 The Clarinet BBoard
|
Author: vjoet
Date: 2010-09-18 13:42
Just noted on the Legere site (In the News section) that Legere German Cut is being used:
"Andreas Ottensamer recently won a Solo Clarinet Clarinet position with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. Mr. Ottensamer prevailed in heavy competition for the position using a Légère German Cut clarinet reed and the PlayEasy system from Austrian mouthpiece master Nick Kückmeier. In the final pairing of the competition, both players were playing Légère!"
I've been a fan of the Signature series since their release. A pro that I sometimes play with has stated repeatedly "You're the only one I know who can sound good on a plastic reed." I've sent him the link. Maybe now he'll consider his attitude toward Legere is based on tradition and prejudice and not on his ears.
Vann Joe
(amateur)
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: William
Date: 2010-09-18 19:08
Hopefully, the new & superior Forestone reeds will soon catch on as well. All it really takes a little practice & aural adjustment (your sound remains the same to your audience, it just sounds a bit different to you) to get used to playing the new synthetics, but once that has been done, freedom from cane is inevitable. What puts Forestone "over the top" for me is that they are not 100% plastic, but a composite containing bamboo fibres allow a more "cane like" feel in response and performance. When I switched, no one in any ensemble--orchestra or band--noticed any change in my tone quality or musical expressiveness. Except me, that is, in terms of the reed being always consistant, ready to play and maintaining it's strength throughtout the entire gig. Synthetics??--I say give them a try for a while and, maybe like me, you'll never return to cane. Legere or Forestone, my choice is the latter.
Either way, synthetics are the reeds of the future.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: sonicbang
Date: 2010-09-18 19:59
I tried different types of synthetic reed this year in Frankfurt at the Musikmesse, just for fun. It was really fun, because when I tried the first one, I couldn't stop laughing for a while, that sound was ridiculous. The 2 nd and 3rd one was the same. Then I started to listen the other clarinettists while noodling. I had to leave the counter, because I laughed so disgracefully...as I remember I tried Forestone as well. It was all the same. No way to part with the good old cane.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Tom Puwalski
Date: 2010-09-18 22:13
The Forestone reeds I tried were in no way superior to Legere signature reeds I've played. So because a reed has can fibers in it it will sound like cane. I think we need to apply a little more Scientific method to this before blatant factual statements are made. Tom Puwalski
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: USFBassClarinet
Date: 2010-09-18 23:17
I messed around with legere a bit last year. I played them for several professors around the school and none of them could tell the difference. I did find that the voicing is different, and it is really hard to play in the altissimo in tune with them for me. I could probably have made the switch permanent and struggled with it, but it is easier to find 1 or 2 really good reeds in a box that respond better and play better in tune. and they cost very near the same. I get 3 or 4 played reeds for the same price so I can pick one that plays differently for a different hall.
Since the Forestone deal appeared on here a week or so ago, I did order one. I am suppose to get in in early October so we will see.
I have to agree that, eventually, synthetic reeds will win over regular reeds but for me that day has not come.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: clarinetcase
Date: 2010-09-19 00:33
I have found both the Legere and Forestone work really well for outside performances in the summer. It's nice not having to worry about my reed drying out. Last year I used them in the summer and returned to cane at the end of September. The weather's again getting cooler and I'm finding I like them less. I'll probably go back to cane for this winter also.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Ed
Date: 2010-09-19 00:57
I am glad that this is becoming a viable option for many players. So far I have not had any luck with the variety of different cuts and strength of Legeres I have tried.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: clarnibass
Date: 2010-09-19 04:18
>> a Solo Clarinet Clarinet position <<
So he is one of those rare people with two mouths and four hands...? 
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: JJAlbrecht
Date: 2010-09-20 01:25
Tom, the Forestones do NOTuse cane; they are made from bamboo with plastic materials.
Just an FYI... 
Jeff
“Everyone discovers their own way of destroying themselves, and some people choose the clarinet.” Kalman Opperman, 1919-2010
"A drummer is a musician's best friend."
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: William
Date: 2010-09-20 15:27
Also, Tom, I did not intend to make an "unscientific blatant" statement of absolute fact applicable to all, but rather offer my own opinion based on my "research" of trial and analysis--playing Forestones and assessing how nicely they play for me for over a years time on my clarinets and recently, for a few months, on my saxophones. They feel cane-like in terms of response and musical expression, and come totally without all of the non-musical hassels of cane--reed prep and maintainance, drying out, gross inconsistancies making it necessary to buy boxes to find just a few that perform well enough to play, and waste--throwing out all the cane reeds that are not salvagable for even practice. I have yet to discard any Forestone reed--my first ones, since May, 2009, still play well enough to practice on. Unscientific or not, Forestones play as well as (if not better than) cane for me--and that's all I'm saying. OK??
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
