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Embouchure Development/Reed Strength

Posted by anon on 5/18/2022, 9:42 am

What factors help you determine if a student is ready to play on a stronger reed. For example, if you start clarinet or saxophone students on a Vandoren 2 1/2, when do you know they are ready to transition to a stronger reed? I know this may be different from student to student, and given mouthpiece set-up.

Re: Embouchure Development/Reed Strength

Posted by Coop on 5/23/2022, 4:58 pm, in reply to "Embouchure Development/Reed Strength"

Regular mouthpiece pitch checks 6-8th grade. The kids have a hard time keeping the pitch as reeds get too soft for them.

Re: Embouchure Development/Reed Strength

Posted by Mr. Orange on 5/19/2022, 7:32 am, in reply to "Embouchure Development/Reed Strength"

I can tell by the sound. If it's excessively thin or reedy and it's not an old reed. If it doesn't take much air to get a sound. If the clarinet is pushed in all the way and the embouchure is good but they're still really flat. If they can't get the higher notes out or the high notes are very flat. A soft reed can't vibrate fast enough to get the high notes.

Re: Embouchure Development/Reed Strength

Posted by Bry on 5/18/2022, 6:31 pm, in reply to "Embouchure Development/Reed Strength"

Move the reed up slightly so that the tip of the reed is just barely over the tip of the mouthpiece. If they sound better, they’re probably ready to go up a strength.
That said, if they’re already getting a great sound and they’re in tune on their setup, don’t feel obligated to go up a strength. There are professionals who play on a 2.5 or a 3. Just saying.

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