How do you tell if your reed is strong or weak?
Use the following strength indicators to determine the strength or your reed:
| Indicator | Strong | Weak |
| High register | easy, sharp | unstable |
| Low register | difficult, sharp | easy |
| Slurring down | difficult | easy |
| Slurring up | easy | difficult |
| Embouchure manipulation – low register | too much | very little |
| Embouchure manipulation – high register | very little | too much |
Embouchure manipulation refers to how much you have to use your embouchure to get your reed to cooperate. For example, if the very lowest notes of the bassoon come right out, then you are using very little embouchure manipulation. If you need to drop your jaw a lot and play on the very end of the reed, then you are using too much embouchure manipulation.