 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: hunterirwin
Date: 2017-06-20 21:38
Attachment: IMG_0789.PNG (1933k)
I am looking to purchase a few Legere reeds for marching band coming up next month. My one problem is, I don't know what strength to get. For cane reeds, I typically play on Vandoren 56s 3.5. I was once told that if you were going to purchase a Legere reed, you always get a half-strength softer. I don't know if this is entirely true or not. I tried looking at the comparison chart on Legere's website, and found it a bit confusing. Any input will be appreciated.
Thanks,
Hunter Irwin
hunter.irwin@outlook.com
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Author: ClarinetRobt
Date: 2017-06-20 23:22
Hunter...
It's definitely confusing because the truth be told, they don't really know either. I've kinda noticed the new Euro Signatures come across as a touch soft to me. But I have no scientific data to back up my claim.
So for me, an Aria 4 is about a 3.75 Euro Signature.
I know there are no absolutes here in clarinet-land. But I feel comfortable suggesting that you want the Euro Signature series from Legere.
I like Dave's suggestion. Legere has a liberally return policy. Buy an assortment, keep the one that works. Return the others, still playing the one you kept. Legere will swap the others for a nominal fee ($1?).
You just might like them so much, you give up on cane all together. Many have.
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Author: kdk ★2017
Date: 2017-06-20 23:22
I'm not sure a half strength is the right correction. Maybe a quarter strength less. Légère has an exchange policy if you mis-guess. Just try one or two, maybe of two different strengths, then order more of the one that works best and exchange the other one.
My advice would be not to overcommit at first to a particular strength. There is an adjustment period you need to go through, after which your idea of the right strength may shift. They feel a little different from cane.
Karl
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Author: Justin Willsey ★2017
Date: 2017-06-20 23:34
If you go with the European Cut, which I recommend, I think a 3.5 and/or 3.75 would be close to your 3.5 Rue Lepics. Good luck!
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Author: gwie
Date: 2017-06-21 03:05
The Euro Cut reeds are so drastically different (and better) than Legere's earlier clarinet reeds I don't even recommend the others anymore.
I did find them to be the slightest bit softer than the corresponding Vandoren V12 or D'Addario Reserve Classic, but they are instantly responsive so that can sometimes distort the perception of their strength. I use 3.5 all across the board on all these reeds (Behn's Aria reeds were really quite good too).
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Author: WhitePlainsDave
Date: 2017-06-21 17:24
Justin:
Wouldn't this suggest:
http://www.vandoren-en.com/file/162130/
that the O.P. Mr Irwin's use of 56 Rue Lepic's are reeds that are slightly weaker for their strength numbering as compared to other reeds products (e.g. V21, Traditional) in the Vandoren product line?
And that accordingly, that 3.75 strength might be a stretch on the upper limits of hardness?
Maybe people have found differently--and clearly, even by Vandoren's own testing it appears to be mouthpiece specific. But never for a given Vandoren mouthpiece do you find them recommending a lower strength 56 Rue Lepic to compensate for the product's inherent strength, relative to other Vandoren reed products' strengths.
Rather, the same or higher strength 56's are recommended to compensate for the product's inherent weakness in strength numbering compared to same.
Of course, if you have a budget for 4 reeds, do make that fourth a "3.75," assuming intended use of the Legere exchange policy.
Also--yes, as everyone has said here, I have found the Euro Legere's to be in a (better) class of Legere reeds all its own. Of course I can't speak to your budget.
I wonder if anyone prefers Legere's other and older product lines to Euros in the soprano clarinet space.
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Author: Justin Willsey ★2017
Date: 2017-06-21 18:18
Dave,
It's possible. Perhaps a 3 would be too soft. I feel comfortable on Euro 4s, and generally feel comfortable on 4s in the 56s, so it doesn't seem like a huge stretch to me.
These strength charts don't always have all the answers; otherwise we wouldn't need all these discussions. I certainly take Legere's chart with a grain of salt. The idea that a Euro 4 is like a V12 4.5 is one I'm going to have to disagree with.
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Author: Ed
Date: 2017-06-21 19:11
One thing to keep in mind is that a cane reed will break in over time and get slightly softer. Since the synthetic does not go through this process, what you get is what you get. So, you are likely right to consider a hair softer.
I have returned reeds to legere, but the cost of paying shipping to and from was not cheap and made it into an option that I would not want to do too often.
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Author: kdk ★2017
Date: 2017-06-21 20:44
Ed wrote:
> One thing to keep in mind is that a cane reed will break in
> over time and get slightly softer. Since the synthetic does not
> go through this process, what you get is what you get. So, you
> are likely right to consider a hair softer.
>
Well, apropos this point, Légères do seem in my experience (and others have mentioned it here as well) to soften a little as you play on them. I change to a fresh reed after an hour or so. The reed returns to its original strength after resting (cooling? - I don't know the exact reason), but you need to judge a Légère's strength by how it plays after a few minutes, not how it feels on first blow.
Karl
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Author: Ed
Date: 2017-06-22 05:17
Quote:
Well, apropos this point, Légères do seem in my experience (and others have mentioned it here as well) to soften a little as you play on them. I change to a fresh reed after an hour or so. The reed returns to its original strength after resting (cooling? - I don't know the exact reason), but you need to judge a Légère's strength by how it plays after a few minutes, not how it feels on first blow.
Yes, there is a slight change, but what I was referring to is the way that many of us might get a 4 in a cane reed with the idea that after a week of breaking in (and possibly adjustment) it might become effectively a 3.75 or 3.5. While the Legere will return to strength, a cane reed will remain where it settled.
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Author: Richie
Date: 2017-06-22 20:18
I bought a legere classic that was just the right strength for a while, but quickly got too soft and played way out of tune. Learned my lesson.
Post Edited (2017-06-22 20:18)
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Author: sfalexi
Date: 2017-06-24 02:44
Richie wrote:
> I bought a legere classic that was just the right strength for
> a while, but quickly got too soft and played way out of tune.
> Learned my lesson.
>
>
> Post Edited (2017-06-22 20:18)
Don't judge an entire manufacturing line of synthetic reeds on ONE experience based on their STUDENT model.
It's time to revisit them, with their higher quality cuts, and give two or three reeds a fair shot.
Alexi <- legere signature series on saxophones, and european series on clarinets, and sound and tune just fine on all of them.
US Army Japan Band
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Author: tucker ★2017
Date: 2017-06-24 06:46
I've read a few discussions about how consistent Legeres are.... I found them to be very inconsistent , albeit less than the anomalies of cane. My current mouthpiece isn't Legere friendly at all. Like most everything in the clarinet world... what works for some might not work for others. Definitely try a few of each strength until you find what works for you.
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