Klarinet Archive - Posting 000330.txt from 2003/01

From: "Don Yungkurth" <clarinet@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] legere reeds and ligatures
Date: Sun, 19 Jan 2003 10:54:07 -0500

Frank P. Galiani wrote:

>Nancy, When I first started using Legeres a couple of years ago, I had one
>that just wouldn't quit...so I used it and used it and... After a while, I
>tried a new reed, and found that my embouchure had gotten so weak I could
>almost not play. Putting that new 3 1/2 on was like going from a #2 to a
>tongue depressor. Since then, I've kept about six of them going in
rotation,
>and retired them after about 30 hours. I wonder if any other players have
had
>a similar experience with reeds that just would not quit? Frank

I recently went back to taking lessons and went in to the first lesson with
a Legere. I'd been using them for almost three years and was pretty
confident that I played just the same with cane and plastic. I number of
people familiar with my playing could not believe that I was "playing
plastic" and complemented me on the sound.

The new teacher tried my equipment and said the Legere was too soft. At
home, I got out the last batch of V12s that I had conditioned and adjusted
and found that I couldn't play on them they were so hard! My conclusion was
the same - that my embouchure had significantly weakened. I'm currently
playing strictly on cane, at least until I get my chops back. At that point
I'll probably use Legere again, but also use cane that I know requires a
good
embouchure.

Don Yungkurth

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