What is a synthetic reed?Updated 2 months ago

A synthetic reed is a woodwind reed made from man-made materials rather than natural cane. “Synthetic” means it’s designed to imitate the positive qualities of cane while correcting for some of cane’s natural inconsistencies. Légère reeds, for example, are made from a special polypropylene (a type of plastic) that mimics the flexibility and tonal properties of moist cane. The benefit of a synthetic reed is consistency – each reed behaves the same, there’s no need for wetting or significant break-in, and factors like temperature or humidity don’t affect it. In short, a synthetic reed gives you the feel and sound of a good cane reed, but with greater reliability and longevity.