Wooden Reed Care (Paperback)

High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! Due to their natural composition, wooden musical reeds may hold bacteria or mold, which can affect one's health and the quality of sound produced. Some of the basic instruments that use wooden reeds include the clarinet, saxophone, oboe, and bassoon. Proper care of reeds will extend their longevity and control bacterial growth.Wooden reeds must be moistened prior to playing. Many musicians place the reed in their mouths to moisten them with saliva. In preparing the reed for playing, water is less corrosive than saliva. Soaking a reed in water for about five minutes is a good alternative to saliva. It also reduces the chance of food particles damaging the reed.