Despite global events in 2020 that forced much of the music industry to pause or to reduce production, D’Addario Woodwinds has remained consummately dedicated to bringing players one of the most innovative synthetic reed experiences they’ve had to date. Back and better than ever, D’Addario Woodwinds is excited to announce their exclusive relaunch of the iconic VENN Advanced Synthetic Reeds.
What is VENN?
VENN was developed by the respected engineers at D’Addario Woodwinds and is a true innovation in the woodwind accessory market. The manufacturer has successfully combined the stability and longevity of a synthetic reed with the sound and feel of natural cane.
How did D’Addario do this? Setting out to mimic the organic structure of cane, they reverse-engineered the cane itself by layering different strengths of polymer fibers with resin and organic reed elements to make up the reed blank. After much experimentation, the resulting reed outperforms many others like it. And the best part … it sounds and plays like your favorite cane reed.
Learn More about about the VENN Advanced Synthetic Reed by D’Addario Woodwinds
How Does VENN Compare?
Always Advancing
Not long after the initial launch, D’Addario was forced to close their factories in late March. Shortly thereafter, the engineering team began working tirelessly throughout the temporary shutdown to continue to refine the technology used to create their VENN Advanced Synthetic Reeds.
Here are just a few of their new advancements that have been implemented:
- Bonding – To reduce the chance of loose fibers appearing on the edges of VENN reeds at the time of purchase, a special electron treatment is being utilized to ensure the best possible bond between VENN’s polymer fibers and resin.
- Cutting Process – Additional camera inspection and tip measurement stations have been added to our VENN cutting process to guarantee that every VENN reed purchase is perfectly within D’Addario Woodwinds’ specifications.
- Play Testing – 100’s of VENN reeds have been extensively play-tested and compared to a comprehensive list of cane reed and synthetic reed solutions—all in efforts to ensure that our strength comparison charts provide players with the best possible chance of selecting the right VENN reed strength for them.
Choosing Your Strength
VENN advanced synthetic reeds are available for Bb clarinet, alto saxophone and tenor saxophone. When choosing your strength of VENN reed, consider the strength of your favorite cane reed. Since VENN reeds are engineered to behave like cane and actually include cane elements, choosing a strength similar to your cane reed of choice will provide a seamless playing experience.
Additionally, VENN reeds are generally designed to feel harder than other reed brands. With this in mind, it is important to consult the VENN Strength Comparison Charts for Bb clarinet, alto saxophones, and tenor saxophones.
When comparing VENN reeds to other premium concert reed brands, such as Reserve, VENN generally feels anywhere between ¼ and ½ strength harder than the comparable premium reed strength. More free-blowing reeds, such as Rico or Select Jazz generally feel between ¾ and 1 full strength harder than comparable VENN reed strengths. Check out the full comparison in the charts below.
Clarinet reed strength chart.
Saxophone reed strength chart.
What’s Next?
Ready to get yours? The full line of voices and strengths are available for you to shop now!
Shop Music & Arts
We’d love for you to visit us at one of our many stores around the country, where our helpful staff are standing by to help you select the best saxophone reed or clarinet reed for you or your student. Or you can shop online at musicarts.com for a wide selection of VENN reeds and other D’Addario Woodwinds products.
Learn more about how to choose the right reed for you with How To Choose a Saxophone Reed and How To Choose a Clarinet Reed.
For sanitary reasons, reeds are not eligible for return.