Reeds and stuff (Alto)

[PaulyT]

I've been getting a bit squeaky lately. I was on 1.5 reeds and thought that, maybe as my confidence was growing, I was pushing too hard for that grade of reed. I bought a 2 and a 2.5 (Rico Royals) today and headed out into the woods to try them. The 2 sounded dull and lifeless at first. I adjusted it in the lig. - moved it so that the leading edge of the reed was very close to the leading edge of the mpc. It was a little better but still dull compared to the 1.5 I've been using.
I fitted the 2.5 and this was a bit brighter, but went mute on me a couple of times - but not on any particular note!
I'm playing my Prelude AS700 with the stock mpc which has always given me a bright tone with 1.5 reeds.
I know the old saying, "a bad workman etc etc" but is it time to get better tools. Can mouthpieces be only good for certain grades of reed? Is it just that need to work harder on my embouchure?
As a footnote - It was really cold out there today - Would that affect the way the reed/sax would perform? I know it affected my enthusiasm! 😉
PaulyT

 

[Taz]

Not that I know nuffink, but you dont mention what lig or mpc you are using, are they the basic standard that came with the horn?
I've had the same problem, but mostly cos I was blowin' me cahoonas' off at the time trying to be heard over a loud rock band!!! Could you have been trying too hard >.<

 

[PaulyT]

Hi Pete - As I said - It's the stock mpc that came with the sax so - nothing special but plays ok with a 1.5!
I had a look at yer website - I'm going to book an hotel up your neck of the woods and come and see you. Do you ever play in Towcester?
PaulyT

 

[Saxlicker]

PaulyT wrote:
I know the old saying, "a bad workman etc etc" but is it time to get better tools. Can mouthpieces be only good for certain grades of reed?

Mouthpiece and ligature combinations can be 'reed friendly' or more fussy.
Either way the combo for you when a change has become desirable can take a fair bit of tinkering.

Just as an example, I have used La Voz medium hard on tenor for about 8 years. They all differ slightly but I normally play the whole box with a little bit of fettling on some.
Then last week I had a problem that has never ever hit me before. A reed I played for a couple of weeks just started playing up around middle G, G#, A. But only on my way down the horn. I feared a missing cork or felt or that I'd bent something accidently.
I couldn't see a problem with the horn but despite numurous attempts to reposition the reed it still chirped.
Eventually, I spotted it was so warped that it wasn't even contacting on one side of the table way past the curve of the facing. I threw it out and away went the troubles.
The point is they will play with your mind
It's taken 20 years to get a reed to do that to me.

PaulyT wrote:
Is it just that need to work harder on my embouchure?

Just keep playing, If your embouchure is comfortable and you can control intonation and evenness there is no right way. There is plenty of tried and tested good practises that poeple recomend but I doubt yours is the reason for increasing squeaks.

PaulyT wrote:
As a footnote - It was really cold out there today - Would that affect the way the reed/sax would perform? I know it affected my enthusiasm! 😉
PaulyT

I think the sound you get would change..yes.

When ever you change one thing on your set up you should try to do it with all other references being familiar. So for a reed change, the room, the mouthpiece, the ligature, the practise tracks, e.t.c should all be well engrained or you can really confuse the issue.

 

[Bobby G]

If you only bought one of each there's a chance you got reeds at the duff end of the scale as no two are identical - when I was experimenting with different reeds I tended to buy 3 or 4 of the type I liked.

One thing that will brighten the sound a bit, apart from scraping a bit from each side of the reed is to position very slightly behind the end of the mouthpiece i.e. with a sliver of the mouthpiece tip visible beyond the end of the reed when you press the reed against the tip, maybe 0.25 - 0.5 mm.

And yes, it was cold playing in the open today!

 

[PaulyT]

Thanks Chaps - I'm going to go out and have a blast today (the weather looks a bit nicer) and I'll see what they sound like in my practice (tea) room at work tomorrow.
PaulyT

 

[jambo]

If the reed is squeaking it means its likely that you need a stronger reed. At first a stronger reed may sound dull and breathy, but give it a few days it may just be your chops getting used to the new strength.

 

[PaulyT]

Jambo wrote:
If the reed is squeaking it means its likely that you need a stronger reed. At first a stronger reed may sound dull and breathy, but give it a few days it may just be your chops getting used to the new strength.

That's exactly how it sounded - Thanks - I'll endeavour to persevere!
Paul

 

[Pete Thomas]

Bobby is right, you need a wider selection---there are often 50% bad reeds in a box so if you buy them singly it's a bit of a lottery.

 

[dooce]

PaulyT wrote:
Hi Pete - As I said - It's the stock mpc that came with the sax so - nothing special but plays ok with a 1.5!
I had a look at yer website - I'm going to book an hotel up your neck of the woods and come and see you. Do you ever play in Towcester?
PaulyT

We could get a Breakfast Room outing organised - Pete is playing at a local boozer just outside Daventry in April. Not exactly Towcester, but only 20 minutes further up the A5.

Back on topic, temperature affects my tenor. We used to rehearse in a barn - and I do mean a barn, not some poncey barn conversion, with a Calor gas heater as the only source of warmth. As soon as the temperature dropped below 7-8 deg., the old Conn just gave up - played a semi-tone flat, sounded like an old drain.

I am happy to report that we now rehearse in a nice heated garage though.....

 

[PaulyT]

[No message]

 

[Pete Thomas]

dooce wrote:
We could get a Breakfast Room outing organised - Pete is playing at a local boozer just outside Daventry in April.

NB, that's Pete Taz, not me in case anyone just jumped in on the thread.

 

[onecat]

when I find a good reed, I play it as much as possible until it dies, although it may be better to find a few and rotate them for longevity. I guess out of 3-4 reeds there is one "good" reed, for me. Some reeds, although they may be new and the right strength, can be completely unplayable even after prep. I constantly have a large pile of reeds laying around; but only play 1 or 2. I sometimes store a few in a Selmer glass reed case (very useful to prevent warping.) Right now I'm happy with Rico Jazz Select (3S,) but have had good results with Javas and used to be devoted to the blue box Vandorens on tenor.

 

[dooce]

PaulyT wrote:
A BR outing sounds like a great idea! 😉

Right!

I am going to the Braunston gig. I have booked a twin room at The De Vere Staverton Park Hotel which is about 2.5 miles from Braunston. I'm a single bloke but booked the twin room for two reasons.
1) it was cheaper than the single room (?????) and
2) if anyone wants to have the other bed it'll only work out at 25 quid each (including a full English brekkie) and shared taxi costs to and from the gig. I've stayed there before and it's a nice hotel.

De Vere Venues Staverton Park
Daventry , Daventry nr Northamptonshire, NN11 6JT

I booked it on
http://www.laterooms.com/en/hotel-reservations/73100_de-vere-venues-staverton-park-daventry-nr-northamptonshire.aspx?n=1&d=20080425

Sods Law has dictated that my band now has a gig that night, 25 miles away. Ho hum. Have a good night lads, and we'll catch up some other time.

 

[jools]

Going back to reed purchases, I have found by bitter experience that you really do need to buy them by the box and not singly.

My stockist of choice is always:
Reeds Direct of Cambridge

Once you see the VAST array of choices, it's hard not to experiment but it gives you a great sense of perspective when you can compare not only strengths, but styles (filed etc) and brands.

 

[PaulyT]

Thanks you to all for your help and advice - I played in the tearoom yesterday (my usual practice place) with the No. 2 reed and the sound was fine. I had played it on Sunday so maybe I'd "played it in" a bit.
I have been thinking about trying Plasticover reeds. Would I stick with the same strength or go down a bit?
Paul

 

[Pete Thomas]

I use the same strength Plasticover

 

[PaulyT]

Thanks Pete
Then so will I!!
Paul

 

[jools]

back to your original question, I have found that generally, you do have to match the reeds to the mouthpiece. This has meant that I've played a one and a half up to a five.

I love Plasticovers, but occasionally found that some can be slightly stiffer. Only slightly, and often a bit brighter.

 

[Jules]

Pete Thomas wrote:
Bobby is right, you need a wider selection---there are often 50% bad reeds in a box so if you buy them singly it's a bit of a lottery.

Yup- I managed a 100% duff box of Javas when I was playing at The Shambala Festival last year. It's not put me off Javas, though- you just accept that (really) annoying things like that happen occassionally.... Made for our two sets there being slightly nerve wracking.