Used Musical Instruments

Clarinet Reeds?

Q: I've been playing for 6 months and I'm using a #3 reed. Is it true that the higher the number of your reed the better you'll sound?
Are vandoreen reeds superior(both in quality and sound in the clarinet) compared to others?
And I read somewhere that you should alternate reeds so they last longer, but i think its kinda waste. Err is alternating a good idea?
lol sorry if my questions are stupid

A: Your questions are not stupid!!! You're using a strength 3 reed after just 6 months?! Wow! Most people would start off with very soft reeds (maybe 1.5) and then very gradually move up to the stronger reeds. This is because it takes time to build up the muscles to form the correct embouchure. It's easier to play the softer reeds with an undeveloped embouchure. A lot of players find that they get a better sound when they use harder reeds, but it is also possible to get a good sound with a very soft reed. This however requires more work - a very relaxed embouchure and lots of diaphragm support.

Reeds are very much a personal thing and also depend on your mouthpiece/ligature setup. I use vandoran 3.5 hand selected reeds with a vandoran M30 mouthpiece and a vandoran optimum ligature. I find that works very well for me, but something else might work better for you.

Then about alternating reeds, yes it is a good idea. It's not a waste as the reeds last the same length of time. You just have one ready to use straight after your current one breaks. If a reed breaks in the middle of a rehearsal and you have to put on a brand new one, it may be quite tough to blow as you wont have broken it in yet. Alternating your reeds avoids this problem.

Good luck!

Getting the most from your clarinet reeds part one

My tips for getting the most from your clarinet reeds