Sax Reed Adjustment - Which Parts of the Reed Affect High Notes and Low Notes?

An important aspect of single-reed adjustment is where to sand or scrape in order to make certain notes speak more clearly. I've read quite a few books and articles on reed adjustment, in the never-ending quest for the elusive secrets of getting a good reed. Most writers seem to agree that lows are controlled by the lower end of the vamp closer to the shoulder, highs by the area closer to the tip. That is, if your low Bb is stuffy, then sanding or scraping towards the bottom of the vamp might help; if your high notes are not clear, try thinning towards the tip (but not too much). In my own experience, this is a valid concept.

A while ago, I was given a nearly complete set of Saxophone Journal magazines, dated from 1981 to 2001. I had (foolishly) never been a subscriber, but this was a great magazine, and now I have a second chance to read hundreds of informative articles. It will probably take me a year or two to check out every issue. Anyway, I just ran across an article (Nov./Dec. 1988) by mouthpiece expert Ralph Morgan, with a very interesting assertion - that if we divide a reed's blade into 33 equal segments and "each segment is weighed to compute its mass," each segment will be found to have a "resonance frequency" corresponding to a "quite accurate chromatic scale."

Morgan brings this idea up in a discussion of reed/mouthpiece compatibility, but obviously it would apply to reed adjustment as well. In his article, Morgan references research by Ignatius Gennusa, who was principal clarinetist with the Baltimore, Chicago, National, and NBC symphony orchestras, though it's not completely clear whether this idea comes from Gennusa. I admit to being a little skeptical about the precise validity of this claim - but I'd love to see the details of the research. On the other hand, I do agree with the basic concept that highs (and high overtones) are generated towards the tip, middle register notes in the middle of the vamp, and lows towards the bottom.

Perhaps you are familiar with this test for how to balance the left and right sides of a reed (quote is from this article on reed adjustment):

Turn the mouthpiece clockwise, so that your embouchure only controls the right side, with the left side of the reed free. Blow an open C# (sax) or G (clarinet) - then turn the mouthpiece the other way, to free the right side. If the “free” side (L or R) seems stuffy compared to the other, some wood should be removed from the stuffy side. 

Try combining this test with the idea that highs are controlled at the tip, lows at the shoulder - for example, if your middle D is stuffy, take some wood off approximately where the word "even" is in the diagram above, but first test that note with the mouthpiece-turning method to see which side is actually the problem; remove a little wood at the appropriate point on the reed for that frequency, and do it just on the appropriate (stuffy) side. It seemed to work for me.

A Close-up View of Reeds

In a previous post, I cited an article in The Clarinet magazine by Michael J. Montague that described a way of examining and evaluating reed cane, using an inexpensive "Jewelers Loupe" magnifier. I ordered the magnifier and checked out the method, and can now report back.

All you need for this is three sheets of wet-or-dry sandpaper (#320, #400, and #600 grit), and a magnifier (40x preferred; comes with a little LED light) that sells for around $5.00. Sand the stock-end of the reed, first with the #320, then #400, then #600, to obtain a smooth finish (lubricate the sandpaper with a little water), then examine the end-surface with the magnifier. You will see cross-sections of the "vascular bundles," appearing as dark rings. Quoting a web article by Marilyn Veselak, "Each vascular bundle consists of a ring of fiber cells surrounding the xylem and phloem. The vascular bundles are what the woodwind musician refers to as the 'fiber' or 'grain' of the reed."

According to Montague, citing two other studies, as well as his own experience, the rings should be complete; if the cane has any incomplete rings at all, it is "not optimal for use." He notes that he examined three boxes of Vandoren V12 clarinet reeds, one each of #2.5, #3.5, and #5+. He found that the average percentage of discontinuous rings was 17.4%, 10.9%, and 3.9% respectively. This might suggest that stiffer cane is better cane. I'm not so sure that this is as simple as it sounds; I have not had much luck taking down hard reeds to the medium strength that I like on my tenor setup.

Below are some photos looking through the magnifier, of three different tenor saxophone reeds: a Prestini #5, a Vandoren Java #3, and a La Voz medium soft.

Prestini #5 tenor

Vandoren Java #3 tenor

La Voz medium soft tenor

The Vandoren Java seems to have a somewhat more even distribution of rings, with evenly-distributed smaller rings towards the bark of the reed. I do think that Vandoren reeds are generally higher-quality than Prestini or La Voz (that is to say, they usually seem to work better for me). I could guess that the apparent structure is a factor.

I've looked at a sampling of brands, strengths, and cuts; as you might expect, the cheaper reeds seem to be made from cane with less regular structure, and more discontinuous rings. I have a few Rico reeds from an old box I got from a music store that was going out of business, that seemed to be marked as dating from 1969. The structure was similar to the Prestini reed pictured above. A more recent Rico reed looked very much the same.

I don't really have enough information yet to say definitively which visual qualities make for better reeds. Some day, if I ever have the time, I'd like to make a more detailed study, and assemble a gallery of photos - many brands, many strengths, and noting whether each reed played well or not - then see if any conclusions can be drawn. Or maybe some reader would like to take on that project. It would cost you about $8.00 for a magnifier and three sheets of sandpaper. If you do, please let me know how it turns out.

Why Good Reeds Go Bad

After re-reading the excellent article by James Kopp that is mentioned in my last post, I ordered a copy of “The Clarinet Reed: An Introduction to Its Chemistry, Biology, and Physics,” a DMA dissertation by Donald Casadonte, and one of Kopp’s main sources of information. Although the dissertation goes into details of chemistry and math that are a bit deep for me, it offers answers to some important questions about reeds - including exactly how reeds “go bad.”

Here is my current view of the process of reed aging, drawing on this dissertation, other sources, and my own experience:

1) As shipped from the factory, a commercial reed is a dried shell of what was once a living cane plant (Arundo donax). When it is first played, the reed’s cells absorb water, becoming “hydrated.” Elasticity increases, and the reed begins to play more easily.

2) The introduction of moisture then leads to the beginning of our problems: The reed swells up, and not in a predictable or uniform way, since each piece of cane has a different structure. The reed acquires warps, and may play with more difficulty. Once this deformation takes place, the reed will not return to its original state, even after drying.

Generally, the thicker part of the vamp swells the most. Note that this is the part that sits below the “window” of the mouthpiece as the instrument is being played, and is therefore exposed to quite a bit of moisture.

Here is where the art of reed adjustment would come in.

Very few clarinet and saxophone players keep reeds permanently wet, or allow them to become fully hydrated (soaked). Generally, we just dampen them to some degree. This means that swelling will happen gradually, over a number of playing sessions. Thus, many players will make gradual adjustments (using a reed knife, sandpaper, clipper, etc.), over several playing sessions, to stabilize the reed.

Excessive hydration has a negative effect. You may have noticed that after an hour or so of continuous playing, a reed will begin to play “softer,” losing crispness of attack and projection, due to excessive saturation with saliva. The next day, that same reed might play well again, after drying somewhat.

However, reeds must be at least partially hydrated to respond well - hence the use of humidifiers (commercially available, or just a piece of orange peel in the box). Playing on a reed a little each day will also maintain humidity, unless the weather is particularly dry.

3) Over time, as it is played, the reed’s ability to absorb water decreases, and the reed’s shape stabilizes. According to Casadonte, this is because hemicellulose, a major component of reed cell walls that aids in the absorption of water, is degraded as the reed is played.

A new reed will often have a “sweet” taste; Casadonte speculates that this is due to the presence of AMDX, the primary hemicellulose in reeds. This taste goes away as the reed is broken in, and the AMDX breaks down.

4) As the reed ages, its surface becomes coated with deposits of matter (calcium, etc.) from evaporated saliva, further preventing the reed from absorbing water, reducing its resiliency. In addition, saliva contains ammonia and other alkali, which cause the cane to become “softer.”

Bacteria also begin to colonize the reed surface (mostly Staphylococcus epidermidis, a harmless and normal part of human skin flora).

Besides impeding the absorption of moisture, these substances add mass to the reed tip, causing further loss of resiliency.

An anecdote: Over the years, I noticed that some students’ reeds had some kind of black growth on them. One day I mentioned this to an adult student, Alan G., a dermatologist. Alan said, “Aspergillus niger.” He explained to me that this a fungus that lives in soil, and in the environment. Some individuals harbor it naturally, and harmlessly, in their mouth. This proclivity is an inherited trait. That cleared up one reed mystery! This problem can be minimized by keeping reeds clean, rinsing and drying them after playing.

For all of us, bacteria growth and saliva deposits can be minimized by hydrating the reed with tap water when possible before playing, and by keeping the reed clean and relatively dry between sessions. Occasionally, you might want to lightly scrape "crud" off the surface with a thumbnail or with a reed knife. In the later stage of a reed's life, it can be somewhat rejuvenated by briefly soaking it in a hydrogen peroxide/water solution, and then rinsing and drying - but this is a very temporary fix.

By the way, Casadonte notes that since inability to absorb water is a cause of reed deterioration, “sealing” reeds (by rubbing, or waxing) may not be a good idea. Of course, many experienced players would disagree (personally, I don't seal my reeds).

This reminds me of a practice used over the years by some players: moistening reeds with vodka or gin, sometimes mixed with water, and sometimes even leaving the reeds permanently wet, stored in an alcohol/water mixture. This and other reed preservation issues are discussed in this interesting forum thread, which includes posts from Casadonte and from a contributor who worked at Rico Reeds for 15 years.

5) As the reed is played, it will gradually develop a bend towards the mouthpiece facing. At the beginning this might be a good thing, improving the seal between reed and facing. But over time, the tip opening will become more closed, and the reed will respond poorly. Sometimes a little more life can be coaxed out of the reed by inserting a business card (or other flat piece of cardboard or plastic) between the reed and the mouthpiece facing, and bending the reed slightly upwards, away from the mouthpiece, for 10-20 seconds or so. However, this also is a very temporary fix.

All reeds will eventually wear out, due to the factors described here. But reed life can be prolonged, and their “quality of life” improved, by hydrating with water rather than saliva, by adjusting, and by keeping them clean.

If you would like to order a copy of the dissertation by Donald Casadonte, you can do so at proquest.com.

Here is a link to the James Kopp article mentioned at the start of this post - addressed to bassoonists, but with information that applies to all reed players.

Finally, here is an article of mine, surveying several books about single-reed adjustment.