Yamaha designed these synthetic reeds so that even a beginner will find them easy to play with a good sound, and with an appearance and texture similar to natural cane. Yamaha synthetic reeds have been tested for over 320 hours of playing time, equivalent to 8 months of real-world use. Even after this extended time, there was no detectable change in stiffness or shape. These reeds contain no toxic substances and can be cleaned with soap and water or disinfected with mouthpiece cleaner or rubbing alcohol to keep them sanitary.