Klarinet Archive - Posting 000583.txt from 2000/02

From: LeliaLoban@-----.com
Subj: [kl] Reeds
Date: Mon, 14 Feb 2000 23:41:13 -0500

Tiffany wrote,
> I wanted to know what size reed that I should play on. I just started
playing clarinet last week ... <snip> ... I have been playing my friend's
clarinet before I got mine and her reed was a 3. I bought a reed that is a 2
1/2 and have been playing on it for awhile, but I just wanted to know what
ya'll think I should be playing on. I can play on a 2 1/2 fine, but 3 is
just a little tougher. >

Welcome to the list!

What size reed a person needs depends so much on how the reed works with your
particular clarinet, mouthpiece and mouth structure that I don't think
anybody can just tell you, "Do this or do that," on an e-mail list. Grade
school beginners often start on a #1-1/2 or #2 reed, but then once their
lower lips toughen up they, move to a stiffer reed, because most people can't
get the high notes on those more flexible sizes of reed. Your situation is
different from that of many beginning clarinet players, since you're older
and stronger, and you've already developed lip strength with the trumpet, so
if you're comfortable with a 2-1/2 reed now, IMHO you should go ahead and use
it, or even the #3, if your teacher thinks it works well for you.

think you're too new to the clarinet to make this decision by yourself. You
mention that you play in the marching band, so why not ask your teacher to
compare how you sound on different sizes of reed and have the teacher make
the decision for you, for right now. That way you'll probably get off to a
better start. Maybe you play better in tune on one reed than on the other,
or your tone sounds better. What you need right now as a beginner will
probably change once you've played the clarinet longer, so IMHO, it's a good
idea to keep an open mind. You need more playing experience to find out what
reed size will be best for you in the long run.

Sometimes students get the idea that the larger reed sizes are "more
advanced" and push themselves to "move up" to those. IMHO, that's a big
mistake. The difference is not between "kiddie size" and "adult size," but
between flexible and stiff. Somebody on this list wrote about a professional
clarinet player who uses a 1-1/2 reed and wails away on the high notes with
it. That's unusual, but it just goes to show that we need so many reed sizes
because one size doesn't fit all!

Lelia

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