 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: thereallukasj
Date: 2018-05-28 20:32
The idea of using soprano sax reeds on clarinet is no new proposition, however I am curious to hear from people who use soprano sax reeds on clarinet what brand, cut, and strength they use. I know Legere designed some of their clarinet reeds to dinensions more of a soprano sax reeds so if you have used these be sure to comment.
Thanks,
Lukas
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Author: FwLineberry
Date: 2018-05-29 03:55
The Legere European Cut Signature Series was designed after their soprano sax reed.
I'm currently experimenting with a 3.5 Legere Signature soprano reed and a 3.75 Legere European Cut Signature clarinet reed on a Ridenour MT-36 mouthpiece (1.05 long facing). I have a 3.5 regular Signature Series clarinet reed that plays very well that I'm using as a benchmark.
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Backun Beta, Lyrique Libertas, Lyrique 570C
Ridenour RAmt36, Vandoren 15RV Lyre mouthpieces
Rovner Dark and Rovner Versa ligatures
Legere reeds
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Author: nellsonic
Date: 2018-05-29 04:36
I'd be curious to hear more about your experience comparing the two Legere's.
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Author: sax panther
Date: 2018-05-29 11:44
I've tried using Vandoren green java strength 3 sop reeds on clarinet (after hearing about people using Legere soprano reeds) - I'd use them in an emergency, but they're not as nice as normal clarinet reeds (I use V12 3.5s) - a bit too bright. Non jazz sop sax reeds may work a lot better but I haven't tried them (I only have Javas).
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Author: Ken Lagace
Date: 2018-05-29 17:30
The cut on a reed and the facing on the mouthpiece (and the embouchure and the air stream and the ligature) are a marriage that works or doesn't work, so experimentation is extremely important to find out what works best for each player.
This is written on stone, Amen...
:=)
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Author: Bob Bernardo
Date: 2018-06-04 09:04
When I was at Rico I got to play a lot. Meaning goof around. Yes I messed with the sop sax reeds on the clarinet and adjusted the heck out of them. But never worked for me.
However, I did and do like some German cut reeds on some French mouthpieces. Some of the German reeds on the market have thicker tips and more heart to the center of the reeds. This I like. When you articulate you often sound better, you don't hear that heavy tongue pounding against the reed during faster passages. Unless of course you have a light fast tongue, which takes years to develop, and some never really achieve that special tonguing gift. Yes I think in it often a gift. Just as sight reading is so easy for some people and at auditions some players are able to look 3 to 5 measures ahead when they sight read. Others get stuck reading each note.
So sometimes when you have a soft reed and you clip it it can sound a lot better. The thicker tip is something I like but too thick can create other problems, such as ugly sounding overtones.
If you use a micrometer I like the tips around 7 thousandths. Some German reeds can get to 15 thousandths. That's too thick, because the heart/spine lack wood causing the reeds to perhaps be buzzy.
Thicker tips on a reed is surely something to play with. Vandoren marketed German reeds in the US in the 1970's. They were wide for the French mouthpieces, but had thicker tips. Also an old company called Morre' made German tip reeds as well. They were excellent. Some of us older players remember how great those reeds were. So don't be shy with clipping your reeds to 8 or 9 thousandths of an inch.
Designer of - Vintage 1940 Cicero Mouthpieces and the La Vecchia mouthpieces
Yamaha Artist 2015
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Author: sfalexi
Date: 2018-06-05 03:55
I've been experimenting with soprano sax legere reeds on clarinet. I REALLY like it. Very consistent, good sound, good control. I was a legere european user, but now I'm using soprano sax legere signature 3.75. Playing with some other folks (playing with an AWESOME classical alto sax player where I work) shows that the soprano sax reed tunes excellently.
I highly recommend that you try a soprano sax legere signature on your clarinet.
Much like other legere reeds, placement on the mouthpiece is paramount. Start with it perfectly in line with the tip, side by side, etc, and then subtly shift around to find what works best on your mouthpiece.
Alexi
US Army Japan Band
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Author: Bob Bernardo
Date: 2018-06-05 09:46
That's really interesting about the Legere's.
Designer of - Vintage 1940 Cicero Mouthpieces and the La Vecchia mouthpieces
Yamaha Artist 2015
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Author: nellsonic
Date: 2018-06-05 12:07
Alexi what Euro Signature strength were you using, assuming it was the same mouthpiece you are using now?
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Author: sfalexi
Date: 2018-06-05 15:01
I was using lager European 3.75. I would say the soprano sax feels a little hard compared to the European red, but not so hard to be unmanageable. I may get a 3.5 soprano sax to dse if that feels more comfortable.
Alexi
US Army Japan Band
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2018-06-05 18:36
I use bari sax reeds on clarinet and the heel side gives excellent results if you like reed strengths into the 100s.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: sfalexi
Date: 2018-06-06 05:01
Chris P wrote:
> I use bari sax reeds on clarinet and the heel side gives
> excellent results if you like reed strengths into the 100s.
>
lol. Nice.
For a while though, I HAVE used other "similar" reeds on clarinets. Alto sax reeds on alto clarinet mouthpieces, tenor sax reeds on bass clarinet mouthpieces, things like that. Just gives you more choices (especially with alto clarinet and bass clarinet, where the market for reeds isn't as big as their sax 'equivalents')
Alexi
US Army Japan Band
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Author: donald
Date: 2018-06-06 08:27
I know Chris P was joking, but the Bari sax reeds DO work on the bass clarinet, just not as good as the bass clarinet ones do...
I've already posted on this BB about using the sop sax reeds- and as I wrote previously I thought it was a crazy idea and resisted trying it. I only did eventually try it because Guy Legere had given me some free sop sax reeds and of course let me know that Ricardo Morales had used this combination.
I played a concert on Sunday with the Bach Musica orchestra here in Auckland (the group does not exclusively play Baroque repertoire) and one of my colleagues, an English Oboe player who has played with the two top orchestras in NZ, actually complimented me at the dress rehearsal on my tone- both for solo passages and a number of places in a Chopin Piano concerto where I was in unison with flute... when I showed her that I was using a plastic reed her surprise was evident. When I told her it was a SOPRANO SAX reed and that I wanted to start using cane reeds again, her reaction was, "it works, don't change anything!"
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2018-06-06 13:06
I do use alto sax reeds on alto clarinet and basset horn as well as tenor sax reeds on bass clarinet as they're far easier to come by than alto/basset horn or bass clarinet specific reeds, there's more choice and they're the same size and scrape length.
Provided whatever you use works and you're not having to work hard to make it work, then that should be a good enough reason.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: HANGARDUDE
Date: 2018-06-06 19:06
I agree with sfalexi and donald. I have tried Legere soprano and tenor sax signature reeds on Bb and bass clarinets respectively, and as far as synthetic reeds go, they sound the best IMO. They have a similar character to the Vandoren Blue Box reeds(albeit still having some inherent characters of plastic), but you would need to go a 1/4 strength down for the closest feel to the latter.
The major downside here is that not all ligatures that work with cane will work with these Legeres. I find that ligs that have the indented cradles(think Bay and Vandy M/O) DO NOT hold the Legere sig. sax reeds well. You may like a different lig for these reeds from me, but I prefer the Rovner Versa when it comes to Legeres.
Josh
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Author: FwLineberry
Date: 2018-06-07 04:08
nellsonic wrote:
> I'd be curious to hear more about your experience comparing the
> two Legere's.
The jury is still out, but I'm leaning towards the European cut over the soprano. I'll post more when/if I ever get some quality time with either reed.
.
.
Backun Beta, Lyrique Libertas, Lyrique 570C
Ridenour RAmt36, Vandoren 15RV Lyre mouthpieces
Rovner Dark and Rovner Versa ligatures
Legere reeds
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Author: FwLineberry
Date: 2018-06-07 04:11
sfalexi wrote:
> I've been experimenting with soprano sax legere reeds on
> clarinet. I REALLY like it. Very consistent, good sound, good
> control. I was a legere european user, but now I'm using
> soprano sax legere signature 3.75. Playing with some other
> folks (playing with an AWESOME classical alto sax player where
> I work) shows that the soprano sax reed tunes excellently.
>
> I highly recommend that you try a soprano sax legere signature
> on your clarinet.
>
> Much like other legere reeds, placement on the mouthpiece is
> paramount. Start with it perfectly in line with the tip, side
> by side, etc, and then subtly shift around to find what works
> best on your mouthpiece.
>
> Alexi
>
What mouthpiece/ligature setup are you using?
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Backun Beta, Lyrique Libertas, Lyrique 570C
Ridenour RAmt36, Vandoren 15RV Lyre mouthpieces
Rovner Dark and Rovner Versa ligatures
Legere reeds
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Author: ClarinetRobt
Date: 2018-06-08 20:58
I just received my Legere Signature Soprano Sax Reed (3.5) as a potential substitute for (fantastic) Bb Euro Signature 3.75.
On my Behn Vintage, it's a not go. The Soprano Sax didn't work nearly was well the Bb Euro Signature.
~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)
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Author: sfalexi
Date: 2018-06-09 21:13
FwLineberry,
I'm using a Richard Hawkins R model that was refaced by a friend of mine. It was opened up a little bit. Not sure all the things he did to it, but I liked his mouthpiece work so he tweaked this one and it feels great. I'm using a Rovner Versa. Like some folks said above, ligatures made for Bb clarinet reeds might not work with soprano sax reeds. The more flexible the ligature, the more likely it'd work. Probably would be fine with any fabric ligs, silverstein, string, velcro, etc.
ClarinetRobt,
Sorry it didn't work for ya. I'd be curious to know if your mouthpiece has a close-tip opening and longer lay, I would like to know if maybe cause soprano sax reeds ARE smaller, maybe they're a better fit for shorter lays or something like that.
Alexi
US Army Japan Band
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Author: gwlively
Date: 2018-06-09 21:40
On the other hand, clarinet reeds work very well for me on sop. sax.
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Author: shmuelyosef
Date: 2018-06-10 04:16
Quote:
HANGERDUDE said:
"The major downside here is that not all ligatures that work with cane will work with these Legeres. I find that ligs that have the indented cradles(think Bay and Vandy M/O) DO NOT hold the Legere sig. sax reeds well. You may like a different lig for these reeds from me, but I prefer the Rovner Versa when it comes to Legeres."
I have found that ligatures with distinct pressure mechanisms work well with the Legere reeds. My two favorites are the Bonade inverted and the Vandoren Optima. I prefer the Bonade inverted as it is easier to get the reed positioned and quite a bit more affordable. I use these designs on both bass clarinet and Bb clarinet.
The Rovner ligatures also work but I find them very fussy; when I give the last tightening twist they often shift a little, but I don't find that with the Bonade.
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