Reeds Am I just being lazy?

[eb424]

Reed strength choice is also led by what you’re going to have to cover, musically - with range being a big factor and to a certain extent, how hard you blow.

If I was going to just play gigs in the vein of Scott Hamilton (or other similar) then I might well go down to a #2 reed.

With my jazz days seemingly behind me, my gigs invariably are rock gigs in a horn section with solos too. This means fairly hard blowing and the obligatory “rock” range. I have to do the gig on a #2.5 to be safe. As well as the solo squealing, the horn section sees me needing the usual baritone-like chromatic lead-ins, which are just about comfortable enough with a #2.5.

Strangely, if I played more than I do then I’m sure a # 2.25 would be fine, but seeing as my chops would be optimised the #2.5 would be fine too.

The choice between the two then would be more of a brightness one.

HI @Pete Effamy do you practice on legeres too, for tenor. I only play for fun on average 20 hours a week. I find a 2.25 only lasts a month. What is your findings time wise.

 

[Pete Effamy]

HI @Pete Effamy do you practice on legeres too, for tenor. I only play for fun on average 20 hours a week. I find a 2.25 only lasts a month. What is your findings time wise.

I only practice in the lead up to a recording or gig. The amount of practice is dependent on how long I haven’t had the horn out of the case and how demanding / high profile the gig.

If I haven’t played for several months then I’ll probably give myself up to a month to find my face again, but it has been as little as 10 days, which was only just enough.

During this time I start on Legere US cut 2.25 and by the time of the gig I move to 2.5 as a Suzi Q gig is a big blow with plenty of harmonics too and a 2.25 would be in danger of blowing out.

With this merry go round my Legere’s do last a fair few gigs. I always have at least two spares.

 

[eb424]

Had my lesson this evening, seems to be combination of things.

First thing I did was hand my teacher my horn and he commented that it's "a brilliant tenor" but he wasn't keen on the mouthpiece.

Naturally he enquired why, and I explained that I was still struggling with upper register (particularly A) he played again and had no complaints beyond the mouthpiece, but highlighted it proved regardless of set up he still sounded the same.

He understood the change to a 2.5 reed, but I still having issues, so lots of experimenting whilst he studied what was happening.

I need to drop my jaw a little, and work on my embochure We tried a different mouthpiece, and I still had issues so it's most certainly me.

We spent a bit of time working in these on my original mouthpiece, including overtones, some weren't very forthcoming, and he suspects the mouthpiece might be too open.

It's a refaced Link 6* (.100"), I have a T6L (also .100") that I leant to friend so i'll give a go of and see if that's better, failing that I'll be on the look out for a narrower tip piece.

I use a metal 6* link. I was having issues with the high F# so bought a 7*. The beaks are different I have to take in more on the 6* on a 2 plasticover than with the 7* with the same strength reed. No problem with the 6* on a legere 2.25, but I use 1 a month. On the 7* i drop to a legere no 2. Last part of my " experiment" im going to play the 10m fan hr celebration. My emboucher is looser on this then i may go back to the link and see if it remains so. Luckily all 3 pieces play well on the 2 plasticovers and legeres.

 

[eb424]

I only practice in the lead up to a recording or gig. The amount of practice is dependent on how long I haven’t had the horn out of the case and how demanding / high profile the gig.

If I haven’t played for several months then I’ll probably give myself up to a month to find my face again, but it has been as little as 10 days, which was only just enough.

During this time I start on Legere US cut 2.25 and by the time of the gig I move to 2.5 as a Suzi Q gig is a big blow with plenty of harmonics too and a 2.25 would be in danger of blowing out.

With this merry go round my Legere’s do last a fair few gigs. I always have at least two spares.

Wow a suzi quatro gig...notice thats what I picked up on in your kind reply...lol..it must be great to ( be able to) not play for a couple of months and be back on track in a month. I force myself to play every night for fear of losing the little ive picked up.

 

[Pete Effamy]

Wow a suzi quatro gig...notice thats what I picked up on in your kind reply...lol..it must be great to ( be able to) not play for a couple of months and be back on track in a month. I force myself to play every night for fear of losing the little ive picked up.

It’s only because of the amount of hours I racked up in my youth. I’ve always been either full-on, 10-hours a day (for a very short time) at college or a fully off guy. In between practice the rehearsals and gigs maintained what I had. Your musical brain can still improve over this time but not necessarily your playing - that’s why the best guys got to their dizzy heights, because they never stopped the 10 hours per day.

 

[Digger2054]

Had another lesson this evening, I was very excited to show off the overtones I'd been practising.

He was about as impressed as you can be listening to someone play overtones, later in the lesson he complimented me on the improvement of my sound overall the past fortnight 😎 I'm happy with that, although I need to work on the palm key notes now, good job the neighbour's deaf.

I've seen @Pete Effamy giving similar advice in other threads recently that echoed my teacher 👍. Its surprising the effect you can have on your sound, looks like I won't be changing my set up at all.

 

[Pete Effamy]

Had another lesson this evening, I was very excited to show off the overtones I'd been practising.

He was about as impressed as you can be listening to someone play overtones, later in the lesson he complimented me on the improvement of my sound overall the past fortnight 😎 I'm happy with that, although I need to work on the palm key notes now, good job the neighbour's deaf.

I've seen @Pete Effamy giving similar advice in other threads recently that echoed my teacher 👍. Its surprising the effect you can have on your sound, looks like I won't be changing my set up at all.

Nice of you to say, I don’t mind being mentioned in the same sentence as Dean.

 

[Digger2054]

Nice of you to say, I don’t mind being mentioned in the same sentence as Dean.

It's true, it was reassuring to know i'm not barking up the wrong tree👍

 

[Dr G]

I use a metal 6* link. I was having issues with the high F# so bought a 7*. The beaks are different I have to take in more on the 6* on a 2 plasticover than with the 7* with the same strength reed.

How do you determine how much beak to take in?

FWIW, the break length length of the facing for a given mouthpiece model will get longer with increasing tip opening, or in many instances of only small increments, may stay the same.

 

[lydian]

FWIW, the break length length of the facing for a given mouthpiece model will get longer with increasing tip opening, or in many instances of only small increments, may stay the same.

Except the insanely short Berg SMS. But, yeah, in this case, the 6* Link should be a bit shorter than the 7*. Maybe something else was off, especially since the 6* was negatively affecting the high register. That shouldn't happen. My high F# pops out fine on everything from a Yamaha 4C to a Sugal 10*.

 

[eb424]

How do you determine how much beak to take in?

FWIW, the break length length of the facing for a given mouthpiece model will get longer with increasing tip opening, or in many instances of only small increments, may stay the same.

I don't know. I just stated how it is. The angle of the beak on the 7* just seems less steep.

 

[Dr G]

I don't know. I just stated how it is. The angle of the beak on the 7* just seems less steep.

Yes, you stated how it is. I get that. And yes, the angle may be different, and if it is, it will affect how much your teeth are apart when the beak is in your mouth.

The critical part of determining how much mouthpiece to take in is how your lower lip interacts with the reed. If we accept, for instance that the best place for you lip is at the break, and that break is same length from the tip on both mouthpieces, then a less steep beak will allow your teeth to be closer together (your mouth will be more closed).

One way to visualize that break point is to slide a business card between the reed and facing to see an approximation of where the two meet. Use the same thickness to measure both mouthpieces. Same length (distance from the tip)? Or is the 7* longer?

The sound matters too. Play each mouthpiece to determine how much mouthpiece to take in to get a clear sound. If the beak height is different, then your mouth may be more open on one mouthpiece than the other, even if the proper location of your lower lip is the same.