Reeds used by band students, too soft

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Published on Monday, 18 October 2004 17:00

Written by Simon Cole

Most students start on a Rico 1.5 or #2 reed. When lips are weak and blowing muscles are undeveloped this is not a bad thing.

If you start a student on too hard a reed (or too open a mouthpiece) it will force them to bite and ruin their embouchure.

The Rico reed #2/ Yamaha 4C mouthpiece is not a bad combination . This however is not a reed they should continue to play on for very long. Students should move on to stronger reeds and better cuts, Rico Royal for example or pro reeds like Grand Concert, Vandoren blue box or V12 and Rico Evolution reeds. There are many fine pro level reeds to suit your taste.


Band students stay on the soft reeds, their embouchure and blowing never develop and the upper register sounds horrible and out of tune.

Teachers often have poor results when they get students to switch to stronger reeds and so they give up on the idea. To the student, unused to blowing, they will seem hard to blow. Usually the student has learnt to bite on the soft reed to make the annoying buzz go away, this is death to the clarinet sound and biting on a hard reed will result in it being extremely hard to play. Usually the students also play the reed dry and warped as well.

If they are not taught about wetting the reed and flattening it they will not like the harder reeds as dry and warped they will not play. The #2 reed is so soft it will play (sounds terrible though) even if it is dry etc.

What about a band class that has to set up quickly is it realistic to do all this reed stuff?
If you go about it the right way, yes! The student goes to class, from their reed case (Vandoren 4 or 8 reed case ($ 15-40) they pull a reed it is dropped into a little film case of water, by the time the horn is together the reed is ready to go. The reeds were sanded at home or can be quickly sanded or rubbed flat on the spot (10 sec). My theory is that students who sound great don't quit, I have rarely been wrong on that one.

In order for the reed to work proper playing habits are needed. 80% of clarinet is air use then tongue position(10%) and embouchure, if these things are correct the student will not have to bite.

A quick easy fix is to get reed players to blow lots of air so there is always some pressure. I remember subbing for a violin playing band teacher (P.M.), he had the best clarinets around. How is this I thought so I asked him? " I make them blow he replied"

By the way I play Vandoren #4 V12 or Evolution #4 ) on a Chedeville mouthpiece . I am not a hard reed fiend, I always play the softest reed possible that does the job. The job is tuning tone, response and beauty of sound.
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