D'Addario Core:

How To Choose The Right Reed Strength

Choosing the right reed strength for your saxophone or clarinet can make a huge difference in your tone, comfort, and overall playing experience. Players often equate reed strength to ability level. In other words, the harder the reed, the better you are.  However, this mindset can slow down your progress by making the instrument much more difficult to play. Here's what to know before you pick:

1. Start by Testing Different Strengths The best way to find your ideal reed strength is to try several. In the video above, saxophonist Jeffrey Lyman demonstrates playing with a reed that's too soft, too hard, and just right. Soft reeds make playing easier but can cause pitch issues, lack of control, and a sound that's too bright. Hard reeds add resistance, but can make the sound airy, strained, and difficult to control.

2. Match Your Reed to Your Mouthpiece Your mouthpiece design affects which reed strength works best. Wider tip openings usually need a softer reed. Narrower tip openings work better with a stronger reed.

3. Factor in Your Playing Experience Beginner saxophone and clarinet players often start with softer reeds for easier airflow. Experienced players may prefer stronger reeds for better tone control and dynamic range.

4. Focus on Balance Your goal is to find the reed that gives you enough resistance to shape your sound, without making you fight the instrument. It should feel natural—not too easy, not too hard.

Watch the full video above for a demonstration of how reed strength changes tone, feel, and response.