Episode #9
Episode 9: The Reed Revolution
It's just a tiny piece of cane. Or maybe it's synthetic. Either way, it costs between $3 and $42, and it completely shapes your sound. Welcome to the world of saxophone reeds—where half the reeds in every box are duds, where you can love something for two weeks and then watch it fall apart, and where the quest for consistency can turn into a decades-long journey. In this episode, Keith shares his entire reed evolution—from almost quitting the saxophone at age 15 because his teacher started him on a Vandoren Classical #4 (way too hard for a beginner), to finding the Vandoren ZZ that finally unlocked altissimo, to settling on D'Addario Select Jazz 2M Filed as his benchmark for brightness and consistency. But the story doesn't end there. Keith also dives into the world of synthetic reeds—testing the indestructible Forestone Hinoki (his son used one reed for a year and a half!) and the Légère American Cut (amazing tone, but only lasts two weeks before splitting at $42 a pop). The episode includes a live 4-reed comparison where Keith plays the same musical examples on D'Addario Select Jazz, BetterSax, Forestone Hinoki, and a degraded Légère so you can hear the tonal differences for yourself. Keith also shares his wish list of reeds he wants to try next—D'Addario LaVoz (the reed Kenny G uses), Rigotti Gold (the company that makes reeds for boutique brands like BetterSax and Roberto's Winds), Boston Sax Shop Silver or Red Box, Forestone Bamboo Black with Double Blast XS, and Fibracell Premier. The big takeaway? Experimenting with reeds is the cheapest way to transform your saxophone sound. You can spend $30-40 on a box of reeds and completely change your tone, compared to hundreds or thousands for a new mouthpiece or saxophone. The reed is where the vibration starts—it's where your tone is born. So don't be afraid to experiment until you find the one that clicks. Saxing Around with Keith: The Sax-Kwentuhan of Ketong --- Contact: saxingkeith@gmail.com YouTube: @JustSaxingWithKeith
