How do you soften a new reed?

The easiest way to soften a reed is to use 400-600 grit sandpaper to remove some of the cane just above the bark (thicker part of the reed) as well as near the tip. Alternatively, you can gently bend the area beneath the tip of the reed up and down for about a minute, which makes it much softer.

How long should you soak saxophone reeds?

You should soak your reeds for about one minute with saliva. This ensures that the reed is moist enough to play well without being so wet that it becomes waterlogged. If the reed is brand new, you may want to soak it more thoroughly with water for about twenty minutes before working with it.

How long does it take to break in a saxophone reed?

4-5 days of adjustments is plenty of time to tell if a reed can be made good. I can usually tell after 2 to 3 sessions (with adjustments). Most can be made into great players, but some just don’t seem to be worth the effort.

How do you prepare a reed for a saxophone?

The key takeaway there is that you want to make sure your whole reed is wet. Instead of simply wetting your reeds with saliva, soak them in clean, fresh water, fully-submerged for a few minutes, and then take them out and let them sit for a good 5-15 minutes to soak up water before proceeding.

How do you keep reeds moist?

Fill a plastic jar with warm water and soak the reeds in the jar for 2 hours. Put the reeds back in their plastic covers. Dump the water out of the jar, but leave just a little bit at the bottom to keep in some moisture.

Can you soak a reed for too long?

Then again, if you soak it for too long, it may end up becoming waterlogged, so try a balanced approach. And make sure you wet the reed each succeeding time you play thereafter, though you may find that as it gets broken in, less soaking time will be necessary.

Are plastic reeds better?

Sure, the best cane reeds may sound better than the best plastic reeds, but in outdoor settings cane reeds can be especially fickle….Are plastic reeds good?

Plastic Reeds	Cane Reeds
The best brands have an overall good sound and are responsive	The best cane reeds have a perfect sound and responsiveness

How do you break in a new saxophone reed?

Breaking In A New Reed We suggest that you break the reeds in by first soaking them for about 2-4 minutes in lukewarm to warm water, and making sure that the whole vamp, and not just the tip alone, gets wet (a reed that is too dry or only wet at the very tip might tend to squeak).

How do you keep a saxophone reed wet?

Fill a plastic jar with warm water and soak the reeds in the jar for 2 hours. Put the reeds back in their plastic covers. Dump the water out of the jar, but leave just a little bit at the bottom to keep in some moisture. Put the reed covers (with the reeds inside them) in the of the plastic jar and seal the jar.

How to adjust a saxophone reed?

I don’t know exactly why, but, this method of reed adjustment works reliable enough for most saxophonists. To adjust your reed by closing off these tubes, place it on a flat surface (face up), and rub outwards and away with your thumb on the face of the reed.

What is wrong with my Saxophone Sound?

With beginners, 99\% of the time there is a problem with the saxophone sound, it is either a bad reed or bad reed placement. And this is a super easy fix.

How do you use a Reed correctly?

You need to put a little bit of pressure on your embouchure, with your lower lip, to see where it starts to close the reed off. Response: When you articulate a note, you want it to voice instantaneously without a thud or a squeak or a delay in the sound. This is the response of the reed.

Why does my Reed go above the tip of the mouthpiece?

If your reed goes above the tip of the mouthpiece, when you tongue the reed, it does not close properly up against the tip. That causes the air not to go into the mouthpiece correctly and catch it at the right time.