hi again to everyone.

i have 2 questions actually.first what is the best size(hardness) of reed for a complete beginner?
2)what is the best brand of reed to use

1)1 1/2 was what I started on but other people here are going to say different. Everyone I know used a 1 1/2 when they first started and every teacher I know has always recommended this too.

2)Rico or Rico Royal are good to start on and then after a year or two you can move onto a more professional brand like Vandoren.

Hope this helps!

Amy

hi amy

thanx for the info.so when i get my clarinet tommorow from repair i will ask for the 1 1/2 rico reeds.

I definitely wouldn`t get Rico or Rico Royale, but I would say get a 1 1/2 size reed. Rico is weaker in strength than all the others, and its sound quality is very poor. perhaps another company would be better. but, i might just not like rico because i`ve had difficulties with it. it`s hard to find any good reeds from them (the more brown/black on the bottom of the reed, the better the sound quality, i`ve found) Rico simply does not offer this very much. It cracks too easily on top of that. So, unless you want to spend tons on reeds, i`d suggest another brand, such as a 1 1/2 strength vandoren reed. Hope this helps.

I like Rico Grand Concert- they get a good sound, you get at least 7 good ones in a box of 10, and unlike the great Vandoren, they don`t take 1000000 years to break in. Vandoren reeds are also notoriously unreliable in quality- something that I`ve never found with the Rico Grand Concerts.
1 1/2 is a good starting strength.

hi my name is sarah and i have been playing clarinet for 5 years now, i also play saxaphone. i use a size 3 1/2 Van. but i started on a size 1 1/2. I like vans better because i have a classical vandoran mouth piece so they are made for each other. It creates a beautiful sound. Keep up the musical work. I hope you love music as much as i do

I recommended Rico because they are cheaper than other brands and I jsut thought Amanda wouldn`t want to spend a million pounds on a professional make until she was sure she wanted to play. I don`t like Rico either - they`re horrible!

Oh yeah and also I forgot I have a question to Rachel or anyone else who would know the answer to this. If I use a 2 1/2 Vandoren reed, then what strength Rico Grand Concert reed should I use? I`d quite like to try them out.

Rico is weaker strength than Vandoren, so, probably 1/2 size stronger than your vandoren strength, but I got a 3 1/2 Rico to try a Vandoren strength 3 because where i was buying reeds only had up to 2 1/2 in vandoren, and i found it hard to get sound out of. my throat started closing w/ the Rico reed, but probably just get 1/2 size bigger. i don`t know for sure though. i do notice a strength difference between a rico 2 1/2 and a vandoren 2 1/2 and it certainly is quite a difference! vandoren is stronger.

I agree with Jen about the difference in strength- I also agree that the ordinary Ricos and Rico Royals are pretty horrible, but their Grand Concert reeds are much better- about the best reeds I`ve ever used.

i see there are diferent preferences,thats fine,i just wanted to see what is most common and what had the most succes with other players,so thatnx for the replys.,i can see where you are coming from when you say the ricos are kinda bad, i have only been playing for a few days and finding that they aren`t very duriable rico`s.i haven`t cracked it yet,but my reed is starting to sound not to great.i am very dedicated i practice for 1-2 hours a day and i am already playing a few songs(i am working from essential elements 2000-Book 1),when mom(my teacher for now)gets home from work i tell her the problem and then work together.she even said my reeds are not that great,but for someone like me thats just starting it would be fine,but it is distracting when your reeds aren`t very duriablean trying to play at the same time..thanx everyone.

Once again, I would like to stress the enormous difference between the ordinary Ricos and their Grand Concert range.

Amanda - you are obviously very dedicated and you shouldn`t feel that you must use regular Ricos. You are already noticing the differences between good and bad reeds and if it is annoying then go and buy some nice ones!

it depends on the notes your playing if your playing high notes go with a higher number reed. Lower notes lower number. I started off on a size 2 reed. Brand Rico. Now I`m playing size 3 Vandoren. Vandoren reeds produce great sound quality. Remember to take the reed off after you play and put it in the case.

Hi, i`ve been playing for 3 years now. I started off on a van. 1 1/2 and now im on van. 3`s.
I`ve never tried ricos reeds. I`ve used vandoren ever since i started, thats what they recommended.
What clarinets do yall have? i have a Normandy, but i really want a buffet.