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Reserve Clarinet Reeds by D’Addario Woodwinds

14th January 2022

The D’Addario line of Reserve Clarinet reeds have three different variations: Reserve, Reserve Classic and Reserve Evolution.  These are ideal reeds for the advancing student or professional player, whether you are wanting to blend within an orchestra or stand out with your solo performance. But what is the difference between them?

We asked leading professional Clarinettist Nick Carpenter to demonstrate and discuss this range of reeds…

Reserve

If you are wanting to get a clear and centred tone, then the Reserve Clarinet would be a great option for you to try. These are a filed reed (more info on filed vs unfiled here)with a traditional blank and tip thickness to help give a quick response. The tip corners have been rounded to give some additional tonal warmth. They also have a shorter vamp to help give the player an even intonation across all registers of the clarinet. These are the only reeds in the Reserve line that are also available for Eb and Bass clarinet.

Reserve Classic

If you are wanting to achieve a warmer tone in your playing, then the Reserve Classic may be your solution. What D’Addario have done to help the player achieve this is make the blank thicker and the vamp longer. Both changes make the tonal quality of the reed warmer, whilst giving the player a flexible dynamic range. The Reserve Classics also have squared tip corners to still give the player the same ease of response that you get from the Reserve.

Reserve Evolution

The Reserve Evolution are the only unfiled reed in the Reserve line. If you want to achieve a well-rounded, and more complex tone these are the reeds you should try. The Reserve Evolution has the thickest blank, which gives the reed a more rounded and warmer tone. To give the player increased projection the reed features a heavy spine. There is also a thicker tip for enhanced articulation.