Recommended Reed Strength for Beginners Most beginners start by using La Voz or Rico reeds, because they are the cheapest brands. A size 2 reed is a great place to start for a beginner. Play on it for a while before switching to a 2.5, unless it feels entirely too soft, then 2.5 is okay.

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In respect to this, what strength of Reed should I use?

Some manufacturers label strength with words instead, rating it "soft," "medium" or "hard." The standard scale for saxophone reed strength runs from 1 through 5, with 1 being the softest and 5 being the hardest reed. If you're a beginner, it's best to start with a softer reed, usually about a 2.

Additionally, why are there different reed strengths? The main difference from one reed to another is how soft or hard they feel. Reeds are often classified with numbers, e.g., from 2 to 4 in half strengths. Harder reeds allow for a louder, heavier, darker, or fuller sound, but they require strong support and a developed embouchure (mouth muscles).

Moreover, what is the best clarinet reed for a beginner?

The D'Addario Royal reeds are great for beginner and intermediate clarinet players. They are available in 1.0 to 5.0 strength ratings. I find that the field cut design makes these reeds equally useful to classical and jazz clarinetists.

What size Reed should I use for alto sax?

The normal range for reeds is 2 to 5: the lower the number, the thinner the reed, and the higher the number, the thicker the reed. The thickness of the reed will affect the tone and how easy or difficult the instrument is to play. In general, a thinner reed, say 2 or 2.5, will have a brighter tone.

Related Question Answers

Are plastic reeds better?

Synthetic reeds are made of composite materials that are designed to imitate the quality of a reed plant and sound as much as possible, just like their cane counterparts. Early Synthetics were plastics, and the newer Synthetic reeds are better sounding and more advanced aerospace materials.

How do you tell if a reed is too soft?

When the reed is too soft, you'll get a buzzy sound right out of the box. People compare this to playing on paper. In this case, try a higher reed strength. If you're playing on a 2.5, then move up to a 3.

How do I know my reed size?

Reeds vary in strength in half measures – a bit like shoe sizes! – so they start at 1 ½, 2, 2 ½ , 3, 3 ½, etc. The number refers to how thick the reed is. This is not a standardized scale, however, and reed thicknesses and construction vary by manufacturer – Rico reeds are generally thinner than Vandoren, for example.

What is the difference between Vandoren reeds?

Vandoren has a bunch of Alto reeds what's the difference between all of them? They are french cut and are generally half a strength harder than their equivalent strength in other reeds. They are also sometimes used by Jazz and commercial players who like more " wood" in their reeds .

How can you tell if a reed is good?

How do you know a good reed? It will play and respond with little effort but still provide enough resistance to push it and get a lot of body in the sound. A bad reed will feel dead and play with a lot of difficulty. Keep in mind right out of the box it may simply be a bit too hard, requiring some break-in time.

Can you use alto sax reeds on a tenor sax?

You can just use the wrong reeds. It's actually pretty common to use one size larger reeds than normal (e.g., tenor sax reeds on alto, or very commonly, Bb clarinet reeds on Eb with a barrel modification so it fits), so going the other way isn't unthinkable.

How do you break in a sax reed?

We suggest that you break the reeds in by first soaking them for about 2-4 minutes in lukewarm to warm water, and making sure that the whole vamp, and not just the tip alone, gets wet (a reed that is too dry or only wet at the very tip might tend to squeak).

Are Vandoren reeds good?

Vandoren CR103 Bb Clarinet Reeds They can sound notes slightly faster than less flexible reeds. However, these reeds are more prone to chipping than reeds from other manufacturers, even at the same strengths. They are also less able to handle inclement weather and humidity, so they are better for indoor playing.

Why are reeds so expensive?

Oboe reeds are really expensive, especially when you are comparing them to clarinet or saxophone reeds. So – why are oboe reeds so expensive? Another reason is the reeds are very time-consuming to make. Even machine made oboe reeds will still take longer to make than clarinet or saxophone reeds.

How long does it take to break in a clarinet reed?

Breaking In A New Reed We suggest that you break the reeds in by first soaking them for about 2-4 minutes in lukewarm to warm water, and making sure that the whole vamp, and not just the tip alone, gets wet (a reed that is too dry or only wet at the very tip might tend to squeak).

What strength Reed should a beginner use?

Most beginners start by using La Voz or Rico reeds, because they are the cheapest brands. A size 2 reed is a great place to start for a beginner. Play on it for a while before switching to a 2.5, unless it feels entirely too soft, then 2.5 is okay. Size 3 is definitely too hard for a beginner though.

Do bass clarinet reeds work on tenor sax?

Tenor sax reeds will work fine on bass clarinet, however they might be a bit more reedy sounding.

Are alto sax reeds the same as clarinet?

Alto saxophone reeds will work on an alto clarinet. They would work a little better for jazz but technically, reeds are designed for the optimum performance for each instrument. A soprano sax reed can work but it's not the right cut and also clarinet reeds tend to be longer than soprano reeds.

How long do you soak a reed?

about five minutes

Why do clarinets squeak?

A firm embouchure is very important to producing a good clarinet sound, but avoid using too much jaw pressure. If you bite into the reed, you will squeak. Keep your bottom lip over your bottom teeth. Tonguing too hard can cause squeaking as well, especially if your reed is not properly set on the mouthpiece.

What do the numbers on clarinet reeds mean?

Clarinet reeds come in various strengths, and use a number system. The system ranges from 1 to 5, and uses half numbers to help evaluate the hardness. The higher the number, the harder the reed. The goal of any clarinetist is to play the hardest reed they can handle, as the sound improves with each increment.

How do reeds work?

How do reeds work? A reed consists of one or two blades of a material like cane or plastic, and when air is forced through it, the air pressure causes it to close. As soon as it closes, the drop in pressure caused by it closing, along with the air pressure inside the reed, pulls it right back open.

What is the difference between filed and unfiled reeds?

Filed reeds (also called double cut or French cut) are reeds that have an extra strip of the bark removed in a straight line, just below the vamp. Unfiled reeds (also called American Cut, regular reeds or single cut) are identified by their distinct “U” shape at the bottom of the vamp and no line.

How do you make reeds?

Making a reed by hand

1. First, split a cane of common reed into four sections of equal length.
2. Strip the bark at the center.
3. Cut the long edges to produce a boat-like shape.
4. Score the reed at the center and fold it into two, and make vertical incisions on the part of the cane where the bark remains.