Reviews

Around 43% of the American population can play some type of musical instrument. If you or your children are interested in learning saxophone, clarinet, or any other woodwind instrument, you will have to learn how to maintain these instruments. In order for one of these instruments to make a pleasing musical sound, it will need a functional reed. Over time, the existing reed in your woodwind instrument will have to be replaced. 

When this time comes, you will need to decide between a cane or synthetic version. Most newcomers to the world of woodwind instruments fail to realize how different these two types of reeds are. Read below for more information about what type of reeds you need to think about investing in. 

Changing the reed on your woodwind instrument is fairly straightforward. However, once you have the new reed in place, it will take some time to break it in. On average, cane reeds take a bit longer to break-in. If you are looking for a quick turnaround, then a synthetic reed maybe your best option. People who are adamant about using cane reeds can use a few tricks to break them in faster. 

For instance, you can polish the new cane reed with your thumb or a piece of extremely fine sandpaper to get it ready for use. ReedGeek also has a great tool to help you with this. You also need to wet your new cane reed for about five minutes to make it easier to use. If at all possible, you need to play the new cane reed for shorter periods of time and then let it rest. 

Some woodwind instrument players look for consistency when choosing new reeds. Cane reeds come from natural resources, which means making them consistent can be difficult. It is much harder for a reed manufacturer to control what the finished cane reed product will look and sound like. If this is a problem that you have, then using synthetic reeds may be a better option. 

Since these reeds are manufactured from scratch, they are far more consistent. However, there are varying levels of quality when it comes to these reeds. This is why taking your time to research all of your options is a must. Trying to rush through the reed selection process may lead to the wrong products being purchased. 

All of the hard work invested in properly maintaining a woodwind instrument is definitely worth it. Choosing the right reed has a lot to do with how your woodwind instrument sounds. For most players, cane reeds are the winner when it comes to sound. These all-natural reeds are generally more responsive, which means you can get a variety of sounds from them. 

Do you need a new mouthpiece or strap for your saxophone? If so, the team at WestCoastSax can help. Contact us to learn more about the items we have in stock.