I am currently using Vandoren V12`s but today during clarinet sectionals my band directors was talking about reeds and mentioned that he wasn`t that fond of Vandorens. I`m open to try something new, I`d really love to find that perfect reed brand! He mentioned that Mitchell Luries were very good.

As far as Vandorens go, they seem very hard to break in (and I usually have to file them down some) but once I get them right they last for a good while and I get a good sound from them.

So out of all the reeds you have tried, which are the best?

And also, what brand of mouthpiece would you consider to be the best? I`m currently using a Vandoren (2Tone) but he mentioned that Hite mouthpieces were very good. (Though when he saw my mouthpiece he said something about Vandorens were the mustangs of mouthpieces...)

Thanks!

Everyone has their preferences - don`t like anyone tell you that a certain brand is the best. Among reeds, Vandorens, Gonzalez, Mitchell Lurie, Legere (synthetic), and Rico Grand Concerts are all popular.

Vandoren mouthpieces are certainly popular, and there`s certainly enough of them to choose from!

My combo is a Chicago Wells B2 Mouthpiece with Gonzalez FOF reeds.

as for reeds i would recommend either Vandoren V12 or Gonzalez FOF
everyone might have theyre own preference but more pros use these two brands than any other

as for the break in of reeds it tskes about a week to really break in a reed correctly

Day 1: play reed for 5 minutes and rub back of reed and vamp of reed on non-abrasive surface such as the back of sandpaper

Day 2: add 5 minutes to playing timeadn repeat process

Day 3: add 5 more minutes to playing time and repeat the process

continue this for 7 days and by the end you can play on them when ever

also never shave down a reed till the end of the 7 days because the reed is still changing

Also concerning mouthpieces.. every pro i have ever spoken to prefers vandoren mouthpieces

here are 2 very popular mouthpieces and my 2 highest ranked

Vandoren M13 which was made for the buffet R13 and is very rich in overtones

Vandoren M15 my favorite, it produces a very fat dark soundwhich is what all clatinet players should strive for

i use an M15 with Gonzalez FOF reeds

Another item that should be looked into is a ligature
my personal favorite is the Rovner Eddie Daniels which produces a very focused sound.
i have also tried the vandoren Optimum which prodeces a pretty dak sound , but is not very focused

dark*
not dak
Produces*
not prodeces

Clarinet master...I do not believe that all would prefer a dark sound. I am certainly one who is on the other side of the spectrum. I certainly prefer a more brilliant sound. Not bright mind you.

Everyone also has their own breaking in method. Tom Rinedour thinks that you should adjust reeds on the very first day because playing them otherwise will cause them to "vibrate" badly and possibly damage the reeds (this is in his ATG system). Larry Guy, on the other hand, has a totally different method. I`m going to agree with Larry Guy when I say to only play your reeds for 3-4 minutes each day for several days. Avoiding waterclogging them in the early stages can pay off later.

Clarinet master, as for vandoren mouthpieces, they certainly don`t have a monopoly on the mouthpiece industry as you seem to imply. A large majority of players play them, but many, many professionals I know do not play vandorens. In the end, Vandorens are still factory made.

I have honestly given up on wooden reeds because of the amount of playing I do it is impossible for me to break in reeds properly and when you play 3-4 hours a day you end up switching reends up to 6 times when they are not properly broken in because of water clogging. So personally I use synthetic reeds now and I am still experimenting with them and plan no trying a Leger soon but my favorite so far has been the fibracell the tone quality doesn`t suffer as much as with most synthetics and it is loud which is somthing I need for my ensembles and teaching in a class room situation. As for mouth peices I plat on a custom crystal one that I love. The best commercial brand I have found has been vandoren by far. I have the M13, M14, and the B45. I like them all but it depends on what I am playing, where I am playing, and which clarinet i am playing. Hope I helped.

-Jen

Most professional clarinetist I know play more than four hours a day, and I rarely see them use synthetic reeds. I use vandoren hand select 3 1/2, but it`s only a personal preference.

I play on woodens for concerts but honestly I am a reed murderer by the time it is broken in it is dead or water clogged lol

You should revise your breaking in method, then!

I THINK YOU SHOULD USE RICO REEDS BECAUSE THEY ARE EASY TO PLAY WITH.

I`ve used Rico reeds in high school... for starters they`re ok. However, when I switched a Vandoren Traditional 3 reeds, the sound opened up.

I haven`t tried Vandoren`s other reed but they came out with the new 56 rue Lepic which I`m tempted to try :P but they cost about $10 more then Traditional.

As previous post have said before, it`s all personal preference. It`s also what you`re used to playing and the feel of it. Don`t feel that just because someone doesn`t like using a certain brand means you shouldn`t.

As for mouthpiece, for the last 4 years I`ve been using the mouthpiece that came with my yamaha clarinet. Took sometime to work this mouthpiece into "my image" but I just bought a 5RV Lyre and there was a trememdous differents in the sound quality. However, the only problem was the 5RV Lyre tunes to 442kHz. But it sounds great on my Bb and A clarinet.

If you are looking for a mouthpiece, do bring your clarinet to the store and test out the pieces. Most places allow you to try them out.

And yes, the pricier usually the better...

Pricier the better? That`s not true at all! Never base your preferences on price or brand. What works works, and it has little to do with how much it costs. On the other hand, certainly don`t waste your money on the dirt cheap ones, as they are almost certain to play horribly.

You should revise your breaking in method, then!

as I said I am a reed murder. After one or two plays on a wooden one (even if for 5 mins each time) it will be broken unless I am super careful. I am a klutz and will hit the reed on something or do somthing else to break it. I prefer the sound I get out of my fibracell. It`s great for teaching and playing louder than my band. I like it and I am not complaining about breaking in wooden ones. I know I could play on them if I were more careful but I am honestly to busy to be that careful.