How Do You Extend The Life Of A Clarinet Reed?
• Buy high-quality reeds to start with. Off-brand or generic reeds simply do not play as well or last as long as their more expensive counterparts. Clarinet players of every skill level have had success with Vandorens, but there are other brands out there as well. If price proves to be an obstacle, know where to find deals. While a box of 10 Vandorens may cost 3 or 4 dollars per reed through your local music store, if you buy in bulk from online suppliers, you may be able to get them at half that price. • Break new reeds in gradually, so the dried material gets used to being wet again. Lay new reeds on a flat surface and firmly rub them from the heart to the tip with the back of a teaspoon. This enhances the reed’s life expectancy by closing its fibers. • Before playing, soak your reed in clean water instead of wetting it with your saliva, if possible. • After playing, rinse the reed in clean water. Then dry it, with a cotton cloth of handkerchief, moving towards the tip. Alternatively
• Buy high-quality reeds to start with. Buy high-quality reeds to start with. Off-brand or generic reeds simply do not play as well or last as long as their more expensive counterparts. Clarinet players of every skill level have had success with Vandorens, but there are other brands out there as well. If price proves to be an obstacle, know where to find deals. While a box of 10 Vandorens may cost 3 or 4 dollars per reed through your local music store, if you buy in bulk from online suppliers, you may be able to get them at half that price. • Break new reeds in gradually, so the dried material gets used to being wet again. Lay new reeds on a flat surface and firmly rub them from the heart to the tip with the back of a teaspoon. This enhances the reed’s life expectancy by closing its fibers. • Before playing, soak your reed in clean water instead of wetting it with your saliva, if possible. • After playing, rinse the reed in clean water. Then dry it, with a cotton cloth of handkerchief,
