 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: aloutris
Date: 2010-04-16 23:35
I play with Vandoren 2 1/2 reeds, but I've been thinking about a plastic reed. I heard that the tone quality is terrible, but maybe I can use it for a last minute type thing when I don't even have the time to wet it? My private teacher says that it may be a good idea, but my school teacher says not to. Who do I listen to? What should I choose?
(btw- I heard plastic reeds come in quarter sizes?)
~Amanda~
(piano, clarinet, learning flute)
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Author: Katrina
Date: 2010-04-16 23:39
Not all plastic reeds are created equal.
At the risk of being at all self-promotional, please listen to a recording of my band here:
http://rogaria.com/mp3/ND02cobankat.mp3
I play Legere 3.25 on a Borbeck 13 mouthpiece. Yes my sound would be "better" if I used cane, but I do not have time to work cane and I also do not have the patience for cane's unpredictability.
Katrina
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Author: jacoblikesmusic
Date: 2010-04-17 01:04
Well many typical band teachers prefer cane reeds. Personally I suggest staying with cane, but if you want to try synthetic materials, go ahead.
Legere and Forestone are the two big ones that I would say play the best. You can search them up online. They are not cheap though. In the 20s per reed. You will notice slight differences.
I still reccomend cane, because even though synthetic as made huge progress, cane is still worth the extra effort of looking for the right reed, adjusting it, and going through the break in process.
For tone, try listening to proffesional clarinetists frequently. It will help you develop your own tone if you have a good mental image of what a good tone quality should sound like. Also check for embrouchure and support as those are huge aspects of tone quality.
And a 2 1/2 will probably get you a bad tone. Try moving onto a 3 or a 3 1/2 as soon as you feel ready. Reed strength might be your problem.
I have personally tried synthetic before and I can say that cane is a lot more consistent in all the registers, especially altissimo.
And yes they do come in quarter sizes.
P.S. Synthetic reeds most people use more for doubling situations or outdoor band purposes.
Most still prefer cane when having a solo performance.
Post Edited (2010-04-17 01:10)
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Author: GBK
Date: 2010-04-17 02:20
jacoblikesmusic wrote:
> And a 2 1/2 will probably get you a bad tone.
Thats a pretty sweeping (and incorrect) statement.
Benny Goodman, for example, rarely played on anything stronger than a #2.
...GBK
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Author: aloutris
Date: 2010-04-17 03:05
Thanks everyone! Your information is very helpful, and I will remember it when considering new reeds.
~Amanda~
(piano, clarinet, learning flute)
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Author: janlynn
Date: 2010-04-17 04:42
I tried the new Forestone synthetic reed.
my private teacher hates it. she wont say its sounds "bad" but that it sounds "different" and that she thought I was using a bad reed (before I told her or asked her if she could tell it wasnt cane).
the first time I used it in band, the director commented - "pitch - clarinets" I could hear that my pitch was off. I quickly switched to cane before we started again and the pitch was better.
personally - i like that I can play it without fooling with it. but I hate the sound. It sounds "honky" to me.
but thats just my experience. many people here like them very much and cant seem to notice much of a difference. (I have a feeling these people can play on a CSO and still sound terrific).
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Author: jacoblikesmusic
Date: 2010-04-17 05:22
Speaking in general though, although I am speaking from my own experiences. Of course I did say "probably". Most people do seem to think a very soft reed will produce a less rich tone quality.
Although softer reeds are generally preffered in jazz. To any case there are always exceptions.
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Author: Katrina
Date: 2010-04-17 14:32
For what it's worth, I have never recommended Legeres to my students.
Maybe it's me feeling like there are "dues" to pay before they can try 'em?
;)
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Author: William
Date: 2010-04-17 14:45
Katrina wrote: "Yes my sound would be "better" if I used cane, but I do not have time to work cane and I also do not have the patience for cane's unpredictability."
I must AGREE that cane is frustrating to deal with and it's truely a pleasure not to have to do so. But I must DISAGREE (sorry, K) about the "better" part and would rather say that the sound is slightly "different", but not to suggest worse, lesser or anything like that. Every pro clarinetist has a different concept of what is "good" and most sound slightly different, but yet magnificent in their own. It's all about voicing, control, blend and intonation, that makes one's sound acceptable. With the Forestone reed (or to a greater extent, the Legere and others) you have to learn how to voice and control the new sound, but if done correctly with consistancy, the result should be nonetheless "good".
JLM wrote: "I have personally tried synthetic before and I can say that cane is a lot more consistent in all the registers, especially altissimo."
I have to somewhat "give in" to that statement, however, my Forestones perform very well and much like the best cane, up to A6 on my Bb. Where I notice a change in response is going up from there up to the C7 (as the final note in the Artie Shaw, CONCERTO FOR CLARINET). But again, with proper voicing and breath control, that "altissimo" is consistantly accessable. Frankly, if I can do it, almost anyone can with a little practice. Where I notice a curious change is in going PAST the C7 and upward. For me, that is easier with a Forestone than with any cane reed I've ever played. No idea why, it must seems easier to "chirp" those notes out.
BTW, with the new sax Forestones on my sax mpcies, the "altissimo" notes jump out just as easily as with cane. And again, tone quality slightly different (more mellow) but not "worse" of "lesser". Actually, somewhat "nicer" and still good for swing, jazz or rock.
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Author: skygardener
Date: 2010-04-17 14:55
"Although softer reeds are generally preffered in jazz. To any case there are always exceptions."
Karl Leister plays on rather soft reeds and always has. He seems to have done well for himself.
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Author: William
Date: 2010-04-17 17:22
"Karl Leister plays on rather soft reeds and always has. He seems to have done well for himself."
Ditto that. I heard Karl play two years ago in a master class and his sound and control were simply wonderful. But I did notice that it seemed he was playing with a patch over his lower teeth. Not what you would expect if using a softer reed. He specifically asked that we not discuss "equipement" and the start of the session--only "the music"--so I was not able to ask about this. Another observation, he never seemed to wet his reed, even after his clarinet lay on the table (no clarinet stand) while the student was playing, before picking it up to demostrate how "it" should go. He just picked up his clarinet, removed the cap and played effortlessly with a full, rich sound.
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Author: Roger Aldridge
Date: 2010-04-17 17:47
Legere has made some improvements in their reeds that I'm quite happy with. Please note that I'm not speaking of Signature. Earlier this year I discovered several Legere alto saxophone reeds at the local music shop having a Signature-like diamond pattern on the back of the reed. I purchased several and found them to be noticably better in quality of sound, response, and overall performance than the original Legere saxophone reeds.
Legere Quebec is my Bb clarinet reed of choice...as I prefer a darker and thicker sound. When I tried Signature reeds last year I was impressed with them. However, I stuck with Quebec for the darker sound. Happily, new Quebec reeds also have the improvements I discovered in the upgraded Legere saxophone reeds.
I've received several of the brand new Signature saxophone reeds and I'll compare them with the regular Legere reeds (with the diamond pattern) and post a message with my impressions.
As I've discribed in other messages, it's been my experience that having a good match between the mouthpiece facing and ligature to a Legere reed is absolutely critical. For whatever reason, having somewhat wider tip and side rails makes all of the difference in the world to having a beautiful quality of sound with Legere. With that in mind, I've found Legere reeds to sound absolutely terrible on some mouthpieces and the same reed sounds stunningly beautiful on another mouthpiece.
I'm extremely happy with Legere Quebec reeds on Walter Grabner's Kaspar-style mouthpieces (with a Klassik string ligature). Wish I could have had this set up years ago!
Roger
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Author: Tony F
Date: 2010-04-18 16:05
A few months ago I decided to try Legere Signature reeds, having played previously with Rico Reserve 2.5's and Vandoren 3's. I tried Forestone, but found I got much better results with the Legere product. I think the tone I get is as good as with the cane reeds and I love the consistency I get with the plastic reeds. I play legere 2.75 Signature on a Vandoren B45 or a Selmer B85/115.
Tony F.
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Author: William
Date: 2010-04-18 16:55
For the discussion, I must add that I recently tried three Legere Signiture reeds (#3, #3.5 & #4) on all of the mouthpieces that I own and found only marginal success on an old Larry Combs #3. For the most part, I could characterize their performance as "terrible" in terms of sound and response, particularily in the upper register. The Quebec models that I have played seem only a little better with the original Legeres still Guy's best--but nowhere close to the Forestones that I now am playing full time. In fact, I used a new model F4 in a concert last evening and my wife reported that the solo I had in one of the selections sounded "really good" from where she was seated near the back of the hall--and I was playing at a "soloistic" mp level with moderate ensemble accomp. I still have yet to hear a clarinetist playing on a Legere that doesn't sound dull and "thuddy"--and that includes a local Madison Symphony clarinetist and my good jazz friend, Chuck Hedges of Milwaukee--but am happy to report that a few of our band's clarinetists are now using Forestones and sounding better than ever. For me, Forestone sings like the best of cane.....and Legere, more like the plastic it is.
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Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2010-04-19 01:47
I've found both Legere and Fibracell synthetic reeds to work pretty well for doubling and outdoor work, but still prefer cane for serious work.
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Author: Tony F
Date: 2010-04-19 07:52
"For me, Forestone sings like the best of cane.....and Legere, more like the plastic it is."
Obviously, different strokes for different folks.
Tony F.
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Author: gigaday
Date: 2010-04-20 08:10
I never liked the sound of Legeres or Forestone myself. I found that Hahn fibre-reinforced synthetic reeds were much more to my taste.
And recently I have been using a Harry Hartmann Fiberreed Original (his cheapest model) and this is even better with a "better" than cane sound.
Hartmann sells these on the Internet (only?) and the Original has an option for different backing pieces to vary the stiffness a little. I actually sawed all the machined part off a cane reed and use the fat bit to stiffen my Original, a drop of paper glue to hold it permanently in place, gives me a sound and feel that I like.
I recently went back to my "favourite" cane reeds to see what I thought but found them inferior to the Original.
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Author: Ursa
Date: 2010-04-20 20:03
I've yet to find a full-synthetic reed that suits me better than the Rico Plasticover coated cane reed. I have been working out with some Fibracell and Legere reeds for a few weeks and am beginning to get some good results from them. But the Rico requires no adjustment in my technique--it simply works, and it's always ready to use.
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