how can I determine if a reed is still good?

[pumatheman]

Dear friends,
I'm studing sax from 2,5 years started with 6 month private lessons... and I've now found the peacefull-setup with my new link STM NY 7# and my tenor yamaha 32, but I'm having great confusion with the reeds, I've buyed too many types and have used all of them in a very unsorted way, I'm in confusion!!!

I've too much boexs: hemke 2, java 1,5 , java 2 , rico jazz select 2s, la voz medium , la voz medium-soft...

based on this list are those too much soft? if not are they numbers that become soft faster than usual?

I've marked some good with the letters G for good VG for very good and so on, but I 'm not able to evaluate if a reed has ended his life or not so many are marked with G and VG but can be old and I can't determine if it is good or it has to be trashed...

in simple words I'm searching a trick or a fast method to determine if a reed is still good or not?

please help I'm another autodidacted paranoic "saxophobic" man:?

[SwinginSax]

If a reed is older than your Grandma or is growing blue mold, you'll know it's a bad reed.:twisted:

Just kidding. Really, only you can be the judge if your reed is too old or not. For example, if I played your reed, it might be too old for you but would probably be way too soft for me. Generally when a reed sounds very thin and buzzy, you can tell it's getting old. If a reed plays perfect and souns great right out of the box then get worse real quick, you might want try going up a strength. New reeds should be a bit hard for tyou, that way they will last longer and start sound better for a longer period of time than the first 2-3 days.

EDIT: One more thing. It's usually best to stick with just one type of reed instead of having 10 different brands, it's a lot easier to progress that way as a beginner.

EDIT (again): I believe that a tenor player, I think it was Micheal Brecker, used to play on like 5's but had to switch to a 1.5 and a much less resistent mouthpiece because he tore out something in his throat blowing too hard. The moral is it's not a contest to see how hard of a reed you can play, but just to play whatever works best for you.

[Honeyboy]

Dear friends,
I'm studing sax from 2,5 years started with 6 month private lessons... and I've now found the peacefull-setup with my new link STM NY 7# and my tenor yamaha 32, but I'm having great confusion with the reeds, I've buyed too many types and have used all of them in a very unsorted way, I'm in confusion!!!

I've too much boexs: hemke 2, java 1,5 , java 2 , rico jazz select 2s, la voz medium , la voz medium-soft...

based on this list are those too much soft? if not are they numbers that become soft faster than usual?

I've marked some good with the letters G for good VG for very good and so on, but I 'm not able to evaluate if a reed has ended his life or not so many are marked with G and VG but can be old and I can't determine if it is good or it has to be trashed...

in simple words I'm searching a trick or a fast method to determine if a reed is still good or not?

please help I'm another autodidacted paranoic "saxophobic" man:?

I have been playing for 33 years, so keep that in mind as I share my experience.
I do a similar thing with new reeds. First I try them with my 4 main mouthpieces and group them into those groups. My Berg 130/2, for example requires a medium to medium soft or medium kind of a reed. So any of the brands I use, I choose out of those boxes the ones that work well for my Berg- they can be different brands as well as sizes. The key is, which reeds get the sound you want with all the qualities you like.

I rate them on a 1- 10(+) scale. I look for 3 main qualities - tone, ease of altissimo notes, fullness on the bottom notes. A great reed gets a 10+ down to a really poor reed -no rating,. A workable reed for practice sessions might get a 7 or 8. I then separate these reeds into groups. I will put all the 9+, 10 and 10+ reeds either in the little cases I have for my mouthpieces or in a separate box for all the gig-worthy reeds. So, I might have one labled "Berg 130 10' (I write on them using a 'Sharpie" permanent marker) and a "Berg 130 9.5" in the little case I keep my Berg in. I use all the great ones on gigs first and as they lose their special qualities, I take them out of the rotation for gig reeds and either use them for practice or just break the tip off if they have lost their tone or workability. I just make sure I know where all the really good ones are so they are available without having to try a bunch of reeds. Reeds wear out eventually and at different rates and different brands. So just take out the ones that become too weak or ineffective as they lose their good qualities.

Also, in labling them, I might add a letter like a S,M, or MH to indicate the feel. So a reed could have a OL 9.5 MH on it, meaning Otto Link, 9.5, medium hard feel. If a reed is too hard for any of my mouthpieces, I will work on it to try to get it more playable. If it starts out too soft for even my large opening Berg, I consider it useless.

Also, out of a box of 10 Rico Royal 3's, I will find some reeds that work better on my Berg, some my Otto Link, some on the Jody Jazz ESP, or the really hard ones on my Levelaire (.100") or Link 5*(.085) and keep those reeds with those particular mouthpieces.This way I don't waste too many reeds from a box which may be unsuitable for , let's say, the Jody Jazz.
If you only have one mouthpiece, you would simply rate your reeds as to playability and then see if you can alter the reeds to make more of them playable or gig worthy.I don't think there is a simple way to do any of this since reeds vary so much in strength tone and qualities.

[harmonizerNJ]

Honeyboy's suggestion to label your reeds is a very good one.

One thing I have found is that, if I have already played a reed twice, and it has been "unexceptional", it will remain so. But some of these are still good enough for practicing. Also, some are fine for playing ballads in church, but not for playing a pop/rock-and-roll gig, so I mark reeds separately for that.

As far as determining if a good reed's life has ended, the only way I know to do that is to play it.

[JustJeff]

"If a reed is older than your Grandma or is growing blue mold, you'll know it's a bad reed."

I recall one of my earlier lesson sessions with Master Pup and the look in his eyes at the substance growing on my reed...his comment reminded me of an old girlfriend and those famous words, I ain't never putting anything like that in my mouth...

[Morry]

Take a glass of water. Place the reed in the water. Does it float? If so, it's a witch.

[BigRicky]

Take a glass of water. Place the reed in the water. Does it float? If so, it's a witch.

ROTFLOL

It's been two years since I played my sax (I've been back in it for a couple weeks), and I don't recall what it feels like when a reed goes out. My current one is just the one that I was using two years ago, and I haven't the foggiest how much use its got. It's starting to get harder to squeak and squarble and it's harder to hit that high G (which is always a problem for me). I recall usually replacing my reeds when they cracked, but this one hasn't... It's just being a bugger. These things are two and half bucks each, right? I think I'll keep playing this one for a bit, but what would you guys do?

[HSkid]

I think that you could be playing on too many types pf reed at the same time. so stick with one type for awhile and you will be able to tell by how the reed plays if it is still good. if it sounds really buzz and you have a hard time with intonation it's a pretty good sign that tou need new reeds. i suggest that you try size 3. and if you do place a reed in a glass of water and it sinks it needs time to dry out before playing it again.

[gary]

I can't believe there's this much verbosity to such a simple question.
(Well, actually, I can.)

The answer is, ". . . so long as it responds the way you need it to."

[saxman61]

Wow! I agree with the replies of Gary, HSkid, Justjeff and HoneyBoy.
Conclusion: The user will know when the reed just doesn't perform with the sound quality and intonation as before. The appearance of the reed (mold) will also be a good signal.

[Roger Aldridge]

Along with Gary's answer -- which is a great example of Common Sense -- I highly recommend that reeds be used in rotation. That is, have 4-5 broken in reeds in a reed case and rotate them so a different reed is used each day. In this way, a reed is given a period of rest after playing it. This is good for one's reeds -- as a way to maximize the playing life of your reeds -- as well as being good for one's chops (explained below).

Along with using reeds in rotation, it is recommended that perhaps once a month all of the reeds in the reed case be play-tested and compared with one another. If there is a reed that does not work as well as the others (in terms of tonal quality, response, and over-all performance characteristics) then retire it, break in a new one, and add it to the ones in rotation.

This is a MUCH BETTER approach than playing on one reed until it dies or turns green. One problem with playing on just one reed is over time the reed softens and a player's chops gradually becomes used to a softer reed. Then, when it's time to break in a new reed the reed strength feels unusually stiff.

Another benefit from using reeds in rotation is you have a number of performance-quality reeds at your fingertips at any time. Thus, if you have an unexpected problem with a reed it's a simple matter of pulling another rotation reed from your reed case and using it.

Highly recommended!!!

Roger

[Howlinhorns]

Take a glass of water. Place the reed in the water. Does it float? If so, it's a witch.

It's a "witch"? could someone kindly explain this term.

[JL]

You'll know it's worn out when it gets "too easy" to play and your sound begins to really get thin. By too easy, I mean there is almost no resistance and the reed tends to close off. You'll get to recognize this once you stick to a given brand and hardness.

As to your reeds being too soft, a lot depends on the mpc opening. With a 7* probably the 1.5 is a bit soft. The 2s might be ok for now, but it is true that if a reed is just right, or slightly too soft to begin with, it won't last as long as a harder reed would. Maybe give some 2.5s a try, and allow for a break-in period (play several new reeds for about 15 min a day for 3 or 4 days, then increase the time). At the end of the break-in period, you'll have an idea which reeds are best. If none of the reeds need breaking in, then you may be starting too soft, if you want the reeds to last more than a few hours of playing.

[jicaino]

like my wife... :badgrin:

(replying to It's a "witch"? could someone kindly explain this term.)

[gary]

ref "witch" - it's not slang for something else. It refers to one of the more insane ways European Christians determined, before they killed the person, if the person is a witch or not.

Tie her up and throw her in a tub or lake, or what have you. If she floated, she was a witch. If she didn't float she was a - well - dead non-witch. It's hard to swim when you're tied up.

The quote from Morry, "take a glass of water. Place the reed in the water. Does it float? If so, it's a witch" is a joke.

[MartinMods]

See if you can plant corn in it. If the corn grows tall, the reed is still good.

[styxywyx]

This is a problem I have as well and the simple answer that Gary et al provide is not adequate for a beginner.
When your embouchere is not stable and the thing plays differently between practice sessions and you don't know what it should sound like in the first place and you lips get tired and the damn things never sound the same twice in a row.......... How can you tell???? - Its all very well when with years of practice and experience you can judge these things and to an experienced player such a question does have a simple answer. It doesn't to a beginner though and I guess thats why the question was asked....
to all the good teachers out there ....... help

[MartinMods]

Get a flute! No reeds.

[gary]

See if you can plant corn in it. If the corn grows tall, the reed is still good.Directly followed by:This is a problem I have as well . . .

What. You can't plant corn in your reeds, either? :twisted:


styxywyx - mea culpa. I guess this is just something I can't relate to. I never had the experience of having my reed have a certain feel for a couple of weeks and then gradually change so that it didn't play like it used to, without noticing the difference.

I would say truly, that if one can't feel their reed gradually deteriorating, or at least waking up one day and realising that it doesn't work like it did when you first played it, then one just really needs more playing and practice time and that will eventually go away. Everything doesn't happen all at once. And I doubt, without at least a reasonable degree of chops control, that you will be able to tell the difference between reeds no matter what kind of formal process someone here lays out to determine that.

[styxywyx]

Now your talking Gary!
And no - no matter what I do I can't get the corn to grow - I've tried floating and sinking my reeds, voodoo, witchcraft and even tried dancing naked around my reeds on a full moon night but the Damn things wont grow corn or sound the same two times in a row !!

[gary]

ROFL!

Good attitude, styxywyx. Just be patient. It will come.
(You, not the corn. :twisted:)

(Or, uh, maybe not you either. Uh. Never mind. You know what I mean - anybody loan me a shovel? I haven't dug myself deep enougth yet.)

[styxywyx]

And I guess thats the best answer pumatheman. We just have to keep at it until we know what a reed should feel like and then we will know when its dying.
No short cuts. As bluessaxgirl says --- shut up and practice.
I have been learning for about 18 months and for the very first time this weekend I felt AIR support for my tone and reed - it made producing the note sooooo much easier. Now I just have to remember what it felt like, do it again a few thousand times and Voila.! Then maybe I can know if my reeds will RIP.

Yes Gary - itwas very exciting with the full moonn, just me and my reeds.....ahem:twisted:

[DavyRay]

I am also a beginner (again). I've had the same problem. If you are a beginner, and you just can't play well one day, you don't know what to fix. It could be your reed, your embouchure, or a new leak somewhere in your saxophone.

I've read lots of advice about reeds on this forum. The most helpful to me was advice to pick out a small number of reeds (say, four) to work with at a time. Label them so you can tell them apart. Play each of them a little bit each day. Get to know them over time. If you practice with a few reeds in rotation, you will be able to learn what is working for you. A leak, for example, will cause problems regardless of which reed you are using.

[Nozero]

The first thing that starts to go in a reed is intonation. If you're starting to hear out of tune notes, it may be time to pitch the reed. Time doesn't matter, you could be playing a show or gig for a few hours and it's done, or you could use a reed for a few days or over a week. Most importantly, keep them protected! In high school, you see people just throwing reeds in their cases and they come out chipped all over the place the next day. :x

[Matt Otto]

If it sounds good, it's still good.

[gary]

The first thing that starts to go in a reed is intonation.

Generally, this is not my, nor my students', experience. The first thing I notice with my students is their inability to get notes out at all, usually because the reed is too weak. It also effects their range.

For me, what I notice is a lack of response and that it's closing up when I play loud and high.

[Morry]

For me, I usually notice that the reed starts to close off when really putting a lot of air through the horn. However, the way I rotate them in the Selmer reed case, this takes a long time.

[JL]

Form the OP:

in simple words I'm searching a trick or a fast method to determine if a reed is still good or not?

I guess the answer is yes and no.

With at least some experience, the answer is "Yes: Put the reed on the mpc and blow; you'll know in a few seconds if it's worn out or not."

For a total beginner, the answer is "No, there is no simple trick until you get a feel for whether or not a reed is too soft to play well."

So, ir you're a beginner just get some reeds that seem to work (not too hard!--and your teacher can help you with your first choice) and practice for a few weeks. Once you begin to establish an embouchure experiment with some different reeds in different strengths until you find a brand and strength that works best. Then go from there. In time, it will be fairly clear when a reed has worn out.

[hgiles]

It's still good for as long as it does what you want it to do.