 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: renjer
Date: 2010-03-25 14:29
I'm still a relative beginner to the clarinet and learning through self-study. One thing that I still don't really know is when I should actually upgrade a reed strength.
Some time ago, a strength of 2 seemed fine and really easy to play. However, recently when I started using the 2 reed the clarinet started squeaking, but the sound came out quite loudly though.
I am now trying out the number 3 reeds, and the clarinet does not squeak that often anymore, but my mouth feels tired after sometime.
So when do you know that you have to upgrade a reed strength? And when is the time for me to try a 4?
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Author: JJAlbrecht
Date: 2010-03-25 14:34
Go up by half strengthes, fitst of all. Jumpimng form a 2 to a three as a beginner is a prettty big step. I would have moved to a 2.5, first.
Reed strength is NOT a sign of expertise on an instrument. If it were the case, symphony players would be using wooden popsicle sticks as reeds.
I have been playing since 1968. I use a 3.5. You should match the strength of the reed to the mouthpiece you are using, as well as to the development of your embouchure. Best bet is to discuss the matter with a good private teacher.
Also, what brand and model of reed are you using? You might benefit more from aquality upgrade than moving too quickly up the strength scale. This is a comon misconception among those new to the clarinet.
Jeff
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Author: Iceland clarinet
Date: 2010-03-25 14:36
Find a good teacher. It depends on too many things and people also have to see how you play on the clarinet in first place. Sometimes I move a student up in reed strength if he is not supporting enough with his embouchure(how you form the mouth when playing) and plays flat for some time and then maybe move him down again after couple of weeks or so. I just can't tell you about those thing unless I've seen you and heard you play.
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Author: William
Date: 2010-03-25 15:41
FWIW--I always started my middle schools beginning clarinetists on #2 reeds. In 7th grade, I introduced #2.5s and #3's as individual students needs required. Rarely, did any use 3.5's and never 4.0s. In high school, most of my clarinetists remained on their middle school level strengths, but then, most of them were never "serious" clarinet students that took private lessons or practiced for hours, regularily. Personally, as a *serious* clarinetist and now retired band director (also happy), I have always used #3.5 or #4 Vandoran reeds on a medium open mouthpiece--Chicago Kaspar #14. Use the reed strength that seems comfortable for your embouchure and allows you to play the full range on notes that you desire. From reading your post, I would advise you play #2.5's for a while, until you strengthen your embouchure--at which point, the reeds will close up to easily on your mouthpiece. Then, try some #3.0's. BTW, I am talking "cane" reeds. If you try some of the synthetic reeds--Legere or Forestone--then you may need to upgrade the strength by 1/2 to a whole number. Ex--I played #3.5 V12's, but now require #4 Forestones for the same performance.
I like Forestones because they require no break-in or adjustment, are impervious to the effects of climate, last indefinately, always are ready to play (no premoisturization needed) and play the same throughout the entire practice or gig. And they sound great on my mouthpiece.
BTW, heard you had a recent storm of hailstones down there. Hope nothing was broken. Two summers ago, we had a severe ice storm that required almost all of us in the neighborhood to replace our homes shingles. Yea for homeowners insurance. Lots of dents and broken car windows as well--as well as to our travel camper's skylight/fan and roof.
Just remembered, I have some former school band students who live in Perth. Small world, afterall LOL.
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Author: TianL
Date: 2010-03-25 15:56
let me add one more comment - listen to a lot of good clarinet playings so you know what you should sound like with a right reed.
but basically, you don't want to fight the reed - that's the hardest you want to go. if you feel you are fighting with it, then it's too hard.
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Author: mrn
Date: 2010-03-25 17:27
The other thing to keep in mind is that the reed strengths vary according to manufacturer. A #2 "Blue Box" Vandoren (which is what I started on as a kid) is harder than a #2 Mitchell Lurie, but softer than a #2 Grand Concert Evolution, for instance.
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Author: Lelia Loban ★2017
Date: 2010-03-25 18:58
>>One thing that I still don't really know is when I should actually upgrade a reed strength.>>
When I first started playing, in 1957, the grammar school band teacher warned my class not to think that stronger reeds were for stronger players or that a harder reed was "better" and more advanced. Thus warned, naturally, we ignored his good advice and went right ahead and bought harder and harder reeds in the belief that blowing until we turned purple and smoke came out our ears proved we were more advanced. It took me years to figure out that maybe I'd play better on something a little bit softer than a gangplank.
Maybe everybody's got to go through the hard reed phase as a rite of passage. Or maybe it would be a good idea for teachers to start all the students on no. 5 Vandorens and tell them lower numbers are better. Use the analogy of finishing a race in first place instead of fifth place. But no, then everybody'd be trying to play on no. 1 reeds and the clarinet section would sound like a herd of mice squeaking away. "Happy medium" seems to work out pretty well for most of us in the end.
Lelia
http://www.scoreexchange.com/profiles/Lelia_Loban
To hear the audio, click on the "Scorch Plug-In" box above the score.
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Author: reddog4063
Date: 2010-03-25 19:35
Like everyone else, I raced my way to 5 and have settled on 3 or 3.5 depending on my mood that day.
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Author: bmcgar ★2017
Date: 2010-03-25 20:08
I start beginning students of 12 years or older with a 3 or 3 1/4 reed.
For those with no playing experience, this has not been a problem; I have never had a student who, after about six weeks of lessons, could not play comfortably for at least fifteen minutes.
Why the harder reed at the beginning?
Because they are easier to control, more forgiving of undeveloped articulation habits and unstable embouchure, encourage air support, and allow greater air pressure without closing up, among other things.
In my experience, those students who come to me after a year or two of playing soft reeds have a much harder time developing their sound and articulation--and take much longer to "get it"-- than students who begin their study with harder reeds (again, not so hard that they turn blue).
There's a good reason most advanced "classical" players choose 3.5s and harder, and it's not because we're better players. It's because, in all respect other than "blowing," harder reeds are easier to play, and we can get the results we want without killing ourselves.
(My hat's off to people such as Luis Rossi who can control a 2 3/4 reed and play so beautifully. THAT takes incredible skill!)
B.
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Author: tictactux ★2017
Date: 2010-03-25 23:52
> I start beginning students of 12 years or older with a 3 or 3 1/4 reed.
If I had to start on a 3 reed I'd probably have quit after some weeks, out of sheer frustration.
It's like pulling at the grass in order to make it grow faster. Or having a guitar beginner use hard steel strings than softer nylons. It serves no purpose other than "drill".
IMO there's an equation of some sort where mouthpiece + reed + embouchure magically equal zero (or whatever you favourite number).
I'm not meaning to say that my view is better, or yours is wronger than mine. But I think there's more than one road towards happiness, and individuals deserve to be treated individually, according to their strenghts and needs.
--
Ben
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Author: bmcgar ★2017
Date: 2010-03-26 01:18
All I can say is that I haven't had any beginners over about age 12 quit or get discouraged because they found the clarinet too hard to blow or because they couldn't sustain a good embouchure because their chops weren't up to the reed strength.
(Usually it's soccer, the opposite sex, or video games that pulls them away.)
B.
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Author: RoBass
Date: 2010-03-26 12:55
The question is: What will you play often? It's a quite impressive articulated classical music, or it's a "blow against the brass"?
One of the reasons to change the reed strength is the trained embouchure (see above), but the second is the level of volume, you wanna sound. Harder reeds could produce more volume and are not blown out so fast, but they need a very stable embouchure and respiration.
Smoother reeds could be articulated finer, but they are tired in a short time with higher volumes.
And the MPC is a very important factor too. The same MPC with different reed strengthes is the same like same reed on different MPCs ;-)
A choice between 2 and 3,5 should fit to the most people. What's your best, you have to test alone. Be aware of whoosh sound! If it occurs, your reed may be to strong for you...
kindly
Roman
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