Soak an entire brand-new reed for five minutes in warm water. Do this for the first five times after the initial purchase. After this, soak the entire reed for about two minutes before putting it on the bocal. We recommend using distilled water which does not contain chlorine and sediment.

How do you break in a new bassoon reed?

1. Wet the reed well, either in your mouth or in a glass of water.
2. Play the reed for no more than one minute. ...
3. Allow the reed to dry completely in some sort of a reed storage container. ...
4. Repeat step number 2, increasing the playing time to two minutes.

What do you soak a reed in?

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 long should I soak my 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 do you make a bassoon reed sharper?

. Make the reed flatter in pitch. Increase response & freeness of the reed. Creates a brighter sound.
...
Making the wire more oval by squeezing the top & bottom of the reed, where the wire is, will:

1. Close the tip of the reed.
2. Makes the reed sharper in pitch.
3. Makes the reed more responsive.

Soaking and Rinsing Your Bassoon Reeds

Can you use sandpaper on a bassoon reed?

Often considered fine-grit sandpaper, wet-and-dry sandpaper is the preference, as it can be used on reeds that are wet or dry, as well as dipping the sandpaper into water (which often makes a smoother finish) before use.

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.

How do you break in a reed fast?

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 soak a bassoon reed?

Soak an entire brand-new reed for five minutes in warm water. Do this for the first five times after the initial purchase. After this, soak the entire reed for about two minutes before putting it on the bocal. We recommend using distilled water which does not contain chlorine and sediment.

How do you stop reed warping?

Get a Case

Reed cases keep reeds flat as they dry, which prevents warping. The clear plastic cases reeds are packaged in don't actually keep them flat; they simply protect the reed from getting chipped during shipping. Cases also help prevent accidental chips since students can more easily slide reeds into place.

How do you prepare a reed?

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 break in Vandoren reeds?

What is the best way to break in reeds? Play-in new reeds: play them for a few minutes each day before normal use to break them in.

How long do bassoon reeds last?

Bassoon reeds, being even thicker, can last up to 2-3 months for students. It is recommended to always have a couple of reeds on hand so you have a variety to choose from. Reeds they change daily depending on use and the weather, and can become accidentally damaged.

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

The reed may take 1-3 days to break in. If you are using a high quality reed, the reed should crow a C when fully soaked, and it should be responsive. These are the most important qualities of a reed. As you play the reed it should break down slightly and become more comfortable to play.

How do I know if my reed is too soft?

If you're playing on a 3, then move down to 2.5. When the reed is too soft, you'll get a buzzy sound right out of the box. People compare this to playing on paper.

How long should I soak my clarinet reed?

Soak reed in luke-warm or slightly cool water for 1-2 minutes, until soaked. Wipe of all excess water with your fingers and place on a piece of glass, exposed to air.

How long should reeds last?

Expect a reed to last for around a week to two weeks. When you change from a reed you've been using for some time to a new reed, the sound of your instrument will change with it.

How do you make a reed softer?

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 do you fix a waterlogged reed?

Too waterlogged will dull them alot initially, so if you want a reed that doesnt change its playing character halfway while you're on a gig or something, then don't waterlog them. Just wet them a little, and then you're good to go.

How do you soften a clarinet reed?

Put a piece of sandpaper on a flat surface, and lightly swipe the reed across it, moving only from heel to tip (to avoid breaking the tip). Again, go slowly: swipe once, then try playing it. If the tip of your reed is rippled, then it dried out a bit too fast. This is easy to fix; just soak, then place it on glass.

What note should a bassoon reed Crow?

A good reed should "pop" when the air is sucked out of it. When blown into, most good reeds produce an upper "crow" pitch between Eb to F# and can make a multiphonic with a second pitch about a major third below.

How do you make a bassoon reed less buzzy?

Is the reed buzzy or leaking? Buzzy reeds, generally speaking, you can take some buzz out by taking cane off the sides (either with a knife, file or sandpaper). Squeezing the 2nd (and possibly the 1st) wire will usually help a little as well. If it is leaking, that is another issue.