Choose a Strength . Strength 3 is a bare minimum for playing in the upper register. Right now I have a two reed, and am not sure if it is good or not? My take-home advice is to use the strength of reed that allows you to play with the best tone/tuning YOU can produce (well, and allows a good range of dynamic as well). Learn about what reed strength is, why you should care, and what to keep in mind when switching reed brands. The goal of any clarinetist is to play the hardest reed they can handle, as the sound improves with each increment. I have a RIA alto sax mouthpiece that I use that has great volume, projection, and is very expressive, but it is extremely open. Strength Reed strength is measured in numbers in half measurements from 1 up to 5. Beginners usually start with a 1, 1 ½ or even 2 strength reed. What size reed should i use? 0 0. Professionals and advanced students generally use 4 or 4-1/2. thanks. Here are telltale signs to look for. While most saxophone players use basic cane reeds, synthetic reeds are also used every so often. HelP??? What reed strength should I use? Even a range would be helpful. tenor, baritone or alto), then look at the brand (ie. Answer Save. Reeds are a strange part of the Woodwind players arsenal – on the one hand, a good reed can make all the difference to a players tone. Oboe and bassoon reeds are most commonly offered in five strengths: Soft, Medium Soft, Medium, Medium Hard, and Hard. Listen to your teacher or band director if they suggest you move to a harder reed. That seems a little strong to me. Many thanks. Eb clarinets as well as C clarinets (aimed at younger children) use Eb reeds. Hi, I'm about to buy my first Sax, a Yamaha YAS-275, and i need to know what strength reeds to buy. Your music teacher or private instructor can help lead you through the process of finding the brand and strength of reed that best fits you. I currently play clarinet, grade 3 and use 2 1/2 reeds. I was wondering what strength of reed she should use. A bad reed can be the bane of the players existence! Afterwars, I bought medium-soft reeds, and after a while used medium. Also are there any reeds that are better than others of the same strength. The reed, together with the mouthpiece onto which the reed is fixed makes the air in the instrument vibrate when you blow into it (technically speaking: create acoustic waves). I've been playing clarinet for 5 years, and two of my friends have been playing it just as long as i have. 3-1/2 is appropriate for most intermediate players (7th-8th grade). When buying a reed , you should begin with the saxophone itself (ie. One would be a Rico B5. Unless you are a risk taker, in which case you try #4s. I have used medium reeds for maybe one or two months and my reed just broke so I went buy one and I got a Medium-hard reed. So the reed is a very important part of a clarinet. They all use #3 reeds but i feel more comfortable using a 2 (i've used #2 ever since my first year). The higher the number, the harder the reed. 0 0. alyssa l. Michelle Anderson presents a clarinet lesson on how to choose a reed that best suits your level of playing. If your reeds are too hard, your sound will be fuzzy and you will get tired easily. Recently, I switched from alto to tenor saxophone for marching band, Since I play a 4 strength reed on alto, I thought I would be able to play 4 strength on a tenor, boy was I wrong. Today, we answer the age-old question... "What strength reed should I use?" In very simple terms – the higher the number the ‘stronger’ or harder the reed. My clarinet reed strength is Mitchell Lurie 3 or Vandoren 2 to 2.5, if clarinet and oboe reed strengths are comparable at all. In general, the larger the tip opening, t I only have 3, and I was thinking it was too much for a beginner. What reed should I use? Hi, I'm about to buy my first Sax, a Yamaha YAS-275, and i need to know what strength reeds to buy. Reed Rotation. Number the slots of the holder. I've already decided what type of reeds I'm getting, (Vandoren Java reds) but i need to decide if I'm ordering strength 3 or 3.5 reeds, any help would make my day. What Reed Strength should you Use? The bigger the opening of the mouthpiece, the softer the reed and vice versa. I often use different strength reeds for different mouthpieces, for different situations. Every reed manufacturer has their own system for marking a reed from soft to hard, but normally they use a scale where the strength of the reed is determined by how high the number is. The reed strength number has the main function of letting you buy the right reed next time. Finding that sweet spot in reed strength - not too hard, and not too soft - is key to getting a solid tone throughout the range of your instrument. What strength should I start out with? Though I play on harder reeds in general, this is not meant to promote harder reeds. Reed maintenance & care; When to Change a Reed; Synthetic reeds vs cane; Cane Reeds for Saxophone; The 5 Best Cane Reed Tips: Don’t be afraid of using soft saxophone reeds: It is a myth that you need to play a hard reed to be a good player. What strength should I buy? Relevance. Montreal Canadiens Fan 1011. Mamianka. I have been asked that question SO many times. Ideally, you should discuss face to face with an expert. This is because everyone has individual preferences and choosing the right reed is subjective. I need backup reeds, but don't know what strength to get. Moving up reed strengths at the right time will allow you to produce a better sound, expand your range of high notes, and refine your dynamic range. I have been playing oboe for a little over a year now. Synthetic vs. Cane. – so they start at 1 ½, 2, 2 ½ , 3, 3 ½, etc. Reeds vary in strength in half measures – a bit like shoe sizes! If you are comfortable with Rico #2s, buy them next time. However, I found Trad 2 is much softer than 2.5. I told her she should get a 1 1/2 but I'm not sure. 1 decade ago. There are several factors that determine the reed strength. Shop for Reeds. While a hard reed can make it seem easier to play loud and high with a better tone, it is far more useful to develop your embouchure and breath … Reeds must be moistened before use as this improves flexibility and the reed will have the best chance of functioning correctly. So how do you know if you’re playing on the correct strength reed? Music & Arts offers an excellent selection of band instruments to rent, music lessons and instruments for sale. Because Java 2.5 should be same strength with Trad 2 if our concept is correct (Trad is 1/2 harder than many other reed in same strength). Most reed manufacturers produce reeds in different strengths, often in half-steps from 1 to 5. If you need to match reeds to mouthpieces, you also needed to match reed strength to whatever suits your air support, control, and embouchure best. Use a reed holder which can hold four reeds. Where you want to be quiet and breathy, you might use a softer reed. Clarinets (and saxophones) are instruments that use a single reed unlike the double reed of the oboe and bassoon (). In general, the more open the tip is, the softer the reed you want to use. Also are there any reeds that are better than others of the same strength. I'm teaching my younger cousin how to play the clarinet, which she has never done before. Obviously, the experience of the player, but's that not all there is to it. I can't remember what I started out on, so someone help please? I currently play clarinet, grade 3 and use 2 1/2 reeds. thanks. Properly matched, a reed should be able to do what is asked of it regardless of what strength it is. What strength? Play the correct reed strength If your reeds are too soft, you will play out of tune and you won't be able to play higher notes with a good sound. The reed strength matches with the opening off the mouthpiece. These 3 reed is about 1/2 to 1/3 harder than many other reed (like Java) (They have other models, and if you can try them out that's great -- but if you don't know what you're looking for then just get the B5.) You have several good options on the mouthpiece situation. Reed brand and strength is a personal choice; there is no one "right" reed to use. I use several different mouthpieces depending on circumstances and mood. In situations where volume is what you are looking for, a harder reed would be better. Reeds are marked with a number. We will start with reed strengths. Synthetic reeds aren’t affected by temperature or changes in moisture, and also last a lot longer than their cane counterparts. Lv … Read the store blog for Music & Arts in San Dimas CA, CA. Update: I am a Tenor saxophone and this is my second year playing it but I played clarinet two years ago. I started off with a medium reed but couldn't play it and I used a plastic reed just to learn the fingerings. i play the alto sax and when i started i used a 2 so i think you could just use a 2 1/2. This post is meant to be general guideline as to which strength and type of reed you should choose. http://www.scottpaddocksaxschool.com - Check out my brand new Sax School! The thickness or strength of the reed in relation to the air strength of the player will affect the tone quality produced. Recent developments include Fibracell synthetic reeds which … 2 Answers. The strength of the reed will vary with the mouthpiece. The system ranges from 1 to 5, and uses half numbers to help evaluate the hardness. Not every brand uses these numbers to show the strengths, some use “soft”, “medium” and “hard” instead. The bigger the space, the lighter the reed you should try first. 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