 The Clarinet BBoard
|
Author: Musikat
Date: 2017-05-15 05:45
My son is a beginning clarinet student (first year, been playing since August). He is 10 and in 4th grade. As a clarinet player myself I have been giving him informal lessons and he has progressed quite well for his age. I fairly quickly changed him from Rico to Vandoren Blue box 2s and we both noticed the improved sound. However, they are slightly stiff sometimes and take some adjusting.
Today he asked me about plastic reeds. I have a few Legere 4s I tried a while back but they don't work well for me because I don't find their tone as good as a good cane reed. I have two questions about using these for my son.
1. what are your thoughts on the benefits/drawbacks of letting him use one? I do want him to learn about reeds and their care, etc. He is already doing pretty good, but does have some small chips sometimes. He knows how to make sure they are placed correctly and adjusts them on the mouthpiece until they feel right. Will using a plastic one be counterproductive?
2. Assuming I do let him try one, he plays a Yamaha 4C mouthpiece on a Yamaha student plastic clarinet. What type/strength would you suggest I order for him for the best results? As I mentioned he plays Vandoren blue box 2s. Rico 2s are too soft and buzzy sounding and 2 1/2 Ricos seem a tad hard for him.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2017-05-15 06:12
I don't think any 10-year-old can avoid chipping reeds. Everyone in my beginner class (age 13, 7th grade) did it all the time.
A standard Legere will save money and aggravation. If it doesn't sound as good as a bottom-of-the-line Rico, you've got the wrong strength. The Yamaha 4C is rather open. He should adjust to a Legere 2-1/2 quickly.
Ken Shaw
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Ursa
Date: 2017-05-15 12:04
1. The Legeres demand very precise placement on the mouthpiece. However, since one can see the mouthpiece rails through the reed, it doesn't take much practice to get a Legere on the sweet spot, every time. The standard Legeres can soften up as they are played and can respond unpredictably if this happens. This likely won't be a concern for your son at this stage--but if he joins, say, a pep band next year and is playing everything at fortissimo, he should have multiple Legeres to rotate through during a playing session.
2. The standard Legeres sound particularly nice on the Yamaha YCL-20 clarinet in my studio and have played well on the Yamaha 3 mouthpiece that was once in my rotation--so I wouldn't hesitate to audition the Legeres on your son's Yamaha equipment.
I find the standard 2.25 Legere to approximate the strength of a Blue Box 2.0. If I were you, I'd get two each of the 2.25 and 2.5 strengths. That way, he could rotate the reeds in his preferred strength as needed. Once he's getting good results from the 2.5, you could swap out the 2.25's for 2.75's.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: ClarinetRobt
Date: 2017-05-15 21:54
When I'm playing a gig (practice) that's hour + long, I usually swap to another Legere half way through. But in a pinch, wiggling the reed higher - slightly above the mouthpiece- always cures any 'too soft' problems immediately. I've never notice any ill effects on response when I do this.
I even take my reed off and try to 'air dry' it during any intermissions or more notably, long winded conductor speeches during concerts. I seem to have few issues with my reed getting too weak.
~Robt L Schwebel
Mthpc: Behn Vintage
Lig: Ishimori, Behn Delrin
Reed: Legere French Cut 3.75/4, Behn Brio 4
Horns: Uebel Superior (Bb,A), Ridenour Lyrique, Buffet R13 (Eb)
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: WhitePlainsDave
Date: 2017-05-17 05:31
I wonder if the argument to switch to Legere's because of the frequency with which the age group chips cane reeds is a good one.
Legere's may be tougher than cane in such regards, but by no means invincible, and certainly, on a reed per reed basis, multiple times more costly.
That may be an unfair comparison on play longevity provided reeds are retired because they're worn out, not damaged outside of play.
Then again, I wonder if Legere's ability to afford more consistency, turning the clarinet into more like a flute in terms of playing the same way each time, might result in lower drop out rates among beginning students.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Bob Bernardo
Date: 2017-05-20 13:46
I think a 4C mouthpiece is too open for a beginning student. In most cases it is too open for pros.
I'd rethink this setup.
Get him on a closer facing and a stronger strength reed. Probably a 2 1/2 Vandoren or the Classic reeds which last longer and more play per box.
Rico reeds have pesticides on ALL of the reeds. You can check out past posts of mine. The cane is also horrible. I don't want your kid getting sick. You can write or call Rico and ask them if they use pesticides. If they say no - Sue them.
I'm not against plastic reeds but in my opinion maybe give your kid the "Feel," of what a cane reed should sound like while learning to play. The mouthpiece and the reed are the most important parts of the horn. We have to get this right and the kids will become better players much faster.
Contact me if you wish and I will give you a free mouthpiece and some free reeds to get him going in the right direction.
savagesax@aol.com
Designer of - Vintage 1940 Cicero Mouthpieces and the La Vecchia mouthpieces
Yamaha Artist 2015
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Musikat
Date: 2017-05-21 06:19
Hi Bob,
Not a bad idea about the mouthpiece, but just to clarify, he doesn't currently play on Rico. I bought them at first but quickly changed to Vandorens. That is what I play (although I play V12s) and what I know, and they just sound better. Just more inconsistent.
I did have him briefly try my Rick Sayre mouthpiece with his Vandoren 2s and it seemed a little better. But he is only in 4th grade and it is a lot cheaper to replace a broken 4C than a custom more closed mouthpiece! I think for now I am going to focus on the mechanics with him on the 4C, stick to cane reeds and reevaluate in a year or two when he is a little more proficient. We are still working on getting over the break, so I don't know that he is ready to focus on a harder reed/closed face mouthpiece just yet.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: thereallukasj
Date: 2017-05-22 03:45
For bass clarinet, Legere reeds are great because they require very little pinching and therefore longer playing sessions. They have a very in tune sound and articulate easily. I recommend them for pros and students alike.
Musically yours,
Lukas Johnson
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: SarahC
Date: 2017-06-04 01:07
the leggier are great.
BUT if he is going to chip reeds (and he will!).. better to chip cheap cane ones. After six months we all seem to get better in the knack of not chipping reeds.. Even us adults who try to be all so careful chip reeds when we first began.. and still even sometimes these days... Particular with kids running around and bumping you :o
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: ClarinetRobt
Date: 2017-06-04 01:59
For inexpensive beginner mouthpieces - Fobes, Smith and Behn all have versions that are universally considered excellent by most members here. You shouldn't have to pay a lot of $$$ to a find quality product for your beginner.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Musikat
Date: 2017-06-04 05:17
I posted on another thread about his mouthpiece, but in the end I decided to stick with cane, AND order the Behn Overture mouthpiece. It came in the mail the day of his spring band concert this past Thursday. His instrument was at school, but I let him try it, along with Aria 3 reeds, and several of his "rejected" Vandoren 2's, and there was a definite difference. He played on the new mouthpiece that night and just picked his reed from what was in his case, without even having a chance to try it. After I asked him how it went and his answer was interesting. He told me that sometimes there are two toys that when you get both you can put them together and make something better. this was like that.
In other words, he noticed immediately the difference in how the reed played with the new mouthpiece, so good advice there!
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
