How to Put a Reed on a Saxophone Mouthpiece (The Right Way!)

[@corkymiller]

Great Great. A couple of notes: Once mounted, I like to squeeze the reed tip to check that it exactly lays on the front rail of the mouth piece. Sighting the reed tip without closing the gap may be misaligned front to back on that rail. For a new reed, once it’s correctly installed, I like to press fairly hard on the center of the reed to slightly “flex” it along its long axis. This helps to align the cane fibers longitudinally. If a reed resist’s altissimo playing, this has really helped. When storing reeds, I like to use cigar humidor packets kept with them in a zip lock bag. They tend to mold less but remain appropriately moist. I keep a 4”x4” piece of glass and some emory paper in my case. I’ll lightly sand the flat side of the reed with the sandpaper on the glass after a couple of uses because the moisture tends to raise the grain in the cane and the seal to the mouthpiece table isn’t quite as good as out of the package. I’m not a pro but have struggled with these issues for 40 years. Hope it helps!

[@JDGonzalezjr]

Probably the best video on how to add a reed to a mouthpiece. Us brass players aren’t used to this. Thanks Jay!

[@theace5656]

I never knew about wetting the thicker end of the mouthpiece and I've been playing the sax for a year and a half. I immediately got a better sound.

[@mcstpysticker9002]

Me toooooooo😭😭

[@JumaIking]

I had to use so much air before to get a good sound out of my sax. My reed was too far down.. Thanks a lot! Completely different, and way better sound now. :)

[@MegaMech]

The 2:25 picture on right is actually the correct way for that ligature. It puts a proper amount of pressure on the reed, while flipped the "correct" way around it doesn't properly seal the reed to the mouth piece. Atleast, this is what a crazy Phd saxophonist always tells students.

[@peterjonstefan2926]

Never learned this so in depth with my live lessons!

[@iank3973]

GREAT for true beginners (like ME!) - THANKS!

[@hagakure6410]

Whoa! I thought I was doing all this right, but I checked against your video and I didn't have enough mouthpiece showing behind the reed, and I had the ligature just a bit too high. I'm no longer struggling so much to hit the low "D" especially since your advice on the hitting the low notes video to think of "fogging a mirror" with my breath instead of "blowing out a candle."

[@d1hungergames]

Tysm i just got my sax today in band this was our first band practice this is my second day of 5th grade and i couldnt figure out how to put the reed in without my band teachers help!

[@bucksmusic]

Point 3 of Mark Tyler's comment below is something that I've been wondering about for a while now (as a relative beginner). I've been lining the reed and mouthpiece up exactly, which I now see is wrong.

[@emilmakin1401]

Thanks Jay for all that you do. I have really learned alot from your videos at age 75. I got a 1970 Selmer Bundy in trade on a guitar I sold to my guitar teacher and I was having a tough time getting it to sound right. So I had heard you talk about how good the Jean Paul Sax was and that a Yamaha 4C was a good mouthpiece. I order them both from the Amazon Web site and the mouthpiece came first. I took it out and did everything you said to do and put it on the Selmer. Wow what a difference and I was making notes that did not sound too bad. I was really excited to get the new sax and it came late in the evening and I took it out of the box and it looked really good until I did a closer look. The neck had little dents and discoloration and around the keys was messed up too. Anyway I put the Yamaha mouthpiece on it and the bottom low key was hard to get to and the sax did not have a warm tone at all. I said thats it, after trying the Selmer again. Selmer sounded so much better. I called Jean Paul twice and nobody answered. I then said so much for great customer service and got a RA# and sent it back today and ordered a BETTERSAX alto from Sweetwater. It was above my budget, but I am very excited and hopefully order your Bettersax mouthpiece in the near future. I will update after delivery of Your Bettersax Alto. Sorry for the long story but maybe some folks will learn from my story. Thanks so much for what you do again. Joe Makin The Olden Dude

[@godoftune]

My music teacher didn’t tell me how to do this so thank you this was very helpful

[@octofish]

Hope this helps. I sound like Yoko Ono getting run over by a bus.

[@blackswan4486]

Ahahahaaha!!!!!

[@arjunpisharody6793]

I’m crying right now

[@testensjsezkadin8364]

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[@testensjsezkadin8364]

1s0lyyc44ds1zvvjks1s99j3c4r frn

[@nathankupferschmidt2175]

🤣🤣🤣

[@robertramos645]

I'm not a beginner. Not sure why I'm watching this. Lol

[@horaciosalgado7228]

same.

[@rayopeongo]

Wicked_One83 It never hurts to double check, you might learn something, and at least it isn't 2 hours long. I'm not a beginner either, but I have never wet the table before putting the reed on, and I put my reed a little farther forward than this guy does. I'll try it his way for a few practices to see if it makes a difference.

[@moodslingerz5209]

Nothing wrong with confirming.

[@richardwright9698]

Excellent guidance

[@bettersax]

Richard Thank you.

[@HiTechDiver]

Thanks for the advice. Ironic that you would have a Mark V dive helmet at time :51, as I was a Navy Saturation Diver, now wanting to learn the Sax.

[@taralouise2194]

Is putting those protection pads on the top of the mouthpiece a good idea??? I'm mixed about it.

[@SH1974]

"Line up the tip"... I always struggle a bit with that: Does the picture 1:00 show a perfect tip-lined reed? I can see a little bit (about half a mm?) of the mouthpiece's top edge behind the tip of the reed. Usually I place my reed on the mouthpiece having top view (perspective as shown in the picture at 1:00, but no mouthpiece-edge visible) then I turn to side view to find out: it seems too long. I re-position the reed in side view (it becomes a bit shorter) then turn back to top view and think: dang, now it's too short... (whe I position the Reed in side view, it has about the position as shown in Your picture.) Usually then I compromise and place the reed somewhere in the middle of that 2 positions. Teacher says "for an absolute beginner like You are (yes, I am) those few 10ths of a mm are not important yet". I guess that's true: I've tested a few slightly different lengths (tendencially between correct and a few too short) and I didn't recognize much difference. I can not feel/define one exact "sweet spot", there is more kind of a "sweet area", a tolerance band of a few 10ths of a mm, somewhere in the "tendencially a bit too short" section. (I hope You understand what I mean, my english is not the best...) That leads me to the main question: where in this "Sweet area" should I rather practice? Tendencially more on the longer end or on the shorter? Or try to find the middle? Or left it undefined, until my practice shows me where I have to go? Btw: Of course that all is just about the reeds length! Any errors in angles or unsymetrical rails I can recognize quickly. (Yes, I've tested even that...)

[@QuickStartClarinet]

I saw that you may make a more advanced version. I think it would be helpful to talk about how there is no perfect placement for every reed. Raising and lowering it to change the resistance and even moving it side to side to make up for an unbalanced reed are useful things to know, too! I also want to point out that it is important to not wet the rails or tip of the mouthpiece. I find that moisture building up there can cause response issues.

[@hongm09]

How do one knows when to change the reed? How often should it be changed? Thx u.

[@3amixes]

it helped so much thanks

[@bettersax]

Glad it helped!

[@PacoOtis]

Thanks Dude! We owe you a beer!!

[@waterenjoyer763]

Very helpful. Thanks

[@15matisse]

great i started so this helps so much...

[@silversax7860]

Wait.. You wet the thicker end and the table of the mouthpiece as well? Welp. I've been misinformed for almost 5 years

[@MATTINATOR-zl8gw]

Yeah, you're right. Both my sax instructors only tell me to wet the thin end of the reed.

[@dogknees9903]

you’re not misinformed at all. there’s nothing wrong with not wetting the ticker and and the table... only setting the thin end is fine

[@josue.guevara]

It's not necessary and if you stick too much saliva it will make your sound throaty which is not good. Just soak the reed in a glass of water for a minute or two, remove the excess wetness, put it on your mouthpiece and that's it. Using water instead of saliva will make your reeds last longer. Less bacteria will accumulate and the enzymes in your saliva won't eat up the reed.

[@bobharris2581]

Hey Silver, love the Better Sax Videos. I used to never even wet the reed! I Just found this the other day...great for reading music though! kzbin.info/door/9paODqNgURdgdXqYJeHcGg

[@joeretired4552]

As to my question prior to this - there are several comments with a few replies to what is essentially the same question I asked. I will experiment with my situation and determine the best reed placement. Oh, and I can't get a vacuum seal on my reed and mouthpiece - no matter how many times I try. No pop for me!

[@SantiagoMendoza-sg4dz]

Wow this helped me so much! I'm starting again, 15 years without playing. ❤

[@Joeman_Joeman]

one of my screws wont turn? meaning i cant take the reed off, any tips?

[@tanyadobreva4270]

Do you need to wet synthetic reeds like Legere?

[@EliahHoliday]

Wondering how the reed should be placed in regards to mouthpiece tip. I have a very open NY Otto Link mouthpiece. The top of the mouthpiece and reed are not exact in curvature. There is only a thin piece of metal at the top of the mouthpiece to form part of the seal. I know that if the reed is too far up my playing sound more muffled and hard to play. Too low, though I can push more air, it just sounds horrible. I'm wondering if I press the reed down to the mouthpiece top if there should be no space (thus even) or a millimeter space (where the mouthpiece material is above the reed). I use a Reed Geek but I still gets squeaks. Probably my mouthpiece needs to be customized to be more even. I do notice that after playing there is a dry spot on one side of the reed over the other.

[@Thomas.Barrett]

Hi - I am a bit confused based on other videos and books that I have read regarding the placement of the reed. Your video shows it flush to the tip of the mouse piece but I thought it had to be slightly down so that just a little black of the mouth piece if visible. I appreciate clarity regarding this topic.

[@CSRookie]

when you look above the reed there should be a hair thin black line above the reed

[@Lfunk1983]

Thanks so much

[@lucabsb]

Question: do I need to take the reed off everytime I play or only to change it? Are there any tips for better conservation? How long do you use the same reed before changing it? Thank you very much for the lessons!!!

[@bettersax]

+lucabsb Yes! Reeds are expensive and will last you much much longer if you take them off every time and put them in a reed case. Longevity of a reed varies, but I can play on a good reed for a couple of weeks or more. The key is to rotate them all the time.

[@lucabsb]

Thank you very much!!!

[@RaheemBuh]

Oh my god I didn't even know I was doing this wrong and I feel like I just progressed by weeks in a matter of minutes

[@rocking5784]

Helped alot. Thanks

[@sushi_tech35]

2:27 shows a upside-down ligature witch is incorrect but at 2:39, it is also shown but this time it is correct. This confused me, should the screws be against the reed or against the top of the mouth piece?

[@tannersparrow5588]

it depends on your ligature

[@davidcox8961]

I don't suppose you have a video on the Otto Link STM mouthpiece ? I have one I've been playing for just six months. It has a *7 tip- much bigger opening than my previous plastic student mp. It a tenor mp in brass.

[@sam-jams6689]

Wait.... isn't picture of 'This is what it should look like' an imagine of the mouthpiece with the ligature on backwards?

[@jazzflutist]

How much of reed should show at the top? When you look at it one way, it looks flush. Turn it 180 and the reed looks like it's longer than the mouthpiece. So, which side should one be looking from? Also, in some pictures you showed, the reed is placed so that about 2mm of mouthpiece shows at the top. Is this correct?

[@joeretired4552]

Jay, I noticed early in the video, when the reed is first placed on the mouthpiece, the tip of the reed, vibrating end, is placed just a bit back from the tip of the mouthpiece such that the black tip of the mouthpiece is showing a "small" amount. Later, toward the end of the video, the mouthpiece with the properly aligned reed, is at an angle such that I cannot see the alignment of the reed with the mouthpiece. So, when finally aligned correctly, should the reed tip be even with the tip of the mouthpiece? Would the tip of the reed be "square" with the tip of the mouthpiece? Does this question make sense to you? When I place a reed on my mouthpiece, I align the reed tip with the mouthpiece tip. Please advise. Thanks

[@ph2738]

So my single screw Rovner ligature is one that will be screw on the bottom, sticking out the right side, when the reed and table are on the top? That’s how I’ve been setting it up.

[@ph2738]

Looks like Rovner preferred screw opposite the reed, but called the other way the industry standard www.rovnerproducts.com/assets/templates/bella-html5/images/AllOneLigatureInsert.pdf

[@mihai-alexandrudzubaila585]

Hi, I tried with a bunch of reeds to get that seal but nothing worked.. what am I doing wrong? I even broke a few reeds..

[@phillipdaigle4850]

What is the Best way to store My Reeds? Moist?, Or Dry? Thanks for your InPut. Phillip K. Daigle, The Blind Cajun.

[@bettersax]

Moist but not too moist. There needs to be air circulating where you store them or mold grows.

[@ezrapetersen9913]

Hello I am from the future! Remember to use the reed geek or the new GEEKLET to get a much better sound out of your reeds! I learned this from a wise man name Jay Metcalf

[@blearymax8706]

just wanted to know how to use alto sax if your bottom lip is bigger because ith is harder to curl my lip Lip placing ++

[@lakishacharles8034]

Thanks for that

[@carlman1955]

I notice some ligatures are put on up or down ways which should I stick with mostly?

[@bettersax]

The screw is just about always going to be on the right . That's how you know which way it's meant to go.

[@harveymushman2219]

As a newbie I see in the ...side view.... there is a gap between reed tip and mouthpiece tip ...is that distance important ?

[@bettersax]

That distance is determined by the facing curve of the mouthpiece.

[@ralphmarlow3945]

from what I know the reed should be perfectly flat. mouthpiece indeed is curved a bit at the tip. If it wasn't you couldn't blow any air as it would be sealed off

[@stephendobson8375]

Hi Jay, How do I know which size reed to use? I have an Alto Sax. Thx Steve

[@bettersax]

Depends on your mouthpiece tip opening. the less open the tip, the harder reed you want.

[@rmendel1000]

For beginners, you typically start off with easier reeds to blow through, like twos. Then, you can work your way up to 2.5s, and once mastered that, you don't ever need to go harder than a 3. Hope this helps.

[@admuniz]

Thanks! Most helpful! Hopefully the god awful noises coming from my attempts will stop annoying the neighbors and scaring my dogs!

[@Iskazz13]

The thin end of some of my cane reeds are wider than the mouthpiece. Will that impact the reed response or the overall setup.

[@Iskazz13]

Thank you for all of your helpful videos!

[@bettersax]

Is it a metal mouthpiece? this shouldn't be a problem but it may feel a bit strange in your mouth if the edges of the reed are sticking out.

[@Iskazz13]

Better Sax, yes, it's metal and I've been to play without problems. But since the reed extends beyond the chamber rails at the tip, should I adjust the reed differently using a Reed Geek? I've noticed some reeds are cut differently at the tip, a minor flare.

[@sokanadenramasawmy2143]

i like your sax sound

[@GRAMO107]

WHY IS THERE SOME LIGATURES ARE POSITIONED WITH THE SCREWS ON THE TOP OF THE MOUTHPIECE??? IS THER ANY DIFERENCE IN SOUND???

[@bettersax]

Not necessarily. just a design choice.

[@Iris-vo5gd]

Hello and thank you for your helpful videos!(: Can I put the reed in a cup of water for a couple of minutes instead of wetting it with my mouth?

[@bettersax]

Yes, that is fine.

[@macartenmajerus536]

No that is not fine better sax

[@sandroflute]

please explain

[@foolst0p]

Thank you

[@kimonnikolaou2057]

Hello!What reed do you use?

[@bettersax]

Kimwnas, right now my favorite are D'addario jazz select 3h filed

[@edwardsantiago1412]

I need help buying me a sax. I had a yas-23 but it doesn't have a high F, ALSO THE YAS-26 AS WELL. IS A HIGH F PLAYED WITH SOME SONGS???? I JUST DONT wamt to by me another sax in the future. O was thinking about getting me a YAS-280. WHAT DO YOU THINK???

[@bettersax]

High F# key is not necessary. I prefer to play F# using the altissimo fingering. Watch my video on Altissimo for that fingering.

[@edwardsantiago1412]

I will watch the video, thanks. But it will be nice to make a short video on the yas- 23&26 with no HIGH "F" FOR FUTURE SAX BUYERS. Thanks for talking to me. I love your videos.

[@dedywiryawan8480]

I soaked it in warm water, sound much beytwr

[@TheMichaelseymour]

geez...i am a begginer...but you would think technology would come up with a sure fire ,synthetic reed that is intonated and perfect......then again...maybe i just need to practice more - ha

[@ysarl]

Best mouthpiece p0sition ever ! Ur the best teacher keep up ! Your inspiration man ...

[@dwgibson2000]

you made it confusing by using multiple types of ligatures in the video, some with screws on top, some with screws on bottom

[@Redridge07]

You did not state how much of the mouthpiece should show above the reed......

[@rmendel1000]

He literally showed it in the video... Smh

[@toastych1ps700]

I accidently snaped my ligature

[@durantburner7428]

How tf did that happen