• Welcome to Learn To Play Saxophone with the help of computers. Please login or sign up.
 

My Favourite Saxophone Reeds

Started by Tony Edge, September 27, 2011, 11:15:52 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

Tony Edge

September 27, 2011, 11:15:52 PM Last Edit: January 16, 2013, 05:53:31 PM by Tony Edge
After experimenting with different reeds. As a beginner I found Flying goose reeds 2.5 so easy to play.
After six months practice Steve Wiltshire recommended using Vandoren reeds 2.5.
My music teachers frowned on the cheap reeds.
Steve Wiltshire recommended using Vandoren reeds 2.5.
the tone does sound a lot better using Vandoren superior reeds.
Going back to the Flying goose reeds you notice the difference my embouchure has improved.  The FG reeds are tending to lock when playing hard.
--- Eight Month Later ---
Moved up a step to Vandoren V16 3 or 3.5
I love these reeds at the moment with the Yamaha 4 C alto sax mouthpiece
For tenor using again Vandoren V16 number 3 with Yamaha 5c mouthpiece.


-------------------------------------------------------
12 months later. My favourite reeds for tenor sax with a Yamaha 6C mouthpiece
are Vandoren number 2 blue label bar code 08576 12417 each read factory fresh due to humidity barrier package.
Purchased from our local music shop.
With these reeds I can play very easily from low Bb up to high D. with nice tone.
Reads bought from Ebay found rather poor and were not in humidity barrier package.

I find with not playing alto sax for several months I needed to drop to a softer reed 2.5
the alto seems so shrill at first moving from the lovely sound of the tenor.
After a few hours playing my armature seems to improve and the sound seems ok.
Just wondering changing from plastic Yamaha mouthpiece to a rubber type on alto.
Tony

littleplum

Choosing reeds can be a nightmare.  At the moment I am using Rico Orange strength 3 on Alto.  Either Vandoran Blue 3.5 or Hemke 3.5 on Tenor.  Rico Royal 3.5 on Sop and a Hahn synthetic reed on Baritone.

All of these can change at a moments notice, it almost depends on what mood I am in as to whether I like the tone they give or not.  Being a teacher and player I  find that I go through reeds like sweets, especially on Alto (most students play Alto)  So end up trawling for bargains on ebay.

I have tried most brands of synthetic reed on Alto and Tenor, and most of those seem fine for the first 10 minutes, but when you go into the upper register they all sound thin and shrill so end up back at cane reeds

See ya

Dave