Reeds Reed too Wet?

[Frank Contreras]

As a beginner sometimes I find that my reed seems to get very wet at times and cuts me off. Not that I am great at playing but more of a curious question. Cana Vandoren #2 reed get too wet when playing? Is there a way around this? Thanks Frank

 

[Nick Wyver]

Try starting with a 2.5

Reeds can't get too wet. They're in your mouth. They're going to get wet no matter what you do.

 

[Colin the Bear]

Soaking the reeed is recommended before playing, so too wet isn't going to be a problem. If the reed is closing off either you're using too much pressure with your embouchure and maybe blowing too hard or you need to go up a strength.

 

[Justin Chune]

You are producing an excessive amount of saliva because you are a beginner. That's the bad news. The good news is that we produce less saliva as we progress. Practice is the way around it. That, and keep swallowing 🙂

Jim.

 

[jbtsax]

If sliding a business card between the reed and the lay of the mouthpiece as far as it will go helps the reed to play better, then you are biting too hard as Colin suggests. The solution is to open the teeth more as you play and develop the sensation of the jaw and chin pulling down as the lower lip pushes up to meet the reed.

More advanced players can sometimes "lip" a note very flat, and while keeping the jaw and chin down, tighten the embouchure to bring the note back up to pitch.

 

[aaronrod]

It could be that you are getting tired - as you get tired, there is a tendency to play closer to the tip of the reed (because it takes less pressure) and to bite down (because your muscles are tired). Both of these together will make your reed is close up. Your reed will feel very wet, because you've been playing for a while (which is why you would be tired).

Take a five minute break - when you come back, you should find the problem has gone away.

It is possible to 'overplay' a reed during a single session, but generally it takes hours...and the reed was probably ready to die anyway.

 

[kevgermany]

If you start with a reed that's a touch soft, moisten it and play, it'll play well. But as it absorbs more moisture it gets too soft and tends to close up. Starting with a slightly harder reed and wetting it more can help. But the real answer is to develop the control to play while the reed is properly wet and soft. As you've found it's much harder, but this is where you have the most control.