The Clarinet BBoard

Re: Synthetic vs any other reed

Author: kdk  Date:   2017-02-26 19:38 I didn't know Vandoren made a "cheap" reed. They seem pretty pricey to me. It isn't clear what you want people here to tell you. You've already made a judgment based on your having actually tried the Playeasy/synthetic combination and the only way for you to find out if your first impression will stand up over time is to make the switch and find out. I don't know anything about the Playeasy mouthpieces except what I've read here, so others might want to react or not. My reaction about synthetic reeds depends on which reed you mean. I've only found one - the Legére Signature European style - that I actually like playing on, but I've switched to using them regularly because they are more stable over time than cane, more consistent out of the box than cane, don't need to be kept moist during extended playing (rehearsals and concerts) and last far longer than cane. The trade-offs, after a short period to learn how to adjust embouchure and internal oral approaches to them. are a tendency to tune lower than cane reeds, especially in the altissimo range, and a less prominent "ping" or "ring" or "edge" than I've always listened for in my cane reeds. Your mileage may differ depending on what sound you've become used to using cane and how the synthetic you choose interacts with the Playeasy mouthpiece. Apparently your teacher likes the combination, and you liked your trial of it when you played his setup. So my advice, regardless of the responses you get, is to make the switch and see how *you* like it after a few weeks. Just don't throw or give away your B40 or your Vandorens until you've decided. Karl

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