Generally you change strengths when your teacher says it's time. A little harder reed can get rid of some of the 'thinness' in your sound and won't clamp shut when pushed.
You change strengths when you purchase a mouthpiece with a smaller or larger tip opening. Harder reed for a more closed tip, softer reed for the more open tip.
If you don't have a teacher to help you along with this, and you think you may need to change strengths, going up or down by .5 is wise.
ie... if you are on a 2.5 now, try a 2 or 3 depending on where you want your sound to go.

 

I don't have the experience to really advise, but, I would say it is like the "Peter Principle", As soon as your current reed becomes easy to play you upgrade .5 and keep doing that until you reach the reed that does not get easy to play.

 

On that basis one increases the strength until the saxophone is virtually impossible to play.
Thick & full sound throughout the range....& preferably not difficult to play.

 

General Rule: You reeds are hard enough if they allow you to play loudly all the way up into the palm keys to F or F# without the reed closing up on you. Thats a general rule for students. If your embouchure is correct your should be able to do this with little difficulty. If not, you need to adjust your embouchure and possibly move to a harder reed, some combination thereof.

 

Yes. Is has something to to with the sound and the embouchure.

Sound: A harder reed creates a "purer" tone (more like a clarinet), a softer reed creates a "buzzier" tone.
Mouthpiece: For the same embouchure, a larger tip opening will usually require a softer reed.
Embouchure: A harder reed requires more muscles in your embouchure, a softer reed requires more control.

Otherwise, listen to bandmommy.

 

If you understand and can exhibit proper embochure formation then experiment with stiffer reed strengths. Most importantly make sure this increase does not create bad biting habits. Also, reed selection and break-in processes become more important at this time too. I play 4's and have quite a buzz so I'm not so sure about SveinJo's reference to stiffer sounding more "pure" or "clarinet like".
One of the biggest problems I see students do is biting and playing too stiff of a reed at the same time. These two flaws actually promote both of them to occur. Typically if a kid is a biter he will compensate by playing a an overly stiff reed. If you bite a soft reed it will close up on you. So many jr high kids I see from time to time playinmg 3 1/2's, way too little mouthice in their mouths and biting the crap out of it.
Learn to "center" your embouchure (lip pressure from proper muscular formation, not from simply biting you lowere teeth into your lip into the reed), take in a tad more mouthpiece.
Band mommy referenced "when your teacer says so" because many kids fall into the fallacy that a stiffer reed means your a better player (i.e. jr high kids playing 3 1/2's) and getting personal advice in regards to embouchure formation and reed strength with out knowing you and your playing is like getting medical advice for your heart condition on-line.

 

Imo it has to do with whether a change of reed strength improves things or not, it's easy enough to try. one thing to think about is what is the hardest area of saxophone playing? I while back I was struggling with low notes, and I found that changing to softer reeds really helped. At the same time I found that I lost a very slight bit of of loudness and a couple of altissimo notes were not so easy, but working on breath support soon sorted that, so overall the change was very beneficial.

 

I don't disagree with Pete.
But, a very important element for student level players to understand about whether or not any new technique or set-up "improves things or not" is that almost anything new you will try may actually feel or sound worse than what you were doing, not because it is intrinsically worse, but simply "new" and diffrent than what you are used to. Your body takes time to adjust to this newness because one of the things we do when we practice is to habitualize the process. Any newness may derail our intuitive playing techniques that we have deliberately drilled into our playing. Dont fear this, but do get professional advice from someone you study with.

 

I'm with Pete on this. I switched strengths of reeds as my playing ability changed. If I had trouble getting out low notes (knowing that the horn was set up fine, with no leaks), I switched to a softer reed that made it easier to get the low notes out. After a little while, the low notes were fine, but the higher notes started sounding not so good (thin or nasal or something), so I bumped back up a half grade. Basically it is personal - what strength lets you play easily and sound good.

 

Is a brass embouchure and clarinet embouchure the same?

 

Perhaps under certain circumstances. I've seen photos of a trumpet modified to accept a clarinet mouthpiece. Otherwise, no.

 

Personally, I've always found changing reed strength a more complex and frustrating process than is often inferred on the forum.

I often read comments on the forum like 'try moving up a half strength' which perhaps implies that to do so will be easy.

My experience (others may eperience otherwise) is that moving up a half strength usually results in a stuffy, resistant sound to begin with, which needs to be worked with and persisted with for a couple of weeks whilst my embouchure strengthens. Only then do the benefits start to emerge......

 

Personally, I've always found changing reed strength a more complex and frustrating process than is often inferred on the forum.

.

I do so agree....I can happily change from a 7* mouthpiece to a 9*, but half a strength in reeds creates problems.
Why struggle with a hard reed if you can get your sound, and volume, from a softer set-up?

 

:soapbox: Strength of any reed should be dependent on the opening of the mouthpiece they use. Thus it's the matter of player's option. I use different grade of mouthpieces at the same time, in conjunction with different strength of the reeds such that I can assure the best possible sound that I want. Moreover by use of multiple reeds in same strength in turn, I find those dried reeds are having proper strength until they lose their remaining strength.
Nevertheless I am not sure this is good way or not.

 

If you have problems with low notes, go to a softer reed. Then move back up, unless you are satisfied with your tone.
If not then move back up.
If you feel like you need to develop your face muscles move up a size to gain a bigger air support.
Generally, softer reeds for wider tipped mpcs, and harder reeds for smaller tips.

 

Although I agree very generally with the lat statement, I don't think moving to a harder reed should be done if you need to develop face muscles, nor should reed strength be changed in order to improve tone.

I believe that tone and air support should be worked on and improved,,but by dedicated exercises, not by going to a harder reed.

 

When the subject, what reed strength should I use ? Comes up, the only discussion is about hard v soft. A reed has lots more qualities, and that is generally what we look for when choosing a reed, the hardness is relative. Within a box of ten the strength varies, so you chose a box strength that gives you the most amount of usable reeds. Or another method is chose a box a half a strength up and adjust the reed, and doing that you will get a reed with different qualities. IMO. Just look for a reed that plays freely, and let your embouchure and your concept of sound do the rest.

 

Within a box of ten the strength varies, so you chose a box strength that gives you the most amount of usable reeds. .

imo, "strength" does not vary that much. Reed "strength" is measured by a machine that test the "flex" of the cane. This "flex" has nothing to do with the "vibrancy" of the reed. The reeds play differently cuz some are vibrant and most are not. Find the vibrant ones by play testing the entire box when you open it and "select" the good ones.

 

I've always thought one should play the softest reed that works. I'm amazed at the number of players on 4's - some of my favorite players play REALLY hard set-ups. On the flip side - some player #2 reeds ala Cannonball Adderly.

 

I've always thought one should play the softest reed that works. I'm amazed at the number of players on 4's - some of my favorite players play REALLY hard set-ups.

Yes me too. I used to use 4s, but now use 2.5 mostly.

I think the idea that hard reeds help you build up chop muscles is wrong. Use hard reeds if they suit you. using them to strengthen muscles is not the best way to go, it is often a fix for symptoms rather than a cure for the underlying problem. Plus I think it can encourage people to use jaw muscles rather than lip muscles.

 

I think most of us play certain passages when trying a reed, perhaps that would be a better thread, rather than hard or soft, but what you play and look for when giving a reed the once over. I tend to play bits of Take Five, ie. the 3rd C to Eb in the second eight, to check for spring in the reed, is one of the many quick tests.