where does the reed go on a clarinet
the mouthpieces
title: Clarinet text: section. However, all modern clarinets have similar components. The "reed" is attached to the "mouthpiece" by the "ligature", and the top half-inch or so of this assembly is held in the player's mouth. In the past clarinetists used to wrap a string around the mouthpiece and reed instead of using a ligature. The formation of the mouth around the mouthpiece and reed is called the "embouchure". The reed is on the underside of the mouthpiece, pressing against the player's lower lip, while the top teeth normally contact the top of the mouthpiece (some players roll the upper lip under the title: Clarinet text: or gold. Other materials include wire, wire mesh, plastic, naugahyde, string, or leather. The clarinet uses a single reed made from the cane of "Arundo donax", a type of grass. Reeds may also be manufactured from synthetic materials. The ligature fastens the reed to the mouthpiece. When air is blown through the opening between the reed and the mouthpiece facing, the reed vibrates and produces the clarinet's sound. Basic reed measurements are as follows: tip, wide; lay, long (distance from the place where the reed touches the mouthpiece to the tip); gap, (distance between the underside of the reed tip title: Reed (mouthpiece) text: and separated from the tube of cane and attached to a mouthpiece of some sort. By contrast, in an uncapped double reed instrument (such as the oboe and bassoon), there is no mouthpiece; the two parts of the reed vibrate against one another. Single reeds are used on the mouthpieces of clarinets and saxophones. The back of the reed is flat and is placed against the mouthpiece, the rounded top side tapers to a thin tip. These reeds are roughly rectangular in shape except for the thin vibrating tip, which is curved to match the curve of the mouthpiece tip. title: Ligature (instrument) text: Ligature (instrument) A ligature is a device which holds a reed onto the mouthpiece of a single-reed instrument such as a saxophone or clarinet. The ligature must secure the reed firmly against the table of the mouthpiece while allowing it to vibrate freely. The earliest ligatures were lengths of string wrapped over the reed and tied. Iwan Müller invented a metal ligature to replace twine. String is still used by clarinetists, especially in Germany. Modern German mouthpieces have a groove cut into the outside of the mouthpiece to facilitate wrapping with a string ligature. Some modern clarinetists even opt to title: Reed (mouthpiece) text: and can require expensive equipment. Among double reed players, advanced and professional players typically make their own reeds, while beginners and students often buy reeds either from their teachers or from commercial sources. Reeds made from cane, used on woodwind instruments such as saxophones, clarinets, oboes, and bassoons, are affected highly by climate changes. As the temperature and amount of humidity changes, the reed also changes. It is a common occurrence for a reed to behave vastly differently from the cold rehearsal room where they warm up to the stage which is often hot due to onstage lights. While these