Best
SAX REEDS FOR BEGINNERS
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Overall: Youthful starters.
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Best Feature: Instant play; no breaking-in period necessary.
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TedScore™: 9/10
Best
ALTO SAX REEDS - PERIOD
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Overall: a variety of playing styles.
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Best Feature: Rico Royal are filed cut designed for fast response.
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TedScore™: 8/10
Best
ALTO SAX REEDS FOR INTERMEDIATE STUDENTS
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Overall: Students who perform in various playing styles
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Best Feature: Unfiled cut with a tip that is slightly narrower
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TedScore™: 9/10
I still remember the first time I played with the best reeds for alto saxophone – it felt like my sax had found its voice! It’s incredible how much of a difference a small piece of cane can make to the sound that comes from your sax.
Whether you’re into jazz or classical or just want to pull off a sizzling solo, the right reed is like the secret ingredient to your musical recipe. I’ll share how the right reed can take your alto sax play to new heights in this piece.
Stay tuned, because you’ll learn which reeds stand out regarding quality and performance. Trust me, you’ll want to take advantage of this treasure trove of information!
4 Recommended Reeds for Alto Saxophones
Vandoren Juno
The first reed designed exclusively for novice woodwind students is the Juno Reed by Vandoren. The Juno reed has been created to give pupils the best chance for success right away, in contrast to the majority of other reed brands that claim to be appropriate for all levels, including novices.
I’ve come across beginners struggling with reeds, but once they found the Juno reed, everything changed. It was like a breath of fresh air, making them confident in their abilities.
The Juno reed’s only drawback is its slightly higher price compared to some other reed brands. However, the superior quality and immediate improvement in playability make it well worth the investment for students aiming for success from the start.
If you’re a student aiming for success from the start, I found the superior quality of this reed to be a game-changer.
DESIGNED FOR: youthful starters.
FEATURES: Instant play; no breaking-in period necessary.
OTHER INFO: The vandoren brand is well respected, and really is the perfect reed for a beginner.
Juno Vandoren reeds
When you check the price above, you’ll see there are loads of great places to buy this item. Our personal favorite is Gear4music.
It is the largest music retailer in the UK and fast becoming the most respected online music shop in the US too. Their customer service is excellent, they have competitive prices, really fast shipping, and usually have the longest guarantee.
Most professional musicians use Gear4music, so there is no reason why you shouldn’t too!
- Long-lasting.
- Durable
- Each reed has lovely crimson casings.
- By strength, they are softer reeds than conventional alto sax reeds. Not appropriate for more experienced players.
The professional musician who wrote this article combined many things,
from the product build, manufacturer’s reputation through to feedback
from other users, to create our famous TedScore™.
DESIGNED FOR: jazz musicians
FEATURES: Both filed and unfiled cuts are available.
OTHER INFO: If your playing style is jazz, the this great reed will help you develop your sound.
Jazz D'Addario Rico
When you check the price above, you’ll see there are loads of great places to buy this item. Our personal favorite is Gear4music.
It is the largest music retailer in the UK and fast becoming the most respected online music shop in the US too. Their customer service is excellent, they have competitive prices, really fast shipping, and usually have the longest guarantee.
Most professional musicians use Gear4music, so there is no reason why you shouldn’t too!
- Durability is high
- These reeds tend to be longer lasting than others
- Rich sound, especially on high notes
- Playing softly can be challenging
The professional musician who wrote this article combined many things,
from the product build, manufacturer’s reputation through to feedback
from other users, to create our famous TedScore™.
DESIGNED FOR: Students who perform in various playing styles
FEATURES: Unfiled cut with a tip that is slightly narrower
OTHER INFO: If you look at two cane reeds side-by-side, this brand is most likely to be consistent.
Rico D'Addario
When you check the price above, you’ll see there are loads of great places to buy this item. Our personal favorite is Gear4music.
It is the largest music retailer in the UK and fast becoming the most respected online music shop in the US too. Their customer service is excellent, they have competitive prices, really fast shipping, and usually have the longest guarantee.
Most professional musicians use Gear4music, so there is no reason why you shouldn’t too!
- Strong projection is made possible by a thick spine.
- As long as you have a moist cane, then this reed has a clear tone
- Wears out easily.
The professional musician who wrote this article combined many things,
from the product build, manufacturer’s reputation through to feedback
from other users, to create our famous TedScore™.
DESIGNED FOR: a variety of playing styles.
FEATURES: Rico Royal are filed cut designed for fast response.
OTHER INFO: If you're looking for the overall best saxophone reed, then this might just be it. The design enables more vibration, a big sound, and classical through to jazz players love the quick response of this saxophone reed.
D'Addario Rico Royal
When you check the price above, you’ll see there are loads of great places to buy this item. Our personal favorite is Gear4music.
It is the largest music retailer in the UK and fast becoming the most respected online music shop in the US too. Their customer service is excellent, they have competitive prices, really fast shipping, and usually have the longest guarantee.
Most professional musicians use Gear4music, so there is no reason why you shouldn’t too!
- Easy staccato in all registers.
- Individually sealed for freshness.
- A good overall budget pick.
- Can wear out quickly.
- Pianissimo attack isn't the best.
The professional musician who wrote this article combined many things,
from the product build, manufacturer’s reputation through to feedback
from other users, to create our famous TedScore™.
How to Choose the Best Alto Saxophone Reed
Strengths & Size
The intensities of reeds range from 1 (softest) to 5 (hardest), increasing by two-thirds. This refers to the wood’s thickness.
Beginners frequently start at 1.5 since producing sound is simpler with softer reeds. You will eventually proceed to tougher reeds as you gain strength and desire a little bit more resistance, which creates deeper tones and improves the sound.
Only a small number of manufacturers employ a separate system of measurement, such as “hard,” “soft,” or “medium,” etc. Most used the standardized numbering system.
If you’re unsure of what size reed for alto sax you need, keep in mind that the most common and the best reed size for alto saxophone reeds is size 2.5, although some players may prefer sizes ranging from 1.5 to 4.0 depending on their personal preference and playing style.
Material
Most reeds are produced from cane (scientifically known as Arundo Donax), which frequently originates in France. They become quite brittle as a result, especially near the tip. Cane reeds are a natural product, so even in a box of ten high quality reeds, no two are ever exactly the same.
Before playing, saxophone reeds must be wetted because a damp cane responds more readily than a dry cane.
Some reeds are made of synthetic materials or plastic, which makes them more resilient and long-lasting (and don’t require soaking), but their playing characteristics and sound are different from the natural cane reeds.
Music Style or Genre
Depending on the type of music you are performing, your choice of reed may change. Most standard or “traditional” reeds are made with classical players in mind, providing a rich consistency of tone.
If you play more jazz, you might want to think about a brighter-sounding instrument and reed.
You might consider using synthetic reeds if you frequently perform outside (such as in a marching band) because, unlike cane reeds, they are unaffected by weather and humidity fluctuations. A synthetic reed can have a brighter tone compared with the cane reeds sound. However, certain characteristics of a cane reeds (the quality sound, rich tone and the darker tone) just are not there on synthetic reeds.
If you only play very seldom, then again synthetic saxophone reeds can be great, and they can be picked up and moved without needing to break them in.
Tip Cut
Reeds are available both filed and unfiled. A filed reed (sometimes called a double cut) has a narrow tip (and a slightly thinner tip too), which allows it to vibrate more and respond more quickly and with less resistance.
A single-cut, unfiled reed has a thicker tip that provides a little bit more force and is hence a little bit more robust.
The sliced portion of the reed is known as the vamp. A longer vamp produces a brighter sound, whereas a shorter vamp can produce deeper tones.
And the length is shown by the palette. More of the reed can vibrate thanks to a longer palette, which results in a deeper tone. You might want to experiment with this because your mouthpiece will determine which reed is best in this situation.
Which one will be better for you? Well, that depends on what playing situations you’ll be in.
Brand & Price
Some companies specialize in making reeds, while others are more general musical providers who produce accessories for a wide range of instruments. It is worthwhile to choose a specialized brand where you can always be guaranteed good quality; some producers also create unique reeds tailored for beginners, for playing in concert bands, and for other genres, such as jazz.
A box of reeds can range in price, but generally speaking, you get what you pay for. Due to the higher quality materials and production method, the more expensive brands DO typically last longer and provide a more consistent sound. They also tend to have benefits like a more powerful projection, a clear sound, a warm tone, and generally just sound better! Like all things to do with musical instruments, it’s all in the manufacturing process!
The less expensive models are fine for young novices because you can expect to replace them quite frequently at first, so it doesn’t matter as much when they break.
Although purchasing synthetic reeds separately is more expensive, they do last far longer, making them a viable choice. But as I’ve already mentioned, they’re brilliant in certain playing environments and for playing jazz, particularly outdoors.
How to Put the Reed on a Mouthpiece
Step 1: Wet the Reed
First, put the thin end of the reed in your mouth for five to ten seconds to get it wet. It needs to be wet to function properly. Then rotate it around and wet the flat part on the other end.
step 2: Wet the Mouthpiece
Next, you’ll want to get the flat side of the mouthpiece. This is called the “table.” It’s the part of the mouthpiece your reed will go. I wet this part of the mouthpiece by wiping the wet reed across the table. You don’t need a lot of moisture, just enough to act as glue to stick the reed and mouthpiece together.
This is very important in creating an airtight seal, which is essential for creating a good balanced sound.
step 3: Line up the Reed & Mouthpiece
Now, you’re ready to place the reed on the mouthpiece. You want to line up the tip of the reed to line up with the tip of your mouthpiece. Thanks to your saliva, the two surfaces should be sealed and stick together. Nice and disgusting eh!
step 4: Place the Ligature
Next, you’ll add the ligature, which will hold both pieces together. You’ll have to loosen the screws and slide the ligature to just below the filed part.
The centre of the screws should lie below the centre of the cane, and the screws should always go on the right side of the mouthpiece.
step 5: Double Check & Tighten the Ligature
At this point, you’ll want to double-check check everything is lined up correctly. The rails, or sides of the reed, should be lined up perfectly with the edges of the mouthpiece.
This whole process is worth taking time to do it properly. A poorly lined-up reed will just cause more problems down the road.
Finally, make sure to tighten the screws on your ligature, and voila! You have successfully set up your mouthpiece.
Best Reed For Alto Sax
Summary
I sincerely hope this post was helpful to you.
Remember that the best sax reeds you choose depends on you as a musician. Like consuming food, you’ll find out what you like the more you experiment with new items (like reeds!). Finding the right reed is a journey; finding the best reed (for you) is a marathon!
Think about your musical style, your strength, and the sound you want to achieve. Then, get testing by purchasing a few packs!
Please share your choice in the comment section below. Happy searching!
