 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Bill
Date: 2000-09-17 17:33
Typically, does a beginner move to stronger reeds naturally as their embouchure improves, or is there a point in time when "exercises" should be done to help move to a stronger reed? By exercises, I mean using a stronger read for brief periods daily.
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Author: Bob Gardner
Date: 2000-09-17 18:41
From what I have read on this board and what I have done--I would bet that 90% of all player use a #3 or less most of the time. Any comments!!!!!!!!
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Author: Willie
Date: 2000-09-17 19:27
Depends on the facing on mouth piece. Most student MPs work best with a medium strength reed with some leeway either way. Other facings may require the stiffer reeds. I have a couple of "el cheapos" here that were supplied with new clarinets that play best with about a 1 or 1.5. Won't speak at all with a 2 or higher. They also sound TERRIBLE!
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2000-09-17 19:28
Good observation, Bob. Like many, I practice back-sanding, with trials until I get what I want [about 2 1/2?], if too soft, I then go to my reed trimmer! Don
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2000-09-17 21:16
Bob Gardner wrote:
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From what I have read on this board and what I have done--I would bet that 90% of all player use a #3 or less most of the time. Any comments!!!!!!!!
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Got some money???? I'd wager the opposite (#3 or higher, V12 or equivalent) if you leave the ranks of middle school and early high school players out.
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Author: Dee
Date: 2000-09-17 21:20
For what it's worth, I use a 3.5 regular Vandoren or equivalent.
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Author: Pam
Date: 2000-09-17 22:46
From my more recent experience, having played all through high school and then not playing for nearly 20 years and now for 10 months back at it again, I was able to play a #3 reed on a Vandoren B45 mouthpiece. I currently am playing a Vandoren 5JB mouthpiece which is a more open mouthpiece facing and use #2's in the regular V. reeds or 2 1/2's on the V-12's. For my mouthpiece they don't recommend going any harder than that.
I think as your embouchure develops you may be able to tell when to move up to something harder.
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Author: Bob Gardner
Date: 2000-09-17 23:42
Mark--I would never bet with a man of you experience. However it will be of interest to see what people have to say. Right now it is about 50 50
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Author: Lelia
Date: 2000-09-17 23:43
Try to avoid the mythology that "moving up" to a larger number is a mark of maturity or progress. It does take some time to build up enough of a lip to be comfortable with *any* reed. Until a student learns what good air support feels like, a lower-numbered reed will seem easier to play. But that doesn't mean that less-stiff reeds are "baby reeds." With some experience, a beginner can start finding the *right* reed, and as others have indicated, that depends so much on the instrument, the mouthpiece, the type of music and the shape of the player's mouth that there's no such thing as "the best reed." Some professionals play on a 1-1/2 Mitchell Lurie. Others play on a 5 Vandoren. There are so many different sizes of reed because one size doesn't fit all. FWIW, I'm an amateur playing several vintage clarinets. I prefer a 3-1/2 Mitchell Lurie most of the time, but I use the stiffer 3-1/2 Vandoren for alto clarinet and also for eefer.
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Author: Bill
Date: 2000-09-17 23:55
This is the end of my first week playing the clarinet. I've tried reeds ranging from Rico #1 to Hemke #3 and regular Vandoren #3. I'm very comfortable with a regular Vandoren 2 1/2 on the Yamaha RC-4 mouthpiece that came with the Yamaha CL-20 clarinet.
So, I conclude the I don't need to actively build up to playing a 4 or 5. Reed strength is dependent on a number of factors, and even a low number is acceptable.
Thanks, the input has been very interesting and informative.
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Author: Nate Zeien
Date: 2000-09-18 00:11
Bill, I think that a Vandoren 2 1/2 is a good choice for now. Reed strength does not determine your manlihood. Reed strength is somewhat of a preference thing. If you use too thick a reed, you're tone will be airy - not good. For what its worth, I use 2 1/2's up to 3 1/2's, depending on what type of music I'm playing. Since I adjust and trim my own reeds, I don't always use the set strengths. I like the 2 1/2's for jazz and klezmer. It's amazing the flexibility you can get in these for the krekhtsn. As for the count, and the betting - I probably don't help too much, do I? Let's keep the gambling to minimum, okay boys. ;-) -- Nate Zeien
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Author: Meredith
Date: 2000-09-18 00:15
I tend to move my beginners through reed strengths as I think they require. I took on a student once that had been taught by another teacher for over three years and was still playing on a No 2 reed. Her high notes sounded terrible so I immediately tried her on some No 4 Mitchell Lurie reeds I had but didn't like and she sounded better instantly. She currently plays on No 3 GC reeds on a B45 lyre mouthpiece. I think all students will naturally progress through reed strengths until they reach one they feel comfortable with. They may need a bit of guideance as beginners but will eventually be able to tell when they need something a little bit harder.
I us a GC thick blank No 3 reed or a No 3 Vandoran traditional on a 5RVlyre mouthpiece. Anything harder and it sounds really airy.
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Author: Hiroshi
Date: 2000-09-18 06:22
I use Alexander Classic 3.5. This is designed after MORRE. I do not back sand. Only I wash them by flowing luke warm water. Then I change its profile by Gregory Smith Reed Profiler. The vibration is very much improved by this. Sometimes when the reed vibration becomes poorer I further use a Nagamatsu reed activator. This is like a punching machine, which makes four legs on the stock bottom surface and waves on the bottom surface against mouthpiece window(they say many European players use this).
The vibration improvement is incredible.
I recently knew that Vandoren reeds are unsymmetrical,and it might be an obstacle to my playing improvement when I was young and did not know how to check reed symmetry: It is easy just turn the clarinet 45 degrees and blow left side and right side and hear the difference.
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