[batonstar]

When you change to a new reed - why does it sound different to the old one?

Like I have just changed my reed and I loved the tone I was getting from it but I had to change it because there were a couple of little nicks it it and my sax tutor said it sounded like it was getting a bit soft. (What is actually meant by that?)

The new reed I have put on and I tried a number of te reeds I have and when I blow into the sax the sound that comes from it sounds like it is quite windy, if you know what I mean - like there is more wind type sound than there is note sound.

 

[Isle of Jazz]

Welcome to the wonderful world of reeds! Batonstar, the variability of reeds, from brand to brand or even from the same box of one brand is part of a very long-running universal woodwind soap opera. It just comes with the territory. Don't give up on your new reed too soon, sometimes they'll "come out of it" after a few sessions. But sure, some of them are just plain stuffy.

There is a lot of information about reeds on SOTW and a search session might give you some useful pointers. As you become more experienced you can try to work on your reeds; many bum reeds can be coaxed into playability with some sandpaper or a razor blade. And at some time you may want to experiment with synthetic reeds; Fibracells are good and I especially like Legeres. Again, vast amounts of info are available on-site.

A reed gets "soft" after you've played it a while, the "springiness" lessens — it might be easier to blow but the sound will begin to grow anemic. But it's the same process that helps you break in a new reed — I wouldn't discard a reed until you've played it a half dozen or so times; it just might turn into a keeper.