Guide to Clarinet Reeds
Parts of the Reed
Vamp: Refers to the entire vibrating portion of the reed.
Tip: The thinnest and most fragile part of the reed. Small
adjustments can make a big impact here.
Heart: The core of the reed, located directly in the center and
extending down to the shoulder.
Rails: Located on either side of the heart, the rails are the
most common area to adjust and balance a reed.
Shoulder: The lowest area on the vamp, typically adjusted to
affect the vibrancy of the reed.
Selecting Reeds
Beginning/Intermediate:
My recommendation – Start a student on Rico orange box size 2 ½ (They are also the cheapest option).
Juno (white and red box) – Newer brand affiliated with Vandoren
Rico (orange box) or Rico Royal (blue box) – Come in 3 packs or 10 packs
Intermediate/Advanced:
Vandoren – Traditional (blue box) and V12 (silver box) are the most commonly used.
D’Addario – Reserve and Reserve Classic are the most commonly used.
Choosing reed strength:
Reed strengths vary from brand to brand, and slightly from reed to reed in a given box.
Lower strength thinner reed less resistance to make a sound
Higher strength thicker reed more resistance to make a sound
Typically, the more you play on a reed, the more your saliva breaks down the cane and the lighter the
reed will get.
Choosing the right reed strength is dependent upon the…
- mouthpiece facing
- student’s embouchure development
- student’s air support
It may be time to move a student to a higher reed strength if…
- the student is “overblowing” the reed (sound is bright and thin).
- the student feels little to no resistance making a sound.
- the student has a good basic sound, embouchure, and tongue position but is squeaking.
Reed Storage
While you can simply store reeds in their original plastic sleeves, there are some great options that keep
reeds in good condition. Keeping reeds humidified will help them warp less and last longer.
Rico or LaVoz Reedgard Vandored Hygro Reed Case
(holds four reeds) – under $5 (holds six reeds, humidification) - $30
Reed Care
Rotate reeds
A clarinetist should always have multiple
working reeds at any given time. This is not only in case we accidentally break
our reed, but also to allow us to rotate the reeds we play on.
If one reed is played on for too long, this will cause it to become waterlogged and warp.
Even with some adjustment, a reed that is warped will never play quite the same again.
Break in reeds
A reed is most susceptible to absorbing water the very first time it is played. This is because the tube
fibers of the cane are all freshly-cut and still open.
The purpose of breaking in reeds is to…
- Introduce the reed to water/saliva gradually
- Block the cane fibers so they will not absorb too much water in the future
- Make the reed last longer
Steps:
1. Break in multiple reeds at once (5 or so)
2. Wet the reed, but do not soak it
3. Play test the reed in small increments, increasing little by little each day (30 seconds, 1 minute, 3
minutes, etc.) – Warm up time is a great time to do this
4. Make small adjustments little by little, as needed
5. Seal the reed by rubbing your thumb or a piece of paper on the vamp of the reed a few times
6. Allow the reed to dry completely (back-side up) before putting in reed case
Simple reed adjustments
Position on Mouthpiece
Reed feels hard move down on mouthpiece
Reed feels soft move up on mouthpiece
Unbalanced Reed
“Side-to-side test” on open G – Keeping your head and embouchure in proper playing portion, rotate
the mouthpiece to the left and tongue on open G . Repeat the process to the right. Compare the two
sounds –Was one easier/less resistant to play than the other? If so…
Without Materials:
- Tilt the tip of the softer side of the reed towards the outer portion of the mouthpiece facing
- Move the entire rail of the softer side towards the outer portion of the
mouthpiece facing
With Materials:
- Place the reed back-side down on reed glass
- Using 1000 grit sandpaper, remove cane from the rails of the heavier side of
the reed in a circular brushing motion
Warped Reed
Warped tip: Appears wavy when looking at the reed from the tip down.
- Soak reed in water from 30 seconds
- Place the reed on reed glass
- Use your thumb or index finger, press the
water out from the vamp moving from shoulder to tip
Warped back: This is usually identified by a “buzzy” sound,
particularly at a piano dynamic.
- Place a piece of 1000 grit sand paper on reed glass
- Place the reed flat on top of the sandpaper, back-side down
- Allow the very tip of the reed to hang over the edge of the glass
- Using your index and middle fingers on top of the bark,
gently press into the reed
- Move the reed vertically up and down for about six strokes
Stuffy Reed
Thick Shoulder:
- Place the reed back-side down on reed glass
- Using 1000 grit sandpaper, remove cane from the shoulder corners and lower rails in a circular
brushing motion
Common Concerns for New Players
Chipping the tip of a reed
- Take care in placing ligature over the reed
- Place a mouthpiece cap on the mouthpiece when not playing
Not taking the reed off of the mouthpiece
- Tell them to put the reed back in the case from DAY ONE
- Check every single lesson
- Can cause mold to grow on the reed!
Not aligning the reed on the mouthpiece correctly
- This takes a bit of coordination and practice
- Check this for the first few lessons before they play
- Sound production problems? Check the reed
