Perhaps you just got a bad Royal? I hear that in a box of reeds, some are better than others. If all the Royal in the box are bad, though, you have a point. Thank you for the video.
I think a significant variable is you're more used to the Rico. I'm going through the same process. I played Rico and Royals through school, played other non-"beginner" reeds and am now trying to decide between the Rico and Royal reeds. They play better than most others, are more consistent and cost less. Interestingly, I didn't find as much a difference in quality as you. I think the Royals have a bit quicker response and a bit more brightness than the Ricos. I dig them both. Bob Reynolds pays Royals, btw.
Hi! It's an Otto Link 7. I just upgraded to the 8 and WOW what a huge difference. I needed to back down the reed to a 2.0. The 2.5 on the 8 is too abrasive for me.
It's your embouchure that is making the royals sound overblown. You've learned to play with a more intense volume/pressure for the stiffer rico reeds. The royals are more ductile and require less air, suits as slightly shallower placement in my opinion too. The royals have more variety in their tone but the rico are easier to sound.
@@johnjpeterson I like the Rico 3 unfiled reed. Here's what I noticed, when I play a Vandoren 2.5 or 3.0 I feel a lot of resistance when I am blowing. I noticed that the Vandorens were filed. I mean, I would understand resistance from a 3.5 and 4.0... but why a 2.5? Then I put in a Rico 2.5 or 3.0 unfiled and feel NONE of that resistance. The only thing I could think of is the fact that one is filed and the other unfiled. I even try a Vandoren 3.5 every now and then and it is a very breathy jazz sound and is extremely resistant. I use it to strengthen my embouchure.
@@artyaster5380 I loathe playing my sax when the reed is resistant. Not sure if I mentioned but I wanted to go from a size 7 to size 8 Otto Link but the 2.5 Rico was very resistant. I backed the reed down to a size 2 and playing the sax has been heavenly. It's been so so nice.
@@johnjpeterson that’s nice. Yeah. I have a syos 7 tip opening and when I play with a vandoren 3.5 it’s like trying to blow air into a jet engine. The Rico 2.5 is a dream
@@artyaster5380 hahaha....I hear ya. I've actually been doing a lot of testing on 3-D printed mouthpieces on a printer I have at my school where I teach. All the mouthpieces have been very resistant and underwhelming at best.
Perhaps you just got a bad Royal? I hear that in a box of reeds, some are better than others. If all the Royal in the box are bad, though, you have a point. Thank you for the video.
1:47 2:32
Man what a difference. As soon as you put the orange one on your sound came alive.
Thank you for this video
I think a significant variable is you're more used to the Rico. I'm going through the same process. I played Rico and Royals through school, played other non-"beginner" reeds and am now trying to decide between the Rico and Royal reeds. They play better than most others, are more consistent and cost less. Interestingly, I didn't find as much a difference in quality as you. I think the Royals have a bit quicker response and a bit more brightness than the Ricos. I dig them both. Bob Reynolds pays Royals, btw.
I like more the Rico sound man! What mouthpiece were you using?
Hi! It's an Otto Link 7. I just upgraded to the 8 and WOW what a huge difference. I needed to back down the reed to a 2.0. The 2.5 on the 8 is too abrasive for me.
@@johnjpeterson what ligature are you using?
yeah...i use orange box on my tenor...i tryed royals but i coulnt get them to respond very well...
It's your embouchure that is making the royals sound overblown. You've learned to play with a more intense volume/pressure for the stiffer rico reeds. The royals are more ductile and require less air, suits as slightly shallower placement in my opinion too. The royals have more variety in their tone but the rico are easier to sound.
Thanks
Royal is so jazzy
you think it is because one reed is filed and the other is not?
Arty I'm sure of it. I should try filing.. I've never done that! I'd like to post about filing reeds next. LOL. Thanks so much!
@@johnjpeterson I like the Rico 3 unfiled reed. Here's what I noticed, when I play a Vandoren 2.5 or 3.0 I feel a lot of resistance when I am blowing. I noticed that the Vandorens were filed. I mean, I would understand resistance from a 3.5 and 4.0... but why a 2.5? Then I put in a Rico 2.5 or 3.0 unfiled and feel NONE of that resistance.
The only thing I could think of is the fact that one is filed and the other unfiled.
I even try a Vandoren 3.5 every now and then and it is a very breathy jazz sound and is extremely resistant. I use it to strengthen my embouchure.
@@artyaster5380 I loathe playing my sax when the reed is resistant. Not sure if I mentioned but I wanted to go from a size 7 to size 8 Otto Link but the 2.5 Rico was very resistant. I backed the reed down to a size 2 and playing the sax has been heavenly. It's been so so nice.
@@johnjpeterson that’s nice. Yeah. I have a syos 7 tip opening and when I play with a vandoren 3.5 it’s like trying to blow air into a jet engine.
The Rico 2.5 is a dream
@@artyaster5380 hahaha....I hear ya. I've actually been doing a lot of testing on 3-D printed mouthpieces on a printer I have at my school where I teach. All the mouthpieces have been very resistant and underwhelming at best.
Royal is good for classical saxophone style.
Neither is as good as Rico Royal was