What is the hardest clarinet reed?

What is the hardest clarinet reed?

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.

What is the best reed for clarinet?

Best Clarinet Reeds

  • Vandoren CR103 Bb Clarinet Traditional Reeds.
  • Mitchell Lurie Premium Bb Clarinet Reeds.
  • Vandoren CR1025 Bb Clarinet Traditional Reeds.
  • Rico by D’Addario Bb Clarinet Reeds.
  • Vandoren CR5035 Bb Clarinet 56 Rue Lepic Reeds.
  • Tanbi Music 10 Bb Clarinet Reeds.
  • Vandoren CR8035 Bb Clarinet V21 Reeds.
  • Mitchell Lurie Bb Clarinet Reeds.

How long should a box of reeds last?

six months

What can you do with old Reeds?

If you add them to a compost heap (assuming you have one), they will decompose with the rest of the material in that help with no adverse affects on the environment. As for the plastic reed protectors and reed cases, those can be recycled at any facility that recycles plastics.

How long should you use reeds?

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.

Do reeds expire?

Reeds which you are actively using will likely last anywhere from 1-4 weeks provided you are playing regularly and taking good care of the reed. Whether or not a reed can expire depends also on how it is being stored as well as the extent to which the reed has had previous usage.

Are plastic reeds better?

They may sound and play slightly better, but they’re more susceptible to damage from changes in temperature and humidity. Since synthetic reeds are manufactured with durability in mind, they won’t get warped or dry out when you aren’t playing your saxophone or clarinet.

Why is my reed turning black?

It’s plausible that mold spores grew in the reed cane itself long before you bought that batch of reeds. Or maybe they blew into town on an ill wind. Reed discoloration could have other causes too — new dental work, a change in diet or metabolism or medication.

How do you break in a reed?

Put a piece of sandpaper on a flat surface, and lightly swipe the reed across it, moving only from heel to tip (to avoid breaking the tip). Again, go slowly: swipe once, then try playing it. If the tip of your reed is rippled, then it dried out a bit too fast. This is easy to fix; just soak, then place it on glass.

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.

Are Rico Royal Reeds good?

Rico Royal is an excellent reed but you MUST get the strength that is comfortable without straining.

What strength should a beginner Reed be?

Beginners should start at a 1.5 or 2 and gradually work their way up to a harder reed. In some cases, clarinet reed manufacturers use “soft”, “medium”, and “hard” to label the hardness of their reeds.

When should I move up a reed size?

Therefore, try to choose a strength that feels slightly hard when you start playing on a new reed, so it will feel just right as you break it in. When you’ve played on your reed for too long and it starts to feel too soft, it’s time to start a new one!

What Reed should a beginner sax player use?

The best reed for beginner saxophone is a size 2 or size 2.5 reed. Most beginners start with Rico, Rico Royal, or Vandoren Brand Saxophone Reeds.

What reeds do professional saxophone players use?

If you’re looking for the best-sounding reed for your recitals and performances, cane is probably the way to go. But if you’d like a reed that will last longer with zero maintenance and is impervious to the elements, you’ll want synthetic.

How long should you soak saxophone reeds?

about five minutes

Why are reeds so expensive?

So yes, reeds are expensive to buy. But clearly, they’re also very expensive to produce. The process takes years, AND it requires large amounts of land located in a very expensive part of the world. It’s labor intensive and Employees in France actually cost a fortune.

Which Vandoren Reed is best for jazz?

Our #1 pick: Vandoren ZZ All-round jazz reed with a rich, dark sound.
Rico Jazz Select Great projection and flexibility, making them ideal for jazz.
Vandoren Java Brighter sound, particularly good for big band playing
La Voz Free-blowing, played by many top jazz, funk and R&B players

Are Juno reeds good?

Music educators and band parents can be sure that their saxophone or clarinet student will find a Juno reed that feels good to them – and makes them sound good, too! For a beginner woodwind musician, it may be wise to choose a 1 1/2 strength reed that’s more flexible and easier to play.

Are Cecilio reeds good?

5.0 out of 5 starsDurable and perfect fir a beginner student. These reeds can early and are durable. My son is a sixth grader and new to playing an instrument but he had no trouble playing or making sound. The reeds also are holding up nicely.

What are the best clarinet reeds for beginners?

Rico and Vandoren are both highly regarded brands. We would recommend Rico as the best reeds for beginners because they are cut from the most flexible grade of cane and are very thin. Therefore it is easy for beginners to play their first notes without too much effort.

What are clarinet reeds made of?

Materials. Most woodwind instrument reeds are made from cane, but there are synthetic reeds for clarinet, saxophone, double reed instruments, and bagpipes. Synthetic reeds are more durable and do not need to be moistened prior to playing, but many players consider them to have inferior tone.