[kraslice soprano]

Probaly this has already been addressed, so I'll try to be not generic.

I've noticed that (at least) certain reeds, in particular Rigotti Gold soprano, seem to shorten their life if initially left some time (say 15 minutes) in water. With these reeds a few seconds of wetting with saliva seems to be a better way to have them alive and responsive for more time (coupled with regular rotation).

This occurs way less with D'Addario Select. With both brands I use 3S strenght.

Has someone else experimented this with his/her reeds and/or particular brands and cuts?

 

[1saxman]

I never soak a reed in anything. Moisten and put in a Reed Guard for 15 minutes and it'll be ready to play. Put back in Reed Guard after playing. Take out and moisten, put back before playing. Every so often wash reeds and Reed Guard with Hydrogen Peroxide.

 

[milandro]

If I so feel inclined I do so soak the reeds in warm or cold water ( I always do that with new reeds) but often enough I skip the ritual and just put the reed in my mouth. It works either way. I really don’t think that it matter all that much.

 

[Nefertiti]

I'm not a fan of soaking reeds in water. They usually come flat and soaking the whole reed in a glass of water is just inviting the reed to warp when it dries out. I just wet the reeds in my mouth and get much better results.

 

[Nefertiti]

Also, I hate the sound and response of a water logged reed. I would never keep a reed in water for 15 minutes. There is no reason to in my mind. The times I have when I have forgotten about a reed, I have always hated the result.........

 

[lostcircuits]

Like everybody else said already, don't do it. There is a natural concentration of electrolytes in wood and if you soak them in water, you will flush them out (osmosis 1.01). Saliva is "thicker" and won't do that, it will merely soften the wood and restore it's elasticity/flexibility without depleting it, which, if it happens will result in more drying out, shrinking and mechanical stress if it is re-hydrated. Not to mention the wet-sock timbre of a waterlogged reed.

If you're anywhere near the ocean, talk to a sailor with a wooden deck and they will be able to show you "freshwater damage", which is a different skin for the same effect.

 

[saxoclese]

My former saxophone teacher who plays professionally immerses his reeds in water entirely so the fibers from front to back are wet. He then stores the reeds in such a way that they stay moist and never dry out. It apparently works for him and he sounds great. He has since started playing on Legere European cut clarinet reeds playing "traditional jazz".

 

[datsaxman]

I used to soak. I would put all four from a reedgard in and play each for a few minutes, then back into the reedgard.

One would be the reed for the day or the gig or whatever.

Mostly using Legere these days, so no more soaking.

 

[Sacks Of Phones]

I only soak them briefly before first use. Otherwise, they just get the saliva treatment.

 

[mmichel]

Also, I hate the sound and response of a water logged reed. I would never keep a reed in water for 15 minutes. There is no reason to in my mind. The times I have when I have forgotten about a reed, I have always hated the result.........

Different strokes for different folks.

I always soak my reeds for at least 5 minutes before playing, though I sometimes leave them in for as long as 15 minutes. I've never noticed any ill effects from soaking them for similarly short periods.
These days, I always use a 50-50 mixture of 3% hydrogen peroxide and water. This keeps the reeds looking clean, keeps them from molding, and seems to make them last a bit longer.

In the past, I used to just wet them briefly in my mouth before playing, but my current process seems to work much better (i.e., reeds last longer, respond better, and are less likely to squeak).

 

[leycroft]

Ive taken to water and about a quarter Listerine for a 5 minute soak in recent months .

 

[Pete Thomas]

I've often put reeds in a glass of water, I find it useful when going through a whole box to sort some out so that that I can just pull them out and they are ready to play.

This won't suit everyone, because if you live in a humid environment you won't need to be, or see the point in, doing this.

I have on occasions regretted this deeply, but only when I forgot they where in the glass of water and came back three weeks later finding we had acquired a new pet.

 

[TigerChicago]

Either way, I either soak 'em in water for at least a few minutes or wet 'em with saliva and suck on 'em a bit. Soaking too long can give them a water-logged sound and they generally aren't as responsive. Room temp water or slightly warm is preferable to cold or hot for me.

 

[mmichel]

My hypothesis is that it's really about the uniformity of "wetness" of the reed and I suspect that the preference of different players varies depending on how "wet" they play.

In other words, I think that if one could play without getting any of the reed wet, then soaking wouldn't be necessary. To be sure, the person's choice of reed strength and cut might be different if the reed were used completely dry, but I think it would work just fine.

The problem is that when most of us start playing on a dry reed, different parts of the reed become moist at different rates, the reed's dimensions and stiffness change in an inhomogeneous way, and the reed starts to respond poorly as a result.

So, if you're a relatively "wet" player, it's best to start with the reed more or less saturated, which leads to less dimensional change while playing.

In fact, over long practice sessions (especially on low-humidity days), I'll often take a break every hour or so to resoak my reed or switch to a different pre-soaked reed.

 

[TigerChicago]

I've often put reeds in a glass of water, I find it useful when going through a whole box to sort some out so that that I can just pull them out and they are ready to play.

This won't suit everyone, because if you live in a humid environment you won't need to be, or see the point in, doing this.

I have on occasions regretted this deeply, but only when I forgot they where in the glass of water and came back three weeks later finding we had acquired a new pet.

Been there done that. Left a reed water a few days. Science experiment. Once when breaking in 4 new reeds, put them in a VanDoren reed case (not fully soaked but wet), and a week or two later - science experiment #2 - all moldy. Expensive mistake. Should have left the case cracked open for the water to evaporate.

 

[kraslice soprano]

A lot of very interesting responses here and yet different approaches! I'm fascinated by lostcircuits' osmosis theory (post #6). Years ago I had a book by Roberto Ottaviano in which he advised to put the fresh reeds in water for a number of minutes, and then press them down with your thumb on a perfectly flat and hard surface to get all the water out of the fibers of the cane.

 

[Reet McVouty]

I use the "Garzone" method. He gets into it about 4 minutes in, in this video.

 

[notes_norton]

The first thing I do when I open the case is put the reed in my mouth.

Then I assemble the sax, and the last thing I do is put the reed on the mouthpiece.

I'm ready.

I do rotate my reeds. I store them in a 4 slot reed guard so they dry back out for 3 gigs out of 4. They seem to last longer that way, but that could be my imagination.

I gig for a living, so the simpler the less ritual involved the better. Or at least I used to gig for a living until COVID knocked on our door.

Insights and incites by Notes

 

[skeller047]

I always soak in water, either by putting in a glass or running tap water over them. Usually warm water. However, never more than 5 minutes.

When I'm preparing new reeds, I'll put 2 - 4 in a cup of water before the first play test, for 2 or 3 minutes, then the first one gets tested and the others rest on glass or in a case. Then each reed gets my five-minute prep for overall balance and strength. Then in the case it goes. When I next play the reed, it will have dried out some (I live in a relatively humid location, though not like the US east coast in summer!), so it gets put in water for a minute or two.

I try to rinse the reeds off after playing. Seems they last longer that way.

 

[allenlowe]

different soaks for different folks.

I soak 'em; like 'em wet. Too dry makes the tone feel brittle. Been doing this for 50 years with no ill effects.