Saxophone Reeds: How to Select and Maintain Them

With so many reeds available on the market, people may spend their entire lives trying various options to find a perfect one. If you want to speed up this process, grab our tips. We’ve gathered the most significant aspects to consider when choosing saxophone reeds. 

Which Saxophone Reed to Choose

The reeds are thin pieces of shaped cane, and although they seem small and simple, they have a huge impact on tone, response, and ease of play. Let’s explore the most important characteristics of reeds that impact the desired sound. 

Classical and Jazz Reeds 

Browsing reed categories on websites of well-known brands, you may come across jazz and classical reeds. Some saxophonists believe that it’s more about marketing than significant differences in how they impact sound. Whatever they say, let’s explore what each type can offer.

Classical reeds are usually more resistant and harder to play. Jazz reeds are softer than classical reeds and are widely used by saxophonists across various genres. The initial choice between two options should start with the answer to how you would describe a classical or a jazz sound. Ask yourself whether you want to sound brighter or darker. 

Darker sound is achieved with reeds that are harder to play. These reeds also offer you a slightly woody sound. This is what you get when you choose classical reeds. 

Bright sound is achieved with reeds that are softer to play, resulting in quick response and great flexibility. This is what you receive when you choose jazz reeds. They are especially favoured by musicians for their ability to get excellent projection, bright sound, and good attack. 

Reed Strength

This is one of the most important factors in selecting a reed. The scale for the reed strength varies from 1 to 5, where 1 is the softest and 5 is the hardest. The lower the number, the thinner the reed, and the higher the number, the thicker the reed. 

The option of 1.5-2.5 would be perfect for the youngest saxophonists and beginners, as they require less effort to produce the sound, while 2.5-3.5  are more suitable for adults, offering a balance of easy playability and fuller tones. The reeds with a strength of 2.5 are the most commonly used. Numbers 4 and 5 are the hardest reeds and are not so widely used. 

Thinner reeds with lower numbers vibrate more easily. If you’re still building your technique, select reeds that are not too hard. In addition to beginners, thinner reeds are also favoured by saxophonists playing in popular music genres and jazz genres. 

If you seek bigger, and warmer tones, you may be pleased with a thickness of 4 or 5.  

Compatibility with the Mouthpiece

The tip opening on a saxophone mouthpiece impacts how small or big the produced sound can be. It also determines whether it’s easy or difficult to play. A big tip opening may be harder to play and it requires a softer reed, while a smaller tip requires a harder reed to get more resistance necessary for full tones. 

When using soft reeds with small openings, you may likely face the issue with achieving bigger tones. Soft reeds are easy to press against the mouthpiece. Considering these aspects, saxophonists prefer using medium opening tips with medium-size reeds. 

To find out whether the reeds are soft or hard, look at the mouthpiece. This information is usually indicated on the surface as numbers or number-letter combinations. Different brands may use their own classifications. 

More Tips on Selecting Reeds 

When selecting a reed, you should realize that reeds are made of different canes grown in different parts of the world. The cane falls into various classifications, such as those with a thick tip or more material in the heart of the reed, which bring different results when you play your saxophone. 

There are also two variations of reed cuts:

1. Filed Cut (also known as a French Cut or Double Cut) with an extra strip of bark removed, which makes the reed less resistant and provides faster response. These work better for smaller saxophones, such as sopranino and soprano.
2. Unfiled Cut (also known as traditional cut, American cut, or single cut) coming with a “U” shape below the vamp. These produce more powerful tones and are more suitable for tenor, baritone, and bass saxophones.

Which one to choose: filed or unfiled reed?

• Filed reeds: These work better for classical music as they are more tonal and darker.
• Unfiled reeds: These work better with brighter mouthpieces and feel easier to blow.

Remember that earlier there weren’t so many reeds to choose from as the choice of brands wasn’t so big. However, even with relatively reduced options, musicians managed to create great music of their time, a bigger part of which became jazz hits highly appreciated today. 

How to Keep Reeds Secure 

In order to keep these significant parts of your mouthpiece secure, it’s recommended to use ligatures, which are specially designed parts helping to hold the reed securely onto the mouthpiece. Keeping it firmly in place, a ligature allows the reed to vibrate freely while you play the saxophone. Ligatures also impact the tone, however not as much as the mouthpiece itself. 

You already have your standard ligature coming with a saxophone when you buy it. However you can select any other type, whether it’s metal or fabric options. Today, you can even buy durable and luxurious leather saxophone ligatures. Metal ligatures help create a bright sound, while leather ligatures create a warm and round sound.

Leather ligatures are available in multiple colors, helping you find what fits best for your personal style. Moreover, these options can be further personalized with embossed symbols. 

How to Use and Store Reeds 

Note, when you first unpack your box with a reed and before actually playing, you need to soak it for 5 minutes in water to prevent it from cracking. Also, some reeds may require some adjustments, for instance polishing their backside with a sandpaper to let it vibrate better. 

The cycle of dry and wet weather may shorten the lifespan of your saxophone reeds. Moreover, with extreme changes of humidity, the reeds can become a place for mold growth and bacteria. It not only looks disgusting but also threatens your health. 

To preserve your saxophone reeds, store them in a breathable reed case, not in airtight containers. While some musicians store reeds in the fridge to slow bacterial growth, ensure they are sealed in an airtight bag to protect them from excess moisture. For tours, storing reeds in plastic or glass jars with a lightly dampened sponge (with a bit of vodka) can help disinfect and stabilize them. However, avoid soaking the reeds in alcohol directly. Finally, always remove reeds from the mouthpiece between sessions to prevent warping and mold growth.

Conclusion 

Although selecting a saxophone reed can be a challenging process, you can turn it into an achievable goal. By considering the type of the reed, their thickness and compatibility with a mouthpiece, you will achieve the sound that best fits for specific settings and style. As reeds are interchangeable you can try various options on your way to the desired sound.

Learn more about ligatures in our article on enhancing your saxophone sound with ligatures.

Also, we invite you to explore other saxophone accessories on our website.