Which saxophone reed is best?

The best reed for beginner saxophone is a size 2 or size 2.5 reed. Most beginners start with Rico, Rico Royal, or Vandoren Brand Saxophone Reeds. Your teacher will usually recommend one of these types of reeds to start with. Reed sizes vary in half measures from 1.5 to 4.

Should you soak saxophone reeds?

You should soak your reeds for about one minute with saliva. This ensures that the reed is moist enough to play well without being so wet that it becomes waterlogged. If the reed is brand new, you may want to soak it more thoroughly with water for about twenty minutes before working with it.

What is the softest saxophone reed?

Some manufacturers label strength with words instead, rating it “soft,” “medium” or “hard.” The standard scale for saxophone reed strength runs from 1 through 5, with 1 being the softest and 5 being the hardest reed. If you’re a beginner, it’s best to start with a softer reed, usually about a 2.

Are plastic saxophone reeds any good?

Plastic reeds are excellent in that they can produce a sound which rivals that of good cane reeds while being more consistent and playing right out of the box. However, even the best plastic reeds will be surpassed by the best cane reeds in both quality of sound and responsiveness.

What’s the best brand of reeds?

The 9 best reed brands out there

• Fiberreed Natural Classic.
• D’Addario Select Jazz 3 reeds for tenor saxophone.
• Rico La Voz reeds for soprano saxophone.
• Légère Signature 2.5 reed.
• Vandoren Classic 3 reeds for Bb clarinet.
• Fibracell reed for bass clarinet.
• Boston Sax Shop reeds.
• Rigotti Gold reeds for Bb clarinet.

How do you keep a saxophone reed wet?

Fill a plastic jar with warm water and soak the reeds in the jar for 2 hours. Put the reeds back in their plastic covers. Dump the water out of the jar, but leave just a little bit at the bottom to keep in some moisture. Put the reed covers (with the reeds inside them) in the of the plastic jar and seal the jar.

How do you know if a reed is too soft?

Some markers of when your reed is too soft:

1. Your tone is extremely bright, but when you try harder reeds, it sounds darker (like a professional player’s).
2. Your tone sounds buzzy, like a kazoo.
3. Your tone sounds thin and weak when you play softly, and it’s very easy to play loud.

How can you tell if a reed is bad?

Old reeds that play mushy you should throw out. New reeds that play mushy, Clip. New reeds that play stiff, sand a little to soften. New reeds that play right out of the box.

Do synthetic reeds last longer?

Synthetic reeds are not affected by temperature or humidity. They don’t get warped or dry out when not playing your sax. They don’t sound bad when you get off a plane in a new area that is different from your hometown, and they last much longer than cane reeds.

Do you need to break in synthetic reeds?

Légère synthetic reeds are rugged and should last for many hours of playing, however, the tip is fragile and the reed can split or break if it is mishandled.

Are Rico or Vandoren reeds better?

In general, Vandoren reeds are more durable. While Rico reeds usually play well out of the box, they don’t last as long. Of course, all reeds will last longer if you break them in slowly and rotate the reed you’re playing on daily.