What are saxophone reeds?

Answer 1

It depends on how advanced you are as a player. A beginner should start with a size 2, Alto Sax reed, this is the softest type of reed. After about a year, or however long it takes you to get used to your sax, you can upgrade to a size 2 1/2, and so on so forth, a size 5 reed, is the highest you can go, but is only recommended to people who have tenure playing the sax, and have become an advanced, or extremely experienced player.

Answer 2

A Saxophone "reed" is essentially apiece of wood, normally cane or bamboo, that has been cut and shaved to a point where it is capable of vibrating a column of air inside the instrument to create sound when it is blown over. Reeds vary in size and thickness depending on what kind of saxophone one is playing, as well as the lung and lip strength of the musician.

Answer 3

Saxophones use a single reed mouthpiece similar to that of the Clarinet. Most saxophonists use reeds made from an Arundo Donax cane ( a plant similar to bamboo grown in Asia). Although recently some reeds have also been made of fiberglass. FiberglassAreeds are more durable and lasting, but they are generally considered to produce an inferior tone.

Answer 4

A saxophone reed is a piece of bamboo placed on the mouth piece. It vibrates as you blow in, making noise, therefore you could not play without a reed.

You have it mostly right, the reed does vibrate against the mouth piece. But the reeds are not made out of bamboo, they are made out a a species of giant Cain that is called Arundo donax.

Answer 5

The reed of a saxophone is the part of the saxophone that the player puts his/her mouth on. The reed is attachable, made of wood, and normally thin. It is held on to the mouthpiece with a ligature, which screws on tight, and holds the reed in place. The reed vibrates against the mouthpiece to send waves of air through the whole saxophone.