 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Cavatina
Date: 2008-08-08 22:55
I've recently started learning to play the clarinet. Having read quite a bit about all the different reeds available, I initially bought a few to try out - I got a selection of Ricos and Vandorens in different strengths.
Although I found the Ricos slightly easier to play, I preferred the sound of the Vandorens - the Vandoren 2 was easily the best of the bunch, so I went ahead and bought a full box of these.
However, none of them sound anywhere near as good as my 'favourite' one from my initial selection! I've worked through about half of the box now, and have only found one reed that sounds anywhere near reasonable - the others all sound very muffled and 'breathy', and I find them really hard to play. I've tried 'playing them in', but I don't hear any real improvement over time.
My question is... is this normal? Is reed quality always this inconsistent? Is there really something wrong with the reeds, or is it me? I know my embouchure probably isn't great yet, because I've only recently started playing, but this is ridiculous!
I need to find some new reeds soon, because if I break my 'favourite' one, I don't have a spare! My clarinet is a Buffet B12, and if I use my 'favourite' reed, I can produce a tone that I'm quite happy with - so I don't think I'm completely useless! I would really appreciate some advice from the more experienced players out there.
Thanks!
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Author: Neal Raskin
Date: 2008-08-08 23:52
This is the problem that plagues many reed companies. Like the article said, you can probably get 2 good reeds in a box of ten. Though, don't throw away the bad ones yet. Save them until the season starts to change, then try them again. Different humidity levels, and temps have a dramatic impact on a reed. What's good now, may not be in a couple months, and what's bad now, may turn out to be a favorite reed later. Good luck.
Neal
www.youtube.com/nmraskin
www.musicedforall.com
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Author: EEBaum
Date: 2008-08-08 23:58
Let them age, the Vandorens especially. I'm finding that the sweet spot for them is 2-3 years. I open the box (and all the @#$% flow packs, now), mark the date, and play them later. Breaking in a box of 4s from 2005 at the moment.
Of course, this doesn't help much if you switch what kind of reeds you play between now and then, as a dozen half-used boxes of 3.5s on my desk will attest.
-Alex
www.mostlydifferent.com
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Author: DavidBlumberg
Date: 2008-08-09 00:16
Comparing a regular Rico to a Vandoren is like comparing expensive swiss chocolate to a hershey bar.
There are better Ricos which will give you a much, much better sound and feel. A really good Vandoren will work great and sound good too. But a bad Vandoren will take a lot of adjusting for it to work.
Consider trying the Grand Concert Select Thick Blank #2 and those should feel and sound quite good.
I'm an Artist for them so am biased, but got there in the first place from liking them so much.
http://www.SkypeClarinetLessons.com
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Author: feadog79
Date: 2008-08-09 00:28
Gonzalez and Zonda reeds are also worth trying; the quality of cane seems to be pretty consistent.
After you've been playing a while, consider the Ridenour ATG reed finishing system. A big reason why some reeds don't play well initially is because they are unbalanced (more/less cane on one side of the reed, if you will). The ATG system is a simple set of tools that you can use to balance your reeds, and can give you some good results right away.
The playability of your reeds may also change with the humidity in the air. Reeds can warp when the climate they are stored in changes. I've found the Rico Reed Vitalizer humidity packs to help regulate the climate in which reeds are stored. You can store your reeds in your favorite reed holder/case (NOT the plastic holder they ship it), and put it in a ziploc bag with the reed vitalizer. They will help keep the reeds stored at a stable humidity level, which is very helpful. The Reed Vitalizer stuff can be ordered from most online music stores.
JW
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Author: Cavatina
Date: 2008-08-11 22:40
Thank you everyone, for your responses and advice. I feel much better now, knowing that I'm not the only one to experience this. I'm beginning to realise that choosing reeds is a more complex process than I imagined it to be, and it's not an exact science either!
I'm now looking forward to continuing my experiments... I haven't thrown any of my 'bad' reeds away - I've kept them all, marked with the date I first used them and some notes on how they performed, and I'll definitely come back to them later. I'll look at some different brands too - thank you all for your suggestions.
Thanks again everyone for your input - much appreciated!
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Author: timg
Date: 2008-08-11 23:52
I keep about 8 reeds in-use at a time, and scribble the qualities of each one on a post-it note in the case. I'm only a beginner, so I can't tell right away how a reed is going to turn out. My technique is probably quite variable, so I chuck out a reed only when it's consistently not-working.
Over the past couple of months I've noticed even more variation than normal, and had the strong impression that it was correlated with the weather. We get some very sudden changes in temperature and humidity over the summer.
Neal commented that reeds change with the seasons - can they also change over the course of a few days?
For the moment I'm keeping a selection of "active" reeds, and each day I go through them until I find one which works well. Am I being too picky? Or not picky enough?
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Author: feadog79
Date: 2008-08-12 00:47
"...can they also change over the course of a few days?..."
Yes, reeds can be affected by humidity over the course of a few days, and in even less time than that. That's why it's good to store reeds that you are using in a stable environment.
JW
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Author: hans
Date: 2008-08-12 01:36
Cavatina,
You could avoid all the ritual, superstition, and work that comes with playing on a piece of dead cellulose and get a Legere reed. It will never be quite as good as a great cane reed, but great cane reeds are too rare.
The plastic reed will give you consistency, much longer life, no mould, no maintenance, no drying out, and a reasonably good sound - better as you get used to it. Typically you will have to get a lower number than what you normally use in cane. If you don't like it, Legere has an exchange program.
Hans
(who has no interest in or affiliation with Legere and currently plays Legeres on clarinet and alto sax, but not on tenor or C Melody saxes, where Zonda or Rico Royal still get blamed for any undesirable sounds)
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Author: mcwclarinet
Date: 2008-08-12 03:34
I've always played on Vandoren reeds. I started on 2 1/2 in 7th grade and now play 4 V12's as a sophomore in college. Reeds are very unpredictable-- I find that sometimes a reed that will play beautifully earlier in the day will play horribly later that day, even after only a few hours.
I have a plastic protec reed case that holds 12 reeds and they're numbered. I rotate reeds, meaning that I don't play on the same one for everything. I also put the softest reed as no. 1 and the hardest reed as no. 12. That way, if I have too soft of a reed and that reed came out of the number 5 slot, then I'll need a reed from 6-12 to play well.
Everyone else is right: Reeds do change with the weather! There's really not much you can do, it's inevitable. However, you can buy a damp-it (I think they're called) to regulate the humidity in your case. That will also prevent cracks in your clarinet as well.
As for consistency, every reed in the box will not be good. I'm a strong believer in Vandoren reeds and even in those, you might find 5-6 good reeds in a box, sometimes more sometimes less depending from where they were shipped and the weather when they were made.
As for the fuzziness of your sound, your reed might be too hard. Since you're already playing 2's, you probably don't need to go down a size. Try lowering your reed slightly on the mouthpiece and see if that improves your sound. Are you learning to play in a band class or are you taking private lessons? If you are taking lessons, ask your teacher to show you how to sand your reeds with sandpaper to make them less stuffy sounding.
As to having a balanced reed, you don't need a fancy machine to tell you that. Put the clarinet in your mouth and rotate it just a little to one side, keeping it in your mouth. Blow through, pinching off one side of the reed. You only want one side to vibrate while the other is pinched off. Remember how that sounds and do the same thing on the other side. If one side sounds stuffier that the other, that is the side you want to sand. Ideally, both sides should sound the same. Remember don't ever sand the tip, just ask your teacher or any experienced clarinet player and they will tell you how.
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Author: claritoot26
Date: 2008-08-12 14:47
Aside from the inevitable variability of commercial reeds, I find that a lot of my beginning students have trouble finding the right position of the reed on the mouthpiece. If they start a lesson with a stuffy or squeaky sound, I spend a bit of time with them showing them how to reposition the reed correctly (provided the reed looks to be in good condition, no chips or excessive warpage). Often just a millimeter or less higher or lower or left or right on the mouthpiece can make a huge difference in the sound and response. When I attach my own reed, I try several positions before tightening the ligature. But more or less, mine usually play best in the same position, because I spend some time balancing them.
Lori
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Author: Michelle
Date: 2008-08-13 17:38
I found Rico Royals to be the best players "straight from the box", and I always keep a box of them in my case for emergencies. Some will say that they wear out quickly, but I can go for months on the same 2 reeds.
My next favorite reed is the Alexander Superial (yellow tin), but I don't trust them for emergencies straight from the box... I do love them once I've tested them and am assured of their playing capabilities.
I have Vandoren's also, but don't usually grab those in a pinch. Like the Alexander's, I test them at home and make sure they're good ones before putting them in my reed case.
And yes, I love Legere's as well... I do keep those on hand for emergencies too, and use them almost exclusively on my least-used instrument in the pit because I need to have it play immediately.
Just personal opinions... good luck in your never-ending reed search.
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Author: Jack Kissinger
Date: 2008-08-13 19:48
I would not recommend Legere's for a beginner.
As far as the Vandoren's are concerned, you probably got lucky on the first one you bought (perhaps it was on the light side) and then found, as many others have, that the reeds in a box of Vandorens can vary considerably in strength. I know there is considerable disagreement on this point but I have heard some teachers argue that beginners aren't ready for professional reeds such as Vandorens or, in my daughter's case, Oliveris (even light ones) when they are first starting out. Until you've been playing for awhile, you may find Rico Royals (which I think you'll like better than the basic Ricos) or Mitchell Luries easier to deal with. (And easier on your pocketbook.)
Best regards,
jnk
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