different mouthpiece, different reeds?

[MandyH]

Hi all....
I have been playing a Yamaha 5c mouthpiece on my bari, with a Rico Royal 2.5 reed (and a BG super revelation lig)

I have acquired a Meyer 7M mouthpiece, and have been trying out some reeds.

I may have misunderstood, or maybe I have never understood, but I'm a bit surprised that I needed a 3 grade reed on the Meyer to get a decent set of notes through the range - the 2 and 2.5 squeeked dreadfully in the upper octave.

Somehow I thought that because the Meyer has a larger tip opening compared with the Yamaha's (2.62mm 103 thou cf. 2.03mm 80 thou) I'd need a softer reed. I thought the larger the tip opening, the softer the reed needed?

Also, given the significant difference between the two tip openings, I also thought I'd struggle to play the Meyer after playing the Yamaha for the past 6 months, but it was pretty instant.

Finally, my BG lig is too big for the Meyer, does anyone know if a BG tenor reed would be small enough? (I guess I could try my alto lig to see if that fits?) The Meyer came with its own lig, so it's not an urgent problem, but I'd prefer the BG lig on it too.

[Saxlicker]

Hi all....
Somehow I thought that because the Meyer has a larger tip opening compared with the Yamaha's (2.62mm 103 thou cf. 2.03mm 80 thou) I'd need a softer reed. I thought the larger the tip opening, the softer the reed needed?

Thats the general opinion....
But it's never exactly worked for me either, quite happy with the same strength reeds on open pieces as I am closer pieces. So moving up a strength as you move to a 7 doesn't sound unusual to me. However 2.5 was my favourite bari strength (sadly I haven't had a bari in a couple of years now )

[Morgan Fry]

Spec for a Meyer 7 for tenor is 81 thou, has yours been opened up to 103?

In general, more open tip likes a softer reed, but there is more to it than that. How much resistance is built into the facing curve, for instance. End of the day just find what's comfortable.

[MandyH]

Spec for a Meyer 7 for tenor is 81 thou, has yours been opened up to 103?

In general, more open tip likes a softer reed, but there is more to it than that. How much resistance is built into the facing curve, for instance. End of the day just find what's comfortable.

??? it's a Meyer 7 BARI mouthpiece

[TomMapfumo]

Hi Mandy!

The issue may well be dependent on the fact that the Meyer has a longer facing than a Yamaha (as far as I am aware) and requires an American (Jazz) cut reed. The Rico Royal is a French cut reed, designed for shorter mouthpiece facings, and hence a harder reed is played by you. On American (Long) facings a Rico Orange or Rico Jazz Select i(or Vandoren Java/V16s) is the more appropriate cut and a 2.5/2M/2H will probably be robust enough to avoid squeaks etc.

Prof Weinberg (based at Dawkes) has made quite a study of this topic and always advises the right reed for mouthpiece facing. A French Cut reed would be considered to have too flimsy a tip for an American (Long) facing mouthpiece, and an American Cut reed would be considered too firm for a French (Short) facing mouthpiece. American Cut are also called Jazz Cut. Beginner mouthpieces are commonly French facing - hence Vandoren Blue and Rico Royals are common recommendations (both French Cut reeds). All my main mouthpieces are long facings so American/Jazz cut reeds are my main reed of choice.

Hope this helps somewhat.