 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Agomongo
Date: 2015-12-14 05:50
So I'm about to from Clark Fobes the Pilgerstorfer and PL reeds trial packs, however I'm look at the sizing charts and I don't know what to get. I use D'Addario Reserve Classics 3.5+. Should I order the 3.5 or the 4's OR both?
I might just buy both, because oddly enough with the weather constantly changing in Boston it seems like my reeds are getting harder. My 3.5+ were perfectly fine before mid November, but ever since it has been getting colder, then hotter, then drier, and then moister the 3.5+ have been getting stiffer and constantly changing. My teacher has been having this problem of his reeds getting stiffer (my reeds have been getting stiffer too.) He had to go from a 4 down to a 3.5. Has anyone else has these problems? Which strength would you say to get?
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Author: kdk
Date: 2015-12-14 05:53
Don't Clark's trial packs include samples of different strengths?
Karl
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Author: Agomongo
Date: 2015-12-14 05:56
kdk wrote:
> Don't Clark's trial packs include samples of different
> strengths?
>
> Karl
From what I can see from his website it's only giving one universal strength choice.
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Author: kdk
Date: 2015-12-14 06:24
Yes, now that I look at it, it seems to be a single strength. I don't know if I'm remembering something else or he's changed his offer.
It's been too long since I've tried those reeds, and I haven't ever tried the Leuthners, so I can't really suggest a strength. You might email Clark himself and ask him which strength would be the best equivalent to the Reserve Classic 3.5+.
Karl
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Author: maxopf
Date: 2015-12-14 07:05
How do Reserve Classics compare to V12s? I find the Pilgerstorfers and Leuthners might run slightly softer than V12s. (I was using #3.5+ V12s and am currently using #4 Leuthners.)
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Author: Agomongo
Date: 2015-12-14 08:25
maxopf wrote:
> How do Reserve Classics compare to V12s? I find the
> Pilgerstorfers and Leuthners might run slightly softer than
> V12s. (I was using #3.5+ V12s and am currently using #4
> Leuthners.)
They give me a very different tone quality. I never really like the sound of a V12, because they always gave me a dark tone quality. While the Classics give me a very nice bright/light tone. I've always strived for a tone quality like Nuccio or Frost's and less like Morales or McGill. Though I'm sure some people hear Nuccio and Frost having a dark sound, but for me I don't really hear it that way.
Another example is the voice. I like to hear a singer who sounds like they're singing from their head, so they have a light characteristic to their voice.
@kdk
Thanks! I'll email Mr. Fobes when I have the chance.
Post Edited (2015-12-14 08:28)
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Author: maxopf
Date: 2015-12-14 09:06
Sorry, should have clarified I meant in terms of strength — was trying to figure out how the Pilgerstorfers/Leuthners might compare to Reserve Classics.
(As far as sounds go, I've found that I like people with all sorts of different sounds. i.e. I really like both McGill's and Frost's sounds.)
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Author: Agomongo
Date: 2015-12-14 09:11
maxopf wrote:
> Sorry, should have clarified I meant in terms of strength —
> was trying to figure out how the Pilgerstorfers/Leuthners might
> compare to Reserve Classics.
>
> (As far as sounds go, I've found that I like people with all
> sorts of different sounds. i.e. I really like both McGill's
> and Frost's sounds.)
Oh! haha! I've always found that Vandoren is always a little stiffer, so basically Vandoren's 3 1/2 are a little stiffer compared to D'Addario's 3 1/2.
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Author: maxopf
Date: 2015-12-14 09:16
In that case, it sounds like Pilgerstorfers/PLs are probably around the same strength as Classics. Maybe try a 4 first?
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Author: Agomongo
Date: 2015-12-26 14:41
So I've gotten Clark Fobes reed sample pack. To be honest I don't really like the sound I get from them. It's been a few days and I'll give them a week more. I can see why people like them, but personally they don't give the sound I want. Out of the sample packs I've liked the Morre's the best, but best as in better than the other ones I don't like. Right now I'm still loving the D'Addario reeds.
Another thing is about the Legere reeds. I've tried so darn hard to find a Legere reed that works for me. I've gotten 4 different strengths, 3 of each strength, AND even done a replacement order. Yet they're still not working and yes I do have a Legere friendly mouthpiece. I have the Hawkins B. When I play on the Legere I get an extremely very very very bright tone with a buzz added to it. I've tried moving the reed around, but still nothing. I've heard that Legere keeps changing their design and that's why I'm having such a hard time finding a reed that works. Anyone else having this problem? I would love to have a back up reed before college auditons. :/
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Author: kdk
Date: 2015-12-26 18:13
Agomongo wrote:
> When I
> play on the Legere I get an extremely very very very bright
> tone with a buzz added to it.
Aside from the buzziness of the sound, I find that they have a sort of cut-off point dynamically, so that they respond well at, perhaps, mezzo-piano and louder, but they suddenly become unresponsive at anything softer. I've never been able comfortably to get a continuous diminuendo al niente, whatever strength I try. If a cane reed had the same problem, I could make a pretty good guess where to remove material. With the Legeres, it doesn't seem possible to adjust them in that way with normal cane-working tools. And if I guess wrong with cane, I've wasted a couple of dollars. If I mis-guess with a synthetic (Legere or Forestone), I've chucked more than $20 down the drain. I think I'd put up with the sound for much of the playing I do, if I could get better control of the dynamic response.
As for your preference of the Morré model, that intrigues me because when I tried the Pilgerstorfer selection a couple of years ago, I found the Morré model brighter and more brittle than the others (unlike the original Morrés). I found that the Rondos were fuller with less buzz, though still with enough ring. Obviously, each to his own taste, and the reeds may have changed since I tried them.
Karl
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Author: Agomongo
Date: 2015-12-27 01:37
kdk wrote:
> Agomongo wrote:
>
> > When I
> > play on the Legere I get an extremely very very very bright
> > tone with a buzz added to it.
>
> Aside from the buzziness of the sound, I find that they have a
> sort of cut-off point dynamically, so that they respond well
> at, perhaps, mezzo-piano and louder, but they suddenly
> become unresponsive at anything softer. I've never been able
> comfortably to get a continuous diminuendo al niente,
> whatever strength I try. If a cane reed had the same problem, I
> could make a pretty good guess where to remove material. With
> the Legeres, it doesn't seem possible to adjust them in that
> way with normal cane-working tools. And if I guess wrong with
> cane, I've wasted a couple of dollars. If I mis-guess with a
> synthetic (Legere or Forestone), I've chucked more than $20
> down the drain. I think I'd put up with the sound for much of
> the playing I do, if I could get better control of the dynamic
> response.
>
> As for your preference of the Morré model, that intrigues me
> because when I tried the Pilgerstorfer selection a couple of
> years ago, I found the Morré model brighter and more brittle
> than the others (unlike the original Morrés). I found
> that the Rondos were fuller with less buzz, though still with
> enough ring. Obviously, each to his own taste, and the reeds
> may have changed since I tried them.
>
> Karl
>
Good to know someone else is having trouble, haha. Yeah I'll probably wait a couple more years to see how they develop.
The Morre's were certainly brighter, but not bright and light like the Reserve's. With the brittle part it could be the mouthpiece I have that helped ward that off. Though perhaps the morre will become brighter as the days go by. Right now not too impressed with them.
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Author: Agomongo
Date: 2015-12-30 05:16
Agomongo wrote:
> kdk wrote:
>
> > Agomongo wrote:
> >
> > > When I
> > > play on the Legere I get an extremely very very very bright
> > > tone with a buzz added to it.
> >
> > Aside from the buzziness of the sound, I find that they have
> a
> > sort of cut-off point dynamically, so that they respond well
> > at, perhaps, mezzo-piano and louder, but they suddenly
> > become unresponsive at anything softer. I've never been able
> > comfortably to get a continuous diminuendo al niente,
> > whatever strength I try. If a cane reed had the same problem,
> I
> > could make a pretty good guess where to remove material. With
> > the Legeres, it doesn't seem possible to adjust them in that
> > way with normal cane-working tools. And if I guess wrong with
> > cane, I've wasted a couple of dollars. If I mis-guess with a
> > synthetic (Legere or Forestone), I've chucked more than $20
> > down the drain. I think I'd put up with the sound for much of
> > the playing I do, if I could get better control of the
> dynamic
> > response.
> >
> > As for your preference of the Morré model, that intrigues me
> > because when I tried the Pilgerstorfer selection a couple of
> > years ago, I found the Morré model brighter and more brittle
> > than the others (unlike the original Morrés). I found
> > that the Rondos were fuller with less buzz, though still with
> > enough ring. Obviously, each to his own taste, and the reeds
> > may have changed since I tried them.
> >
> > Karl
> >
After a couple of days of breaking in the Morre's the sound changed and I have to say I like the sound! Sort of... they were like what you said edgy, bright and brittle. I'm going for bright, however the edge and the brittleness is what killed me. I was upset, because the Morre has exactly what I want, but what kills it is the edge. If there was no edge nor brittle I would've made an official change. I'll have to keep trying them though. Perhaps they'll change into what I want.
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