My son swears by synthetic reeds for his silver clarinet; I myself only use a synthetic tenor on my xaphoon since the nature of the instrument is to be spontaneously ready to play at the least provocation :), Doron Orenstein The opening at the mouthpiece is called the "tip opening." another fact in favour of the plastic reed is that it does not need to be wet; this is important if you play in dry conditions (outside, summer, in the sun, or winter parades) and especially if you double on more than one horn. June 11, 2013 @ 3:16 pm, My product specialist, Zach Sollitto plays on Riggotti’s, You can find his email address here: https://www.bestsaxophonewebsiteever.com//author/zachsollitto/, chase shrffield Doron Orenstein Served with love! The standard scale for saxophone reed strength runs from 1 through 5, with 1 being the softest and 5 being the hardest reed. I would go to a music store with a big selection and try as many as you possibly can. The fibracells do work but overall I prefer a good ole Rico reed # 2.5. What works perfectly for one won’t for another. December 10, 2016 @ 11:17 am. Would you recommend plastic reeds for a soprano sax I have one a bari medium and it’s rather too long for my mouthpiece and I’m able to play only a few notes and at times I tend to breathe more to play in it..which isn’t suppose to be necessary since it’s not as long as my alto. The top quality reeds will have a hard sound but they are best for the orchestral setting. When I use a plastic reed with my alto I could play for an hour quite well without affecting the normal notes. What is the grain? Have you experimented with different cane reeds for your xaphoon? September 30, 2012 @ 8:31 pm. Free sax tip booklet at BestSaxophoneWebsiteEver « saxopedia Finding the right reed strength for each saxophone player is a process, and highly individual, but there are some common reed types and strengths that are time-tested and proven to work well for beginners. Mouthpieces with narrow tip openings usually work better with harder reeds and mouthpieces with wider tip opening work better with softer reeds. I know the few times I’ve been recorded in a pro studio, they spent ages with the sound of the sax. On the point of duds, I used to get 7 or 8 decent hits back in the 90’s but these days I’m lucky with 4. It’s tough to tell by looking, since a reed can look bad, but play great. Doron Orenstein The space between the tip of the mouthpiece and the tip of the attached reed is an important factor affecting the performance of a reed instrument. Now that I think about, even though I cannot swap out the mouth piece, I can try a different ligature on my Rico mouthpiece. Regardless of your horn, mouthpiece, or reed, the truth is, to the outside listener, you sound pretty much like...you. August 20, 2013 @ 8:45 pm, I have found a reed that gives the good sound as cane but stronger and more reliable. with a tenor sax I say the best mouthpiece is a wooden mouthpiece they are expensive and harder to find but are worth it, Doron Orenstein Thanks for your sharing. I play alto with a Vandoren 1 1/2 on a Rico Metalite. You just have to be patient. Hi 4S’s play as easily for me now as 2M’s did for me back then. Now I need to go buy new reeds. Once the reeds are cut, they then use a guage to determine what strength the reed is. Sax patented the saxophone on 28 June 1846, in two groups of seven instruments each. Also what exactly does 2.5 and etc. 99. Second, I dispute the insinuation that harder reeds result in more difficult vibrato, pitch flexibility, and dynamic range. FREE Delivery on your first order shipped by Amazon. Is yours an ABS or a wood xaphoon? December 20, 2013 @ 10:39 pm. And on the #3 1/2 the high end and altissimo might be stronger while the low notes are more difficult. Thinner reeds vibrate more easily, so they are good for beginners. 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. Doron Orenstein Third, I don’t find hard reeds to be inherently better for altissimo. As for the strength of the reed, if it sounds good and is letting the air flow naturally, then I don’t see a problem. I can’t afford the high end custom models but I can recommend Rico Metalite. I tried one from Macsax that I really liked, it was very bright, which was very odd considering that it was made of wood. Jasmine The Sax Lover It looks like you’re not 100% in disagreement with the article on some of the points you bring up, especially when you add the caveat “if someone really has the chops to play harder reeds…”, Larry Weintraub Also, curve your bottom lip around your teeth and have the mouthpiece about half an inch in your mouth. Alexandre Alves Doron Orenstein Hi Maybe the 1.5 Vandoren is working for you since you have a very big tip opening on your Rico Metalite? October 26, 2019 @ 10:11 pm, […] https://www.bestsaxophonewebsiteever.com/6-crucial-facts-about-saxophone-reeds/ […], Best Tenor Sax Reeds | AmazonUSBuy Get it Tomorrow, Jan 8. That’s somewhat true within the range of strengths you’re able to play, but not true on the whole. I’ve found that RICO reeds give me the best chance of finding the best ones; I play Rico Select Jazz 4M at the moment on my tenor sax. You can get a sense of medium-sized mouthpiece tip openings here: [Sorry(! There are specific reeds designed to meet these requirements. I like the convenience, playability and accuracy of synthetic, but I prefer the tone of cane. Thus, there are many different opinions about mouthpiece and reed combinations, and there is an infinite number of combinations. The challenge is I have to invest in something to ‘try’ and can’t quarantee it will sound good :). THe sound added some reverb so you could hear how it sounded in a bigger room. It becomes incredibly annoying and stressful at times. April 20, 2015 @ 7:21 pm, I saw this at Volkwein’s in Pittsburgh. You know, I keep hearing great things about the fibracells, and I think that they might work for the bright-ish sound I’ve been going for these days. 10 Pieces Alto Saxophone Reeds Size 2.5 with Individual Plastic Case, Traditional Reeds Strength 2 1/2 for Clarinet Soprano or Alto Sax. Because while I can play as softly as ever, I find that harder reeds allow me to play louder that I could on softer reeds. One plus of purchasing synthetic saxophone reeds is they will not warp, crack, or wear over time. Hi one and all. Any comments most welcome. So as a tenor or soprano sax player just think one whole tone interval above the piano concert pitch. The reed is made of the cane plant.The cane has a hollow stem and grows to full height in one year. Generally speaking, I can tell within the first few seconds if a reed is going to be a good one or not since reeds have such a radical impact on the way we *feel* like we’re sounding (much more so than the way we *actually* sound, since we really sound pretty darn similar regardless of which reed we play on). Sound wise I have not noticed much loss aside from the wet sound. 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. Also, how can i develop speed while playing accurately.. Been playing for 6yrs bt I think i need speed and longer sustainance.. What do you advice me to do? What do Saxophone Reed Numbers Mean? Profiles This link ('Profiles', above) is to someone's attempt at grouping physical characteristics of reeds into 4 profiles, then explaining in each profile what those characteristics do for sound production, and how those reeds can be best adjusted. lets see cane beat that.yea try out some of different strengths and then when you find what you like they might work for you. I got two boxes of Cecilio reeds for my soprano on eBay for about $11 and they are very good reeds considering the fact that they are what most people consider an “off brand”. Out of a box of 10 reeds, I find they are ALL different. $6.99 $ 6. These reeds last for months, and they're fairly consistent due largely in part to the material consisting of plastics. Mouthpieces, Music Equipment, Reeds, Tone Production. Saxophone reeds are the type of thing that you need to decide for yourself, especially as you develop. November 26, 2011 @ 1:16 pm. Lots of sax parts are miked to hell. January 6, 2018 @ 10:29 pm. Because when a Bb saxophone plays it’s written C (the note on your Bb saxophone music sheet) it sounds Bb on the piano (concert pitch). I suggest number 2 to start with it is easy with it. Little did he know, his shaved down 4’s were thinner than my unaltered 3’s. It’s actually a measure of resistance to breath pressure. Vandoren Reeds Alto Sax 1.5 Traditional (3 Pack) 4.6 out of 5 stars 154. measure in the reed? Im not sure. ), In what ways would the Rico 2.5 alto reed be beneficial? There’s no such thing as the best reed in the world. ), but this web page has disappeared since the original publication of this comment]. You need a 2 1/2 to bring it back under control, but then you lose control on quieter passages. The best reeds are made from cane which is grown in Southern France, benefiting from warm Mediterranean breezes. The saxophone is a transposing instrument. A good one will last for a 6 months to a year. And it’s a plus for oral health so gargle it too. With the plastic reed it sounds extremely different that the wooden one. 13% off. Just put a new reed in and am finding it really hard to blow with aching jaw. But my cane reeds are always breaking. I too have a chino sax and the one thing I did which changed the sound for the better, was to change mp. February 27, 2013 @ 10:45 pm. FREE Delivery. Those are pretty much the strengths Michael Brecker played on and he was a great altissimo player. Doron Orenstein Now, if somebody tries to play a harder reed than they’re really capable of playing then yes, they’ll encounter problems. January 6, 2018 @ 6:12 pm, Lionel Gan If you're a beginner, it's best to start with a softer reed, usually about a 2. You might also want to go for a mouthpiece with a smaller tip opening. But it is at the expense of warmth. There are several different methods in which to wet a reed. Tired of sanding /wetting/etc. 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 support to achieve the same result, while still having the versatility to play quiet low notes and flexibility to bend notes. Just telling I am 14 years old and I play the soprano sax. Put your mouthpiece on the saxophone neck. Another thing that helps keep reeds healthy and ready-to-go is an air-tight, moisture-controlled reed case. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. They used to be rubbish but over the last couple of years have got much more reliable. It makes soooo much difference. Thanks for the tips about reeds. April 20, 2016 @ 5:49 am. January 7, 2018 @ 9:20 am, Argendonax Broken down into bite-sized lessons, this streaming video program covers just about every single aspect of saxophone sound production. I’ve never felt like my flexibility in terms of pitch or dynamics has been sacrificed when moving up reed strengths out of necessity. Even if the mouthpiece is a little too loose or too tight, the cork can be easily shaved or replaced, so you can choose any mouthpiece you like. Choosing a Saxophone:How to choose a reed and mouthpiece. Apart from I need more practice can you give me some advice on playing better especially when the reeds start to get softer because of being too wet. pls enlighten me, Best Tenor Sax Reeds - Top 5 Detailed Reviews | TheReviewGurus.com Good stores offer this without any problem. But they’re not only good for beginners, I and many other advanced players still use them! To make a reed, cane is cut to the proper length, cut along the length into four parts, and then shaved. But it is (almost) closed at the other end. It is effortlessly free-blowing, colorful, and loaded with personality. Because reeds are made from a natural material, no two reeds are exactly the same. With the Hahn Fibre Reed, some players have experienced difficulty playing altissimo and higher notes are flat consistently. Just telling I just saw the comment of MrG now and it’s reply, but I didn’t read all the other comments too much. The advantage in playing in a band is that you can arrange to try out other mp’s for free because of your fellow tenor players. The saxophone is a 'closed' pipe The saxophone is open at the far end or bell. Sounds so much more convenient and enjoyable not to have to worry about finding and maintaining those good reeds. It seems to be mouthpiece dependent. Hi I’m 15 years old and I’ve been playing the Alto Saxophone for four years, I consider myself getting quite good at it and I’m trying loads of different things. I’ve searched for reed anatomies on the internet and saw nothing called the grain. Good luck. Tom Ridenour has some good videos on adjusting reeds. This is sometimes a concern, so, recently, convenient resin reeds that are easy to maintain and last a long time have appeared. Am I missing something? Rico’s reeds make me a little nostalgic because they were the first reeds I used when I was 12 and started playing the saxophone. Your email address will not be published. For example, to achieve a deeper, dark tone, many players choose a mouthpiece with a large tip opening and a thick reed. Should I buy reeds from a different make? September 30, 2012 @ 8:38 pm. Maybe you’ll get one or two you are happy with. Any how, I’ve never tried the plastic reed, but if you can get one to work, all the better. I play on rico plasticoat reeds on my tenor saxophone. We could not figure out why this student was squeaking so much. This reed is designed to produce a quality of extremely pure sound This reed is designed to produce a quality of extremely pure sound due to: • A very thin reed tip (the area of reed with maximum vibration). 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