How to Improve Every Saxophone Reed
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 30 ก.ย. 2024
- #bettersax #saxophone #reeds
Jay Metcalf gives an overview of the ReedGeek tool to improve the playability of your saxophone reeds.
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Fiddling around with reeds makes me wish I was a trumpet player
Thank your lucky stars you're not an oboe player!!!
One word..Legere
Look on bright side of things...you could have been an oboe player! LOL
Heard that before...lol
LOL ... I thought about that often but I love the sound of the sax ... I stopped using cane reeds a year ago and have been using Legere Signature reeds .. I'll probably never go back to cane ...
Here's my reed system: I always start by playing the reed for 5 minutes the first day then increasing the playing time by 5-10 minutes a day up to 30 minutes. The reason for this is to let the fibers kind of settle in. After the break-in process, I balance the reed using Larry Teal's chart from The Art of Saxophone Playing. I tilt the mouthpiece so that only one side is vibrating and play a low register G. Then I do it on the other side. If one side is duller than the other, I balance it with reed rush using the chart. Sometimes I do a few other adjustments as well, depending on what I hear, using the chart. I have found that this method usually yields 9-10 good long-playing reeds out of a box of 10. I still think reed rush is the best tool for fine reed adjustments.
"tilt the mouthpiece" ???
Rush is the best and least likely to damage the reed. Sorry but you should be careful because a little too much can and does ruin the reed. Fifty years of fighting the Steady decline in reed quality has taught me that reed rush is the safest and most effective tool for making a fair or good read a great one. That being said, 40 years ago LaVoz out the box reeds were in the 5 put of 10 range for good reeds and now since the family sold out to Guitar string makers they suck too. I find with anything but rush there is a greater tendency to take too much. If they play perfect when fresh they will usually get too soft too soon. Let them be played and age awhile cycling between wet and dry on a good plane of hard material and you will know in several cycles whether to adjust a bit more or to stop. Some of my best reeds played at a 5 or 6 when new and become 10s in a month. The Art of saxophone playing has the best advice and methods for acquiring and adjusting reeds. Selection of individual reeds was the only way I ever purchased reeds 40 years ago but pretty hard to do today. I can tell a good or potentially good reed by understanding what the reed should look like and what I like about rush is you can leave the reed on the piece while making minor adjustments while not disturbing the alignment or tension of the mating. All in all the tool is over priced and makes little room for error. Rush is the best. The tool in a pinch is handy as you should soak rush before using, although once flattened it can work well with a lighter touch of course.
Reed Geeks work well with Silverstein Alta tenor and alto poly reeds. For me totally amazing and better than the Vandorens.
Hey, i'm getting a saxophone in 2 weeks and I was wondering which Reed I should get
Most new players start with Rico just because of the price. If you enjoy playing with might look for something a little more like a vandoren.
Kyle! I was his private sax teacher many years ago in Chicago. Great to see him on this channel! So happy he’s making a wonderful career playing the saxophone!
haha cool. Good job teaching Kyle.
Better Sax I take little credit... he was/still is a better jazz saxophonist...I’m primarily a classical guy. Btw, love watching your videos! Keep up the great work!
Excuse me!! Hi Kyle. I'm from BRZ. I'm also researching reeds for Yamaha Custom Alto Saxophone and YTS Yamaha 62 Tenor Saxophone. I've just watched your video. Congrats!!. I like to play light saxophones. Excellent sound. Excellent Overtones. I'm subscribed to your channel. My best regards from BRZ🇧🇷 Thank you so much. TTYL.
I need a Finger Geek. Reeds aren’t my problem.
You're lucky if reeds aren't your problem but what is a finger Geek ? Never heard of it ....
UnoriginalUsername373 It is somewhat a joke. I have defective hands that don’t work normally, and it creates some problems for me. The ring finger on my right hand is particularly problematic on certain chromatic exercises. As for reeds, I use a synthetic reed. While they are not perfect, they don’t have many of the problems of cane reeds.
SayZen I do therapeutic exercises on my hands every day, and spend extra time practicing areas of difficulty. Playing the sax has been very beneficial for my hands, and I am unwilling to give in to my physical issues at this time.
I open the box, spread the reeds on the table and start to pray….:-)
Lol
The Reed geek is a great tool, but you can also get same results just by sanding the reed over a flat surface. I got myself some small grain sandpaper and a glass portrait to have a flat surface to sand on.
1. Place the reed flat on top of the sandpaper on top of the glass and try to sand it evenly making round circles.
2. Place your reed on the mouthpiece and place the palm of your hand on the back hole so it makes vacuum when you suck the air out. The reed should stick to the mouthpeace and take like a second before it pops back. when sucking the air out, hear if there are any leaks and where they come from. the leaks usually come through the center of the read on one of the sides. you should then sand a bit on the OPPOSITE side to even them out. this is by far the most important thing you can do to the reed. A good seal warranties that the saxophone plays effortlessly and it is easy to get the notes of the High register.
3. take the reed out of the mouthpiece without sliding it. there should be a moisture pattern on the flat side that should be symmetrical. if it is not, you're going to have to do some sanding on the side of the reed that touches your lower lip to make them equal.
I buy reeds half a number harder just because they get a bit softer on the sanding process over time.
Right now I have five reeds that work perfect and should last for well over a year!
You may need to do some retouching every once in a while.
Good luck! 😂 😂
I've been using a synthetic reed for the last two years bc I just thought it was better. There are advantages to synthetic reeds, but recently I went back to some old gear and really loved the sound I got with cane reeds, so suddenly this information is a lot more relevant to me
Your videos are such a joy to watch. You’re the one of the most charismatic TH-camrs I know .Thank you!
Thanks bro.
I fully endorse your views
I purchased a reed geek after seeing your session with their creator and it's a really good tool!
Terrific, Jay. One question: How do I know when the rails have been sufficiently scraped?
At first you can do less adjusting and more frequent testing. Once you've done a few dozen reeds, you'll be a pro and know more or less intuitively what works well given how the reed plays starting out. If you've got old reeds lying around spend some time practicing on them.
Steve was at Meadowland.
The purpose is to have both sides vibrating at the same pace and you can check that out once you take the read out of the mouthpiece, after having been paying for 10 minutes or so, carefully without sliding it too much because the moisture on the flat side is going to tell you if both sides are equal or not, the pattern the moisture leaves turn should be the same on both sides, it should be symmetrical.
Im really digging that steve jobs look
he has AMAZING tone. wow!
could you do a Jean Paul TS-800 or AS-800 review. it is their professional tenor and alto.
I second that petition!
Joshua Carchi yeah, there’s basically nothing on youtube about them and not much info on the website
They are B/O on Jean Paul's website!
Jean Paul instruments are just overpriced Chinese stencils. Same exact thing as Mendini and Allora etc.
@@cetologist I thought they were made in the US!
I hate that I just watched this video, and i already spent 250 on a new mouthpiece and ligature and I can't buy this too lmao
The best thing for the back of the reed is plain paper, rub gently in circles and the low abrasive level of the paper is perfect for a uniform flat surface. Always do this first because it's free and simple and fairly impossible to screw it up 😊
I could hear the improvement on the first reed right away. The buzz was gone and the horn sounded smoother.
Al Siemens it’s funny, I remember feeling such a huge difference in the response of the reed but through the microphone I can barely even recognize the difference 🤣
@@kylegeee Yeah, a lot of the improvement is felt by the player and heard in the room up close, but doesn't get translated well with the microphone unfortunately. However, the way we play on a good reed is always very different than when we are struggling with a bad reed.
Excellent demonstration Jay. Have you seen the absolutely fantastic reed adjustment chart in a very old book called "The Art Of Saxophone Playing" by Larry Teal ? Pages 28 & 29. He pinpoints the actions needed on specific areas of the reed in order to achieve a given result. I've got 40 year old "blue box" Rico Royals that I've easily turned into 8s or better.
Incidentally, my ReedGeek replaces nearly all the tools he lists.
Yes, I have that book. That's why the ReedGeek is so great. one tool that does everything.
Here's my takeaway based on my (limited) experience. I find Vandorens are generally the best for me. The 2.5 gives me around 3 good reeds out of ten, and the rest are too soft bright and buzzy, and inconsistent timbre between octaves. Going with the 3.0, I get more even response between the octaves, and the timbre is more pure and dark. I find that about 3 reeds are perfect and the remaining 7 have issues with the upper register or lower depending on the reed, and take an exhausting embouchure to get anything out of them. So... I'm thinking I stick with the 3's, and reduce the 7ish out of the box that are too hard with the reed geek.
Jay - Got my ReedGeek G4 two years ago and use it for my saxes and clarinets. I always flatten the back, just like you do, but not so aggressively, except for the very first time. Once the back of the reed is flat, you can just stroke it a few times and look to see if it is removing material from the whole width of the reed. If you get material from just part, then the back is not flat, but if you get it straight across, then you are fine. This means less material is removed and the reed lasts longer. Also, for corrections to the front of the reed, I do that right on the mouthpiece. No need to stop and remove the ligature. This allows me to make minute adjustments and try them immediately, so I can tweak the reed to how I like it. With the ReedGeek, I now have six or eight playable reeds at a time, whereas before I was lucky to have two. Thanks for the video, and for introducing us to Kyle.
I don't play an instrument and I am learning how to modify a reed. Go figure.
When we get video comparing good bari mouthpeices, been waiting for that
Coming soon.
@@bettersax Yes please, cold you throw some syos mouthpieces in there too?
@@albusdumdledore5919 Yess! check out my vid on my channel about the syos mouthpieces i have done a few videos on the syos mouthpieces
For the people on the fence because of the (absurdly) high price, the ReedGeek is nothing more than a piece of tool steel with some convenient shapes cut into it. You can buy blanks for a couple of bucks at machining stores as 'lathe toolbits' for about 1/20th of the price of a reedgeek, I've been using these for a while and they work great. These toolbits are made out of high speed steel and won't lose their edge any time soon, and if you know someone with a grinder you can even put in the rounded top yourself.
I noticed that too, i wasn’t sure if it would work so thanks for confirming
@@jasonmurawski5877 or a razor blade or sandpaper
This is exactly what I did, got THREE lathe bits for $15 off eBay 👍
This is just what we needed. Hoping that our son (sax player) will be able to use this to improve his reeds and save us money.
Doug LaVerdiere not only money, also great deal of frustration !! 🥳
It's a great piece of gear and really easy to learn to use. And, you can use it to tune up synthetic reeds! Don't use synthetics very often because you're usually stuck with what you get...not so much any more.
Worth picking up if you're a reed player
Hi, I was just wondering if you could do a review of the Allora Vienna series alto saxophones? I've been looking into them and I was curious about your opinion of them.
Great video! My sax teacher had me get one several years ago. Love it!
I spent 3 hrs yesterday testing 20 reeds on two different tenor pieces. Now I gotta do it all over again after watching this video. 🙄
Learnt so much from this video as a beginner sax player! Thank you so much Jay! Been loving your videos, they are helping tremendously!
I need myself a tone geek 😔
Stand in line. I heard its about 3 yrs long. (lol)
Great video Jay! Granted, reeds are subjective as all players want different things but for the price of a box of reeds for my alto you would think you could get more than 3 out of 10 to play right. I also learned to soak imperfect reeds in hydrogen peroxide for 5 minutes. Neat tool though.
This is cool and all but why are they 160 bucks😭
I bought a reed geek after your earlier videos Jay, and wow, it does all you say it does. It also makes my reeds last much much longer. In fact I can't remember the last time I replaced one of my 4 rotating tenor reeds. Reed Geeks rule!!
Would love to see a video on jazz/bebop vocabulary. Great video btw
Excellent advices, I grabbed one reedgeek and the very first cane I worked (which was ready to be dropped) started working great. I tried a couple more times, with different results (1 good and another not so good, however, got some learning from it as well). Only bad thing is not knowing when to stop before it's too late, but I guess I'll find out eventually. Great content Jay, thanks a lor for all of it.
I have a reed geek. Still trying to see how it effects my sound. My first attempt to use it I had so much fun using it the reed was reduced down to where it would no longer vibrate.
Such a timely video, Jay. Thanks as ever for the great content. I got my Geek a few weeks back and have yet to properly use it. It'll be great for my alto and tenor sax plus my bass clarinet reeds.
took me a while before I had the courage to dig into my reeds.
Oboes: our reeds break really easily we need to be careful!
us bassoon players: oh no I dropped my reed and stepped on it! RIP
*seconds later reed plays better
Ah yes: The bizarro clarinet and the farting bed post!
I purchased one when you previously reviewed it. I was not doing it correctly though. I was only doing the flat bottom surface and not getting the face edges.
Thanks to the video.
don't be afraid, you won't mess up your reeds, go for it.
I use a screwdriver to flatten the table of my reeds
Yes! That's a great alternative.
Thank you for the instructions. A couple of questions if I may please. If you begin to trim material off a reed, aren't you making a harder reed into a softer one? If so, why not just get a softer reed in the first place?
These adjustments should be for reeds that aren't cut right, or might have defects in the cane. But you can also "adjust" (almost remake) a reed to your liking if the cut or strength you purchased was not appropriate for your liking. Heck, some fanatics make their own from blanks, even go so far as from cane stock cutting their own blanks.Who has time for that? This is A LOT of adjustment, so much that I think one might be better off buying a more flexible/responsive (?) brand or cut, or lower strength more to one's liking. Could mean a lot less adjustment required. Then there's also buying better reeds. On the other hand if "customizing" to your liking is your thing, buying a 1/2 strength too hard could be just the thing for you.
This is how I take care of my reeds: buy a new one, put it in the mouthpiece, leave it there until I see it's broken. Repeat.
lol i did the same till about a year ago.
So I watched this and thought that I might be able to use something like this. I went to Amazon.CA and it was $160!?! It was $64 on Amazon.com. Even with the exchange rate that's almost twice as expensive. Fortunately I live close to Ogdensburg NY so could get it shipped there, but really...
Try getting it directly from ReedGeek. they will ship to Canada.
Everything in Canada is more expensive than in the U.S., even after the exchange rate. That's just how it goes, sadly. You can get it for about $125 CAD at Long & McQuade (the Black Diamond one). It's usually out of stock online, but they'll order it from their warehouse once you place an order. Usually takes a couple of weeks. Regular "Universal" model is $99 CAD. Cosmo Music also has the "Universal" model for the same price. Both are Canadian companies and ship anywhere in Canada for a reasonable cost, though it's always a good excuse to stock up on supplies. :)
Wow!!!!’ 😳 that’s an amazing improvement from the first blow to the 2nd adjustment from the reed geek. That tenor saxophone sounds amazing now. I have the reed geek but been so heavily on the fibracell and legere, but, after hearing the improvements, I will spend time with my cane reeds and Reed geek tmrw.
I don't see many people using the Reedjuvinate but I find it pretty useful. It's basically the jar with sponge idea but includes reed holders that push the reed agains a flat surface
Great video. I have the reed geek and love it. Many reeds have been saved with this tool
Hey Jay. Just watched your video with Kyle showing him how to use the Reed Geek. How do I go about getting one, as well?
There’s a link in the description of this video.
Hey Jay, I'd love to know what it was you were hearing when you were deciding where to make adjustments and also where you adjusted.
It's a steel lathe tool that costs a few pounds.
This could have been explained by Better Sax, except he is paid to promote the expensive alternative.
Since you do not own one it’s not right to say what it is or isn’t. Many people, myself included suspected that it was just a large tool but it is not true. The ReedGeek is a much sharper and more sophisticated tool that is well worth the price. If you get one you will agree. Also please refrain from making false accusations based on your assumptions. Any paid advertising on this channel and all others must be disclosed by law. If I don’t tell you in the video I was paid then that means I was not.
I bought one a couple of years ago and use it a little...now I'll use it more since you've shown all the ways to use it!
I play tenor sax (a Selmer Mk VI from 1959 - #84xxx) and use Harry Hartmann "Fiberreed" on my Selmer S-190 MPC). I like the original model (white, MS) on my tenor sax but the Hemp model (brown pattern, MS) on my Bass Clarinet.
nice setup! i play on a Chad Lb syos Signature mouthpiece with a vandoren optimum ligautre!
Based on your video a while back about your interesting visit to the Rigotti reed factory, I ordered their reeds.. And I have to say, that since then I have 100% hit with all their reeds - directly out of the box. All are perfect with no adjustment needed at all - which was never the case with some other well known brands. (I am not affiliated with Rigotti, just a very happy customer).
Yeah Rigotti are the best.
thanks Jay for teaching me every thing my teachers never taught me .. Bobby G...
Thank you so much Jay. I think I’ve been a bit hesitant when using my reed geek at times but after following your very clear instructions I used it on the spine for the first time with great results - a very usable reed!
good to hear.
I often put an indirect light under glass. That allows you to see how uneven or as you say the congestion and work it out.
You promise I'll not ruin my reeds?
Great stuf ,i have one and i use it everyday
Who know such a thing existed?! This ReedGeek is awesome! 👍 Wish it was around in my days...
I don't play the sax anymore now, but I used to play it a lot in my younger days (started at 6 y/o with a soprano, had to quit when I was 24 to finish my Master degree...I'm 43 now 😑).
When I transitioned to a different music school when I was around 17 y/o, I also changed to another teacher.
He actually taught me to do the same thing but with just basic tools we bought from a hardware shop.
Took me years to really understand it and perfect it I basically did the same as the ReedGeek.
I played in some bands and orchestras (nothing serious or professionally...all just amateurs for the fun and love of music), but the looks I got a few times from fellow sax-players when I was prepping my reeds was just epic.
Why are you destroying your reeds? You're wasting good money bro!...you get the point.
But after I explained what I did and actually showed some of them the difference it makes they almost couldn't believe it.
Great video again! Cheers from Taiwan 👍
This is my concern. You have companies that make reeds that are probably LIGHT YEARS in advancement in quality from the reeds of the early years of Jazz - where we heard some of the most amazing sounds ever created by saxophone players. Companies that have invested literally millions and millions of dollars in research to make the most repeatably consistent high quality reeds and tens or hundreds of millions in tooling and hardware to make the reeds. They grow the cane especially for this purpose and have more control over it than ever before.
But human nature, being what it is, wants to try and somehow make them better. So first, we imagine that the reeds are perceptibly and significantly different from one another out of the box. Then we imagine that we can - after watching a short video or two - improve the reed by hand with a sharp tool.
To heck with D'Addario and the other companies millions of research. To heck with their precision tools. To heck with their specially grown cane. With no training whatsoever, they are going to start hacking away at a reed to make it - BETTER.
Here's the good news. It's all in their heads anyway and a good sax player can make a bad reed sound good.
If you disagree -please tell me this:
1. Explain how the Jazz greats were able to make such great music with the HORRIBLE reeds they had back in the day - compared to the reed geek perfection?
2. Show me some BLIND TESTS on the reeds where the player and the listener didn't know which reed was which?
3. Tell me of another field where a complete beginner can carve or otherwise fine tune a well made precision part and end up with a better piece than they started with consistently and reliably?
Cause when you look at it logically, this isn't logical.
I don't doubt that over the years you may have learned, like a craftsman, to improve your reeds to your liking. But the idea that someone buys what is effectively a sharp wood chisel and instantly becomes a master reed-carver is beyond mind boggling to me.
Snake oil and placebo sure seem like better answers to me.
0:30 To answer your question, as of watching this video, nothing.
*My experience:* If you lightly sand the intersection of the two sides of the V, it will provide better articulation.
My private lesson teacher did that once! Huge improvement!
Could you go into detail about this for me?
MojoBjoe Basically if you use the Reed Geek on the “point” of the V, it can clear up articulations.
@@theludicrouslime I am extremely sorry if I am making this too complicated but I don't understand what you mean by the v
MojoBjoe No bother. If you hold a reed up to a light, you will see a “V” made by the denser/darker part of the reed, which is the known as the heart of the reed. With the reed facing upright, the V will be inverted.
When he said "can i fly with a reed geek" my dumb brain honestly thought he meant *does the reed geek give you the ability to fly. And when Jay said Yes i got double spooked
It’s funny how you made it look like that guy was actually walking to your place,like old timers.Like!!!! ooooo people actually still walking.....
Thanks for the video!
There is one thing I have not quite understood though (at 6:12): How do you see which side needs more work?
I did not address this in the video. In this case, I was just using my eyes, looking at the reed in the light and making an educated guess since I did not play the reeds myself. When I play them myself, I can feel if one side is vibrating better than another.
@@bettersax Thanks for the fast reply! I expected that it's against the light darker means thicker (and assuming similar fibre structure throughout the reed also harder) but in the video it looks even to me.
Either my reeds have been pretty symmetrical so far or your lips are waaay more sensitive than mine. I guess it's the latter... ;)
You keep showing new things that make me think 'I wish I could do that!'
I’ve been using Reed Geek for about 3 years, and I love it. I bought it with my own money, BTW.
That Vandoren case is amazing :) I bought straight away with my first horn. Reeds stay safe.
I think reed geek is not yet necessary for me, don’t think I’d know where to adjust a reed.
This is definitely for more advanced players so no rush to get one.
Hi jay, are you able to do a review of the horn 88 Trevor James? I've got one but I don't know how good it is compared to other saxaphones
Played Sax and Clarinet since 12, that was 60 years ago and first I have ever heard of this little tool. Still play and think I want to get one.
I have been using Reed Geek for about 2 years, in the same manner as the video. However, many of my "Rico Jazz Select" reeds do NOT improve very much. Van Doren reeds respond to the Reed Geek better (for me). The part I do not understand is "Flattening the table"? How is the reed flatter after removing material only in the middle third of its length?
The plastic 'Reed guards' the reeds come in are packaging throw them away as you may break the Reed putting in it back in the plastic 'Reed guard'. I agree with you Jay invest in a good Reed holder thanks Jay. God bless. Bill. UK
I had Mauro adjust my Légère with the new ReedGeek Bullet
oh hey saxspy! ahahah
dude's voice sounds like Ray Romano, great sax tone too
Estimado te agradezco por compartir esta información, tenia 2 cañas que eran nuevas pero no habia manera de hacerlas andar, (calificación 4) las rebajo con papel de lija y creía que me las sabias todas respecto de arreglar cañas duras, pero no. Use una tijera filosa y pude rebajar tanto la base plana de la caña como los laterales y quedo para usar (8) Abrazo grande desde Bs As.
Again? Damn... I use synthetic reeds
You mean there are good Vandorens? Just kidding. Not. Synthetics can be worked also. I’m interested in your Geeklet for my Alta Ambipolys! Kyle might try a drop of Llsterine rather than water. I have Reedjuvinates for cane and that works in them for yesrs!
Well just thought I’d give you a heads up re synthetic reeds, I adjust my fiberreeds to suit my taste using the reed geek and it works great !
The Reed Geek has been a greata addition to my toolbox as a saxophonist, no denying that. But you can DEFINITELY ruin reeds with it if you're not careful. Make smaller adjustments at a time rather than big ones - you can always take away more but once you take away too much, it's game over.
I do exactly the same thing and I always used razor blades and sand paper. In more than 30 years I still didn´t spend the money this reed geek costs. But hey, as with all the gears, whatever makes you happy! Keep up the good work, love your videos
I used to use Dutch rush, razor blades & a Vandoren sandpaper plate, but I'm lazy and it was always a bit of a faff (British slang for an overcomplicated task). My ReedGeek just makes it infinitely quicker, easier, and much more consistent. Also, a razor blade isn't rigid enough to reliably flatten the table, and the sandpaper plate is fiddly for that purpose. Now, with my Reedgeek, I rarely spend more than 1 minute and get much better results.
Honestly, I was VERY sceptical when I first saw these things. And yes, it is overpriced for a bit of HSS toolsteel, but I've already saved the cost in reeds that I've made work.
@@FunkOsax Once again, as with all gears and tools, whatever makes you happy! I use one-sided razor blade, believe me they are rigid enough! I have been doing this for over 30 years, I rarely need more than one minute to prepare my reeds. I was lucky enough to receive one ReedGeek to test a while ago... still there in my toolbox, don´t really get the hype. One more aspect for me is that I work as a doubler in different places every week. It would be of course great to have one of those in every instrument, but the cost is just unbearable. One razorblade and some slice of sandpaper is all I need in every case of my saxophones and clarinets.
Andrea Fantuzzi Yes, the razor blades I used we’re one-sided with a spine. You made me doubt myself, so I’ve literally just tested some and though they’re reasonably stiff, they definitely flex and conform somewhat to a warped surface.
Like you said though, if you’re happy with your method, that’s fantastic
How he's playing 3,5 reeds on the 7 mouthpiece?!
How about some advice for raw beginners with a typical reed problem for beginners. i.e. reeds that just don't blow?
I use 11/2 Ricos and some I'll pull out and try and they just don't blow. Do not blow. I cannot make a sound. got it? Anyone else get that?
I can get the same situation with 2's even 2.5. Never tried anything stronger than that. All kinds of brands. Even Chinese unbranded. Even plastic.
Some blow. I generally, of course, make an awful sound even when they do blow well - that's just me.
But the point is: some don't blow. At all!
How about some advice on that?
Nowadays I just ignore them, throw them away.
In the past following some advice on YT I've tried scraping down the top at the beginning - i.e. furthest from the tip. The idea being, I think, to make it less stiff. I dunno.
But it didn't work much.
Now this thing seems to concentrate on the flat, the bottom, and the rails and he even goes as far as to say he's never ruined a reed!
So I might give that a try. I've got some sharp knives. Paint scrapers. Chisels. I can find something. Scrape the flat back and something off the rails. Okay.
That's me.
But something official from Better Sax might be of interest to everyone ( of us, dopey beginners) ?
With it's special features, I could justify a $15 price tag...MAYBE almost $20, but anymore than that is ridiculous. The current price is completely $hitty to be honest. You've got to be a special kind of prick to charge as much as they do for the Reed Geek. I don't care how long it lasts and saves you on reeds--the shaped piece of metal itself isn't worth anywhere near the price they charge.
Wow $134 MSRP, that’s insane, a piece of tool steel is what about a buck fifty and then 10 bucks worth of machinest time at most…. Crazy… I thought super precision machine tooling was expensive lol…. Figure I can make one from an old lathe insert to try this, heck might even buy a chunk of high end carbide… that’s gotta be worth what at least a grand or two… shocking!
Hi Jay, Really convincing and it shows the method in a simple way, thank you so much for the good Tipps!!
I don’t believe in this at all! From experience.... you just slap it on ... and play from the heart ... I went from the generic RICO 2.5 to Plasticover 3.5 ( because lower strengths were not available ) ... played the hell out of Plasticover that lasted for a Long time .
Sometimes being on a tight Budget helps as well .... it lets you appreciate the simple things ...
Stop blaming the set up ... just play !!
I've used Tom Ridenour's ATG Reed Finishing System for 20 years now. I can turn almost any reed into a great player. Forget all other reed clipping and pairing techniques, including the one in this video - seriously! It works on synthetics too.
Probably a stupid question but would using it on a D’Addario (Rico) Plasticover reed defeat the purpose of having a Plasticover reed?
Currently I’m rotating through 4 reeds- two Rico 3s, one Vandoren 2.5, and one Riyin 2.5
I personally, got rid of those problems when I switched to Legere. No humidity requirements, no inconsistent production, no wiggling and giggling. Plug and play, straight out of the box. Great sound and longevity... But don't touch and try to modify!! Easy to ruin it, as it has fibres that are cut in a certain way.
Nothing new here 👎☹ Reed Geek? I've been using a sharp pen knife for around 40 years, has never let me down. Good luck......
1) Yes, reed bottoms often aren't quite flat to begin with. And then the cane gets wet, dries, warps, the bottom stops being flat. Fine sandpaper on a glass slab is all that's needed to flatten the reed bottom. Needs repeating, the reeds warp over time. Avoid sliding the very tip of the reed on the sandpaper, it's too delicate.
2) I see you scraping along BOTH edges to allegedly even out the reed side-to-side, but WITHOUT actually testing which side is thicker - that's working blindly. Some claim asymmetries can be found visually by holding the reed up to the light. Maybe sometimes. Maybe not. One can test resistance on one side vs. the other by turning the mpc to one side or the other while test playing some notes. Tom Ridenour advocates a double lip embouchure for this test. His adjusting tool is basically a simple sanding block with some fine and medium sandpaper, and one strokes towards the butt end.
But if you've got the $$, a Perfecta-reed gauge is IMO the best tool for finding reed asymmetries that need correction. Time consuming, but ultimately worth it in reed satisfaction.
3) Look at the butt of the reed, it often will show if a reed has been been cut lopsidedly. (Did you mention that? Didn't have the patience to hear out the whole video.)
4)
Currently, I’m not playing enough to use real reeds - I have some reeds older than 30 years that still play (classical and jazz).
I’m now using a Legere synthetic reed - can you do a show where you adjust a synth reed with the Reed Geek?
Sponges release moist too quickly. Try Boveda packs for reed storage. Boveda packs can precisely control humidity level in small compartments. Online cigar seller always put a few small Boveda packs in their mail packages so cigars dont dry out. That is why cigar smokers often have a bunch of them. If you know a cigar person you can ask if they can give you some. Dried out Boveda packs can be recharged. Just put in a glass of water for a couple of days.
Have been using the geek for a few years now. It’s so much better than a straw or sandpaper. It flattens the rear and works very accurately on the front.
Terrific video, Jay. I have a Reed Geek but now I know how to use it better!
I use ATG system and Vandoren glas-thing plus a obi-knive on my clarinet reeds V12 2 1/2 and 3
I know this isn't a mouthpiece video but I have a question about a mouthpiece my director gave me for clarinet, that when I looked it up, I only found sax mouthpieces. Even then it was only a soprano sax mouthpiec. It's a Babbitt Supreme MO, and I saw the the soprano sax version was at a hefty price, but I couldn't find anything for clarinet. I saw some affiliation with Otto link, so I'd just love to learn about it. I tried it out and it plays great! Thanks to anyone that can help!!
The amount of vibration that a reed produces can affect the sound of the saxophone. A reed that vibrates more will produce a brighter sound, while a reed that vibrates less will produce a darker sound.
Jay, what do you think of the RG Klangbogen... Enjoying mine, but wonder if you have tried them.
wow Amazing! The Reed Geek really dose work i might get one! good work Kyle and Jay!
1) If you try to improve every reed you are going to ruin all the best ones. Don't fix what ain't broken, but DO work on the mediocre ones. I agree with not spending more than about a minute doing it. 2) Why would you try to adjust the balance without actually testing the balance first? Pretty random method will lead to pretty random results. You can eyeball the amount of cane but not the density. Play testing side to side is a much better method. 3) You certainly CAN ruin a reed by working on it, and that's one of the better ways to learn.