Reeds again!

[Jazzaferri]

Tom, errr .... That actually sonds quite risky....... Bears are welll.... Ummm. Wild...after all.

 

[What]

Well breathless, I'm rather new at this, but I use the Rico Royals 2.5 myself. I don't have the experience to give you any helpful advice, but I do want to thank you for asking a question I had on my mind.

 

[sushidushi]

I'm hardly proficient enough to be regarded a sax player, but I don't like to get too used to an individual reed because they gradually get softer and softer with use. Then, when it is time to change, the new reed feels really stiff.

I only have two types, though - the Vandoren blue in 2 strength and La Voz medium light. If I had to choose only one, it would be La Voz. For me, they make the saxophone sound more saxophoney.

 

[zannad]

Just a divergent point here - there's no doubt reeds can be inconsistent and surely there are ways to minimize the problems...but sometimes the problems has to be found elsewhere: the player, temperature, ambient humidity level, mouthpiece positioning.
Some days, when I play a bit naff; I too start fiddling with reeds - double checking its alignment and else (wasting 10-20 odd minutes)...still the sound isn't up to scratch. Then the day after using exactly the same set up produces some wonderfully satisfying sounds?!...personally, I blame myself about these inconsistencies - it might seems like generalizing but maybe humans (sax players in this context) are a lot more inconsistent than reeds (IMHO).

 

[sushidushi]

I certainly do that, and often I find that it helps. I don't achieve wonderfully satisfying sounds, but very slight alterations to the position of the reed on the mouthpiece can make a huge difference. Generally, I think I push my Vandoren reeds down the mouthpiece a bit, but I keep the La Voz reeds level with the tip of the mouthpiece.

Could that be because one is softer than the other? I'm not sure if that is so, or if the position of the reed or ligature on the mouthpiece would make any difference in that regard. There are far too many variables for me to get my head around.

Some days, when I play a bit naff; I too start fiddling with reeds - double checking its alignment and else (wasting 10-20 odd minutes)...still the sound isn't up to scratch. Then the day after using exactly the same set up produces some wonderfully satisfying sounds?!

Sent from my LT15a using Tapatalk 2

 

[Colin the Bear]

Position of ligature on the reed can make a difference. As can changing the ligature. It's not so much that these things themselves alter the sound, it's more that, just like changing the mouthpiece, they allow your embouchure access to these sounds and get more range of tone from a reed.

 

[Wade Cornell]

Once again one should consider the obvious, especially if you are still learning and don't need the hassles of all mentioned in the posts above. Use a synthetic and it eliminates 90% of these hassles and allows you to get on with playing. When you've got the tone, embouchure, ear, fingers and everything else working then you can fine tune what you want/need that only some specific brand of reed can give (remembering that it still won't give it to you consistently).

 

[Jazzaferri]

Plus 1 on what wade said

 

[jrintaha]

Once again one should consider the obvious, especially if you are still learning and don't need the hassles of all mentioned in the posts above. Use a synthetic and it eliminates 90% of these hassles and allows you to get on with playing. When you've got the tone, embouchure, ear, fingers and everything else working then you can fine tune what you want/need that only some specific brand of reed can give (remembering that it still won't give it to you consistently).

I second that. I'm a rank beginner, and have found the easiness and consistency of a synthetic very helpful. If I sound really bad one day, and not so bad on another, at least I know it's me and not the reed having a bad day.

 

[breathless]

Tom very kindly sent me a Forestone synthetic 2.5 a few weeks ago and I've used solely that ever since, have to say it's really very good.
Completely Removes all of the problems I was encountering with cane.

Only issue I have is with producing G2 as I'm intermittently growling when I try. Didn't have this problem on cane but I'm working on it as the benefits are far greater at my current level of skill.

Rgds Lee.

 

[jrintaha]

Tom very kindly sent me a Forestone synthetic 2.5 a few weeks ago and I've used solely that ever since, have to say it's really very good.
Completely Removes all of the problems I was encountering with cane.

Only issue I have is with producing G2 as I'm intermittently growling when I try. Didn't have this problem on cane but I'm working on it as the benefits are far greater at my current level of skill.

Rgds Lee.

Do you feel it's rather stiff for a 2.5 strength? I've got a Forestone 3 reed for the clarinet, and it feels much stiffer than other strength 3 reeds even though their comparison chart led me to believe otherwise - it was supposed to be around a Vandoren Classic Blue 2.5, but feels much harder than a Classic Blue 3. Or does it get softer with a bit of playing? As it stands right now, it's far too stiff for me to use.

 

[TomMapfumo]

Hi there!

This is the latest Firestone and is much softer than older ones. I would say that the current 2.5 is much more like an ordinary 2 cane reed (Rico Royal etc.) It has onoly bee played for a few hours and was soft from the start.

Kind regards
Tom

 

[What]

Would one of these Forestone reeds be worth purchasing while I am so early in learning? I am sure I am doing terrible things to my reeds that I should be sorry for. This might be a good way to cut down on buying replacements. Will I be missing out on anything in the learning process by doin this?

 

[sushidushi]

I suspect that you'll discover that there will be as many opinions as respondents if not more! The plastic reeds will be more consistent. Some will see that as a good thing because you're removing one of the many variables. Others will see that as a bad thing because you're removing one of the variables.

I reckon it's worth trying, but also using real reeds sometimes too.

 

[Andante cantabile]

Would one of these Forestone reeds be worth purchasing while I am so early in learning? I am sure I am doing terrible things to my reeds that I should be sorry for. This might be a good way to cut down on buying replacements. Will I be missing out on anything in the learning process by doin this?

There is one trand of thinking that suggests that one hasn't been learning the saxophone properly unles one has passed through what might be called the school of hard knocks. You won't be missing out on anything by using the reed that suits you best, be it cane or man-made material. But you might gain a lot if it enables you to concentrate on tone and technique. Some of the made-made reeds are on the expensive side. So they don't lend themselves less well to experimenting. Use cane reeds until you have a rough idea of the strength that suits you, and then find a matching replacement if you are so inclined. Either way you are going to spend money.

 

[TomMapfumo]

Would one of these Forestone reeds be worth purchasing while I am so early in learning? I am sure I am doing terrible things to my reeds that I should be sorry for. This might be a good way to cut down on buying replacements. Will I be missing out on anything in the learning process by doin this?

If you have concerns about cane reeds you could try the following advice which I use. Always with reeds it is best to rotate them - have several on the go and play them alternate days so that they have time to recover - combine these two methods and yur reeds should last quite a time (mine last a number of months each - 8 months plus).

Get a synthetic reed and see - I like the Forestone - available from Howarth of London under "single saxophone reed" section for £18.
Having played cane reeds throughout I find that nearly all of them have played fine and lasted ages, but generally stick to my usual brands - Marca Jazz, Alexander, Francois Louis, Rico Jazz Selects, Rigotti Gold etc. -stopped using Vandoren and other Rico years ago.

The Forestone reeds are quite soft - a Rico Royal 2 would match a Forestone 2.5 - so about half a strength softer. Give it a go - always be a good back up reed if you don't want to faff about or your current reed has just broken.....

 

[What]

Well, I ordered one of the forestone reeds today. I figure it's worth a shot given the inexpensive price tag. It's better to know then to wonder.