Double Reeds

Double reeds play an essential role in the resulting sound quality and playability of orchestral wind instruments like the bassoon, English horn and oboe. They consist of two pieces of cane that vibrate by rubbing against one another, and compared to single reeds, their manufacturing process is a lot more complex. However, like single reeds, double reeds are very easy to come by on today's music market and all the most popular reed brands offer their own models, including Stradella, Jones and Andreas Eastman.

Double reeds are available in various strengths and are typically marked soft, medium-soft, medium, medium-hard and hard. Since every player has their own unique embouchure and skill level, there are no right or wrong answers. If you're still not sure what's right for you though, it's best to stick to a double reed in the medium range because soft and hard reeds will require some adjusting and modifying before they are played.

First off, let's take a look at some bassoon reeds. There are many popular choices here, including the Marline Lesher Bassoon Reed. Meticulously cut and wound, these reeds produce an amazing sound and they also just happen to be a best seller. Or maybe the English horn is your instrument of choice - if so, then we'll suggest starting your search with the Andreas Eastman English Horn Reeds. Cut and filed in the Var region of France, these reeds are crafted from premium cane and it's obvious from the moment you being playing them.

As for all you enthusiastic oboists, there are plenty of choices for you here as well. Need a suggestion? Try a top-rated item like the Magic Reed Professional Oboe Reed. Handmade and designed to very high standards, these reeds are refined over three sittings. The result is an incredibly stable reed that's constructed to be free-blowing and stays right on pitch.

And these double reeds were only mentioned to give you a taste of what awaits you in these pages. Bassoons, oboes and English horns take a great deal of skill to master. For this reason, choosing a reed that's comfortable to play and perfectly matches your lip shape and embouchure is very important. So try to choose your double reed wisely - and remember, when you're ready to make a purchase, you don't need to look any further than this section for an impressive range of options.