As a clarinet player one of the things you have to get comfortable with is reeds. These little shaved popsicle stick looking things will determine a lot as far as how you sound and how easy it is for you to play. So it’s best to befriend them from the very start. Below are 3 tips to help you get your relationship with reeds going right.
Write the date on your reeds
One thing I recommend my students get in the habit of as soon as day one of using a reed is writing the date they start using the reed on the back of the reed. This is helpful in helping us understand how old a reed is and say why it might be giving us some issues when we’re using it.
Soak your reeds enough before playing them
Often times students don’t keep the reed in their mouth long enough to get it thoroughly soaked and prepped for playing. Timing the amount of time needed for soaking can be confusing at first. One tip to help with this is to put the reed in your mouth first thing when you’re getting ready to play. Leave the reed in your mouth while you setup your clarinet and your music. This should give your reed a good soaking. Play a couple notes and see how it feels and sounds. If it’s sounding a bit dry or airy, take it off and soak it for a little longer.
Store your reeds in a reed case
Soaking your reeds before you use them is as important as how you store them once you’re done playing. Storing your reeds in a reed case gives them a flat, aerated surface to lay on while they dry. This helps you have nice, non-moldy, flat reeds the next time you take them out to play. Plus, their playing life is extended!
I hope these 3 tips help you make more sense of reeds as you get started on your clarinet playing journey! Feel free to reach out with any questions. You can also book a lesson with me here!
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