Stop Reed Rage - Go Synthetic
So there I was, on stage, a solo about to happen and then....
Pffft.... No sound. I have to bite hard and eventually a wispy squeak dribbles out of the saxophone like the distant call of an elderly sparrow.
The reed had dried out under the heat from stage lights and a heavy set of tunes. No water was allowed on stage so there was no possibility of rehydrating. That was the final straw for using cane reeds. Never again.
Maybe its climate change, the handover between generations or lower demand but I have found cane reeds to be very poor over the last few years. I always brought good quality French reeds, Vandoren or Marca and been getting less happy with each box. It got to the point where one reed in a box of five tenor reeds was usable even after adjustment which was expensive.
I have tried all synthetic reeds which are easy to buy in England. Some brands are less easy to get hold of so a simple overview is below of the ones I tried. I have some opinions about them but don't let my ramblings put you off. Find out for yourself.
Légerè
American Cut
Bright sound and quick response. Slightly wider than a standard tenor reed. My preferred option for jazz and pop saxophone.
Signature
Most like a French cut classical reed (Vandoren blue box) with a more focused sound.
Beware of Classic Studio Cut reeds, some strengths are not made anymore. There is old stock around in some stores. Use the American Cut if you want a brighter sound.
Vandoren
VK7
Similar in sound to American Cut but with a standard width. Seems quite durable but does contain fibres which will shed themselves. These have been tested for safety but I am not keen on the idea of fibres shedding in my mouth when I am breathing in a lot.
Bari
These were the first synthetic reeds to market and seem to be made of a polycarbonate material. Quite hard: Soft is equivalent to a 2.5 Orange box. The 'Star' model is slightly softer and warmer than the 'Original' model. Very durable.
Fibracell
I really liked these but I had concerns about the fibres shedding in my mouth. They should be harmless but I never felt comfortable with the idea.
There are other makes, but I am yet to get around to trying them. The Légerè American Cut reed works very well for me so I don't see a good reason to try others.
Is it all good news for synthetic reeds?
No, its not all gleaming and wonderful for synthetic reeds. There are some bad points which should be taken into account.
Despite the marketing, they do sound different to cane. However, after around two weeks you will adjust how you blow and will sound like your old self. It will happen, just stick with it or try a different brand. The jazz cuts generally sound like the cane reed jazz cuts. A different ligature (cloth or tightening screws on top) might help your sound with synthetic reeds.
The softer strengths are not as durable as they claim to be. You may notice that most synthetic reeds are harder on comparison to cane. Only Légerè American Cut is available in softer strengths. I play an 8* size so need a soft reed. Lower tip openings just do not work for me. Strength 2.0 lasted for around four weeks of daily playing with rotation. I was buying a new reed each month which is quite expensive. I have moved up to strength 2.25 and these seem to last nine weeks with rotation. Much better life and is better value over cane reeds.
They are all less grippy if you rely on the texture of the reed to fix your embrochure in place. This will be something you adjust to given time.
You will need two reeds and rotate them to ensure long life. Its an additional cost factor. Rotating two reeds does make them last longer. They seem to need around 48 hours to flatten out after an intense playing session.
They are made of plastic and require energy to produce and are often packaged with other plastics. Cane reeds are now grown organically and are presented in cardboard boxes - all biodegradable. There are cane reeds grown and made on each continent so should not need to travel vast distances to get to you. We all need to think about the environmental consequences of our purchases. But, synthetic reeds are more consistent and reliable.
Buying cane reeds supports more people and keeps a heritage skill relevant. Synthetic reeds can be made and sold with very few people involved in the whole process which given their higher price could lead to bad products being made. Also, the machinery to create plastic reeds will need to be maintained and replaced at great cost at some point to maintain quality.
The environmental concerns kept me away from using synthetic reeds for some time but now I have switched, I will not go back. I use fewer reeds and they are more consistent.
I would encourage all single-reed instrument players to try synthetic reeds if they are having problems with cane reeds.