The best reed for beginner clarinet is a size 2 or 2.5 reed. Most beginners start with Rico, Rico Royal, or Vandoren Brand Clarinet Reeds. Your teacher will most likely recommend one of these brands to start with. The size number indicates the thickness of the reed.

What reed should a beginner use clarinet?

The higher the number, the harder or more resistant the reed. Beginners, especially young people, will usually start with a #2 or #2.5, and will typically aim towards a #3 or #3.5 as they begin to play high C and above.

What strength of reed should I use?

Most teachers recommend that a first-year musician use a 2 or 2.5 (soft or medium soft) reed. Anything stiffer may make it difficult to produce a sound while anything more flexible may produce a weak sound. ... Your teacher should let you know when it is time to switch to a different strength reed.