 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: jez
Date: 2003-01-14 12:31
After hearing discussion here and various recommendations from elsewhere I decided to try a Legere reed. It's just arrived and after playing on it for a couple of hours I must say I'm very impressed. My only reservations might be that I'm not sure it'd be as good at very loud stuff without feeling distorted and I can't pick off the top notes (B&C) as easily, but it's early days yet and these may disappear as I get more used to it. I may try a slightly harder one. We're making a CD of some dreadful symphony by Bax and its absolutely fine playing down the line in big orchestra stuff. Tomorrow I've got to play principal so I'll be interested to see if it's up to that or if I have to resort to those old-fashioned woody things.
Can anyone tell me how long I can expect them to last, how they change over time, is this the answer to all our prayers?
jez
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Author: Dan
Date: 2003-01-14 15:05
Hi jex, I'm not sure I can answer all of your questions, but I'll give it my best $0.02 worth.
I've been playing on Legere reeds for well over a year now. I absolutely love them. I've tried going back to "the woody things", but I keep coming back to Legere.
I play stickly on a #2 reed strength and can easily go up to F6 without too much of a problem. The trick is to find the right mpc. With a longer facing, those higher altissimo and clarion region notes will be rather difficult if not almost impossible to hit. So, IMO, if you're having problems hitting higher notes, it's probably not the reed. A few days ago, I picked up an old Selmer H**. It has a 0.047" tip opening with an 18mm facing. Good grief...it sure was loud!! But those higher altissimo and clarion notes were so easy to produce. I think I need to clarify that last sentence. I find the H** to be rather quite resistant. Even with that in mind, the high notes were solid and even rapid staccato was available to me. You didn't mention what kind of mpc you were using, so I can only guess that it's facing might be too long for you.
The only "problem" I have with the Legere is that they can be rather inconsistent in reed strength,IMO. I have a 2 1/2 that blows easier than some of my #2's. I have found that the milkier the color, the more resistant they seem to be. The more translucent ones seem to produce sound the easiest.
As to loudness, I didn't notice any change in tonal character when playing with the H**. The sound was very loud and...very clear.
Another feature I like about them is that they are ready to play the moment I put them on the mpc. And if I take a 10 to 20 minute break in practicing, I don't have to worry "if the reed is ready" because it always is (for me, anyway).
The "woody things" can be more mellow, but, I have found that by simply switching to a different mpc, I can produce just as mellow a sound as a wooden reed.
Go back to the "woody things"? For me...no way. I can play for hours and the Legere characteristics don't seem to change at all.
Hope this helps.
Dan
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Author: Bob Arney
Date: 2003-01-14 15:28
Dan, althoough this was not addressed to me, I found it the most comprehensive response to other threads about Legere's I have seen on this BB. One other point which might have been a "one off" situation. I had a 2.5 Legere split on me after about a week of "noodeling" around.
Bob A
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Author: Dan
Date: 2003-01-14 16:03
Thanks Bob, I appreciate your kind words. One thing that I forgot to add to my original response to Jez (sorry about the spelling error) was the fact that Legere will indeed replace your reed if you don't happen to like the way it plays, etc. So most certainly with your split Legere, you should have no problems with getting it replaced. Just follow the directions on the paperwork under the cardboard reed holder and in about 2 weeks, you'll get a new one.
Dan
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Author: Kat
Date: 2003-01-14 16:47
Jez,
I've been playing them too, for about a year and a half. I've been satisfied on the whole, but there are a couple of things to be aware of.
First, they can get really SPITTY. I think that cane absorbs some saliva and with the "plastic" you don't get that same effect. So just be sure to "slurp" before any big quiet solo passages!
Second, I've found that they CAN sound kind of "tinny" on my current setup. Right now I'm on my Borbeck 13 and a #3 Legere. Don't know if it's the reed or what, but I sound like I'm playing a plastic reed right now. I think it's an anomaly...
Mine have been lasting me about 3 months on the average. I don't think I play as frequently as you though, Jez, and I haven't been real good about rotating them around, so YMMV! As they age, they begin to sound more "plasticky" I think. Again, YMMV. When they die, they're dead and don't come back.
As far as altissimo, the "really really high" B & C (sorry I never remember the octave designations...) are tough if the reed isn't hard enough. I can get 'em with a Legere that's a little more solid feeling.
xoxo,
Katrina
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Author: d dow
Date: 2003-01-14 17:31
I have tried the recent Legere reeds and find they are good for practice, but prefer the beauty of sound afforded by natural cane.
Syntheytic may have a number of fans for quite some time, but I expect most players would return to cane once they learn adjusting and balancing of cane later on ....
I also like reeds with varying resitance depending on the acoustics I am in.
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Author: Dan
Date: 2003-01-14 18:26
To Kat and Jez: Yes, saliva can accumulate on the reed and give the tone "unusual" characteristics. The way that I solved that is to breathe in over my tongue rather than through the sides of my mouth. (Works for me anyway.)
To Kat: According to the clarinet mouthpiece chart listed in the IMS catalog, the Borbeck 13 has a tip opening of around 0.047" with a very, very long facing to achieve the "darkness" quality as listed in the catalog. I know from personal experience, that with a long facing, a #2 Legere simply won't make it into the upper altissimo and clarion regions. Yes, with your mpc, you NEED to use a stiffer reed to hit the higher notes. IMO, if you switched to a mpc with a shorter facing, the clarion region will become a joy to play in.
Now to the "tinny" or "plasticky" affect. I have found that the sound quality varies rather enormously with the kind of mpc you have. For example, when I use the Legere on my 5RV Lyre, the sound is "harder" to my ears. When I switch over to an inexpensive Brilhart, the sound is so mellow, I feel like going to sleep!
So, IMO, changing your mpc will solve your problems.
As for myself, I built my clarinet "system" around the reed. Because I decided to stay with the Legere, I simply looked around for what "sounded good" with this reed. Some players build their system around the mpc and that's OK too. To each their own.
The only "right" way to do it is... what seems "right" to you.
Dan
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Author: Benni
Date: 2003-01-14 19:49
Bob - I'm glad to know I'm not the only person who's had a Legere split on them! Did you send yours back to the company? I did because it was w/in the first 30 days of use, and they sent me two for free.
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Author: Bob Arney
Date: 2003-01-15 00:09
Nope, just chucked it! At my age I don't even buy green bananas, much less get involved in returns etc.
Bob A
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Author: Bob Arney
Date: 2003-01-15 00:10
Forgot to add that the one for my Bass blows real fine, no trouble and its a 2.5 also.
Bob A
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Author: Kat
Date: 2003-01-15 00:12
Dan,
I've been playing #3 Legeres...no problems with clarion register EVER. My only difficulties are in EXTREME altissimo.
I've tried the #3's with my B45dot and with my B45 and with my 5JB. So far I like the #3's with my Borbeck the best...
Haven't yet tried a harder Legere since my playing style (with lots of Balkan music to play, I've got to gliss a lot) doesn't work well with the harder reeds...
Katrina
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Author: David Peacham
Date: 2003-01-15 08:35
I bought a Legere about 18 months ago, when I'd only been playing about three months.
I loved it for about ten days, then began to have doubts and switched back to cane.
Every few months I try it again - I tried it last night, as it happens - and every time I find it unplayable. I can get the notes, but the tone is hideous and it gurgles with spit. I'm used to struggling with indifferent reeds (I'm too mean to throw them away) but the Legere I just can't use.
It may be that this is evidence that some Legeres deteriorate very quickly from new. Or it may just indicate that my embouchure was changing very quickly in my early months of playing.
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Author: Synonymous Botch
Date: 2003-01-15 11:54
The legere is a fairly uniform matrix of materials, even though it is progressively thinner toward the tip.
It has somewhat more of the cambium analog than standard cane and this is more pronounced at the tip.
I find this less pronounced with higher # reeds and close facing mouthpieces, more pronounced with more open facings and lower #s.
Sort of like the same trade off with natural cane.
As far as the 'hydroplaning' goes, it's real and requires a quick step to dry the mouthpiece table (same time as you swab the horn).
Compared to natural cane, it is immune to humidity changes.
It's also tough, and should outlast a box of reeds (particularly as handled by young beginning players).
Like many engineering designs, its a collection of good compromises.
If you don't want to deal with reed problems, natural or synthetic,
try the MIDI wind controllers.
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Author: janlynn
Date: 2003-01-15 12:50
just want to add my experience with the Legere. i was slow warming up to it. didnt care for it at first. tried it every so often but it sounded 'plastic' - about a year later after a lot of frustration with vandoren V12's - i took it back out. all of a sudden i loved it. i used it all last semester and could not find a cane reed that i liked better. the response was great, tone was nice, and no one knew it was plastic unless they saw it or i told them. even my teacher liked it and was going to get one for herself.
now ... i hate the thing. i dont know what happened. i thot maybe my embouchure strengthened or the reed weakened. i thot they lasted for a long time? i only used it exclusively for 3 months. it has that plastic sound again. the response is still great, but i hate the way it sounds. its a 3 1/2 and i have a 3 3/4 on order ... but for now, im going back to cane.
JL
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Author: Synonymous Botch
Date: 2003-01-15 20:58
Psst...
They outlast natural cane 10:1, that means - when ten regular reeds would have worn out - replace the Legere.
They're not indestructible, ya know.
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Author: jez
Date: 2003-01-16 16:13
Rob Bell,
I appreciate the clarinet sonata but can't say I've come to like the symphonies. Sadly we've just embarked on a scheme to record all 6 of them.
jez
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Author: Rob Bell
Date: 2003-01-16 18:09
Hee hee!
The sonata is great fun! Symphonies are a bit dull really by comparison!
Rob
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