 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Cass Tech
Date: 2007-11-26 15:13
Having recently returned to the clarinet after a twenty-year hiatus, I immediately became embroiled in a full-scale reed crisis. I thrashed about in a sea of cane, in desparation ordered a new mouthpiece and a half-dozen ligatures and finally committed the ultimate sin: I tried a synthetic reed! I struggled with these, as well, learned that they should be rotated, etc. But the result of this epic battle with Arundo Donax is that I've forsworn cane forever. Here's a comic verse in celebration of my (Pyrrhic?) victory:
Homage a Legere
To Thee that saved us from the Curse of Cane,
Vile subtance, Arundo Donax,
Before Thy court this culprit we arraign,
Each buzz and squeak, each warp and crack,
That stretch this anguished player on the rack,
Consigned to fiery Hell, we hurl him,
To smoke and crackle in Eternal Pain.
In Heaven above your warm dark Heart,
Your Vamp, Symetric, Vibrant Absolute,
Your Tip that rides the wind and will not fray,
Each sculpted of Miraculous Stuff,
The Ultimate Synthesis of the Tonal Art.
To Thou I pen this poem, Maestro Legere:
The answer to a wretched clarinetist's prayer.
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2007-11-26 17:33
Wonderfully artistic response to pain. You may merely be falling prey to the vagaries of poor humidity indoors during the "cold months." Legere is your best bet for second choice on Bb though.
I can hardly wait for the epic poem upon return to the mighty Vandoren.
................Paul Aviles
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Author: claritoot26
Date: 2007-11-26 17:50
That's a riot! I use those sometimes in the summer, but prefer cane most other times. Great poem, and happy tooting!
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Author: Ed
Date: 2007-11-26 18:07
I have wondered about these over wood,
I've tried them whenever I could,
I thought "it's a cinch,
they'll help in a pinch"
But, for me, I found them no good.
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Author: GBK
Date: 2007-11-26 18:36
Let's all get together - take reeds to compare.
I'll bring Gonzalez and you bring Légère.
How 'bout Vandoren? - let's get Jean Pierre.
Coming from France, he'll fly US Air.
To get the reeds ready, we'll have to prepare.
We'll need sandpaper, knives and a carpenter's square.
But make it all legal. This test must be fair.
In the end we'll fill out a long questionnaire.
Alas, I fear it will be lots of hot air.
Many opinions from all will just cause despair.
The only thing certain from this whole affair,
Is a rise in reed company earnings per share.
...GBK
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Author: claritoot26
Date: 2007-11-26 19:47
Awesome, GBK! You gave me the giggles, wish I could compete...maybe after this awful sinus infection goes away, I'll give it a go...
Cheers!
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Author: JJAlbrecht
Date: 2007-11-26 20:39
I would try, but somehow, I can't get "Vandoren" and "Nantucket" into the same stanza and still make sense. ![[happy]](http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/smileys/smiley12.gif)
Jeff
“Everyone discovers their own way of destroying themselves, and some people choose the clarinet.” Kalman Opperman, 1919-2010
"A drummer is a musician's best friend."
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Author: Cass Tech
Date: 2007-11-26 20:42
Friends, I'd never make the claim that Legeres sound better or even as good as cane. Their chief value for me - a middle-aged amateur working a full-time job - is that they give me the time to practice. As for professionals (or amateurs with more time to practice than I have), if they make a difference in your playing, then go for the arundo!
Your friend,
Leatherlip (aka Cass Tech)
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Author: kilo
Date: 2007-11-26 20:48
For those of us who've forsworn cane
and make music with vibrating plastic,
Heed this alert; the greenback's drain
Will force Legere to do something drastic.
The price shall rise and cause us some pain
But you and I needn't go spastic,
These reeds are so fine, long may they reign
Even at twice the price they're fantastic!
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Author: MichaelR
Date: 2007-11-26 21:32
Cass Tech (no contact info on your profile page) can I quote you in full on my personal web site? Linked to here of course...
Another middle aged amateur who'd rather spend practice time on issues other than the reed.
--
Michael of Portland, OR
Be Appropriate and Follow Your Curiosity
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Author: hans
Date: 2007-11-27 00:36
GBK,
I think it's one of your best.
May I have permission to share it with some friends (with attribution of course)?
Hans
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Author: GBK
Date: 2007-11-27 01:15
I'm flattered you liked it. ![[wink]](http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/smileys/smilie3.gif)
Use it/share it as you wish. ...GBK
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Author: skygardener
Date: 2007-11-27 03:33
Jeff- "I would try, but somehow, I can't get "Vandoren" and "Nantucket" into the same stanza and still make sense."
How's this?
Nantucket stores sell Vandoren and more to women and men in the town.
Reeds of all brands can be found in the bands in so many sizes and flavors.
Sometimes thay may squeak and some of them reek of bad breath from those that don't floss.
Whatever the reason, we can't find a season that all reeds can work from one box.
But from just slightly north, a clear reed came forth and played everyday... they adored them!
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Author: William
Date: 2007-11-27 17:02
I played on Legere soprano clarinet reeds exclusively for over a year and just could not become used to them. They were wonderfully consistant and durable, but just never generated the same sound as cane. So, I'm back to Vandorans and once again constantly searching for a good reed--but when I find it, the sound is back. However, I do find they work well for my bass clarinet (Buffett Prestige, low C, CXBS mpc) and use them almost exclusively, especially out of doors.
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Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2007-11-27 17:12
I went to a Plastic Reed Fair,
where I happened to try a Legere.
It did not fry my brain
like an old Fibercane;
nope, it sounded real good, I will swear!
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Author: LesterV
Date: 2007-11-27 18:34
Consider the plight of the Texas musician
a do-it-yourselfer with lots of ambition
and a burning desire to make his own reed
But his state's lawmakers have always agreed
that Arundo Donax is a noxious weed
Have pity on this poor soul for he doesn't know
that his potted Legere will not take root and grow
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Author: Copland
Date: 2007-11-27 22:13
This is quite possibly the best thread I have ever seen anywhere on the net...
Congratulations!
(I was going to try to make a poem of congratulations, but it didn't work!)
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Author: Roger Aldridge
Date: 2007-11-27 22:43
I will spare the good people of this Forum my poor (very poor) poetic attempts. Instead, I'll pass along a suggestion about Legere. The company is currently making 4 different cuts of soprano clarinet reeds: regular, Quebec, Ontario, and German. I've tried all 4. My personal favorite is still the Quebec. It has a stunningly beautiful sound on my Grabner Kaspars. However, the new Ontario reed ("3 dot") is very good indeed. For whatever reason, the regular Legere soprano clarinet reed does not do anything for me....and the German cut (similar to a Vandoren White Master) is not right for my mouthpiece. Therefore, I think of the Quebec and Ontario cuts as being the optimal choices for one wanting to try Legere reeds.
Roger
Post Edited (2007-11-27 22:54)
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Author: C2thew
Date: 2007-11-28 06:06
how do you guys come up with these stanzas so fast?!? that's crazy!
Our inventions are wont to be pretty toys, which distract our attention from serious things. they are but improved means to an unimproved end, an end which was already but too easy to arrive as railroads lead to Boston to New York
-Walden; Henry Thoreau
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Author: GBK
Date: 2007-11-28 06:46
David Spiegelthal wrote:
> I went to a Plastic Reed Fair,
> where I happened to try a Legere.
> It did not fry my brain
> like an old Fibercane;
> nope, it sounded real good, I will swear!
Dave S. and I - two poets in training,
Making original verse is getting quite draining.
We're really good friends, even with this display.
He uses Legere, and doesn't play a Buffet.
Alas, he's forgiven, it comes with old age.
He knew when a buck was the minimum wage.
I'll put down my pen, for I'm out of ideas.
Mr Gonzalez and I are going out for tortillas...GBK
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Author: JJAlbrecht
Date: 2007-11-28 13:27
To compare old-time cane with Legere
Is really quite simply unfair
If I were a moron
I'd still be playing Vandoren
Seeking good reeds and ripping out hair.
![[toast]](http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/smileys/smiley15.gif)
Jeff
“Everyone discovers their own way of destroying themselves, and some people choose the clarinet.” Kalman Opperman, 1919-2010
"A drummer is a musician's best friend."
Post Edited (2007-11-28 13:28)
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Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2007-11-28 19:35
Regardless of what reed you play,
how you sound at the end of the day
is what matters the most
(not the rhymes that you post).
Good thing I'm not a poet for pay!
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Author: JJAlbrecht
Date: 2007-11-28 21:07
How true, David (about the sound, that is!) 
Jeff
“Everyone discovers their own way of destroying themselves, and some people choose the clarinet.” Kalman Opperman, 1919-2010
"A drummer is a musician's best friend."
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Author: MichaelR
Date: 2007-11-28 21:15
Roger Aldridge wrote:
> The company is currently making 4 different cuts of
> soprano clarinet reeds: regular, Quebec, Ontario, and German.
> I've tried all 4.
I just checked WWBW and the Legere site and don't find any mention of the Ontario and German cuts. What's your in?
--
Michael of Portland, OR
Be Appropriate and Follow Your Curiosity
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Author: JJAlbrecht
Date: 2007-11-28 22:22
Michael, there is a downloadable pdf order form on the Legere site, and they have all the reeds except the Ontario listed. The Ontario is the newest, I believe, and they may not have updated the site forms to reflect this.
Jeff
“Everyone discovers their own way of destroying themselves, and some people choose the clarinet.” Kalman Opperman, 1919-2010
"A drummer is a musician's best friend."
Post Edited (2007-11-28 22:23)
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Author: Bob Phillips
Date: 2007-11-29 01:06
There was an old guy at UBC ClarinetFest
Who bought reeds --a pair of a type called Legere
And although he tried his best,
He found them only fair.
Bob Phillips
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Author: claritoot26
Date: 2007-11-29 14:14
Poor Texas musician whose Legere didn't take root,
Try buying Vandorens and give them a toot.
Maybe you can't grow them there,
but they sound better than Legere.
They may need adjustments, but that's moot.
I play Vandoren V-12s
So tell Santa's elves
I would like a box in my stocking.
If you don't like them yourselves,
Just put them on shelves.
If they're for sale, I'll come a-knocking.
As I'm clearing my sinuses,
I consider pluses and minuses
of plastic and Arundo Donax.
I've come to the conclusion
that there's a lot of confusion.
Play the one that sounds best on attacks.
I'm on an antibiotic.
You may call me psychotic,
But I just had to add to the fun.
I'm a little loopy,
and a Ricardo Morales groupie.
He plays Rico, not a Vandoren one.
As I'm drinking my tea,
I read with glee
the posts of the Clarinet BBoarders.
The poets abound
with GBK around
to poke fun at all of us reed hoarders.
Happy Holidays to all!
I hope I didn't appall
you all with my lack of a life.
It's tough when your sick
to play a hard lick
Especially when reeds add to my strife.
So I just play what sounds best,
drink fluids, get some rest,
and I'll be back on the saddle again.
It matters not what brand
you play in your band.
For me, V-12s are 'tres bien'.
The End.
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Author: Roger Aldridge
Date: 2007-11-29 22:23
Michael,
The Legere web site is not updated too often. I've found 1stopclarinet.com to have certain things that I haven't been able to find in other shops (like WWBW).
Roger
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