 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: RonD
Date: 2014-01-10 19:40
Hello,
Ronald here again.
About beginning reeds.
Convention states that beginning reeds such as Rico orange are more instantaneous for a beginner .
I purchased a box of Rico orange 2.5 and a box of Rico classic reserve 2.5
I cannot play any of the orange ( soaked or non soaked) very stuffy sound,
very resistant.
As to the Rico classic reserve, most have the sweetest sound, they vibrate and are bit as resistant, you blow they go and I can control the sound
the Yamaha 4c mouthpiece is what I have with a new 255,
How come I can't play those beginner friendly reeds.
Ronald
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Author: Tony F
Date: 2014-01-10 19:58
Rico Orange and Classic are both good reliable reeds, and the Yamaha 255 and 4c mouthpiece combination are an excellent beginners choice, easy to play without too much resistance. It sounds to me as though you're playing too hard a reed for your present embouchure. Try a 1.5 and work up from there. Don't discard the 2.5's. you'll be able to use them after a few months of playing. It takes time to build up the muscles around the lips.
Tony F.
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Author: kdk ★2017
Date: 2014-01-10 20:07
I'm inclined to agree partially with Tony that your problem with the orange box Ricos is probably that they're a little too stiff. But I wouldn't recommend skipping over #2 and using #1.5. There are lots of bad habits you can pick up by playing on reeds that are too light and offer no resistance at all. If you want to save the cost of Reserve Classics and use regular Ricos, I'd recommend trying #2s to see how they feel on your setup.
But if you like the Classic Reserves and don't mind the price, you can certainly stay with them. If you want a little less resistance, you can drop down to a #2 of those as well. They're an excellent product.
Karl
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Author: Arnoldstang
Date: 2014-01-10 21:01
Here's a test you might use to help. It is the "Bite Test". Play a long tone and apply more and more pressure to the reed. This is a test to see how strong the heart of the reed is. It shouldn't be easy to make the sound stop with biting. If it is relatively easy to stop the sound with biting then you need a higher reed strength.
It might seem that a #1 1/2 strength will be the easiest to play when in fact it might just make the sound cut out and cause lots of back pressure.
Freelance woodwind performer
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Author: RonD
Date: 2014-01-10 21:12
Hello,
What I meant by resistant is that the sound is very stuffy.
I am new and I am unfortunately not sure of what the terms such as resistant
and back pressure really mean. I am sure that I would be using them out of
context.
The thing is, I went on the Rico site just now and it states that the reserve classic 2.5 is actually the equivalent of a 3 orange.
the classic also has a thicker heart and body.
Yet I get a vibrating sweet sound with it at about the same pressure.
I will try the bite exercise.
What I mean to say is , why can't I play beginner design reeds,
Me or the reeds.
Ronald
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Author: kdk ★2017
Date: 2014-01-10 21:51
RonD wrote:
> What I mean to say is , why can't I play beginner design reeds,
>
> Me or the reeds.
Probably both. The reeds you find stuffy may actually be too soft - the feeling of back pressure from a reed that's closing can easily be described as "stuffiness" and may feel just as unresponsive as a reed that's too stiff, even though the reason is different. If that's the case, you may just be closing the #2 OrangeBoxes.
That's why too soft and too hard are both wrong.
Karl
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Author: Ursa
Date: 2014-01-10 22:09
Ronald, please do not be concerned about the "orange box" Rico reeds not working for you. Even if they did play well for you, sooner or later you will want to upgrade to a better quality reed, such as the Rico Classic Reserve reeds that you are already having success with.
My best recommendation would be to continue playing with the Classic Reserves, stop worrying about reeds, and enjoy your clarinet!
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2014-01-10 17:13
I can' believe anyone can get a Rico reed to play :-)
Try a box of Vandorens and you'll never go back.
..................Paul Aviles
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Author: Tobin
Date: 2014-01-10 22:33
From RonD's original post I draw the opposite conclusion: the Orange box 2.5's or 3's are too light. This makes sense when RonD states that he may have to blow a bit more for the classics, but that the sound is better.
I've never had a kid, of any age or size, who couldn't easily sound an Orange Box 2.5 within the first ten minutes of a lesson.
My bet is that RonD might be using too much embouchure strength, maybe biting, maybe using a ton of wind, or some combination of the three, and is simply shutting that Orange Rico down entirely. They have no heart and are flimsy in the first place. For that matter -- RonD might be doing everything exactly right, and that's why the Orange Box won't work.
Paul -- I have a lot of respect for your posts and your experience, but I left Vandoren a long time ago. Any time I think to go back, I immediately discover why I left.
To each their own!
James
Gnothi Seauton
Post Edited (2014-01-10 22:34)
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Author: tictactux ★2017
Date: 2014-01-10 22:46
I don't know what problems people have with orange Ricos...but they aren't exactly "beginner reeds" just because they're cheap.
For a beginner, try Mitchell Lurie regulars, say a #2.5 for now.
(I did try Vandorens and I thoroughly detest them with every fiber of my body. Never seen a box of so wildly inconsistent reeds requiring every imaginable sort of pampering and incantations prior to use. Boo, hiss.)
--
Ben
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Author: kdk ★2017
Date: 2014-01-10 22:49
tictactux wrote:
> requiring every imaginable sort of pampering and
> incantations prior to use. Boo, hiss.)
>
You found an incantation that works? Want to share?
Karl
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Author: AAAClarinet
Date: 2014-01-10 23:10
RonD, try Gonzalez reeds. They come in 1/4 strength, you be able to find the perfect one for you. ☺:-)
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2014-01-10 22:45
I've tried the "Reserves.'' They are consistent - consistently bland.
Seriously though, they have less of a "heart" and have a more ragged and squared off tip. I guess you guys can get them to work. They don't work on my Vandoren CL4.
.................Paul Aviles
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Author: clarinetist04
Date: 2014-01-11 04:12
"(I did try Vandorens and I thoroughly detest them with every fiber of my body. Never seen a box of so wildly inconsistent reeds requiring every imaginable sort of pampering and incantations prior to use. Boo, hiss.)"
Hahaha.
I use only Vandoren reeds, but they are wildly inconsistent. I tend to use 3.5 or 4's and usually only get 3-4 that are okay right out of the box. Naturally, like most topics that are popping up here these days, this topic has been discussed ad nausea over the past several years but it always does shock me how similar reed makers are to weathermen in consistency and accuracy.
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Author: RonD
Date: 2014-01-11 05:22
Thanks to all of
your responses.
Yes I will continue with the classic reserve for now.
About what Mr Tobin said, I wish I could tell yes or no.
Maybe I am doing something right , something wrong, all wrong...but certainly
not all right.
Reminds me of an old Bob Dylan song... before Newport 65
Anyhow, as another insight. The reed that came with the instrument is
a Rico Grand Concert strength 3. This, I cannot blow at all without bulging an eyeball.
I was having a very hard time with squeals just a while ago.
Most of the time it is me. It turned out that the reed was sticking proud of the
mouthpiece. I resettled it and it was night and day.
And I thought bagpipe reeds were temperamental...
Cheers,
Ronald
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