CLARINET REED FUNCTIONALITY, ADJUSTMENT,

AND CARE
Eric Hansen

Introduction
This document is designed to illustrate and explain my understanding of the functionality of a
clarinet reed. I write this from the perspective of my own experience and without the use of
references. My experience to date includes about 10 years of using commercial reeds (the last 5
using Vandoren V12 brand reeds) followed by about 3 years of making my own reeds from
blanks. Currently, I play only on my own hand-made reeds. I have read numerous articles and
books about reeds and I know several other peoples reed care methods and functionality
hypotheses. What follows is my synthesis of everything I have learned as it applies to the topic
of this document. I feel it is necessary to say that my methods and hypotheses are my own and
are not necessarily universally applicable.

The Parts of a Reed . . .

1
. . . and Their Functions on Reed Performance
The reed is a machine. Its function is to transfer rapid vibration from its tip to the base of its
heart in such a way as to vibrate the air molecules inside the mouthpiece and produce sound. A
good reed will vibrate evenly and predictably (under the control of the player) several hundred
times a minute depending on the note being played. For example, a reed should vibrate 440
times per minute to produce the pitch A440.

The Heart
As you can see in the diagram above (FIG. 1), the heart is essentially a region of gradual transfer
of material from the base of the vamp (the bark line) to the tip. The heart is shaped like an
ellipse (similar to the shape of your thumb above the knuckle) with a slope (downward to the
tip). It is also rounded from left to right so that the center is slightly higher than the sides.
Because of this shape, the heart serves as the spine or backbone of the reed. Its function is vital
to the way a reed vibrates. Different heart shapes work differently depending on the mouthpiece
(or the player), but there are two other main concepts to understanding heart structure (beyond
the shape): (1) the height of the heart and (2) the symmetry (left to right) of the heart. Try
holding a reed up to a light (preferably a florescent light, it allows more to be seen) and notice
the shape, height, and symmetry of the heart. The height of the heart is basically how far up it
appears (in relation to the length of the vamp) when you hold the reed up to a light.

A heart that is too high up will yield a

reed that is too hard (stiff) that will play
sharp, if it can be played at all. There
is too much material in this heart for it
to vibrate in conjunction with the tip.
Here, the heart is actually preventing
reed vibration (see FIG. 1a).

A heart that is too low will yield a reed

that is too soft. If the heart is very low,
the reed will not only play very flat, but
it will become far too flexible. The
altissimo register is almost impossible
to produce on a reed like this. Here,
the heart is not controlling vibration
enough. This reed will vibrate wildly
and uncontrollably with an unfocused
tone (See FIG. 1b).

2
 A heart that is not left-right
symmetrical will prevent the reed
from vibrating evenly between the
left and right sides. This will make
the tone stuffy and airy, and will
usually make the reed feel harder
than it actually is. In this example,
the heart is preventing vibration on
only one side of the reed (see FIG.
1c).

The Tip

Just as the heart controls the transfer of vibration

from the tip to the butt, the tip area transfers
vibration from the tip edge to the upper portion of
the heart (see FIG. 3). Since there is much less
material in the tip area, the fibers become more
important and serve as a main structural element.
A good piece of reed cane is dense; the fibers are
smaller, closer together, and there are more of
them. In most good reeds, nearly all the fibers
will extend all the way to the tip (FIG. 1 on pg. 2
labels the fibers).

Notice in FIG. 3a, however, that many of the

fibers of this reed do not extend completely to the
tip. This can cause a number of problems,
mainly because any vibration from the tip edge
will not be completely transferred to the upper
heart. The tip may produce an unusual buzzing
sound, which is due to the fact that the left side is
likely vibrating differently than the right side.
Articulation may also become difficult or
inaccurate because part of the tip will still vibrate
even when the tongue is touching it.

3
Reed Adjustment
Unfortunately (for the sanity of all reed players), a reed was once a living plant. Because every
cell of every plant on earth is slightly different, no two reeds will ever play exactly alike one
another. In fact, it is very common (with Vandoren reeds) for one reed to play drastically
different from another. Learning to adjust reeds is really nothing more than a process of trial and
error. An inexperienced person will likely destroy dozens of reeds before s/he begins to grasp
the concept of how adjusting certain parts of a reed will affect the specific aspects of that reeds
performance. It is an understatement to say that this is a frustrating learning process. However,
with some experience, this can become a very rewarding process. In this section, I will offer
what I have learned about reed adjustment (through my own trial and error) and link my
adjustment concepts with the functions of the parts of the reed.

I use several tools (listed later in the Breaking in New Reeds section under Useful Tools . . .)
to make adjustments to my reeds. All adjustments are done after the reed is broken in and has
been played on for several minutes that day. All adjustments are done wet. If I use my files, I
first dip the reed in water. Then I dip the file in water before I start scraping. It is the same if I
use a small piece of sandpaper I first get it wet. A wet reed resists chipping and shredding.

Here are some things to consider when adjusting reeds:

Most importantly: The table of the reed must be as flat as possible before you can
predictably adjust a reed. A reed with a warped table can display unpredictable
characteristics resembling those of an off-center heart. This is why it is so important to
completely break in a commercial reed (see below for a suggested process) before doing any
adjustments. The break-in process should remove most of the warp.
You can only take material off of a reed, not put it back on (a difficult concept to master).
Symmetry (left to right) is the key. Always look at your reed under a light to see what your
adjustments have done to the symmetry of the heart shape, etc. In almost all cases, if you see
one side (of any given area of the reed) with too much material on it, matching that side with
the other will balance the reed and make it feel much better to play.

FIG. 4 The rails of the reed are a

common place in need of adjustment.
Again, symmetry is ideal. The amount of
material in one rail should be as close as
possible to the other rail. An unbalance
between either rail will have a similar
effect to having an off-center heart. Be
careful adjusting the rail area near the tip
since that area is almost as thin as the tip.

4
 FIG. 5 This is, by far, the most useful
diagram pertaining to reed adjustment. If
you can remember how the 3 registers on
the clarinet are affected by the 3 main
areas on the vamp, you will have a major
head-start toward successfully adjusting
your reeds. As you can see in the FIG. 5
diagram, the vamp can be split loosely
into 3 main areas (Upper, Middle, Lower)
across its width. Adjusting material in
these areas will affect the register of the
clarinet they correspond with. For
example, if your reed feels too hard when
you play the chalumeau register, remove
some material (keep the heart balanced)
from the lower heart (see FIG. 5). If the
clarion register is too resistant, remove
some material from the middle area.

Note: Almost all adjustments are made close to the left or right rail. Only rarely should you
need to make an adjustment anywhere along the central line of the heart. *One good rule is to
stay away from the central line of the heart during adjustment. Otherwise, you risk changing the
height of the heart to a height that is too low (soft, flat, poor altissimo, etc.).

Also notice the region about halfway down the vamp (FIG. 5). I call this the Contact Point
region because it is approximately the point where the face of the mouthpiece meets the reed. If
your reed is generally balanced, but the tone is still too stuffy, try removing a small amount of
material from this region (keep both sides symmetrical). Usually a small adjustment is all that is
necessary and the result is a reed that is much less stuffy.

Reed Adjusting Tips

Always make sure the table of the reed is as flat as possible (before making adjustments).
Pretend there is a vertical line running straight down the center of the reed through the heart.
In general, avoid this area when adjusting. If you make adjustments to the center line of the
heart, you are likely to reduce the height of the heart (and cause the condition illustrated in
FIG. 1b).
Use a light to check for random spots of excess material that might be preventing smooth
transfer of vibration from the tip to the heart or from the upper heart to the lower heart.
Carefully remove excess material and always check for left-to-right symmetry.
Reed response problems may be caused by a tip that is too thick (rarely the case on a
Vandoren reed). When making any adjustments to the tip (with files or sandpaper) make
sure the reed and the tool being used are very wet. Use only light pressure when adjusting
the tip or you will break it. Also, take care not to remove too much material from the tip,
causing the reed fibers to no longer extend all the way (see FIG. 3a).
Make very small adjustments one area at a time and play-test the reed after each adjustment.
You will learn how to adjust reeds much more effectively if you do this.

5
Reed Maintenance/Care
I believe no explanation of reed functionality is complete without explaining basic reed
maintenance/care since the way a reed is cared for greatly affects its functionality. I know many
players who complain that their reeds do not last very long. I think it is critical for any serious
player to administer a simple break-in process to all of his/her reeds in order to maximize reed
consistency. Further, I advocate a good long-term maintenance plan in order to maximize reed
life span.

Breaking in New Reeds

The commercial reeds I have used differ greatly from the personally-made reeds I make in terms
of the quality of the cane. I am referring to my experience with the quality of Vandoren reed
cane. I have heard that Vandoren cane is not allowed to grow to maturity because of high
customer demand for their reeds. Whether this is true or not, it does offer an explanation to my
experience with their cane, which is softer, less dense, more easily water-logged, and much less
resilient to stress (i.e. they dont last as long) than the cane I use to make reeds. Because of this,
the break-in procedure is much more delicate with these commercial reeds.

The main thing to consider with new commercial reeds is that they will gradually decline in
strength during a break-in procedure. For this reason, I recommend waiting until at least Day 4
or later to begin making adjustments. In addition, I recommend waiting until Day 4 before
determining if a reed is good or not. Some bad reeds will get much better after a break-in
procedure.

Useful tools: Sandpaper, Glass (1.5 X 6 and 8 X 8), Files or a Reed Knife, and a Reed
Clipper
-Sandpaper sheets: (I recommend Norton brand) grits: 600, 320, 120
-Sandpaper pieces: small wet pieces of 320 sandpaper (about twice the size of your thumbnail)
-A small 1.5in X 6in piece of glass for doing adjustments
-A larger piece of glass (at least 8in X 8in) for polishing and flat sanding
-Files: A flat mill (size 0), a round "rat tail" file (size 0), a jeweler's file (size 0)
-(optional): a reed knife can do the same job as the files, but I only use files and small pieces of
sandpaper for my adjusting
-A reed clipper (I use a Cordier)

Below is the method I would use to break in Vandoren (or other commercial) reeds.

6
Commercial Reed Break-In Procedure

Important Note: No matter how poorly the reed plays during Days 1-3, DO NOT make ANY
adjustments to it. A new reed will change drastically during this time, and is not yet consistent
enough to predict what adjustments are necessary.

Day 1 (reed is brand new out of the box)

1-Soak reed in water for 30-60 seconds
2-Play reed for no more than 5 minutes (regardless of how well it plays)
3-Polish reed table (using a circular motion on the back side of 600 sandpaper on top of glass)
4-Store reed safely, allowing it to dry

Day 2
1-Polish reed table
2-Soak reed in water for 1 minute
3-Play reed for no more than 10 minutes
4-Polish reed table (again)
5-Store reed safely, allowing it to dry

Day 3
1-Polish reed table
2-Soak reed in water for 1 minute+
3-Play reed for no more than 20 minutes
4-Polish reed table (again)
5-Store reed safely, allowing it to dry

Day 4+
-Begin gradually working the reed into your circulation and gradually increase the amount of
time you play that reed
-Begin making small adjustments to the reed if necessary (with files, a wet piece of 320
sandpaper twice the size of your thumbnail, or a reed knife)
-Polish the reed table every few days until it stays flat and smooth

Long-Term Maintenance

From the very beginning of the life of a reed, it starts dying. A reed must successfully withstand
many elements that are working to destroy it: (1) getting wet and drying out (can cause warping),
(2) human saliva breaking down the fibers, (3) oils or particles from the mouth clogging the
pores, (4) mildew and mold forming (when moisture gets trapped during drying), (5) accidental
damage to the tip

A good reed maintenance plan attempts to slow down or reduce the severity/likelihood that the
reed is exposed to these elements.

7
Tips to Make Reeds Last Longer

Store reeds in a good quality reed guard, not in the plastic or cardboard sleeve they came in
when purchased.
When first playing a reed, I first soak it in water for 1-3 minutes rather than just putting it
(dry) into my mouth. This is mostly a personal preference, but I believe it helps fight against
element #2 (human saliva breaking down the fibers).
Have 4-8 (or more) good reeds available at any time and rotate them. I keep 8 reeds in
circulation and I play on 1 per day (2 per day for extensive playing). This will make all your
reeds last longer simply because they are not being used as much. In addition, a rotation
system allows the player a much better chance of finding a good reed because s/he already
knows how each of the 4-8 reeds in circulation play. I think this is a much more reliable
approach than picking a reed fresh out of a box and hoping it will work for that day.
Periodically polish the table of the reed using the back side of 600 sandpaper on top of a
piece of glass. This reduces the warp that forms over time in the reed table. Sometimes,
polishing the back of a reed can rejuvenate it slightly if that reed has begun to perform
poorly.
Do not play your instrument right after consuming any food product. Any amounts of sugar,
food particles, coffee, etc. in your mouth will work their way into your reed and will shorten
its life by clogging the pores too much or breaking down the structural strength of the fibers.

Effects of Humidity & Temperature on Reed Performance

Because the reed is a piece of wood and has been made from a (once living) plant, it will change
as environmental humidity and temperature changes. Changes due to humidity are most
noticeable in dry climates when it rains because there is a much larger difference in humidity
between a normal dry day and a rainy day. To the player, a reed that has changed due to a
humidity change will either feel harder/softer or more/less responsive. Changes in temperature
will have the same effects (harder/softer or more/less responsive), and are usually only
noticeable as the global seasons gradually change. Take humidity and temperature changes into
account in the following situations:

If your current reeds seem to suddenly be playing poorly, wait several days before trying to
adjust them. If the humidity or temperature has mere changed temporarily, your reeds should
return to normal soon.
If you are breaking in new reeds or are waiting to adjust newly broken-in reeds and a storm
passes (for example), wait a day or two for the weather to return to normal before you make
any adjustments.