Reeds Which are good reeds to use in a HR Jody-JAzz 6M for a pop/jazz sound ?

[fodemhouse]

I was trying to find in JodyJazz website which are the best reeds to use on their HR 6M piece but I couldnt find...
Have you guys tried this mouthpiece ? Which reeds sounded the best for you ?

I was playing with Vandoren ZZ 2.5 but now I kinda like Java Red 2 the most, its louder and brings me a more pop sound....
Still like the ZZs a lot tough...

 

[Colin the Bear]

We like what we like cos' we like it.

If there was an answer to this question, we wouldn't spend hours adjusting, sorting, trying, reeds. When you find that almost perfect reed, it may be the only one in the box. It may be the whole box are just right, but the next box are far from the same. Your favourite go to brand may suddenly not work anymore.

I carry five different brands in two different cuts in three different strengths in the alto case. What works in one venue may work differently in another. Same with different ensembles.

Four hours a day practice for a decade or two and all reeds will sound how you want them to sound. Allegedly

 

[fodemhouse]

Maybe thats correct, but right now, as a beginner the reeds are really making a huge difference in my sound...

Tried Java Green 2.0 => Horrible
Rico Royal 2.0 => Horrible
Vandoren traditional 2.0 => average sound
Rico Hemke 2.0 => Different sound, I didnt like it...
Rico Orange box traditional 2.5 => Good sound
Vandoren ZZ 2.5 => Very good and was my favorite until I changed my mouthpiece, I was playing with yamaha 4c and 2.5 ZZ reeds, sound pleased me very much, than i changed to JodyJazz HR 6M as my first mouthpiece upgrade and Jody Espina in a youtube video recommended to lower the reed str if u come from yamaha 4c...
I did it and guess what... My sound was even better with Java Red 2.0...
Never tried Rico Jazz Select but heard good things about it...

So I guess there are good reed/mouthpiece combinations and bad combinations, I just wanna know which are the recommended ones with this mouthpiece so I dont have to test all over again...

 

[Colin the Bear]

Don't we all

 

[nigeld]

So I guess there are good reed/mouthpiece combinations and bad combinations, I just wanna know which are the recommended ones with this mouthpiece so I dont have to test all over again...

Reeds make a big difference, but I think it is unlikely that there are any "recommended" reeds for your mouthpiece, and even if there were, I'm not sure that it would mean much. Firstly, your definition of a "good" sound will be different from mine, so what another person thinks sounds good may not please you. And secondly, your setup (human + reed + ligature + neck + saxophone + place + time + music + group) is unique. My liking for certain makes of reed (e.g. Hemke) has changed over time, and it certainly depends on what sort of music I am playing - my mouthpiece and reed for big band are different from what I use in a quartet.

So I don't think there is an easy answer, and you will have to do what the rest of us do - try various reeds until you find something that you like. A frustrating and expensive business.

D'Addario Select Jazz are certainly worth trying.

Tried Java Green 2.0 => Horrible
Rico Royal 2.0 => Horrible
Vandoren traditional 2.0 => average sound
Rico Hemke 2.0 => Different sound, I didnt like it...
Rico Orange box traditional 2.5 => Good sound
Vandoren ZZ 2.5 => Very good and was my favorite until I changed my mouthpiece

Maybe the important difference between these was the reed strength rather than the brand.

 

[Targa]

Tried Java Green 2.0 => Horrible
Rico Royal 2.0 => Horrible
Vandoren traditional 2.0 => average sound
Rico Hemke 2.0 => Different sound, I didnt like it...
Rico Orange box traditional 2.5 => Good sound
Vandoren ZZ 2.5 => Very good...

When you say 'tried' do you mean one or a box of ten? Could be a big difference.

 

[JazzMatt]

I'd throw LaVoz Med Soft and Med into the mix too.

 

[Nick Wyver]

I'd have thought that playing a strength 2 reed on a mouthpiece that's a 6 would not give you a particularly good sound anyway.
If I were you I'd use whatever you thought were ok (Ricos have the advantage of being cheap), just stick with it and do some practising. Fiddling with reeds when you're a beginner is just time spent not practising.

 

[fodemhouse]

I tried lets say 3 of each... I know its not enough to have a precise opinion....
But ZZs and Java Reds were all "good"...
I would say also that I want some Buzz but not too much....
Its to play popular songs, not classical... Rico Orange box and Vandoren traditional gave me a pure sound, which doesnt combine with the type of music I wanna play... I Need at least some resonance, some small buzz and good volume...

 

[fodemhouse]

I'd have thought that playing a strength 2 reed on a mouthpiece that's a 6 would not give you a particularly good sound anyway.
If I were you I'd use whatever you thought were ok (Ricos have the advantage of being cheap), just stick with it and do some practising. Fiddling with reeds when you're a beginner is just time spent not practising.

What reed str would u say its more appropriate for a 6 HR mouthpiece ?

 

[MikeMorrell]

I'm no expert on reeds and I don't spend too much on them. But what you've maybe left out of your combinations are:
- YOU (your embouchure, tone production, ...)
- the fact that strength x for one brand is - by design - slightly stronger or weaker than strength x for a different brand
- the fact that 'identical' reeds of strength x out the same box usually sound different

If you've found a brand/strength that you're generally happy with, stick with that as a baseline.
I agree with @Nick that you could waste a lot of practice time searching for the 'perfect reed'.

Experimenting with other brands/strengths from time to time is fine. Google 'reed strength charts' to see the differences in strength between brands.There are many threads here and on the internet about choosing reeds. Different people have different brand preferences. Learning how to adjust reeds is useful too.

I have 3-4 reeds (of different brands) that are 'playable' and a couple of new ones that I'm breaking in from time to time. The playable reeds are not all 'ideal' reeds. They're different but they're good enough. For any 'good enough' reed, small adjustments to the position of the reed and the position of the ligature on my mouthpiece make a big difference to my tone and reed response too. For more information on these adjustments, look up the article 'Reed Placement and Adjustment' by Dr. Steven Mauk of ITHACA College.


Mike

...as a beginner the reeds are really making a huge difference in my sound...
...
So I guess there are good reed/mouthpiece combinations and bad combinations, I just wanna know which are the recommended ones with this mouthpiece...

 

[Nick Wyver]

What reed str would u say its more appropriate for a 6 HR mouthpiece ?

I expect I'd be playing on a 3.5 at least. But I'm not exactly a beginner.
Actually, if what you really want is a buzzy sound then it might be worth trying even softer.
I don't find the make of the reed makes much difference to the sound - the strength does, though.
I'm not familiar with the Jody Jazz mouthpiece. The only one I've tried/got is a JJ DV 9 on baritone which I usually play with Jazz Select 3M. Getting a more rock'n'roll mouthpiece might be easier than fiddling about with reeds.

 

[Colin the Bear]

As well as the strength, the cut affects the way the reed feels/performs. eg. Rico orange are american cut and Vandoren blue are french cut. Some mouthpieces/players are very sensitive to this.

Personally, I hate the buzz. It feels like the reed is vibrating past its optimum range and beating on the mouthpiece.

Vandoren make a confusing array of reeds. They are all different. Slightly different cuts within the parameters of french and american. The length, shape and depth of the cut differs.

Also consider that different manufacturers grow reed of different types, on different continents, subject to very different weather and climate conditions and cut using a variety of machinery of varying design and age and cut from different parts of the plant.

Asking which reed is best for you is like asking which petrol your car will run on best on, before passing your driving test.

Focusing on playing backed up by structured practice will bring better results. It can't be rushed. You have to earn and then maintain your chops.

Many players are self taught. Many more benefit from the guidance of a teacher.

 

[Morgan Fry]

LaVoz medium, Rigotti 2 1/2, Alexander New York 2 1/2 IMO.

 

[kevgermany]

Never tried Rico Jazz Select but heard good things about it...

D'Addario Select Jazz are certainly worth trying.

Just in case it's not clear, the Rico Jazz Select was rebranded to D'Addario.

Most of us will recommend what works for usas we've not tried your mouthpiece, wouldn't play it the same as you and so on. You've got a suggestion above from a mouthpiece maker, which I'd consider carefully.

There's a lot of good advice above, especially the player effect comments. Most of us find something that works and stick to it. So for tenor and alto I use the D'Addarios you're thinking of trying. I don't have Colin's problem, the reeds simply work, until they die.

 

[Colin the Bear]

Having said all that, I like Gonzalez...because they taste so nice .

 

[fodemhouse]

Thank you very much guys... I know practice is the number 1 factor... Hope I can get someday to the point u mentioned... Where all the reeds will sound the same...

 

[Jazzaferri]

All reeds wont quite sound the same but once you have your embouchure well established you will always sound like you. Some have more edge some a bit darker. Its not a bad move up in mouthpiece so find a reed that gives you a flexible palette. I find Vando Greens and Reds to be pretty monosyllabic, but that may just be me.

I have been using Leger Signatures exclusively on all four saxes for a few years and they work for me. They are pretty consistent but very critical as to placement. Your experience will be different., Good luck and keep up the long tones. Flexibility of sound is an enjoyable goal

 

[Jules]

Having said all that, I like Gonzalez...because they taste so nice .

I use Rico Plasticover despite the fact they taste foul for the first couple of hours of use!

 

[Pete Thomas]

So I guess there are good reed/mouthpiece combinations and bad combinations, I just wanna know which are the recommended ones with this mouthpiece so I dont have to test all over again...

I'm not sure there are any recommendations. It's down to whatever reed you find you like as people say.

I tried some of Jody's mouthpieces in the room with Jody, he had no recommendations, but did suggest his mouthpieces work best with harder reeds. I disagreed with that..

My recommendation would be Legere Signature, but then it would be because I am an endorser for Legere. Second choice would be Lupifaro Jazz.