How long should a clarinet reed last?
How long should a clarinet reed last?
For those just starting out, reeds can last up to six months. Once you play and practice more frequently, this “cycle” can take anywhere from 2-4 weeks. Once you become more comfortable with the clarinet, you'll have a general idea of when you should be replacing your reeds.
What strength Reed should I use clarinet?
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. Beginners should start at a 1.5 or 2 and gradually work their way up to a harder reed.
What size Reed should I use for clarinet?
Most reed manufacturers sell reeds in strengths from 1 to 5, often in half-steps. A 1 would be the softest, and a 5 would be the hardest. Some brands use "soft", "medium", and "hard" instead. For a beginner, a 2, or 2 /12 would be the best starting point.
When should I move up a reed size?
To answer your question, there is no "need" to move up a strength even, unless a reed feels too soft to you or is not producing the desired sound or control. I've moved back and forth between 3.5 and 4 for years. Most of the time, your reed choice will depend on your mouthpiece selection as well.
How long does it take to break in a clarinet 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).
Do clarinet reeds expire?
Reeds are aged to the point that they will play as advertised when they leave the factory. But reeds do continue to age, and there is a point that a reed will age too far to be worth playing.
What strength of Reed should I use?
If you're a beginner, it's best to start with a softer reed, usually about a 2. This is important because a stronger reed requires advanced breath control and embouchure to use. There is no right or wrong reed strength – it depends on your skills, playing style and instrument, as well as personal preference.
What does a harder reed do?
Reed thickness is most often expressed as a number. 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. Reeds with a thickness of 4 or 5 are harder and thus require more skill to sound, but the tone is fatter, bigger, and warmer.
How long do you soak a clarinet reed?
Wooden reeds must be moistened prior to playing. Many musicians place the reed in their mouths to moisten them with saliva. In preparing the reed for playing, water is less corrosive than saliva. Soaking a reed in water for about five minutes is a good alternative to saliva.
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 is the most expensive clarinet?
Most expensive clarinet I have bought is Wolf Gottmans full boehm (137.50).
How do I choose a clarinet?
Aside from choosing a brand, a clarinetist needs to consider a reed's strength and cut. Strengths range from soft to hard, typically rated on a 1-to-5 system (5 being the hardest). While a hard reed produces a fuller and thicker sound, a softer reed easier to play, making it suitable for most beginners.
What number reed should I use?
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.
Is clarinet the easiest instrument?
The clarinet is an easy instrument for beginners to learn. Although high-level players will easily recognize how difficult it is to get things like dynamics, tone and tuning correct, if you are a beginner that sticks to maybe a two-octave range then the clarinet is incredibly forgiving.
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.
Does a flute use a reed?
No pure flutes have a reed. Some instruments with a reed are clarinet, saxophone, oboe, and bassoon. However a flute makes its sound by movement of breath across the mouthpiece, not by vibrating a reed.
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.
Can you use clarinet reed on alto sax?
What are the different types of clarinet?
The most common types of clarinets are the Bb clarinet, the bass clarinet, the A clarinet, the Eb clarinet, the contrabass clarinet, the contra-alto clarinet, and the alto clarinet.