Best woodwind instrument parts according to redditors

You can buy clarinet pads online but then you'd probably have to buy the whole pad set and detach the keys yourself to put the pads on. I would suggest going to your local music store where someone can do it for you.

Tell that to the saxophones
https://www.amazon.com/SODIAL-TM-Saxophone-Metal-Dampener/dp/B00DFQMT14

R13s are still considered a great intermediate/professional-level clarinet, but they have plenty of competition now! Yamaha is their main competitor, and Backun (Ricardo Morales backs them) is getting pretty successful, too.

You might have to find new reeds... D'Addario bought Rico, so what used to be Rico Reserve is now D'Addario Reserve. They still make the orange box Ricos and blue box Rico Royals, though. My favorite reeds are theD'Addario Reserve Classics, but they just started making a new line called D'Addario Evolution that a lot of my friends are playing now. Vandoren V12s and v21s are popular, too.

Thumb supports have gotten really popular, like the Ridenour Thumb Saddle and this Kooiman thing that transfers a lot of the weight to your hand rather than just your thumb. I have the Ridenour, and I love it because it makes your hand more open, like a c shape rather than a pinch.

Good luck and have fun! It might be worth bringing your clarinet into a shop to have the pads checked out, and after you've gotten into the swing of things, maybe take a lesson or two and get some pointers to stop bad habits from forming.

I'm actually at a similar point... I just graduated college (not for music), and I'm hoping to find an ensemble to play in now so I keep my skills up. I loved being in the wind ensemble at my school!

I play bass clarinet in marching band and my school doesn’t use straps, so I use this cushion that goes around my thumb that takes all the weight of the clarinet off of my thumb. They’re pricy for how small they are but they’re really worth it, they run small btw. https://www.amazon.com/NUBS-Thumb-Protectors-Woodwind-Medium/dp/B074YCHHCY/ref=mp_s_a_1_1_sspa?keywords=clarinet+nub&qid=1573001316&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEzVzQwRzc0NUw2OVk5JmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwMjA5ODk2MjdQRlZRVFNENVpENyZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwMDU1MTYzM01ISENFNlhUMzBDQiZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX3Bob25lX3NlYXJjaF9hdGYmYWN0aW9uPWNsaWNrUmVkaXJlY3QmZG9Ob3RMb2dDbGljaz10cnVl

Gift one - A Xaphoon... because it's a pocket sax. How cool would it be if I were to go around jazzing up errthang with a pocket sax!

Gift 2 - C'mon...gimme. I need this because... my friend won't watch Game of Thrones until he reads this book and I desperately want him to watch the show!!

And... I'll compliment your looks when I finally get to see them! Also... Rasta, your voice is so... Mhm. No creeper

Backun MoBa Grenadilla Clarinet Bell - $675

Silverstein Works Cryo4 Gold Ligature Small Clarinet - $200

Ridenour Clarinet Thumb Saddle - $15 X 2 clarinets = $30

Vandoren V.12 3 1/2 Reeds - $30 X 3 = $90

Hodge Clarinet Silk Swab - $10

675 + 200 = $875

30 + 90 + 10 = $130

875 + 130 = $1005

=)

There are a couple of options I would recommend. First, the Jazzlab saxholder.

https://www.amazon.com/Jazzlab-SAXHOLDER-Saxophone-Harness/dp/B005J3EZZY/ref=sr_1_1?hvadid=190488481805&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=9027885&hvnetw=g&hvpos=1t2&hvqmt=e&hvrand=3487856778279769703&hvtargid=kwd-300116609240&keywords=jazzlab+saxholder&qid=1554942390&s=gateway&sr=8-1

This puts no pressure on the neck whatsoever, and instead supports the horn with the broad part of your upper back above your shoulder blades. It also has a pad on the front that helps support the instrument by pressing against your torso. It is very good for keeping the instrument from giving you neck strain, I use it with my tenor as it is very heavy. It is a little awkward at first, but you get used to it after a couple of weeks.

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Another option is the Just Joe's sax gel strap.

https://justjoessaxgelstrap.com/

​

The Just Joe's strap is extremely comfortable, and there is a space between the padding like a valley where your vertebrae fits into the gap, to avoid any pressure on your spinal cord. These are more expensive, but the quality is second to none, I have had mine for four years and it is still the most comfortable strap I have ever tried and if for some reason something happened to it I would absolutely purchase another one.

I like the clear ones better - they're thinner, but I think they might be tougher.

Ones like these - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002FEGREW/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

The key is to rest them on the mouthpiece but if you bite too hard it messes with the vibration of the reed. If it still hurts I would recommend these, for I've been using them for 3 years: https://www.amazon.com/Vandoren-VMC6-Mouthpiece-Cushions-0-35mm/dp/B002FEGREW

I suppose that's possible, but as a half Japanese who grew up part time in Japan, I have seen old ladies use these sorts of machines as directed.

Maybe somebody uses them as sex toys too, but there are a bunch of "naive" old ladies who didn't catch on. Obviously some people in Japan have seen the alternate possibilities as well (see this 2ch thread - google translate sucks, but you get the idea), but I don't think you can say that the intended purpose is as a sex toy. Really, I think you're just underestimating the prevalence of silly anti-aging devices on the Japanese market.

EDIT - Links

http://www.amazon.com/Rico-Metalite-Baritone-Sax-Mouthpiece/dp/B0039RPWJU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1420045104&sr=8-1&keywords=rico+metalite+bari

beware: baffels

https://www.amazon.com/Jazzlab-SAXHOLDER-Saxophone-Harness/dp/B005J3EZZY

You can easily change the hook if you need to for use with a balance hanger, but the included hook works with a Fox neck strap ring just fine.

those little 4 reed holders like this in a plastic bag with Rico reed vitalizers (here) in the outside of my gig bag.

Funny, I was just watching that video before reading this post. I got a good laugh from the materials too. Do you know if something akin to these https://www.amazon.com/Instrument-Clinic-IC540-Universal-Clarinet/dp/B0075QXBUS or are they too low quality? Is there high danger they may be the wrong size? I feel like I would be able to pull off the work itself.

The clarinet currently has a Vandonen b40 so, I might try to clean that one up just because I know it's a fairly decent mouthpiece so I may want to take it for a spin. However, I'll probably get the 4c sg recommended to limit my exposure to old clarinet Ebola.

I'll definitely check out those reeds. I never gave Vandonen a fair shake on sax before so I think it will be nice to try.

Can't you play electric bass?

This is the new hotness in the realm of harnesses. Here's one of my favorite sax players using it

They are little plastic things you can pop in and out whenever you want.

https://www.amazon.com/Universal-Silicone-Flutes-Flute-Plugs/dp/B01190WJN0/ref=pd_sim_267_1/151-4362287-6146226?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B01190WJN0&pd_rd_r=J77BDTADKVQX4BYXQCV2&pd_rd_w=L4rRV&pd_rd_wg=bYGjo&psc=1&refRID=J77BDTADKVQX4BYXQCV2

You just push them through the top then you want them in and push them into the tube when you want them out.

Instrument Clinic Amber Shellac Stick, for Saxophone, Clarinet Pads, Made in USA! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B012UTE6K8/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_apa_i_g-21Db323MCR2

Don't know if this helps but this some shellac I found on Amazon. If you use this and a lighter you could honestly get the job done just fine.

That being said getting it repaired professionally is never a bad idea, hope this helps!

There are a bunch of cool budget instruments out there you might want to look into.

A melodica can go for as little as 30 bucks on amazon. It's the instrument that plays The Office theme -- it plays like a keyboard, that you blow into, works like a harmonica and sounds sort of like an accordion. It's really awesome.

You could also just get a harmonica. Choose between a blues harmonica an a chromatic -- blues can only play the notes in a blues scale (for jazz), while chromatic is a little more versatile but harder to play.

For 70 bucks or so you could get a pocket sax. It's a little mini saxophone that sounds like a soprano sax mixed with a clarinet, and plays like a recorder.

If you want to get a brass instrument you could get a pocket trumpet to start. 150 dollars or more, basically a little trumpet with keys and everything.

Of course, if you're not afraid to spend somewhere more in the hundreds, you could get a secondhand version of almost any instrument. Check local garage sales or craigslist for used brass, woodwind, percussion, etc. instruments.

Online you can also find cool instruments for cheap. A cheap sax might cost only a few hundred dollars.

A general rule of thumb is "the bigger it is, the more expensive." So a baritone saxophone or a tuba will be super-expensive, while a pocket sax is cheap as dirt.

I would say get one of these just to be sure -

https://www.amazon.com/Timiy-Saxophone-Flute-Instrument-Accessory/dp/B07TM8ZLXD/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=leak+light&qid=1569203236&sr=8-1

Ended up finding out my low c# leaks and even though my a key does not leak, it has to be pushed harder than normal to not slightly leak.