How to Work a Clarinet Reed

A clarinet is a pretty, intricate piece of wood without a reed. The reed is crucial to creating sound from the instrument. Clarinet players have to keep an ample supply of clarinet reeds on hand because they wear out quickly, crack and peel. They are very thin and easy to break----even if the reed slightly brushes up against a cloth surface it could start peeling away. You also need to ensure that you are attaching the reed correctly so that you won't experience that ear piercing squeal that a clarinet can make when the reed isn't completely covering the mouthpiece.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Lick the reed to moisten it up. Line the reed up with your mouthpiece so that the tip is just covering the mouth opening.

2. Carefully slide the ligature (tightening piece) on top of your clarinet mouthpiece. Once it's in place, turn the screws to secure the reed to the mouthpiece. Don't tighten the ligature too much or the reed could crack.

3. Lick the reed again a few times and play a couple of test notes to assure that it is on correctly. When your reed is on correctly, you'll get an even, easy sound from the clarinet. You won't have to strain to get a note out. If it is not on quite right, simply loosen the ligature again, reposition the reed up or down and re-tighten it.

4. Lay your tongue up against the reed when you are playing to keep it moistened. The reed must stay constantly wet to get a good sound from the clarinet.

5. When you are finished using your clarinet, unscrew the ligature and take the reed out. Place the reed in the box it came in for safe keeping when not in use. Never leave the reed attached to your clarinet mouthpiece while packed into the instrument case because you will be 1) increasing the chance that it will be damaged and 2) allowing germs to permeate the reed while sitting in the case.

Tips & Warnings

• Be sure to get the right sized reed to match your clarinet's mouthpiece (sizes range from #2.0 to #3.0). Resist the urge to bite the reed with your bottom row of teeth while playing. This will create indentations in the reed and decrease its useful life. As soon as there is a crack in your clarinet reed, or the top of the reed starts to bend and chip, replace it with a new one. Your play quality will go down significantly if you attempt to use a broken reed.

Resources

• Popular Brand of Clarinet Reeds
• Anatomy of a Clarinet