 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Melissa
Date: 2004-03-06 19:28
I have taken up the alto sax for jazz band and I have a question about reed strength.
I play traditional vandoren 3.5 reeds on my clarinet and I was wondering if I should pick up the same type and size for my sax? Or maybe I should use half a strength weaker?
Melissa
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Author: Henry
Date: 2004-03-06 19:48
Melissa...It all depends on the mouthpieces you use on your clarinet and alto sax. I play the same instruments. On the clarinet I have a VD B45 mpc and use Rico Royal #3 reeds. On my alto sax, I have a Meyer 6M mp (refaced by John van Wie) and use Vandoren Java #3 or Medium Fibracell reeds. Both mpcs are rather open, so that I find that I need about the same reed strength number on both horns. But, if you use completely different mpcs on your horns (in terms of relative tip openings), the situation may be quite different for you and you may just have to experiment with different reed brands and strengths. I hope this helps a little. Good luck!
Henry
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Author: Hank Lehrer
Date: 2004-03-06 20:25
Melissa,
Henry is right on track. I use a VD 2RV or Portnoy BP02 with La Voz MH or VD 3 to 3/12 on clarinet. On alto, with a Selmer C* or Meyer 7M, a much softer reed like La VOZ M or Rico Royal 2 1/2.
It's all about the openess and the accompanying shape of the tip of the mouthpiece.
HRL
Post Edited (2004-03-06 21:06)
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Author: Topher
Date: 2004-03-06 21:06
Since you are playing the saxophone in jazz band, you do not want to use reeds of the same strenght and style on the sax as you do on your (I am assumming classical) clarinet. You should probably look at getting some rico traditionals at the very beginning to figure out what strength you should use. After you are comfortable on the sax and have found a size you like, move up to a more reliable jazz reed. Vandy Zzs, Javas, Rico jazz, and Riglotti Golds are all good reeds to use, and fairly inexpensive. That is, unless you play bari, in which case you will be charged through the nose for the Vandorens, and should stick to the Riglottis.
Topher the avid jazz bari player, who can't afford college because he bought bari reeds from Vandoren.
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Author: Mark Pinner
Date: 2004-03-07 09:38
I don't know whether great specifics are required to answer this one.
Generally speaking you would use softer reeds on a saxophone. Yes it is mouthpiece dependent and also dependent on whether you are dedicated to one particular saxophone to the exclusion of all other instruments. It is very rare to find sax players playing 3 1/5 of any brand. I often use reeds as soft as 2 on alto and 1 1/2 on tenor but sometimes as hard as 3 on both but never harder. You need to experiment. Whatever you do don't start the mouthpiece merry-go-round on saxes. Too hard by far.
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Author: sfalexi
Date: 2004-03-07 09:57
Quote:
Whatever you do don't start the mouthpiece merry-go-round on saxes. Too hard by far. I second that notion. If you want a reason why, just pick up or order a woodwind/brasswind catalogue and take a look at the section comparing alto sax mouthpieces.
I've had mulitple nightmares about round circles and tip openings chasing me down a hallway and finally all these alto mouthpieces jumped on me burying me alive. If you thought there were a lot of clarinet mouthpieces to choose from . . . .
Alexi
US Army Japan Band
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Author: gwie
Date: 2004-03-08 12:41
I use an M15 with V12 4.5's on the clarinet...go down to regular Vandoren 3.5's on a selmer C* on my alto.
Generally, it's a lot harder to get the bottom notes out on the sax than on the clarinet...and stiff reeds on the sax make playing down in the lower register next to impossible.
Perhaps try 2.5-3? It's really going to depend on your mouthpiece...something traditional like the C* will merit something in the middle of the road. Now if you're playing on a Runyon Quantam or something with a huge opening, you might find yourself comfortable in the 2-2.5 range.
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Author: Roger Aldridge
Date: 2004-03-08 16:01
Melissa,
Do you have a saxophone teacher or are you picking up the alto on your own? From the wording of your question, it sounds like you might be doing it on your own. Personally, I would encourage you to find a good saxophone teacher who can help you play the alto in your school's jazz band. Going from clarinet to alto saxophone isn't a simple thing. There are transferable skills of course. Much of what you've developed on clarinet will help you. But, the saxophone is a different instrument and has it's particular characteristics. A good teacher will help you avoid some pitfalls and enable you to develop faster on a solid foundation.
A good teacher -- ideally, one who is also a jazz player -- can steer you in the right direction regarding tone production, jazz style, and equipment.
Good luck!
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Author: clarisax
Date: 2004-03-09 00:57
well, since you are playing jazz, i would say to get about a size 3 vandoren java or alexander superial reed. if you are new to the saxophone, it might be beneficial to get a mouthpiece that is more condusive to the clarinet embouchure. i would highly recommend getting a ralph morgan jazz model mouthpiece because the shape of the beak is smaller and will fit your mouth much better than a traditional selmer c* or any student model. i am a tenor player and recently bought a morgan 5L , which is closed enough for me to use size 3.5-4 reeds, yet has a very large, round chamber to get that jazzy tone. the exterior shape is much different then my old selmer mouthpiece is and it makes doubling much much easier.
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Author: msloss
Date: 2004-03-09 15:10
A good saxophone teacher? Isn't that an oxymoron?
Oh wait, I teach saxophone...
Do not, do not, do NOT try to draw any reed equivalency between the two instruments. The technique is not the same. What produces a deep, rich, resonant sound on clarinet will give you a thin, congested and probably out-of-tune saxophone sound.
Particularly for jazz, play on softer reeds than you are likely to play for clarinet. Your embouchere also needs to be more relaxed and flexible. Inexperienced clarinetists can cheat and create the appearance of control by playing on a hard reed. Do that on saxophone and nothing will speak below 2nd-line G. If you are playing 3.5 Vandies, try something in a 2.5 or 3 (max) Vandie (blue box, Java or V16) or Rico Grand Concert Select. You are better off looking for higher quality cane than a higher index number reed.
Remember, flexibility!
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Author: JessKateDD
Date: 2004-03-10 00:28
I play a blackmaster #4 (sometimes #5) with my Morgan 1.06 on clarinet. On alto sax, I use a Vandoren 2.5 with a C* selmer mouthpiece. I like the softer setup on alto - you can blow easier and get a nicer vibrato if your equipment isn't too heavy.
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