Jim plays the current Vandoren tenor saxophone reed range and compares them against each other. Click here to browse our range of saxophone reeds - sax.co.uk/collections/saxopho...
This guy really knows his stuff, and most importantly is very articulate and able to communicate clearly the characteristics of the different reed styles. He's also providing just enough technical insight so that you feel you really understand why the different styles perform the way they do. A VERY VALUABLE PUBLIC SERVICE. It could take you weeks of time and boatloads of cash to do this research yourself.
That V21!!!!!- Vandoren hands down makes the best saxophone reeds.- Their research and development is extensive and the unique characteristics of each reed is very prominent in each of the designs - you’ll have a hard time finding anything else like these Vandoren reeds I assure you
I purposely use the V12 almost exclusively on my Sop. setup because of the resistance and its ability to hold back on the sharpness that sometimes comes with a sop. But I've recently - Re-discovered the ZZ's, that also seem to produce that resistatant feeling but at the same time offering a more fluid , darker tone... but I'm still working on them :)
Thank you for the video my dude! Although you seem to not enjoy v12 after hearing it I just insta bought it as it is the exact sound I want. Hopefully I can get the same lovely sound out of it myself. Thanks for the demos
The V12 and Java Red sounds very similiar to me that i couldn't tell the sound difference, only that Java Red has the most blow resistance of all Vandoren reeds which feels for me unconfortable to play. My favorite is the Java Green because i like the buzziness sound for pop music and I can form the sound very easy.
Funny enough I thought Jim sounded better on the Blue box than he did on the green java. I switched back to greens from reds because I thought I lost some brightness that I was missing. It was a good move. And I thought he sounded the best on the V16's. Which I personally hate with a passion.
I love that the boxes are Alto boxes butyou are playing a Tenor. I fall back on the V-16’s often. I am usually the lone horn with a 6 piece group. I need all the cut through power I can get.
Surely comparing reeds is crazy as even in one box of reeds you can have some that won’t play at all & need work & some that will play straight out of the box. Because there is a total lack of consistency & no two reeds are same if could be the particular reed that has a darker or brighter sound, or buzzy or smooth, easy or hard to blow & not necessarily because eg. it’s a traditional compared to a java red. I feel quite lucky to just get a reed that works & responds how I want it to as more often than not they don’t & I have to adjust them with a reed geek tool just to get them to play.
Would it be possible to identify the mouthpiece you use with each reed - if different? If it is the same, can you provide the brand, tip opening with each reed. I love the comparisons but, it would help me tremendously to know the combination of the reed with the mouthpiece. Thanks and greatly appreciate the series of videos.
From experience the ZZs are exactly a half strength softer than traditionals, and V21s are between a quarter and a half strength harder than traditionals depending on which strength you're at. So V21s can be a whole strength harder towards the 4 range, and a 3/4 a strength harder down by the 2s and 1.5s.
Not certain about the points made but ,if anyone else wants to uncover how do you learn to play the saxophone try Vaxicorn Simple Saxophone Guide (Have a quick look on google cant remember the place now ) ? Ive heard some decent things about it and my work buddy got amazing results with it.
Very good demonstration! Thanks! This is a nice phrase you are playing. Is this original or taken from a famous solo by a famous player ? What mouthpiece are you using here and horn ?
Newbie here..playing almost a year..upgraded mouthpiece to a van doren v16 6m after playing a Yamaha 5c..but I'm having trouble with the vandoren reeds 2.5..I honk and squeak in altissimo so much I get sea gulls and geese on my window sill..the only reed which works best is my legere signature 2.25.. I don't squeak at all on my 5c..I'm thinking perhaps the 2.5 reeds are too soft?. A chart I saw stated 3 reeds are best for vandoren red/green..thoughts anyone; would be greatly appreciated..thanks
Idk I've been using cheap Ricos yamaha Yas 62 & still sound too classical not enough buzz the jumbo a45 kicks Selmer c☆ ass though! I've been playing for 3 months
Vandoren sells a jazz assortment pack with one each of the Java Green, Red, V16, and ZZ. I liked the V16 best with my Selmer C*, but now have switched to a Rico Metalite M5. Went back to LaVoz Mediums at first, but now using the V16 again. After watching this, am going to give the others a try on the M5.
You sound great Jim but...these special Vandoren cuts don’t last on live gigs. They sound/play great but they blowout in like one night. They all have less material than the Trad. or the V 21. In my opinion the D’Addario Reserve/Vandoren Trad./Vandoren V21 reeds are by far the best reeds for your buck and will last WAY longer. BTW, your core sound was on point with the V21!!
Why aren’t you playing into the microphone? I mean… Wouldn’t it be good to hear what the actual horn is producing from the bell...As in the studio? Just curious
No idea why he did, but I have found if you point a mic at the saxophone body but not directly towards the bell, you get a fuller tone over pointing the mic directly towards the bell which can sometimes sound a bit thinner, its especially noticeable with soprano sax, gets a nasal sound if the mic is pointed at the bell, but warmer and fuller pointed towards the body.
I play with zz it great very smoothy when you want and java red for the bright le zz est très confortable dans les graves suaves et profond pour le son péchu un peu mou. pour le jazz c'est top la java red est vraiment bien pour les pêches et riffs voilà
If you don't like the buzz but you still want less resistance, you could look into bigger tip openings, or softer reeds on a really tough classical cut like the Hemke or V21s.
I've always hated Vandoren reeds. If it was all I had, I'd use it, but give me Rico or LaVoz any day. But the absolute best reeds, in my opinion, are the Alexander Superial reeds. Half as many come in a box, but you can almost count on getting 5 good reeds.
That's an interesting view, I've been playing sax for 3 years now, and I've loved using vandorens, recently tried Ricos for concert band but they sounded too thin for my taste( They're easier to play though)
I have the opposite experience Joe Blankenship. The Alexanders are so inconsistent. Especially strength wise. In a box of 3 in hardness, they differ from 1.5 to 4if you ask me. All from the yellow box to DC and Classical. Had a bit of better luck with NY version, but still inconsistent. If you find a good one, it is good though ;) But in all, way to expensive if only 1 out of 10 is good.
I played decades ago and am picking it back up now. 35 years ago it was accepted in all my circles that van doren made great clarinet reeds, but their sax reeds were lacking. Rico Royal was favored by me and everyone I knew. Of course, we didn't have the internet back then and opinions could be myopic. I recently bought a box of van dorens and so far I don't care for them. It could be my 42 year old MkVII needs work, so I don't want to condemn them, but my box of unused 35 year old rico royals still play a lot better than the van dorens.
Overall, d’addario has munch more punch and more lows. Fater sound. Vandoren is more controled but also more narow sound, much more classical, and on the up side thay last longer.
j'ai de plus en plus l'impression que toutes ces appréciations ressemblent de plus en plus aux antiques discussions concernant le sexe des anges......en tout cas dans ses conclusions qui n'ont jamais mené nulle part ! Tout cela étant uniquement un problème de jeu , d'oreille et de recherche d'un son totalement personnel , aucune conclusion générale constructive ne peut être tirée , bien entendu . Si ce n'est que , tout au plus , avons-nous utilisé quelques minutes à nous amuser à propos de queues de cerises , comme on disait chez nous "dans le temps", hahahaha !!!
This guy really knows his stuff, and most importantly is very articulate and able to communicate clearly the characteristics of the different reed styles. He's also providing just enough technical insight so that you feel you really understand why the different styles perform the way they do. A VERY VALUABLE PUBLIC SERVICE. It could take you weeks of time and boatloads of cash to do this research yourself.
I wholeheartedly agree! I really enjoy his presentation style and content!
Agreed : and good to deal with also..
There are few absolute certainties in life. Vandoren blue box is one of them.
I really love the V21s for classical playing. They're similar to the blue box but I think just a little brighter so they work well for Jazz too.
V21 intonation is better and very focus sound overall.
traditional 0:59
v12 2:32
green java 4:16
red java 5:48
v16 7:18
zz 8:36
v21 10:24
Thank you
Thanks
Obrigado
Thanks. They all sound similar.
My hero!! Thank you 🙌🏻
I love this. I’ve been trying to find the right reed and thanks to you I can!
That V21!!!!!- Vandoren hands down makes the best saxophone reeds.- Their research and development is extensive and the unique characteristics of each reed is very prominent in each of the designs - you’ll have a hard time finding anything else like these Vandoren reeds I assure you
Great work Jim!
Thank you so much for this wonderful work. Would you please produce -when possible - a comment about synthetic reeds versus natural ones?
I purposely use the V12 almost exclusively on my Sop. setup because of the resistance and its ability to hold back on the sharpness that sometimes comes with a sop. But I've recently - Re-discovered the ZZ's, that also seem to produce that resistatant feeling but at the same time offering a more fluid , darker tone... but I'm still working on them :)
Thank you for the video my dude! Although you seem to not enjoy v12 after hearing it I just insta bought it as it is the exact sound I want. Hopefully I can get the same lovely sound out of it myself. Thanks for the demos
Great video!
The V12 and Java Red sounds very similiar to me that i couldn't tell the sound difference, only that Java Red has the most blow resistance of all Vandoren reeds which feels for me unconfortable to play. My favorite is the Java Green because i like the buzziness sound for pop music and I can form the sound very easy.
Thanks! Very helpful indeed.
My favourite ones are the green java reeds
big time
Same that’s all I use.
Funny enough I thought Jim sounded better on the Blue box than he did on the green java. I switched back to greens from reds because I thought I lost some brightness that I was missing. It was a good move. And I thought he sounded the best on the V16's. Which I personally hate with a passion.
I love that the boxes are Alto boxes butyou are playing a Tenor. I fall back on the V-16’s often. I am usually the lone horn with a 6 piece group. I need all the cut through power I can get.
In the first example I liked the Green Java, but in the examples in the end I liked the V16 more.. did you change the settings?
Love you Jim!
11:30 conclusion of all reeds
1:26 the way he said "nice" reminds me of Michael Rosen
Surely comparing reeds is crazy as even in one box of reeds you can have some that won’t play at all & need work & some that will play straight out of the box. Because there is a total lack of consistency & no two reeds are same if could be the particular reed that has a darker or brighter sound, or buzzy or smooth, easy or hard to blow & not necessarily because eg. it’s a traditional compared to a java red. I feel quite lucky to just get a reed that works & responds how I want it to as more often than not they don’t & I have to adjust them with a reed geek tool just to get them to play.
Would it be possible to identify the mouthpiece you use with each reed - if different? If it is the same, can you provide the brand, tip opening with each reed. I love the comparisons but, it would help me tremendously to know the combination of the reed with the mouthpiece. Thanks and greatly appreciate the series of videos.
Jim , is the V21 harder or softer than the ZZ's? I would like to try it but don;t know what grade to buy. Thanks.
From experience the ZZs are exactly a half strength softer than traditionals, and V21s are between a quarter and a half strength harder than traditionals depending on which strength you're at. So V21s can be a whole strength harder towards the 4 range, and a 3/4 a strength harder down by the 2s and 1.5s.
Can you put a little more low notes in your phrases ? I would like to know how deep or easy to play they are
yes which of this bunch do you feel hit the Lows a little easier, thanks
Not certain about the points made but ,if anyone else wants to uncover how do you learn to play the saxophone try Vaxicorn Simple Saxophone Guide (Have a quick look on google cant remember the place now ) ? Ive heard some decent things about it and my work buddy got amazing results with it.
Very good demonstration! Thanks! This is a nice phrase you are playing. Is this original or taken from a famous solo by a famous player ? What mouthpiece are you using here and horn ?
what reeds good for Vandoren A20 I like to play ballads songs?
Newbie here..playing almost a year..upgraded mouthpiece to a van doren v16 6m after playing a Yamaha 5c..but I'm having trouble with the vandoren reeds 2.5..I honk and squeak in altissimo so much I get sea gulls and geese on my window sill..the only reed which works best is my legere signature 2.25..
I don't squeak at all on my 5c..I'm thinking perhaps the 2.5 reeds are too soft?. A chart I saw stated 3 reeds are best for vandoren red/green..thoughts anyone; would be greatly appreciated..thanks
Link to manufacturer’s descriptions, including cross-section diagrams: vandoren.fr/en/reeds-technical-elements/
At the end, the green had husk and projection, and the v21s were more centered and projected.
Idk I've been using cheap Ricos yamaha Yas 62 & still sound too classical not enough buzz the jumbo a45 kicks Selmer c☆ ass though! I've been playing for 3 months
I use the Green Java
I used to play V12s on tenor. They were WAY stiffer than any other reed I've ever played. Jim should've used a softer one (lower number).
Red Java favorite
cheers Hugh Dennis
Would be nice to know what opening\piece\style mpc you're using
I should mention to that I really like Lupafarro reeds , but they are hard to find locally
...great....tanx
Bro this guys voice is legit ASMR
My favourite zz
Vandoren sells a jazz assortment pack with one each of the Java Green, Red, V16, and ZZ. I liked the V16 best with my Selmer C*, but now have switched to a Rico Metalite M5. Went back to LaVoz Mediums at first, but now using the V16 again. After watching this, am going to give the others a try on the M5.
You sound great Jim but...these special Vandoren cuts don’t last on live gigs. They sound/play great but they blowout in like one night. They all have less material than the Trad. or the V 21. In my opinion the D’Addario Reserve/Vandoren Trad./Vandoren V21 reeds are by far the best reeds for your buck and will last WAY longer. BTW, your core sound was on point with the V21!!
V21 has a very broad range from bright to dark quality all mixed in. Red and Green follow closely. Traditional is sort of muted.
What do you think? V16 or ZZ is the better?
István Virágh I say ZZ, they have more of a color and jazz sound. V16s are just eh, not a lot of people like them
i really wish that you played the classical reeds in a classical setting... i know it will work and everything but it helps better.
There is only jazz 😂
@@ryanharvey5256 what
How do you get that balanced tone . My sound is very baritone like
I think he's using one of those custom jodyjazz mouthpieces along with a rovner dark ligature
What Mouthpiece is Jim using in this video?
Kevin Wilson I think it's a Drake because of the gold ring
Is that “Harlem Nocturne” you are describing playing? If not… it is damn close to it
Is this a Trevor James tenor?
sounds wicked...
That is an Andy Sheppard Autograph tenor
Why aren’t you playing into the microphone? I mean… Wouldn’t it be good to hear what the actual horn is producing from the bell...As in the studio? Just curious
No idea why he did, but I have found if you point a mic at the saxophone body but not directly towards the bell, you get a fuller tone over pointing the mic directly towards the bell which can sometimes sound a bit thinner, its especially noticeable with soprano sax, gets a nasal sound if the mic is pointed at the bell, but warmer and fuller pointed towards the body.
It doesn’t work that way in a recording studio. We want to hear the ACTUAL sound recorded!! Thx
I play with zz it great very smoothy when you want and java red for the bright le zz est très confortable dans les graves suaves et profond pour le son péchu un peu mou. pour le jazz c'est top la java red est vraiment bien pour les pêches et riffs voilà
My main issue with reeds is they either buzz too much or are way to hard to play
If you don't like the buzz but you still want less resistance, you could look into bigger tip openings, or softer reeds on a really tough classical cut like the Hemke or V21s.
I've always hated Vandoren reeds. If it was all I had, I'd use it, but give me Rico or LaVoz any day. But the absolute best reeds, in my opinion, are the Alexander Superial reeds. Half as many come in a box, but you can almost count on getting 5 good reeds.
That's an interesting view, I've been playing sax for 3 years now, and I've loved using vandorens, recently tried Ricos for concert band but they sounded too thin for my taste( They're easier to play though)
similar to that
I have the opposite experience Joe Blankenship. The Alexanders are so inconsistent. Especially strength wise. In a box of 3 in hardness, they differ from 1.5 to 4if you ask me. All from the yellow box to DC and Classical. Had a bit of better luck with NY version, but still inconsistent. If you find a good one, it is good though ;) But in all, way to expensive if only 1 out of 10 is good.
I played decades ago and am picking it back up now. 35 years ago it was accepted in all my circles that van doren made great clarinet reeds, but their sax reeds were lacking. Rico Royal was favored by me and everyone I knew. Of course, we didn't have the internet back then and opinions could be myopic.
I recently bought a box of van dorens and so far I don't care for them. It could be my 42 year old MkVII needs work, so I don't want to condemn them, but my box of unused 35 year old rico royals still play a lot better than the van dorens.
Vandoren Traditional: Balanced Nice. V12 - Stuffy. Java Green - Buzzy, Stuffy. Java Red - Bright, Nice. V16 - Dark, Resopnsive. ZZ - Bright, Thin. V21 - Dark, Nice, Responsive.
The alto sax reed boxes while playing tenor sax
If the V16 is beneficial to produce a percussive and penetrating sound, why did you demonstrate it on a flowy jazz piece?
Where are the Juno's??
Here's my idea(good)
11:41 v12
12:01 red
What is the difference between the ZZ and the V16?
Kiseki YT the v16 is a bit darker in tone
i personally like red javas the best
Overall, d’addario has munch more punch and more lows. Fater sound.
Vandoren is more controled but also more narow sound, much more classical, and on the up side thay last longer.
Jazz select for now
reed ad
What kind of mouthpiece is that
j'ai de plus en plus l'impression que toutes ces appréciations ressemblent de plus en plus aux antiques discussions concernant le sexe des anges......en tout cas dans ses conclusions qui n'ont jamais mené nulle part ! Tout cela étant uniquement un problème de jeu , d'oreille et de recherche d'un son totalement personnel , aucune conclusion générale constructive ne peut être tirée , bien entendu . Si ce n'est que , tout au plus , avons-nous utilisé quelques minutes à nous amuser à propos de queues de cerises , comme on disait chez nous "dans le temps", hahahaha !!!
I am not asking about everyone's play style. Jim, does your bottom lip cover your teeth?
Traditional sounds best
help me im newbie and cant spot the difference 😟
billy dentiala There really isn’t one.
@@savannas.2958 agree. If he played 5 reeds from the same box, the difference would be just as different ;)
you talk too much