Reeds How to adjust reeds

[AlonW]

Any tips for getting my reeds to play softer? I have some 400 grit sandpaper here and a glass surface. What can I do?

 

[Merryfisher]

Just buy a softer reed I reckon

 

[AlonW]

Just buy a softer reed I reckon

I could try Vandoren Java 1’s but I fear they will die very quickly.

 

[skeller047]

Sand in the colored triangle areas pictured here. If the reed is too hard, mostly sand along the edges (“rails”) of the reed.

Test often, and make sure the two sides are even by twisting the mouthpiece in your mouth as you play - push one side down against your lower lip, and you are playing the opposite side of the reed. Strive for even tone and response from both sides. This is called “balancing” the reed.

It’s easiest to do this with just the neck and mouthpiece; only use the full horn when you are near the right strength and the sides are balanced.

 

[AlonW]

Sand in the colored triangle areas pictured here. If the reed is too hard, mostly sand along the edges (“rails”) of the reed.

Test often, and make sure the two sides are even by twisting the mouthpiece in your mouth as you play - push one side down against your lower lip, and you are playing the opposite side of the reed. Strive for even tone and response from both sides. This is called “balancing” the reed.

It’s easiest to do this with just the neck and mouthpiece; only use the full horn when you are near the right strength and the sides are balanced.
View attachment 34427

I did this but also flattened the table by laying the sandpaper on the glass and pulling the reed along it, being careful not to touch the part that flexes. The reed played better after everything and seemed to solve my issue of not being able to easily control the low notes on my tenor.

 

[skeller047]

For flattening the back, I recommend using a Reed Geek (expensive) or what I call the “cheap geek” - a lathe tool bit blank, 3/8” square - or 8mm square. These are widely available on Amazon or Ebay.

I’m glad you were able to sort out your reeds.

 

[thomsax]

Any tips for getting my reeds to play softer? I have some 400 grit sandpaper here and a glass surface. What can I do?

Do you want your reed to produce a softer tone/sound or a softer feeling in ýour mouth/lips?

The first thing I do with a new reed is to bend it a little bit so tension in the "wood" (Arundo Donax) reduce. I do thhis with plasticcovers as well.

If it still hard to play , after the bending, I sand the back side of the reed on a wetstone. Work "wet in wet" (the reed should be "wet" and also the stone. Sand in the direction of the fibers of the reed. Use light pressure.

I do a lot more when it comes to reed adjustment/preperation ...

If you want a softer feeling you can have reed more "velvet like" ... just polish with a dry cloth. I use a medium coarse linen cloth. Again, light pressure in direction of the fibers. If the sides of the reed are edgy you can trim them as well.

 

[MikeMorrell]

There was a time when I had a book and googled articles on 'reed adjustment'. I 'tested' all reeds in a box of 5 and marked them as being 'slightly too hard', 'slightly too soft', 'fine', etc. I'd then 'adjust' reeds as @skeller047 suggests. Occasionally clipping reeds that just felt or sounded 'too soft'.

I've posted this link to Professor Emeritus Steven Mauk's article on 'Reed placement and adjustment' at least 10 times on the cafe. Just because it completely changed my understanding and practice of 'reed adjustment'. It may not be for everyone but after reading this article, I stopped physically adjusting reeds. I became much more careful (in mm or less) about how I positioned different reeds on the mpc. By trial and error.

Since I first read Steven Mauk's article, I started to 'finely adjust the position of my reed on the mpc'. Since then, this has become pretty much my only 'reed adjustment'. If I have any 'squeaks', I of course check that the reed table is still flat. But in general, I no longer need to physically adjust reeds by sanding or clipping. I just use micro-adjustments of the position of the reed on the mpc to 'adjust the reed'. This approach enables me to play pretty much all reeds out of a box of 5 or 10 after a 5-minute soaking in water.

I should add that (as an amateur) my ears are perhaps not all that 'finely attuned' to the sound qualities of any specific reed. If if plays well and sounds good across the whole tenor sax range, then I'm happy.

I've played tenor sax now for some 30 years. And I fully realize that the more playing experience one has, the easier it is to adjust to different reeds. I've occasionally 'upgraded' my mpc to a wider tip opening whenever I felt that the previous one was 'restrictive'. That usually involved choosing a (lower) reed strength. It took me years (finally via a Van Doren YouTube video) to find the reed brand (Java Reds) and strength that best suited my current mpc's and embouchure. What I mainly discovered was that Van Doren's V16 reeds (previously branded as 'Jazz reeds') were in fact the 'stiffest reeds'. I tried Ricoh reeds which were much softer and easier to play out-of-the-box. But I found they lasted less long that Van Doren reeds.

So whatever approach you choose (buying softer reeds, physical adjustment or 'positioning adjustment) - or any combination of these, I wish you well.

For now, @skeller047's tips are a good way forward. Alternatively, you could consider Ricoh reeds which are generally a bit 'softer' than Van Doren. A good sax shop might enable you to try out different reed brands and strengths to decide which one suits you best.

Mike

 

[Pete Thomas]

Any tips for getting my reeds to play softer? I have some 400 grit sandpaper here and a glass surface. What can I do?

See here:

Reeds - Working on reeds: preparation, maintenance and care

Preparing a reed for playing (summary) 1. Soak the reed: Place the reed in a cup of water for around 30 seconds to a minute. This will allow the reed to absorb water and make it play more easily. 2. Adjust the reed: After soaking, take the reed out of the water and examine it. Some reeds may...

cafesaxophone.com

 

[JayeNM]

Yipes, droogies.....

I guess I am not as refined as most folks here.

I do know sanding down your reeds is a...thang....as is dunking them in liquid a half hour before you play and a variety of other ceremonies...

But I just find the couple brands in couple of strengths which work for me....and play 'em.

If I come across one once in a while I either do a quasi-conscious adjust because I noticed this one is playing a tad differently from the last three....or I give it a toss....

Neanderthalic, maybe, but...it works fine for me....

Not doubting that the suggestions above are not appropriate....but is this really something a hobbyist, self-taught player , as the OP is....should spend time on ?
Most hobbyist pkayers can likely try six brands/strengths of reed and find one quite acceptable , no ?

 

[Merryfisher]

Yipes, droogies.....

I guess I am not as refined as most folks here.

I do know sanding down your reeds is a...thang....as is dunking them in liquid a half hour before you play and a variety of other ceremonies...

But I just find the couple brands in couple of strengths which work for me....and play 'em.

If I come across one once in a while I either do a quasi-conscious adjust because I noticed this one is playing a tad differently from the last three....or I give it a toss....

Neanderthalic, maybe, but...it works fine for me....

Not doubting that the suggestions above are not appropriate....but is this really something a hobbyist, self-taught player , as the OP is....should spend time on ?
Most hobbyist pkayers can likely try six brands/strengths of reed and find one quite acceptable , no ?

all the reasons why I play Legeres🥴

 

[AlonW]

Yipes, droogies.....

I guess I am not as refined as most folks here.

I do know sanding down your reeds is a...thang....as is dunking them in liquid a half hour before you play and a variety of other ceremonies...

But I just find the couple brands in couple of strengths which work for me....and play 'em.

If I come across one once in a while I either do a quasi-conscious adjust because I noticed this one is playing a tad differently from the last three....or I give it a toss....

Neanderthalic, maybe, but...it works fine for me....

Not doubting that the suggestions above are not appropriate....but is this really something a hobbyist, self-taught player , as the OP is....should spend time on ?
Most hobbyist pkayers can likely try six brands/strengths of reed and find one quite acceptable , no ?

I don't want to adjust reeds either and in the past avoided doing this because it never seemed to make anything better. But this time it worked really well. I think it's because I didn't file down the flexing part of the reed table, the heart of the reed or the tip. With 400 grit sandpaper the process is quick. Should I really spend more money on softer reeds (which may be too soft or die faster,) when I can just work on the reeds I have? I used a Rico Jazz Select 2M un-filed reed, but I also have some Java green 2's. I think if I adjust the reeds the brand doesn't matter that much, but I like the RJS reeds because they are bit longer which matches my mouthpiece better (the mouthpiece is a Rico Jazz Select, so maybe they are made for each other.)

 

[skeller047]

Neanderthalic, maybe, but...it works fine for me....

I you were truly that old, you would HAVE to adjust reeds. Or maybe make ‘em from scratch. Stanley Drucker talks about when he was a kid, Vandoren reeds (for clarinet) did not come strength graded. Learning to adjust them was a must.

but is this really something a hobbyist, self-taught player , as the OP is....should spend time on ?

Yes. It is simple to do (see my post above) and the benefits are many. I spend about 5 minutes adjusting each and every reed I play, I do it as soon as I take it out of the box, I never worry about it again, and I almost never throw one out before it has given its all in the service of music. Furthermore, I always have a good reed available. Of course, I can’t blame my reeds for my shortcomings…

all the reasons why I play Legeres🥴

I don’t recommend this approach, even to weekend warriors. I am not against the IDEA of synthetics, but I have yet to play one that was any good.

OK I’ll get off my soap box now…

 

[JayeNM]

Yipes, droogies.....

...but is this really something a hobbyist, self-taught player , as the OP is....should spend time on ?
Most hobbyist pkayers can likely try six brands/strengths of reed and find one quite acceptable , no ?

Yes. It is simple to do (see my post above) and the benefits are many. I spend about 5 minutes adjusting each and every reed I play, I do it as soon as I take it out of the box,

I appreciate the art of fine tuning, and no doubt when it comes to sax my playing is firmly hobbyist as it is not my primary axe...so I defer to those who are expert ...but I gotta just share ...been playing with sax player friends and bandmates for 40+ years...I cannot recall many who actually filed their reeds...they occasionally complained about bad ones, and switched 'em out...and a few have even given me a tutorial on how to choose the better ones , visually...

I don't think most players do this, do they ?....but as I currently play regularly with around ten very good players, ages varying, musical contexts varying... I will inquire....

 

[JayeNM]

I don't want to adjust reeds either and in the past avoided doing this because it never seemed to make anything better. But this time it worked really well. I think it's because I didn't file down the flexing part of the reed table, the heart of the reed or the tip. With 400 grit sandpaper the process is quick. Should I really spend more money on softer reeds (which may be too soft or die faster,) when I can just work on the reeds I have? I used a Rico Jazz Select 2M un-filed reed, but I also have some Java green 2's. I think if I adjust the reeds the brand doesn't matter that much, but I like the RJS reeds because they are bit longer which matches my mouthpiece better (the mouthpiece is a Rico Jazz Select, so maybe they are made for each other.)

That's a pretty reasonable explanation....

Except for the assumption that going softer..whether by dropping to 1.5 or just finding a 2 in another brand which is more acceptable than the currents...

Is gonna result in a fail....

It may just as well provide the solution...(?)

 

[LostCircuits]

I don't want to adjust reeds either and in the past avoided doing this because it never seemed to make anything better

Maybe you just did it wrong, like starting at the tip of the reed and working your way backwards, I know for sure that doesn't work. Not saying that that's what you did but there are many wrong ways of adjusting reeds and only a few right ones,

 

[LostCircuits]

I you were truly that old, you would HAVE to adjust reeds. Or maybe make ‘em from scratch. Stanley Drucker talks about when he was a kid, Vandoren reeds (for clarinet) did not come strength graded. Learning to adjust them was a must.

But he is!
Born before the wind, younger than the sun
Used grass blades before arundo donax became a thing

 

[thomsax]

Not doubting that the suggestions above are not appropriate....but is this really something a hobbyist, self-taught player , as the OP is....should spend time on ?

I wrote this for some weeks ago: " An autodidact person is not only about "self learning". Often there is a deep interest to learn something without guided instructions by a teacher, high self-motivation, the striving to care less about learning institutions, to controll "my own" destiny ...."

I do some reed adjustments! Not as much as I used to do. I just like to learn things. And to do the things I have learned as good as I can. Guys that are used to be "at the top" (players, writers, sax-gurus ...) they want to stay "at the top". Even if don't know so much about the subjects. Some kind of "self-proclaimed opinionators". Of course, everyone are intitled to the own opinon.

When I read about players who are hestitaitng if the should play a 2½ or a 2 reed ..... I think ",,,,,buy a 5/hard reed and make it softer ....". To scrape, sand, file, cut ..... reeds is a lot better for us instead of hanging on internet.😉