 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Clarimeister
Date: 2008-12-11 22:06
Okay. So to start off I'll begin by saying I am borrowing a Woodwind Company Low C Bass clarinet and my friends baritone saxophone for a "Reed 4" audition for Guys and Dolls. I know the Bass part doesnt go below low Eb but w/e. Anyways I have been reading everywhere on the forums about synthetic reeds for orchestra pits and almost everyone seems to recommend them very much for musicals or anything where you'll be doing a lot of doubling and switching. My question is. What strength Legere (since I'm interested in purchasing one for both instruments) do you guys recommend. For the Bass Clarinet I'm using a Yamaha 4C mouthpiece which is fine since I don't play bass clarinet all too much regularly using (funny) a Vandoren V16 Tenor sax reed in 3 1/2. I haven't gotten the bari Sax yet since i dont get it til tomorrow but do you guys recommend Legere for Bari Sax as well? I'm not too sure what mouthpiece I'll be using but I'll ask my friend tomorrow what reed strength recommendations he has. Any advice or help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!
-David
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Author: Merlin_Williams
Date: 2008-12-11 22:58
I'm well documented on this and other forums as a frequent Legere user. I have a 3 yr old Legere #3 on my Vandoren B75 bari piece.
My bass clarinet preferences have been towards cane lately - Vandoren #3's, usually, though I have used Legeres quite successfully on gigs and recordings in the past.
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Author: clarinetdaddy
Date: 2008-12-12 12:01
Hello all,
I too have been using Legere reeds on Clarinet, Alto, and Soprano Saxophone. On Bass Clarinet I just could not get a Legere reed to work for me. So I have been using the "Bari * " reed. I play on a Selmer * and usually use a Bari * Soft. It works great for ME. Might not work for others. You just have to try and hopefully be happy.
Good Luck!
Happy reed search!
clarinetdaddy
"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do
nothing".
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Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2008-12-12 12:06
The right Legere can work just as well on bari sax and bass clarinet as on any other single-reed instrument. That said, I still prefer cane on all my horns.
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Author: LCL
Date: 2008-12-12 13:04
I'm a bit lazy, so I use Legere exclusively on my BC and CA. I work them down from about a 2-1/2 and like the tone a lot. The reeds I have are about three + years old. Be aware that after an hour or so of playing they soften more but return to the original strength after resting a bit.
Regards,
LCL
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Author: Roger Aldridge
Date: 2008-12-12 14:42
David,
I get superb results with a #3 Legere bass clarinet reed and a Walter Grabner LB mouthpiece. When I first got my Yamaha 221 II bass clarinet I tried the stock mouthpiece that came with it (4C) and I used a #3 Legere. It sounded okay. Thus, I think a #3 Legere will get your foot in the door. However, I very much prefered the Grabner mouthpiece to the Yamaha...but that's just an aside.
Recommending a Legere reed strength for bari sax is tricker as it depends upon what mouthpiece you're using. I'm also at a disadvantage in that I don't have a bari sax....I've been focusing on tenor in recent years. It's been my experience that the regular Legere saxophone reed (not the studio version that's made for alto and tenor) is stiffer than comparable cane reeds. I use a #2.5 regular Legere on tenor with a Morgan 6C mouthpiece. In the past I compared a #2.5 Legere to Alexander Classique cane reeds. For me, a #2.5 Legere was pretty comparable strength-wise to a stiffer #3 Classique or even a softer #3.5. Again, without knowing the specifics of what your bari set up is going to be, it's not possible to recommend a particular Legere reed strength with any degree of certainity. However, I'd think that a #2.5 Legere is pretty much middle-of-the-road.
Good luck!
Roger
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Author: William
Date: 2008-12-12 15:12
I second the vote for Legere #3 on the bass clarinet. I've been rotating two for about three years now and they are both going strong. Currently playing a Pomarico Jazz * mpc (easier articulation of G#5 & A5 notes) but also use a Grabner CXBS for slightly better quality of sound.
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Author: FrankM
Date: 2008-12-12 22:22
I envy you guys who have success with Legere reeds . I sound like I'm playing a kazoo when I use them, regardless of horn or mouthpiece
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Author: Clarimeister
Date: 2008-12-13 05:02
I thank you all very much for the responses regarding these two instruments for reeds. I'm currently using a medium soft Fibracell reed for the bari I'm borrowing and its extremely bright but because its a 1.20mm tip opening and with a jazzy baffle. Imma ask him if he has a closer tipped mouthpiece since he said he has others. The fibracell however is working VERY well and I'm liking what I'm hearing. I'm ordering the Legere #3 for the bass clarinet and will try it out and post my review eventually. I might even try it out on my Bb and Eb horns
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Author: Arnoldstang
Date: 2008-12-13 15:40
After the fact here but I would suggest a lighter legere for bass....2 1/2 or 2 1/4. just to make sure you're getting lots of vibration. It's guess work in this situation. ps... lighter legere was an inadvertant play on words but I'll take credit.
Freelance woodwind performer
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Author: Dileep Gangolli
Date: 2008-12-13 17:06
While I have had success with Legere Bb and Eb reeds, I found the bass clarinet reeds too buzzy and they did not respond well so had to go back to cane.
I also was doubling and realize there is a big advantage to having something that is steady and impervious to climate. It's nice picking up a cold horn and not having to worry about how the reed will respond.
I did not think about trying different mouthpieces....I have a great Selmer C* that Mattson refaced for me years ago.
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Author: davyd
Date: 2008-12-13 18:50
I can't speak on Legere reeds, never having used them. However, the original post has piqued my curiosity on something.
The Reed 5 book for "Guys and dolls" calls for Claves as well as bass clarinet and baritone saxophone. For purposes of increased pay for doublers, is this considered a 'double'? Or does the concept apply only to woodwind instruments?
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Author: Merlin_Williams
Date: 2008-12-13 20:16
davyd wrote:
> I can't speak on Legere reeds, never having used them. However,
> the original post has piqued my curiosity on something.
>
> The Reed 5 book for "Guys and dolls" calls for Claves as well
> as bass clarinet and baritone saxophone. For purposes of
> increased pay for doublers, is this considered a 'double'? Or
> does the concept apply only to woodwind instruments?
It's a double. Good luck getting that extra fee in anything other than in top end pro pits.
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Author: Clarimeister
Date: 2008-12-15 04:29
I think if 'm not mistaken there's only up to Reed 4 in the Guys and Dolls score. I don't think there is a reed 5 right?
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Author: Dileep Gangolli
Date: 2008-12-16 12:45
Maybe Reed 5 is really Percussion 1, and the claves player has to double sax and clarinet......(ha ha)
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