Good morrow!
Today I am putting together a handy guide to those of you who enjoy, want to, or currently play single reed instruments. Most notably, these include Clarinets and Saxophones of all shapes and sizes.
Reed purchases can and should be somewhat individualized. No two players are exactly the same, so they shouldn't all try to fit into one definition of player. That being said, there are a few good guidelines to follow if you are inexperienced, or are unsure what to look for:
First, the number on the reed box is it's strength. This refers to the thickness of the tip of the reed. Thicker reeds are harder to make move, but have a fuller, bigger sound. Thinner reeds are easier to make move, but have a thinner, and sometimes smaller sound.
Reed brands also have some differences among them.
Rico (orange package) reeds are by far the most widely used for beginning and intermediate players. They are cheap, and they get the job done. I recommend all beginners start here, because they just need something to get sound out of.
Rico Royal (blue package) are my go to for most informal situations. Marching band, pep band, or as a quick fix for a surprise gig, I stick with Rico Royals. These reeds are slightly higher in quality (and a tiny bit thicker) than their orange boxed counterparts, and offer a better sound than regular Ricos.
Vandoren is the principal intermediate to professional level brand of reeds. They have several different kinds, in varying boxes, but they all compare rather well to one another. Specifically, I like the Vandoren Traditional reeds in the blue box. They can be used in many different situations and can perform decently for jazz or concert band. They have a bigger sound, and are noticeably thicker than their Rico counterparts. Vandorens are usually a full half strength lower than Rico or Rico Royal (so a 3 in Rico is a 2.5 in Vandoren).
Somewhat on par with Vandoren reeds are the Rico Grand Select reeds. These are Rico's answer to a professional level reed. They sound bigger, fuller, and warmer than their other, more popular brands. I have tried them, and while they are not bad, I still stick with Vandoren.
Here are my reed and strength recommendations for clarinet and saxophone players. If you are wondering what my qualifications beyond managing a music store are, I have played and taught both saxophone and clarinet for many years.
*These recommendations are based off a public school band program that starts in 5th grade*
CLARINET:
5th- Rico 2-2.5
6th- Rico 2.5-3
7th- Rico Royal 3-3.5
8th- Rico Royal 3, 3.5, or 4 *This all depends on the player*
Once they hit high school, if they are playing regularly and want to continue on, I suggest students explore some other reed options to find their optimal sound. Mouthpieces can also have an affect here.
9th- MARCHING BAND: Rico Royal 3.5-4
CONCERT BAND: Vandoren Traditional or V12 3.5
10th- MARCHING BAND: Rico Royal 3.5-4
CONCERT BAND: Vandoren Traditional or V12 3.5-4
11th- MARCHING BAND: Rico Royal 3.5-4
CONCERT BAND: Vandoren Traditional or V12 3.5-4
12th- MARCHING BAND: Rico Royal 3.5-4
CONCERT BAND: Vandoren Traditional or V12 3.5-4
If students want to, or are advised by a private instructor to go above a 4 on clarinet, they should try it out, but I personally have not found it overly necessary.
For bass clarinet players, I would go one half strength lower than you play on soprano clarinet, at least until you are used to playing the much larger bass.
Mouthpieces are another beast all together, so we will shy away from them in this post.
SAXOPHONE:
5th- Rico 2-2.5
6th- Rico 2.5-3
7th- Rico Royal 2.5-3
8th- Rico Royal 3-3.5
Sax players should never really need a reed up to a 4 aside from individual or specific playing demands (like marching band). I have played sax for 16 years and have never needed to move past a 3.5 to play what I need to play.
9th- MARCHING BAND: Rico Royal 3-3.5
CONCERT BAND: Vandoren Traditional 3-3.5
JAZZ BAND: Vandoren ZZ or Vandoren Java 3-3.5
10th- MARCHING BAND: Rico Royal 3-3.5
CONCERT BAND: Vandoren Traditional 3-3.5
JAZZ BAND: Vandoren ZZ or Vandoren Java 3-3.5
11th- MARCHING BAND: Rico Royal 3.5
CONCERT BAND: Vandoren Traditional 3.5
JAZZ BAND: Vandoren ZZ or Vandoren Java 3.5
12th- MARCHING BAND: Rico Royal 3.5
CONCERT BAND: Vandoren Traditional 3.5
JAZZ BAND: Vandoren ZZ or Vandoren Java 3.5
Jazz band players can utilize any reed for jazz, but the ZZ and Java reeds have a different cut that can make them a better fit for jazz settings. The best way to figure out what you want is to play a few different reeds over your career and decide what works best for you.
For tenor saxophone, I find that these suggestions can be used easily.
For baritone saxophone, I would start a half strength lower until you are used to the instrument, then go from there.
Mouthpiece are another beast all together, so we will shy away from them in this post.
All in all, reeds should be somewhat individualized once a player gets into high school to better serve the needs of the player. Beginners should start at roughly the same place so that they can build the basics before diving into the rabbit hole that is reed choice.
I hope you learned something that will help you or your student out at some point in their playing career!
No comments:
Post a Comment