What reed strength do professionals use?

However, if you find the new strength still feels too hard after a week or two, there’s no shame in moving back down. And at some point, you will no longer need to increase your reed strength. (Most professionals find that somewhere in the 3 – 3.5 strength range on a premium brand reed works best for them!).

What determines reed strength?

A reed’s thickness is the most important factor when choosing. Just as with the strength, reed thickness is expressed as a number. The lower the number, the thinner the reed, and the higher the number, the thicker the reed. Reeds typically range from 2 to 4.

What reed did Benny Goodman use?

So, Benny took my good reed (a Vandoren #4, adjusted by Portnoy), put it on his mouthpiece and new Buffet, played it, thanked Murray, and walked out!

Who was King of Swing?

Benny Goodman
Benny Goodman: Forever The King Of Swing Born 100 years ago Saturday, clarinetist Benny Goodman made jazz a listening concern for folks who thought it was only for the clubs. He was not only an innovative musician, but a forward-thinking bandleader, the first to integrate black musicians on stage with a white band.

What clarinet did Pete Fountain play?

Pete relied heavily on the six-ring clarinet model. In fact, some of his stellar fast phrases, I submit, simply cannot be performed on a five-ring model. The best example would be in the jazz tune “China Boy” that he recorded on the LP Pete Fountain Day in New Orleans (Coral 57313).

What strength clarinet reed should I use?

Reeds come in a range of strengths, expressed in numbers 1 through 5+, with half sizes in between. The higher the number, the harder or more resistant the reed. Beginners, especially young people, will usually start with a #2 or #2.5, and will typically aim towards a #3 or #3.5 as they begin to play high C and above.

Are plastic reeds good for clarinet?

Although these synthetic reeds are great and some are even superior to a traditional cane reed. I would still recommend playing with the traditional reed for some years then switch to synthetic reeds.