meters, T is still 0.0099 meters ahead of him.  Et cetera ad
infinitum.  Will Achilles ever overtake the Turtle?

Johan Liljencrants