Which types of woods or materials make good reeds?

Most woodwind instrument reeds are made from Arundo donax ("Giant cane") or synthetic material.

1. What are most reeds made of?
2. Is reed a type of wood?
3. Which instruments make their own reeds?
4. What cane is used for reeds?

What are most reeds made of?

The reed is made of the cane plant. The cane has a hollow stem and grows to full height in one year. To make a reed, cane is cut to the proper length, cut along the length into four parts, and then shaved. Because reeds are made from a natural material, no two reeds are exactly the same.

Is reed a type of wood?

A reed is a woody plant with long, slender leaves. ... The stalk of a reed plant is also called a reed, and it's from this stiff, wood-like material that reeds for certain musical instruments were first made.

Which instruments make their own reeds?

While the method varies by musician, most professional double-reed musicians - including oboists and bassoonists - make their own reeds, while clarinetists tend to buy them, since the clarinet reed is flat and simpler to construct.

What cane is used for reeds?

Arundo Donax or Giant Cane, a member of the grass family, is used to make cane reeds. Reeds are not made out of bamboo. Reeds are not only made of cane. There are synthetic reeds made of composite materials designed to last longer than natural cane reeds.