How often should you change a reed on a clarinet?
How often should you change a reed on a clarinet?
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.
Are harder reeds better?
There seems to be some kind of macho thing here, the harder the reed the better you are. I find if the reed is too hard, you lose some flexibility of tone. The soft reed has a larger range of sounds but has a problem with high notes. You can play more subtle tones on the soft reed and louder with the hard one.
Are plastic reeds good?
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.
What strength 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.
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.
Should I switch to bass clarinet?
In general, I would not recommend starting a beginner on bass clarinet unless there is an extenuating circumstance. It is also fine to switch older kids as the need of the student or the band program change, just realize it often takes a few months for students to 'settle in' to the new instrument.
How do you tell if a reed is too soft?
In this case, try a lower reed strength. If you're playing on a 3, then move down to 2.5. When the reed is too soft, you'll get a buzzy sound right out of the box.
Do clarinet reeds go bad?
Synthetic reeds are not affected by temperature or humidity. They don't get warped or dry out when not playing your sax. They don't sound bad when you get off a plane in a new area that is different from your hometown, and they last much longer than cane 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.
What is a reed for clarinet?
A reed is a thin strip of material that vibrates to produce a sound on a musical instrument. Most woodwind instrument reeds are made from Arundo donax ("Giant cane") or synthetic material. Tuned reeds (as in harmonicas and accordions) are made of metal or synthetics.
Does a clarinet use a double reed?
The clarinet uses a single reed made of one piece of wood, while the oboe and bassoon use a double reed made of two pieces joined together. Just as with the stringed instruments, the smaller woodwinds play higher pitches while the longer and larger instruments play the lower notes.
What are the two types of reed instruments?
There are two main types of woodwind instruments: flutes and reed instruments (otherwise called reed pipes).
Does a flute use a reed?
The flute is a family of musical instruments in the woodwind group. Unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is an aerophone or reedless wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air across an opening.
How are clarinet reeds made?
The reed is made of the cane plant. The cane has a hollow stem and grows to full height in one year. To make a reed, cane is cut to the proper length, cut along the length into four parts, and then shaved. Because reeds are made from a natural material, no two reeds are exactly the same.
What is the difference between filed and unfiled reeds?
A filed reed means it has a straight file across the vamp of reed. A unfiled reed doesn't. A filed reed is usually played on darker sounding mouthpieces to make the sound brighter . An unfiled reed is played on mouthpieces that have more resistance to make them play easier.
What two kinds of reeds are there in woodwind instruments?
Most woodwind instrument reeds are made from cane, but synthetic reeds are used by a small number of clarinetists, saxophonists, double reed players, and bagpipers. Synthetic reeds are generally more durable and do not need to be moistened prior to playing.
Are reeds made of wood?
The reed is made from cane, willow, brass or steel, and is enclosed in a rigid frame. The pitch of the framed free reed is fixed. The ancient bullroarer is an unframed free reed made of a stone or wood board tied to a rope that is swung around through the air to make a whistling sound.
Is a harmonica a reed instrument?
The harmonica, also known as a French harp or mouth organ, is a free reed wind instrument used worldwide in many musical genres, notably in blues, American folk music, classical music, jazz, country, and rock. … Behind each hole is a chamber containing at least one reed.
What are woodwind reeds made of?
A reed is a thin strip of material that vibrates to produce a sound on a musical instrument. Most woodwind instrument reeds are made from Arundo donax ("Giant cane") or synthetic material. Tuned reeds (as in harmonicas and accordions) are made of metal or synthetics.
What does a clarinet sound like?
Sound. The cylindrical bore is primarily responsible for the clarinet's distinctive timbre, which varies between its three main registers, known as the chalumeau, clarion, and altissimo. The tone quality can vary greatly with the clarinetist, music, instrument, mouthpiece, and reed.
What are Vandoren reeds made of?
Some other accessories include mouthpiece pouches, reed trimmers and reed resurfacers. Vandoren produces a wide range of ligatures for clarinet and saxophone players. They are made from materials such as metal, leather, and woven materials.
What are the reeds?
Reed is the general botanical term used for tall, grass-like plants of wet places. They occur in reed beds. They are all members of the order Poales. Reeds are many polyphyletic species, which have all adapted to this wet habitat by convergent evolution.
Does Walmart sell clarinet reeds?
Rico Bb Clarinet Reeds, Box of 3 – Walmart.com – Walmart.com.
What are reeds used for?
Dried reed stems have been used for millennia as thatching and construction material, in basketry, for arrows and pens, and in musical instruments (see reed instruments).
Does a piccolo have a reed?
A reed is a narrow strip of cane that vibrates when a player blows on it, creating sound. The clarinet and saxophone have single reeds. … The piccolo is a small flute that sounds very high and shrill.
How long should a saxophone reed last?
Expect a reed to last for around a week to two weeks. When you change from a reed you've been using for some time to a new reed, the sound of your instrument will change with it.
How many reeds does a harmonica have?
Typically each hole has two reeds for each note, tuned to one octave of each other.
What name is given to the lower pitch bassoon in the woodwind section?
The contrabassoon, also known as the double bassoon, is a larger version of the bassoon, sounding an octave lower.
How many reeds does an oboe have?
First, there are the parts into which the player blows. The clarinet has a mouthpiece which is connected to a single reed. Conversely, while the oboe has no mouthpiece it does have two reeds-the oboe is a double-reed instrument.
Does a saxophone have a reed?
The saxophone (referred to colloquially as the sax) is a woodwind instrument usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece.