 The Fingering Forum
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Author: Mike
Date: 1999-09-15 11:44
I interested in learning the clarinet as a hobby.
What number reed should a beginner start with.
Someone told me I should use a 11/2 is this right?
When I try to play B2 with the 1 1/2 I have difficulty
in getting air through. Is this reed to soft for me?
Also any tips on reeds and proper placement on the
mouthpiece would be appreciated.
Thanks,Mike
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Author: Aglauro
Date: 1999-09-16 07:22
The appropriate reed is closely related to the mouthpiece, but generally speaking I think a medium softness (i. e., 2 1/2) is best to start with. Anyhow, beginners have a tendency to bite too hard on the mouthpiece. Try to use only as much pressure as necessary.
The reed should be placed so as not to project from the mouthpiece, but rather fall short of the tip by a very thin margin. The placement is somewhat (slightly) flexible: the lower you place it, the softer it acts.
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Author: Keith
Date: 1999-09-16 18:10
Are you working with a teacher? If so, then he/she can probably recommend the appropriate strength for you. If not, you may want to try several strengths and brands to find out what works best for you. If your local music dealer will let you buy individual reeds (instead of a whole box), so much the better. It's a trial-and-error process, even for those of us who have been playing for many years.
Good luck!
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Author: Eoin
Date: 1999-10-04 07:11
If you use too soft a reed, you will get a very quiet sound and the reed will deteriorate very quickly (within a few days).
If you use too hard a reed, you will have difficulty getting a note out of it at all. All you'll get is a breathy sound.
If you can get a pure note without any "blowing" sound, you are probably using the right reed. There is no need to keep going to a harder reed as you progress, although you may want to, because hard ones are louder and last longer.
A good reed to start with is Rico Number 2. Note that Van Doren numbers don't match Rico numbers, so a Van Doren 2 is about the equivalent of a Rico 2.5.
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Author: Frosty
Date: 2001-05-12 17:57
The reed number on a clarinet determines the brittleness of the reed. I started out on my clarinet as a 2, but it was difficult to reach the high notes. In order to do that you need a stiffer reed, like perhaps a size 3.
When you play with a stiffer reed, it is difficult to play any note whatsoever. You need to put more air through the clarinet to get the old effect, but once you get use to the stiff reed you can play the high notes.
If I were you I'd keep a selection of reed sizes for different songs. If you know the song you're playing uses very few, or no high notes, use a size 2 reed for it's softness. As for whoever told you an 11 1/2 was correct, I don't even think a reed that stiff exists! I think he/she meant 1 1/2 which would be decent for a beginner.
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