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Vandoren Clarinet Reeds
Vandoren manufactures two types of reed for Boehm system clarinets to
suit
the requirements of clarinetists throughout the world.
Chart of Clarinet reed styles, sizes and item numbers
Traditional
Traditional reeds (blue box) are available in strengths 1 to 5 (1, 1
1/2,
2, 2 1/2, 3, 3 1/2, 4, 5)
The most widely played reeds in the professional world, with
a superiority
proven over many years, these reeds suit all styles of music.
The principal acoustic qualities are :
- Excellent response in all registers, even
allowing a pianissimo
attack of the highest notes.
- Flexibility allowing the legato or staccato execution of
large intervals.
- A richness of tone which gives body and brilliance to the
sound.
- Thickness at the tip: .085 mm (0.0035 inch)
- Thickness at the heel: 2.8 mm
V.12 reeds(grey box) in strengths 2 1/2 to 5+ (2 1/2, 3, 3 1/2, 4, 4
1/2,
5, 5+)
V.12 reeds are manufactured from cane tubes of the same
diameter as
those used for saxophone reeds. This leads to a higher manufacturing
cost,
as large diameter cane is more rare.
V.12 reeds are thicker at each end :
- Thickness at the tip: .10 mm (0.004 inch)
- Thickness at the heel: 3.15 mm (0.124 inches, hence the
name V.12)
In comparing strengths, a V.12 strength 4 reed is
almost equal
to a Traditional strength 3 1/2 reed.
The Choice:
Traditional Reeds vs.
Musicians who are not quite sure which reed will suit them best to the
nearest 1/2 strength can be helped by the fact that the cut of these
two
types of reed is different.
The tone of the V.12 is generally bigger and more consistent
than that
of the Traditional reed. To evaluate the acoustic qualities of each
type
of reed, it is an interesting experiment to play them in various
acoustic
settings. Indeed, many professional clarinetists advise their pupils to
keep both V.12 and Traditional reeds in their cases for the following
reasons.
When playing in acoustics where the musician feels that his
reed sounds
too 'muted,' he may choose a traditional reed to give him a better
response
and increased flexibility. Conversely, a musician finding his tone a
little
too bright (the so-called clear tone), might change to a V.12
to
achieve a darker, warmer sound without an aggressive edge.
In addition to the acoustic considerations there is
also the
matter of the precise tonal requirements of a particular piece to be
taken
into account. Indeed many professionals agree that one would not play
the
Brahms sonatas with the same tone as that used to perform the Rossini
Variations,
These comments are relatively subjective, but if taken into
account
by the musician who is looking for a specific tone, his choice between
V.l2 and Traditional reeds can be made more easily.
To view diagrams of the reeds comparing the differences
between Traditional
and ,
choose from below.
Vandoren manufactures
reeds for German
system(Oehler) mouthpieces
The White Master and Black Master reeds are aimed
respectively
at the Austrian and German markets. Their cut is particularly
calculated
to suit the characteristics of the German system (Oehler) clarinet
mouthpiece.
White Master reed strengths : 1 1/2 to 5 (1
1/2, 2, 2
1/2, 3, 3 1/2, 4, 4 1/2, 5)
Black Master reed strengths : 2 to
5++ (2, 21/2, 3, 31/2,4,5,5+,5++)
Black Master reeds are cut larger and thicker than White
Master reeds.
Back to Top
Chart of Clarinet reed styles, sizes and item numbers
| Boxes of 10 |
Boxes of 5 |
|
Ab |
Eb |
Bb |
Alto |
Bass |
Contrabass |
| |
Piccolo |
Traditional |
Traditional |
Hand
Select |
White
Master |
Black
Master |
 |
Traditional |
Traditional |
Traditional |
| 1 |
|
VA_111 |
VA_101 |
|
|
|
|
VA _121 |
VA_411 |
|
| 11/2 |
|
VA_111A |
VA_101A |
|
VA_131A |
|
|
VA_121A |
VA_411A |
|
| 2 |
|
VA_112 |
VA_102 |
|
VA_132 |
VA_182 |
|
VA_122 |
VA_412 |
VA_142 |
| 21/2 |
|
VA_112A |
VA_102A |
|
VA_132A |
VA_182A |
VA_502A |
VA_122A |
VA_412A |
|
| 3 |
|
VA_113 |
VA_103 |
|
VA_133 |
VA_183 |
VA_503 |
VA_123 |
VA_413 |
VA_143 |
| 31/2 |
|
VA_113A |
VA_103A |
|
VA_133A |
VA_183A |
VA_503A |
VA_123A |
VA_413A |
|
| 4 |
|
VA_114 |
VA_104 |
|
VA_134 |
VA_184 |
VA_504 |
VA _124 |
VA_414 |
VA_144 |
| 41/2 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
VA_504A |
|
|
|
| 5 |
|
|
VA_105 |
|
VA_135 |
VA_185 |
VA_505 |
|
VA_415 |
|
| 5+ |
|
|
|
|
|
VA_185A |
VA_505A |
|
|
|
| 5+ |
|
|
|
|
|
VA_186 |
|
|
|
|
Your
entire purchasing
experience and after sales service will be very positive.
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