← Back to Adjusting Saxophone Reeds
Quick Adjustments Guide
Too Soft
- Area: Tip
- Tool: Trimmer
- Clip small amount. Test after each clip.
Buzzy or edgy
- Area: Tip
- Tool: Trimmer
- Clip small amount. Test after each clip.
Lack of resonance
- Area: 1 & 2
- Tool: Rush
- Balance.
Dull sound when playing softly
- Area: 1 & 2
- Tool: Rush
- Balance. Take more of both sides if still too hard.
Blows Hard
- Area: 2
- Tool: Rush
- Thin both sides and balance.
Lower register lacks resonance
- Area: 2
- Tool: Rush
- Balance and thin if necessary.
Tip too thick after clipping.
- Area: Underside of tip
- Tool: Sandpaper
- Lay sandpaper on glass and stroke lightly with grain on the flat table side of reed to about 3/8 of an inch back from tip.
Reed whistles
- Area: 2
- Tool: Rush
- Balance.
High tones difficult to attack
- Area: 2 & 1
- Tool: Rush
- Thin gradually with a light stroke.
Thin high register
- Area: 3
- Tool: Rush
- Test after each few strokes.
Lacks projection in upper register
- Area: 3
- Tool: Rush
- Move three back from the tip. This may shorten the life of the reed.
Lack of resonance in middle register
- Area: 4 & 3
- Tool: Rush
- Lightly on 3.
Heavy low register
- Area: 6
- Tool: scraping knife
- Finish with rush.
General lack of resonance
- Area: 7 & 8
- Tool: Sandpaper on glass
- Sand rails of reed if reed is too wide for the mouthpiece.
After balancing, reed plays well but blows hard
- Area: 6, 5, 4, 3
- Tool: Scraper
- Evenly thin all areas.
Table not flat
- Area: Table
- Tool: razor blade
- Stroke lightly towards the tip.
Table not smooth
- Area: Table
- Tool: Sandpaper on glass
- Rub lightly back and forth, always in the direction of the grain.