Java Reeds sold in Red and Green boxes, is there a difference?

[Michael Bishop]

😎 Hi Johnny,
I noticed the Java reeds come in a Red and Green box, is there a difference between the 2 or are the exactly the same thing?
Having fun learning “Use Me”; this song almost feels like it was meant to be played on the Saxophone! Thanks for such a great release, looking forward to your next one.

[john]

yes, I love the groove of that song too!
I haven’t tried the red box yet so don’t know.

[Michael Bishop]

Everything about your new release of “Use Me” feels JUST RIGHT and you’ve GOT to release some more of this kind of stuff. I have “Ain’t No Sunshine” too; bought it about 6 months ago and will learn it after this one; having too much fun learning “Use Me” right now:) just taking it a few notes at at time. Have to make time for Killer Blues ebook (just worked on it today) and Altissimo course; I alternate between courses each day but work on what I’ve learned from each book everyday if you get what I mean. I think it’s important, like you mention in Killer Blues about memorizing everything, but also think we have to know HOW to take what I’m learning, whether it be just one blues scale or Pentatonic Scale, and apply it to OTHER scales; which will then help me start developing my own licks—seems like this is what I like to think of a “pre-requisite’ of having this ability to apply what I’m learning to other scales before being able to play in a band? I don’t want to be the kind of player who, while it’s great fun, just memorizes songs all the time…..to me I would be limited in what I can do with a Saxophone. I think learning and knowing how to Improvise is simply a must for a Saxophone player.

Next week, I will be uploading something to the blog, in the way of a Saxophone “duet” with both Alto and Tenor; I’m working on one of your songs right now using the same kind of duet format where the screen will be split in 2, Alto on one side and Tenor on the other. REALLY cool and fun…..and besides 2 Saxophones are better than 1 🙂

[Anonymous]

That sounds cool Michael!
i’ve just started an improvisation course which is going to takes months, probably years for me.
Its a really weird approach to playing.
Works on the principle that you learn to play to yourself with as little music theory as possible,
instead of being taught to perform for an audience and having to memorize lots of scales and theory.
At the end of it, i should be able to play back anything i hear starting at any point on the sax.

[jake]

from what i’ve read, the java reds are filed whereas the greens are not filed. also, when i look at a sizing chart, the greens are a touch thinner than the reds.
http://www.vandoren.fr/en/javareed.html
If you click the “reed comparison index” tab at the bottom left, it will open up the sizing chart.

I currently use the reds. I was thinking about trying some greens just to compare. Hey, you never know right. What works for one doesn’t always work for the next. Gotta love all this trial and error. LOL

[Michael Bishop]

Hey Jake, what’s been your experience with the reds? For Alto, I recently have switched to Vandoren ZZ reeds–thanks to a great tip from Johnny-and they are WAY better than the standard Vandoren reeds I’ve been using (for alto). They play fantastic straight out of the box, are brighter and slightly thicker than what I was using. I picked up a box while on vacation last week, playing tourist in Texas. So I was curious about the Vandoren Java Reds…but I’m VERY happy with the Javas I’m using with my Guardala Studio right now 🙂
If you’re going to try them out, let me know what your thoughts are between the 2.

[jake]

I like the java reds (for my tenor) as compared to others I have tried. I hear a warm, buzzy sound that resonates from them. These are the reeds I have used in my last few videos (do run run, crying, unchained melody). They also have a pretty easy blowing feeling. They do seem softer than other reeds though. I was having a problem with my higher notes closing up so I went from a 2.5 to a #3 java red and it seemed to help. I just sent 2 of my mouthpieces off to be handworked and adjusted, should get them back any day now. The guy who fixed them said I should be able to go back to a 2.5 without it closing up from the adjustments he made, we shall see!!
The other reeds I have tried (tenor) are rico select cut unfiled, standard ricos, v16’s, rico grand concert selects, rico plastic covereds, and sure there’s a few others in the mix. I haven’t tried them on my alto. I just use standard rico #3’s on alto. I really don’t play the alto much. I use it for 3 songs with my buddy (Cool Change, Baker Street, and Turn the Page).
Again, I use a custom metal mp styled after a guardala mb and king. I also just got a Guardala MBII that just got handfinished as well! 🙂 I will let you know about the java greens if I get them. I’m not sure what size to order. They are a touch thinner than the java reds. I am comfortable with a java red 3 so I wonder if the 2.5 would feel to small or not perform on the higher notes?? Will probably order both.

[Michael Bishop]

Regarding one reed being softer or thinner than the other…..there’s only one way to find out and that’s to get some a try them. Good for you to get a handfinished MP! I’m doing the same thing for Alto come the end of this month; I will be uploading something to the blog next week using the Alto, together with the Tenor as a duet, and then it’s off to the shop to get some work done on it. I play the Alto about equal amount as the Tenor, my wife got the Alto as a Anniversary gift and would never forgive me if I stopped playing it LOL I’ve been working on the Altissimo course and Killer Blues ebook in both Saxophones and it’s fun and there’s certainly big advantages to practicing on both Saxophones. There’s one song in particular of Johnny’s that, when he released it, SHE bought it and the brought it to me LOL, so didn’t have much choice in the matter but to learn it 🙂 The good news is that I’m about 80% done with it and. after the Alto comes back from getting serviced, then I’ll upload the song she bought to the blog. I would love to see you upload Baker Street with your Alto! The local band director, whose name is Mr.Baker (no joke), had sheet music/backing track that I have learned but it’s in a different key than Johnny’s release, but when the Alto comes back from getting serviced I’m going to start working on Johnny’s version; how cool would it be to be able to play Baker Street in 2 concert keys? 🙂

[jake]

I haven’t really played a lot on them but have tried the java greens. They are stiffer feeling as compared to the java reds. The reds are softer and seem a little easier to play. I believe that I read on the Vandoren web site that the reds are filed reeds whereas the greens are not filed. Being new to the sax, not really sure what that means in layman terms.
As far as the sound goes, I hear a brighter and buzzier sound coming from the java red reeds. I kinda like this sound when playing some rock and good old 80’s tunes but I think it is a little too much when trying to play some slower stuff. Overall I like both for different reasons so will keep playing them depending on the sound I am looking for. I bought my custom mouthpiece from a guy out of NYC and he saw my “Yesterday” video and thought I was a little bright sounding. I used the java reds for that video. He recommended I try Rigotti gold medium 2 1/2 reeds. I ordered some and will give them a try as well. Might be a little while cause the are on backorder. Will let you know when I get them.

[Anonymous]

Out of a box of 10 Java greens.
The 1st five i soaked for about 3 minutes and started playing them, in the end i threw them all away.
The next 5 i soaked for 15 minutes, waited till they dried out. Then put each one on a flat surface and rubbed the bottom sides
up and down for a minute.
Then took a teaspoon and pressed down hard rubbing the top side of the reed (not the tip).
The 1st day i played each reed for only 5 minutes on the low register only.
The 2nd day played each one for 10 minutes low & middle register only.
3rd day 10 minutes low to high registers.
Result i’ve got 5 working reeds – just doing what some university professors recommend.
Sounds a bit OTT but some of these old Sax players knew a thing or two.

[Author]

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