Single, Double or Tripple Reed?

[Dirty D]

Here's a question that came up the other day that I didn't have a good answer for.

What's the difference between single, double and tripple reed diaphrams? I know which ones I use to prodced various sounds and which are my personal favorite but I didn't have a great answer to the question. The best I could come up with was that a single "broke" with less air volume compared to a double or tripple and would produce a higher pitch sound.

I can make my best cow calls with a single and bugles with double, I Have tried but don't really like or use tripples.

[elkmtngear]

I have used triples for years on Turkeys...seems like I can get a "richer" tone with a triple when compared to a double or single. Can't really think of another way to describe the difference.

[ElkNut1]

Dirty D, I'm doing a Video Clip on the Tensions that different reeds have & what their specific purposes are! I will be using Single, Double & Triple reeds for those hunters that are wondering what to expect from a particular tensioned reed! It's a great question & one I receive emails for regularly!

In a nutshell though, many single reeds are light tension, yes some singles are medium tension too, depends on their stretch? Doubles can be equally confusing. Triples are just flat tightly stretched when considering 3 layers, this is a reed rarely used as an all purpose reed! I will talk about all this & show the sounds ones can expect from a variety of reeds! Thanks!

If looking for a good all purpose reed now! Then consider the Closer & Raging Bull, those are excellent choices to go with!!

ElkNut1

[elkaholic]

I typically will use a single latex reed but this year I am going to experiment with a double and triple.

[JohnFitzgerald]

Single and double for me. Never used a triple.

[CrazyElkHunter]

I have used reeds since the early 80's. Tripple reeds are harder to master and to get full use of all three can be frustrating. I have a high pallot and have to bend all my reeds to get the sounds I want. The trick is to get the right shape without loseing the proper tension on the latex. The only real advantage I get out of a tripple reed is that if I want to sound like the biggest baddest bull on the planet. I can get a deeper, growling, raspier sounds out of the tripple. Single and double reeds are easier and I can get any sound I want from a calf to a mature herd bull, so I mainly use them. Bugling Bull reeds from Rocky Jacobsen and Primos reeds are the main ones I use. If you are a first timer trying to use one most will get frustrated, give up and just go to a bite down cow call or a reed attached type grunt tube. Learn to call with a reed for the versitility and convenience of them when you have to be hands free and have to make a quick elk sound. I have one in the corner of my mouth from the time I leave camp and it stays there til I get back to camp. The easiest way to get your first sounds is put a single reed in the forward part of the roof of your mouth and just try to say the letter "s". Your tongue automatically puts tension on the latex and you should get your first sound. Like Paul shows in his videos, the more pressure with the tongue the higher the pitch. I really like useing single reeds for makeing spike squeels, younger bull sounds, cow and calf sounds.