 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: jmsa
Date: 2012-07-17 01:15
Just received the new Legere Signature Bb clarinet reed and was very surprised how great it played and sounded. Has a sound that is very woody and favors an oboe even though it is based in a clarinet sound. Quite unique.
jmsa
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Author: babrinka77
Date: 2012-07-17 06:54
Hi!
I was very satisfied with the Legere Signature too, the sound is nice and i didn't have any problem to get used to it, but after i tried Forestone, and i like the sound more, i think the sound is more (as you said) "woody", very close to my vandoren V12, so i stayed with Forestone.
It's great that we have different synthetics reeds which sound great, so enjoy your new reed!!
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Author: Campana
Date: 2012-07-17 07:22
I like the sound and the convenience of the Legere Signature reed. I don't know whether it's my set up (Vandoren B40 Mp + Rovner dark ligature) but I have found that I have to be very accurate when positioning it on the Mp. Sound and playability deteriorates if not spot on.
Post Edited (2012-07-17 10:23)
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Author: jmsa
Date: 2012-07-17 07:23
Thanks for the recommendation. I just ordered a Forestone. Anxious to do a comparison.
jmsa
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Author: babrinka77
Date: 2012-07-17 07:36
Hi Putz, i agree with you, synthetics reeds are very fuzzy when it comes to positioning the reed, actually i had a Rovner Light ligature and switched off to a vandoren M/O and i'm more satisfied with the sound (i found the Rovner Light to be a bit buzzy in some registers) and with positioning the read, easier and "tighter".
Jmsa: Be careful with Forestone strenghts, i'd say that a Legere Signature 2,75-3 is like a Forestone 4,5 (i had to try some strenghts before finding the one which works for me). Anyway, i hope you'll like it and that you will post your comments here.
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Author: Garth Libre
Date: 2012-07-18 10:19
I use the Legere Signature 2.75 and have used the same one every day for two months with no sign of deterioration. Also, I feel they hold up to tonguing and might easily last 6 months, if I'm careful. If it lasts 6 months, and at about $22 each it will still turn out to be more economical than buying boxes of other reeds. The main advantage is that they play identically day after day and sound as good or better as a good cane reed. Before I had a dozen reeds spread out on glass plates with coded rubber bands and in various stages of being modified and with special identifying marks on each one. I had so many different reeds going simultaneously that i couldn't even remember which one was good for which thing. A dozen reeds and I still couldn't find one that let me focus on the music. Now, I know exactly what to expect. My case contains exactly two reeds. Everything is much less stressful, except that Legere are translucent and it is very difficult to see how they are being placed on the mpc. It usually takes two shots or more to get them centered and the right height.
Garth, 305-981-4705. garthlibre@yahoo.com
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Author: John J. Moses
Date: 2012-07-18 15:40
Hi All:
I thought I'd chime in on the need for careful placement of the Legere Signature Series synthetic reeds.
As I posted earlier:
"The placement on the mouthpiece and ligature is of utmost importance. The Legere will play best when it is carefully placed on the mouthpiece “window” opening. It must be placed on the mouthpiece “table” equally side to side, and must match the height of the mouthpiece tip (this is different than a cane reed, which is usually placed slightly lower than the tip). If the Legere reed is carefully placed on the mouthpiece, it should play perfectly balanced, with a clear, rich, and beautiful sound. If the reed moves or is not carefully placed on the mouthpiece, it will not feel or play right. The correct strength must be found by trial and error. Send back a reed that is either too hard or soft, or too bright or dark. If you move the reed down too low and it plays, ask for a softer reed…the reverse is also true, if you move the reed up beyond the mouthpiece tip and it plays, ask for a harder strength. Finding the proper reed strength is essential in making the Legere work for you. Some Legere reed strength differences can be achieved by placing a soft reed in cold water, making it a bit harder, and placing a hard reed in warm water to make it a bit softer. This process will only change the reed strength for a short period of time.
Legere reeds are amazingly consistent, so once you have found your proper strength reed, you can purchase more reeds knowing the results will be equally satisfying. One good Legere reed will last for months, if properly cleaned and not damaged. The professional Signature Series will sound equally good in any situation, from Symphonic use on the concert stage to a Broadway-type pit. It will make a clarinet section in a concert band sound consistently good. It also makes playing more than one woodwind instrument to another (doubling) much easier, as Legere reeds do not need to be moistened before use."
Good luck, my friends!
JJM
Légère Artist
Clark W. Fobes Artist
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2012-07-18 18:40
I got my first Légère from the inventor himself at, I believe, the 2000 ClarinetFest in Columbus. He said then (and may have put it in the instructions) that I could permanently decrease the strength by about one number by dipping the tip into boiling water for 10 seconds.
That works.
However, you should never use a reed knife or sandpaper on a Légère. At least on the original model, it raises the fibers into a cottony mess, ruining the reed. It's (barely) possible to clip the tip to increase the strength, but the material is incredibly hard. As you can tell, I've ruined a few.
Ken Shaw
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Author: Campana
Date: 2012-07-18 19:30
...Author: John J. Moses (---.nj.res.rr.com - (Road Runner) Edgewater, NJ United States)
Date: 2012-07-18 15:40
Hi All:
I thought I'd chime in on the need for careful placement of the Legere Signature Series synthetic reeds.
As I posted earlier...
Thanks very much for that insight JJM. Could you advise if you have any thoughts on the optimum ligature. The reason I ask is that I'm using a Rovner Dark and I'm reaching the conclusion that it simply doesn't grip a plastic reed hard enough. After about 30 mins of playing I was finding things were getting a little harder. I'd been assuming a tired embouchure but in recent days , on checking, I can see the reed has slipped a little sideways. I wonder if this could be that plastic is slipperier than cane ( I really tighten the Rovner). Should I be able to use the Rovner or should I revert to a metal ligature and if so is there a preferred make. Many thanks for any answer.
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Author: donald
Date: 2012-07-18 20:19
Clarinetfest 1998 was when they were launched- and there were 6 different gradings between each half strength (plus a variety of profiles if i remember correctly)
d
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Author: John J. Moses
Date: 2012-07-19 04:35
Hi UK Friend...do you know what your screen name means in Yiddish?
Yes, use a lig. that holds the Legere reed firmly on the mpc. I use the new Gold BG & it grips great!
Any of the many fine ligs. will hold the reed, & the surface of the synthetic Legere is more slippery than a cane reed, so it needs to be held more firmly.
It's odd that the newer synthetic ligs. don't work as well as the older metal ligs. on synthetic reeds such as Legere.
Placement is most important and any slippage is unacceptable, so you must find a good lig. that will firmly hold the Legere reed in place at all times.
Enjoy whatever you've chosen, we need to make beautiful music and enjoy life! L'Chayim!!!
JJM
Légère Artist
Clark W. Fobes Artist
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Author: Campana
Date: 2012-07-19 06:36
...Hi UK Friend...do you know what your screen name means in Yiddish?...
Yes. It's an unfortunate choice isn't it but it has many happy memories for me.
It was my nickname in the army where I had a reputation for losing tools. It was said that " I putz things down and then couldn't find them again"
Thanks for the advice.
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Author: Tom Puwalski
Date: 2012-07-23 12:40
Firstly I'm a Legere artist, I play the Signature reeds 80% of the time on Clarinet, 100% of the time on Bass Clarinet, Alto and Soprano sax. I have found that ligatures for these reeds are really important. I have a number of ligatures BG dou and Regular BGs, Bonades and all the Rovners. What works the best for me is the Rovner Star series ligature in the non inverted way. It holds the reed, which is what it's supposed to do. I don't feel any other ligatures do that with legere reeds. It's also the one of the least expensive ligature that you buy.
Secondly, I have to admit aside from an actual problem of a ligature not holding a more slippery than normal reed. I'm always amazed that clarinetist will spend most of the discussion time talking about the non moving parts in clarinet playing. Clarinetists will spend more time and energy AND money on ligatures then they will about reed and mouthpiece combinations. Maybe it's just me but I have found that ligatures have MINMAL effect on sound and performance.
Reeds and how you hold it in your mouth are the most important. I have just about every Vandoren mouthpiece made. ( purchased to evaluate different types of facings) and here is the thing: They ALL work!!! Same with the MOBA mouthpieces from C to the P+. If you have a reed of correct strength and have it in your mouth in a way the doesn't inhibit the vibration. On a Vandoren M15 I use a legere 4.o on a 5JB a 2.25. When you get the reed right the resistance of the mouthpiece is not drastically different. The sound is better or worse on than the other but different and depending on what you are playing one might be better than the other. When I play a Moba C facing I like 4.25 on the P facing (my usual mouthpiece) I like a Legere 3 or 3.25.
Tom Puwalski Backun and Antiqua Artist, Legere artist Author of the Clarinetist's Guide to Klezmer, Klezmer Basic Training (new) and owner of WWW.clarinetgourmet.com
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Author: The_Clarinetist
Date: 2012-09-03 18:55
I tested legere signature today in the local music store and was actually positively surprised. Though my best cane reed sounded better and the synthetic reed did produce a scratchy sound when I played forte/fortissimo. However the signature felt consistent in response through all registers.
First I tried a 3 3/4 which felt good except that it was a tad soft. And as I have heard they tend to soften during the first hours of use the 3.75 might be too soft for me, at least the one I tried. But when I tried a number 4 it was too hard. Additionally, when I tried a 4.25 it did not feel that much harder than the 4. So maybe this number 4 was unrepresentative of the average 4. Though it feels stupid charging almost the equivallent of 40 dollars for one single reed when you can not guarantee the strength of it, despite having a quarter scale...
After approaching the salesman and explaining that I might just have had bad luck the few test reeds available he insisted that as the reeds were built atom by atom the quarter strength idication was accurate. Furthermore, when I suggested that the reeds might get a bit softer after initial playing, perhaps making the number 4 suitable to me after all, he said that there was a "theoretical decrease in strength during break in".
Was he correct?
For me it probably boils down to having a synthetic reed as an excellent practicing reed and the best cane reed as concert reed.
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Author: Garth Libre
Date: 2012-09-03 20:24
There are ever so slight differences in ultimate strength in Legere reeds. I use a 2.5 on one particular mpc and a 2.75 on another. One 2.75 feels a tiny bit harder than another 2.75 that I have but the difference is almost imperceptible. Each reed starts out marginally harder than it eventually ends up being, but the quality control by the factory lets me know that they are as exact in strength as one can expect. I find large differences in strength and response depending on how the reed is placed on the facing, so this can explain what at first seems like factory differences. I find the Legere reeds give up nothing to the best cane I have used. Currently I am at four months continuous use for 3 reeds and find no degradation or problems. Even at $28 I pay for one reed, I still find them to be a bargain. If I spend just less than $150 a year for peace of mind and dependability, I still feel it's well worth it.
Garth, 305-981-4705. garthlibre@yahoo.com
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Author: Sean.Perrin
Date: 2012-09-04 15:29
Interesting... mine was no good. I think it's too hard though. I find it so difficult to get the right reed lately with them, it seems I have to buy 10 just to get a good one. I know I can switch them up, but I feel like I'm taking advantage of them if I do.
I use 3.5-4 Vandoren v12. You're supposed to get slightly softer Legere, right? I usually get between 3.5 and 3.75.
Founder and host of the Clarineat Podcast: http://www.clarineat.com
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Author: Garth Libre
Date: 2012-09-04 15:42
I think a 3.0 Legere equates to a 3.5 v12.
Garth, 305-981-4705. garthlibre@yahoo.com
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Author: Paula S
Date: 2012-09-04 20:56
I have had a slight case of 'reed rage' lately. ![[happy]](http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/smileys/smiley12.gif)
Tried Vandoren V12s 3.5 and got about 3 reeds out of 10 that were 'hard' enough to get my top B natural and C natural altissimo on with ease.
I tried going back to my old habit of many years ago which were standard 3.5 Vandorens and got about the same success rate as with the V12s. I am trying not to admit to myself that I might have become 'old leather lips' so have avoided going up to a harder reed. My thoughts are to try a 3.75 Legere Signature if I can find anyone in the UK who stocks this strength? Then I might get consistency and longevity of reed? Otherwise I think I might be travelling down the route I have tried to avoid which is the reed trimmer and the reed knife thingy..........I have also bought some 'reed rush' just in case.
I believe left handers have to have a knife angled that way? Does anyone know where I can get one in the UK?
Many thanks ;-)
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Author: Arnoldstang
Date: 2012-09-05 14:35
Left handers and reed knives......... It is just a matter of how the knife is sharpened. As a right hander I draw the knife towards me until I raise a good burr. Then I push the knife away from me many times until the burr is on the other side. Then a single stroke sideways to shear off some of the burr. As you sharpen you listen to the sound the sharpening is producing. Not enough angle and nothing is achieved. As you raise the back of the knife you can hear the cutting. To clarify...when you draw the knife towards yourself the cutting edge is closer to you than the back of the knife. The lefthander uses the same procedure as the right hander. The fact you are drawing it towards yourself with the left hand puts the burr on the other side.
Freelance woodwind performer
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Author: sfalexi
Date: 2012-09-05 23:40
I love legere signature reeds. So great to slap on a reed and not worry about the weather, altitude, or WHATEVER.
Alexi
US Army Japan Band
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Author: The_Clarinetist
Date: 2012-09-06 09:47
I tested signature 3.75 but thought that it was a bit soft wheras 4 was too hard. According to their strength comparison chart a quebec 4.25 will be a bit harder than a sigature 3.75 so that might work. But, is quebec recommendable in terms of overall playabillity?
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Author: SchlockRod
Date: 2012-09-06 10:03
Disclaimer: I am NOT a Legere artist, not even an artist at all yet, and certainly not a pro. A beginner again basically after many years off.
But I have a very good ear for sound quality, and after I got a Quebec reed my struggles & effort to get a nice sound were reduced by about 50 or 75%. It's "darker" they say,a nd I think I like that with my fairly "bright (rollover baffle) mouthpiece. I love the sound and the CONSISTENCY from day to day is a blessing, as is the lack of prep, wetting, etc.
Bottom line is the Quebec & Ontario may look like bargain or el cheapo products now that they are up-selling people on the Signature, but really the Q & O reeds were the same up-selling at one time, above the "Standard" reed that they are now marketing to students. I think the Sig reed has a profile & sound refined in some way but may be closer to the Q & O in value than they are to the Standard. Q, O, S are I think just 3 different tonal & blowing variations, each probably worthy for different players and all suitable for pros.
This is clearly a lot of sales & marketing 101, not that the Sig is not a quality reed, just that some may find it a lesser Value, if the tone & feel are not your style.
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Author: The_Clarinetist
Date: 2012-09-06 15:59
Thanks, great input there. I thought I had read somewhere that the Q reeds should sound a little darker so it is great to have that confirmed.
Yeah there is probably a lot of marketing with these things, as with clarinets even though legere certainly does not take it to the ridiculous level set by buffet. Good thing though, if I find Q to be better then S I would also save some money.
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Author: SchlockRod
Date: 2012-09-06 22:30
Right.
I emailed Legere before buying the Quebec. I was asking a lot of questions, technical, about which reed was most suitable for shorter ("french lay") facings, was one better for longer facings (more like an American-cut reed), etc. The response just basically regurgitated the vague marketing descriptions from the website, and recommended the Sig to me. Aside from steering me to the higher-profit product, I realized that vague descriptions are really appropriate for stuff like mouthpieces & reeds, as it is impossible to quantify in words what the technical features do for sound & response, and it all depends on the player and his taste as well. So actually sales & marketing is about the best you can do. The customer needs to try the stuff. I did, and I like the Quebec enough with my chops & my setup that I don't want to mess with anything else right now.
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Author: Garth Libre
Date: 2012-09-07 00:11
After about 75 hours on one Legere Signature, it has now dropped almost 1/2 strength. That's a little disappointing and because it did it so slowly, I really didn't notice. Today I noticed a buzzy sound which had never been there before. I slapped on another Signature of the same strength. The difference was obvious. Both reeds originally tested and played identically. Legere reeds do slowly wear out. I'm not saying that a Legere with 75 hours is now unusable, but for me, a drop of 1/2 strength makes it difficult to use it now on this one horn.
Garth, 305-981-4705. garthlibre@yahoo.com
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Author: Garth Libre
Date: 2012-09-07 01:16
As an additional piece of evaluation. You really don't save money by buying Legere Reeds. I thought I would, but if a box of 10 Vandoren reeds cost $20 shipping included, and 8 of them are good, then we can assume 15 hours on each reed, then $20 buys us perhaps 120 hours play time. (estimate only). A Legere reed costs between $18 to $24 shipping included. My initial test shows that the Legere will only last 75 hours before a noticeable drop in strength. Therefore you get a third less play time per $20 spent. I've heard that some people only get 5 good reeds out of a box of 10 and some people only get a week of play time on each reed. Some people may find that they get half as much play time per $20 spent. People who like Legere reeds are glad to pay maybe a little extra in exchange for the minimal fussing, added reliability, and instant response without warm-up. I'm one of them. When I used cane, I always had ten reeds with various notations on each, some drying on glass, some subjected to much time in adjustment, and some good one day and then suddenly turning bad for no understandable reason. My case was filled with five different reeds that I felt compelled to cycle even during a short practice time. A lot of time was spent switching one reed for another, not even knowing for sure what I would get. I just couldn't bare it anymore. Rarely did I get a reed that exceeded a Legere. Most of the time I was working with sub-standard equipment.
Garth, 305-981-4705. garthlibre@yahoo.com
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Author: Tony F
Date: 2012-09-07 04:11
The reasons for using a synthetic reed, whether from Legere, Forestone or whatever are not only economics. You get the advantage of not having to shuffle between reeds in various stages of their working life and also the fact that you always know what is going to happen when you blow.
I've also noticed a very slight softening of Legeres with usage, although I don't find it enough to be a real problem. Legere reeds can be successfully clipped with a reed clipper as long as it is very sharp and produces a clean cut. You need clip only a very small sliver off the tip, much less than you would if you were clipping a cane reed. This will raise the strength about a half. I've only ever clipped a Legere once, I'm not sure what would be the result of clipping it again but it might not be a good idea.
Tony F.
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Author: Donald Casadonte
Date: 2012-09-08 15:38
"Clarinetfest 1998 was when they were launched- and there were 6 different gradings between each half strength (plus a variety of profiles if i remember correctly)"
I gave the talk on reed science at the 1998 Clarinetfest just before Dr. Legere. Synthetic reed science was certainly possible at the time. I looked at 2000 compounds for my dissertation, but I was primarily interested in the biological reed and I had no interest in making my own reed brand. Legere found a formulation, possibly using microfiber technology, that mimics the biopolymer fairly well. I was on a panel at a joint Acoustical Society of America/Material Research Society conference session that discussed new materials for musical instruments a few years before. If most musicians were wealthy, you have no idea how much new stuff there would be available. I and most musical acousticians can hardly even get funding to do fundamental research.
In any case, it would be interesting to compare natural and synthetic reeds in a systematic way. Alas, that science probably won't be done for twenty years, since it is hard to find people to do the work.
Donald Casadonte
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Author: Paula S
Date: 2012-09-10 16:16
I've managed to find a UK supplier and have just ordered a 3.75 one from Reeds Direct. I'll give it a whirl but don't know quite what to expect as I have never tried a plastic reed before.
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Author: Paula S
Date: 2012-09-12 18:01
Ooooooh very impressed with Reeds Direct! My 3.75 Signature came the next morning!!!!
Impressions so far: It is so hard to get these to squeak and I played it straight out of the packet. Very consistent and even and very in tune!!! Not quite as resonant I think but if it continues to play as it has so far, I am extremely satisfied!!!
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Author: avins
Date: 2012-12-20 10:54
Paula, may I ask you what MP you use for your #3.75 Sginature?
Thanks
Avins
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