the.com/reed
a humble swamp grass that bends in storms and speaks through saxophones
means A tall grass that grows in wetlands, or the thin slip of cane or metal that vibrates to make sound in instruments like clarinets, oboes, and saxophones.
from From Old English 'hrēod,' the wetland plant, with cousins across the Germanic languages — Dutch 'riet,' German 'Ried.' The musical sense grew naturally: early instruments really were voiced by slivers of actual reed-cane, so the marsh plant lent its name to the wooden tongue that hums in a woodwind's mouth.
- survival trick
- bends in wind while rigid trees snap
- music maker
- clarinets and oboes sing through shaved cane reeds
- ancient paper
- papyrus reeds carried civilization's first writing
- water filter
- reed beds clean sewage in natural treatment systems
- fast grower
- some species shoot up four inches daily
lou reed — musician and songwriter from the velvet underground, born 1942 in brooklyn
oliver reed — british actor known for gladiator and women in love, 1938-1999
pamela reed — american actress in caddie shack and the right stuff, born 1953