 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Jeff
Date: 1999-08-13 13:56
I use Vandoren V12 3 1/2's, but I think I am ready to go to a four. Another teacher friend of mine tells me that he thinks that the best strength reed to play on is somewhere between 3 and 4, but a 4 is too high. What does everyone on here think?
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Author: Kontragirl
Date: 1999-08-13 16:14
Reeds are different for everybody, and what your friend says is probably right for them, but not you. Go to your music store and pick up a couple of Vandoren 4's and see if they'll work out for you.
Kontragirl
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 1999-08-13 16:41
Jeff wrote:
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I use Vandoren V12 3 1/2's, but I think I am ready to go to a four.
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The question you need to ask yourself, Jeff, is _why_ you think you need to go to a 4. larger numbers son't indicate anything except a harder/stiffer reed - the numbers don't have any relevance to proficiency.
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Author: Daniel
Date: 1999-08-13 17:32
Mark Charette wrote:
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Jeff wrote:
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I use Vandoren V12 3 1/2's, but I think I am ready to go to a four.
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The question you need to ask yourself, Jeff, is _why_ you think you need to go to a 4. larger numbers son't indicate anything except a harder/stiffer reed - the numbers don't have any relevance to proficiency.
Also keep in mind the facing of your mouthpiece. Some mouthpieces aren't made for harder reeds. My Kaspar has a close facing, but the curve doesn't start until closer to the tip, so i have to use 3.5's instead of 4's or 4.5's.
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Author: LJClarinetGuy
Date: 1999-08-13 20:49
I agree, you should only if you have to. I play on Traditionals, V12s and the German Cut Black Master Vandorens (all size 5) because a moupiece I ordered requires stronger reeds. I had been using Traditional Vandorens and V12s at a size 4 on a Gigllioti, but the Scott I ordered needs a thicker, stiffer reed. Use what would work best for you on your mouthpiece.
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Author: Dee
Date: 1999-08-13 23:50
I agree with the others. Find what works for you. I play two mouthpieces, a Vandoren B45 and a Vandoren 5RV. The regular Vandoren 3.5 is great for the B45 mouthpiece and a hair soft for the 5RV. The Vandoren 4 is a little too stiff. So I trim a tiny sliver off the Vandoren 3.5 with a reed trimmer.
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Author: Sara
Date: 1999-08-14 02:55
Dee-
I have the same exact two mouthpieces, but I use the same regular Vandoren 3's on both but I think I might need to get a harder reed or something because I constantly rotate 6 different reeds when I play but they still don't seem to last long and and I think I might try out a harder reed or try the V12's, what do you think I should do?
Sara
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Author: Dee
Date: 1999-08-14 03:42
Sara wrote:
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Dee-
I have the same exact two mouthpieces, but I use the same regular Vandoren 3's on both but I think I might need to get a harder reed or something because I constantly rotate 6 different reeds when I play but they still don't seem to last long and and I think I might try out a harder reed or try the V12's, what do you think I should do?
Sara
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Well you need to experiment and find what suits you. However for starters, here is what the inserts that came with these mouthpieces recommended in the standard Vandoren reed.
B45 - the equivalent of a regular Vandoren 3, 3.5, or 4
5RV - the equivalent of a regular Vandoren 3.5, 4, or 4.5
As you can see, the reed that you are using is ok for one mouthpiece but a little soft for the other. You might try the 3.5 strength.
Also what kind of reed life are you getting? Perhaps you just expect too much of those poor reeds! Something that helps in addition to rotating reeds is to be sure that you don't eat or drink anything but except water right before and during playing.
It can also help to condition the reeds before you play them for the first time. Soak them in water. Lay them on a flat surface. Then rub the reed from the thick part toward the tip several times. Use some pressure when you rub. Let them dry out well before putting them into the rotation. This closes down the pores a bit and seems to make them last a bit longer. There are other, more elaborate reed conditioning routines, but this one is simple and doesn't take much time for busy people like myself.
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Author: Dee
Date: 1999-08-14 12:22
Jeff wrote:
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What about an M13?
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Can't help you there as I have never bought one. Perhaps you can find one in a local store and they will let you look at the insert that comes in the box.
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Author: col
Date: 1999-08-15 01:21
Hi,
maybe you know this but a 4 size reed in the V12 style is equal to a 3 1/2 size in the traditional Vandoren style ( there in a blue box ). I have just started using the V12 size 3 1/2 and have found many of them quite soft, so maybe a 4 would be better.
Hope its helpful
col
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Author: Sara
Date: 1999-08-15 04:52
Jeff, I think that you should use your own personal preference when you pick your reeds, I read the package inserts and all that but that's just a reccommended strength, use whatever suits you best!
sara:)
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Author: Jeff
Date: 1999-08-15 12:49
I have always used V12's, because I can get better sound out of them. I haven't tried others because I have a Vandoren mputhpiece and I assumed that Vandoren reeds were probably designed with a Vandoren mouthpiece in mind.
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Author: HIROSHI
Date: 1999-08-15 16:23
I thing these are big things as to reed sizes:1) how the mouthpiece tip matches the reed tip, and 2)how the reed rail mathces the reed, and 3)how the ligature matches the profiele of the mouthpiece plus reed.
1):The tip railing of the mouthpiece "must be' closed when vibrated. Many teachers say if your reed feel thick place the reed mouthpiece. This is not true if have very thin tip rail mouthpiece. The reed must close the opening anyway when vibrated. If you have a small tip railing mouthpiece(as longer facing mouthpieces have), it does not work.
2)If you have too wide reed against the mouthpiece,there should be overhangs at both sides.What they do to your tones? Nobody do not know.
3)Ligaruture should be designed with the specifi reed,mouthpiece. But this is the really difficult matching.
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Author: Becky
Date: 1999-08-19 22:43
Jeff,
The srength of reeds you use really are determined by your mounthpiece, lig. and how hard you are willing to blow. The more closed your facing is the harder the reeds you can play and viceversa for a more open mp. There are some lig. which let you play harder reeds on a more open mp. this is so you can get a richer tone in the altissimo register without blowing your brains out. I don't know what kind of mp you play on so I can't tell you if a 4 is too hard. 3- 31/2 will play effectivly on most normal facing mps.
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