You definitly need to use a hard reed. My setup for soprano is a Selmer S90 190 with a Vandoren 3.5 reed, bay ligatiure I've been playing soprano a couple years now, and I find that you must keep a higher tongue position for all notes on the horn. Also, do lots of overtones on soprano. Not only with it improve you sound, but you'll add much flexibility to your playing. Also do mouthpiece exercises with voicing. The pitch you need to produce with just the soprano mouthpiece is a concert C. It's a different pitch for all the different mouthpieces (a,t,b). Good luck and happy practicing.