Anyway, I got a kind offer from someone at Légère to send me a few samples.* They asked about my current cane reed preference, and sent three reeds in different strengths close to what I currently use.
Goodies via Canadian mail
As I mentioned in the previous post, I have used Légère reeds (not the Signature Series) on the largest clarinets, but have not, until now, experimented substantially with the smaller Légères.
I am pleased to report that the Signature Series are highly playable reeds. In fact, they respond nearly identically to my current cane reeds of choice (a popular, leading brand).
I mention response first because I think it’s the most important aspect of how a reed plays, but of course the question on everyone’s mind is tone. I have been playing the Signature Series reeds exclusively for the past week, and I find the tone of these reeds to be clear, dark, flexible (but not overly so), and characteristic of good cane reeds.
The reeds are very well-balanced. Since the reeds I received are of different strengths, I don’t think I can comment conclusively on consistency from reed to reed, but they strike me as having identical playing characteristics other than a predictable difference in resistance between the strengths (which isn’t always the case with cane reeds).
With the usual traffic of students and colleagues in and out of my studio, there have been a number of raised eyebrows at the sight of a plastic reed on my clarinet. In casual demonstrations, the consensus is that these sound like the “real” thing.
Here’s my exhaustive list of what I find to be different between the Légères and my cane reeds:
Inside my head, there seems to be a little more articulation noise with the Légères. However, after recording myself, I’m convinced that it’s not audible to a listener. Still, perhaps it will push me to further refine my tonguing.
The flat side of the reeds seems slightly more slippery than cane, which means I have to take a little extra care to get them positioned just right on the mouthpiece.
The plastic, at least in my studio in January, feels just slightly cool against my lip. I find this minor thing to be vaguely pleasant.
That’s it.
I would tend to choose the Légère over cane reeds in doubling situations and in my teaching studio, where the advantages of stability and non-warpage are clear. I also wouldn’t hesitate to use them for ensemble playing. As I do have a solo recital coming up, I’ve been doing a little soul-searching about whether I will use the Légère in that situation. At this point, I think I can find and adjust a cane reed that will outplay the Légère by a small (very small) margin. But in a pinch I would gratefully fall back on the Légère, and I think no one would be the wiser. I think these are worth keeping on hand for just such an eventuality, even if you’re not convinced that they’re right for normal performance situations.
On the Légère website, you can take the blindfold test with Richard Hawkins playing the Légère against a cane reed. I figured I might as well offer my own blindfold test, so you can gauge whether the difference is audible with a clarinetist rather less accomplished than the esteemed Mr. Hawkins. Can you tell which is the plastic reed?
I understand that Légère is in the process of releasing a Signature Series reed for tenor saxophone, which I am anxious to try as well. Since they are releasing a tenor reed and not an alto reed (yet?) I assume that the saxophone Signature Series is geared more toward jazz players.
I received three reeds from Légère at no cost, but I was not asked to do anything, including writing a review, in return. I am reviewing the reeds in what I believe to be an unbiased manner. (Phew!)
Believe me when I tell you that this is a seriously cool instrument.
Even after hearing and reading a number of rave reviews of the Akai EWI 4000S, I was pleasantly surprised by its playability, responsiveness, and capacity for expression. In my opinion, this is a real instrument, and a viable option for serious music-making.
Since I moved to the lovely and historic Mississippi Delta about two and a half months ago, it has been on my to-do list to find a local source for Duco cement to use in bassoon reedmaking. I used to be able to buy it at a certain notorious chain store, but my local store here doesn’t stock it. One well-known double reed supplier sells it for $3.95 per one-ounce tube, which is four times the price I usually pay for it locally.
The Devcon website makes it hard to find information about retail locations, and in fact you have to head over to another web domain to find it. After an unsuccessful morning driving around looking for Duco, I went home and dug up this link:
http://www.itwconsumer.com/wheretobuy.aspx [update: link dead]
Select DUCO® CEMENT, TUBE CARDED and your state. The website doesn’t give retailer addresses, but does provide names. I found a store within a half-mile of me that had it for just under a dollar per tube. Read More “Duco cement and bassoon reeds”
I recently got my own copy of The Woodwind Anthology, a massive two-volume collection of articles from The Instrumentalist and Flute Talk magazines. I’ve used this anthology from various university libraries throughout my long college education, and found it to be a go-to source for pedagogy classes and comprehensive exam preparation.
Inexplicably, Instrumentalist is selling these right now for $37 for the set. Check it out here. The shockingly low price makes me wonder if this has gone out of print. If you’re interested, I suggest ordering soon. Read More “Review: The Woodwind Anthology”
Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases, at no cost to you.
Bottom line: the ClariMate is an interesting gadget with potential for various uses, but it’s a little rough around the edges. Consider buying one now as a tech toy if you’re an early-adopter type, or wait for a new-and-improved iteration if you need something that just works.
I recently got my hands on the “ClariMate,” a new electronic device from the venerable Buffet-Crampon, clarinet maker of choice for most Boehm-system players worldwide. “Play anywhere, anytime,” its marketing materials proclaim, “the gateway to silent practice and digital music.” It’s a surprising and intriguing offering from a company more associated with tradition and history than innovation.
Players of electric keyboards and guitars have long had the option of using headphones, and Yamaha’s “Silent Brass” digital practice mutes were introduced in the 1990s. But woodwinds are much more complicated to silence, since sound waves don’t just emanate from the instrument’s end—they come from the instruments’ many toneholes. Enterprising folks have marketed a number of questionable solutions, ranging from pieces of foam stuffed inside the instrument to molded containers that completely encase it.
Buffet is betting on a more sophisticated approach. The ClariMate plugs into your clarinet’s barrel on one end and accepts your mouthpiece on the other, and does some electronic trickery in between. Buffet’s sales pitch is that you can play on your own clarinet silently, without substantially changing the instrument’s feel and with a convincing clarinet sound in your earphones. Does it fulfill this promise?
Yes, kind of. But it’s a new technology with a lot of real-world variables to deal with, and it’s marketed to some of the most sensitive and finicky customers there are: musicians.
So, at a current price of $425 USD, as much as a handmade mouthpiece, is it worth it? Let’s take a closer look.
What’s in the ClariMate box
The ClariMate unit, a black plastic thing with buttons and lights. The tube part adds about 1½” (38mm) of length to your clarinet. The perpendicular part with the buttons is about 2″×2½” (51mm×64mm). The unit weighs about 1½ oz (45g).
A nice black nylon carrying case, about 6″×6″×3″ (15cm×15cm×7.5cm).
Two “active reeds,” like plastic clarinet reeds with some additional attached mechanism that fits inside your mouthpiece
Some spare O-rings for the ClariMate’s tenon, where it connects to your barrel
A few rubbery plugs that can be inserted into the end of the flexible tube, for customizing the blowing resistance to your liking
A fabric-jacketed USB cable, for charging the ClariMate and for connecting to a computer
A flexible tube that connects to the ClariMate and dangles inside the clarinet
What the ClariMate sounds like
There are a couple of questions to address here: what does the ClariMate sound like in your earphones, and what does it sound like to someone else in the room?
The ClariMate does effectively silence your clarinet (almost), since the “active reed” assembly does not vibrate. Instead, the ClariMate detects what pitch your clarinet would be producing, based on the fingering you’re using, and replaces that with an electronic clarinet sound in your earphones.
The electronic clarinet sound is a garden-variety synthesized clarinet, like the one from your electric keyboard or music notation software. You wouldn’t mistake it for a real instrument, but it’s recognizable as a clarinet. A contact at Buffet tells me an improved, acoustically-modeled sound is already in the works for a future software release (which will be installable on already-purchased ClariMates).
Here’s a short demonstration. I play two excerpts from the Rose 32 Etudes, first on “real” clarinet and then with the ClariMate (with the Windows app). The final part of the video shows the sound in the room (which is virtually silent).
The ClariMate unit does produce a very quiet but audible hum (Buffet calls it the “chirp”), which changes as you open and close toneholes. Here’s an up-close recording of what it sounds like. I’ve got the microphone right at the bell, and I’m playing some notes down to low E. The thumps are the pads closing, and should give you an idea of how much I boosted the recording volume.
In reality the chirp is quiet enough to be masked by typical room sounds like air conditioning.
Connections
The ClariMate can be used in “standalone” mode, in which you just plug in some wired earphones (not included) and play. It can also connect to computer apps via USB cable or smartphone/tablet apps via Bluetooth for additional features.
It can’t be used with Bluetooth earphones due to latency, a delay between when you play the note and when you would hear it in the earphones. The technological issue here is real and probably currently unavoidable at this price point, but it’s a shame to see this device hit the market just when many people are discarding their wired earphones and living in their Bluetooth ones.
The ClariMate website suggests the USB mode can be used for MIDI, but the user manual doesn’t provide any information about this, and Windows did not detect my ClariMate as a MIDI device. A Buffet representative confirms that although this functionality is mentioned on the website, MIDI features are “not publicly available yet.”
Operating the ClariMate unit
The ClariMate has four buttons and four LED lights. Two of the buttons operate as simple volume-up and volume-down buttons, but you have to use an app to get any visual feedback on how much of the available volume you’re using.
There’s also a power button for starting the unit in standalone mode, or you can turn the power on while holding any of the other three buttons to start in USB, Bluetooth, or reed calibration mode. I find this a little fussy and non-intuitive; you have to read the manual to figure out how to turn the device on correctly. (Although I will allow that a clarinetist ought to be able to handle pressing more than one button at a time.)
Playing the ClariMate
Playing a clarinet with the ClariMate feels pretty natural to my embouchure. The non-vibration of the reed, which feels shiny-smooth but otherwise pretty reed-like, is different but not difficult to deal with.
The latency of the note tracking is slight and mostly manageable, but noticeable to an experienced clarinetist.
A contact at Buffet explained that the ClariMate requires a fair amount of finger precision, maybe even more than actually playing the clarinet, in order to correctly recognize the pitches you want. This was a purposeful choice, as the ClariMate team wanted to make sure the device was useful as a practice aid, and not something that would allow you to develop bad playing habits. I found the ClariMate mostly identified my intended pitches without difficulty.
Failure to detect the intended notes can be due to imprecise finger placement, or due to differences between your clarinet and barrel and those used in developing the ClariMate (apparently a Buffet E11). This can be fixed by “training” the ClariMate to recognize your individual instrument’s quirks. My Buffet Festival B-flat mostly worked pretty well without any training for playing simple things, but I did do a full training regimen, which took about 5 minutes, to get the device to respond well to faster passages and short staccato notes. The training consists of the app showing you a sequence of notes, which you play on your instrument.
You can adjust the ClariMate’s breath sensor “threshold” to match your accustomed reed response (in other words, will the ClariMate start playing with the slightest breath, or will there be a bit of cushion to blow against?).
The “active reed” has a simple non-electronic device that sits inside the mouthpiece to detect pressure on the reed. As I understand it, this pressure is supposed to affect pitch, but I was unable to get the reed properly calibrated, so I wasn’t able to test this. I got an error message from the apps over and over during the calibration process. A Buffet representative kindly walked me through several potential solutions, including trying ligatures other than the one I usually use, but we were unable to solve the problem.
I’m not convinced that mapping volume to breath pressure and pitch to reed pressure accurately reflects real clarinet playing. Intentional adjustments to pitch on the clarinet are best accomplished with voicing rather than changing the pressure on the reed. Pressure on the reed is, however, tied to volume in “real” clarinet playing, and breath support should generally remain constant. In this way, the tone-production aspects of the ClariMate may not be a direct match to real-world clarinet playing, though they will be familiar to players of electronic wind controllers.
The extra length and weight added to the instrument by installing the ClariMate is not bothersome. It’s not much more than the difference between playing a B-flat clarinet and an A clarinet.
Use cases
Buffet’s primary push for the ClariMate seems to be as a device for practicing silently. After fully “training” the device to recognize notes on my instrument, the note tracking is probably good enough for most practice applications, but still has a just-noticeable lag that would be problematic for artist-level playing.
And, of course, the tone production aspects of practicing (tone, intonation, response) are lost or substantially changed when using the ClariMate. This may limit its usefulness to developing players.
Buffet’s marketing materials also suggest the device can be used for digital music-making. It does at least theoretically provide a way for a clarinetist to control MIDI devices or other electronics using their own instrument, pending future software releases.
A Buffet representative described their conception of the ClariMate-plus-clarinet as wind controller as a “Reversible Hybrid Instrument (RHI).” I do think the addition of electronics to a woodwind instrument suggests some future possibilities for digitally-augmented performance, perhaps blending electronic sounds with live instrument sounds. But this isn’t possible with the ClariMate, which prevents the clarinet from producing its natural sound.
And if you want to play a wind-controlled synthesizer, then I still think the best way is to make the effort and learn to play a purpose-built one, my favorite being the Akai EWI series. Some other instrument makers (Roland, Yamaha) have introduced digital saxophone-style instruments, which are easy for saxophonists to play out of the box but which fully embrace the problematic aspects of saxophones, like palm keys and pinky rollers.
Digital saxophones at least have the ability to expand their tessitura with relatively intuitive solutions like additional octave keys, but this would be more complicated on the clarinet (whose registers aren’t an octave apart). The ClariMate brings to the table the possibility for clarinetists to play an electronic instrument without learning new fingerings or significantly new tone production techniques, but, like the digital saxophones, brings the limitations of an “acoustic” instrument into the digital world.
The apps are able to provide some real-time visualization of aspects of your playing, such as breath pressure and reed pressure, and there is potential for these, used judiciously, to become useful diagnostic or pedagogical tools.
Reliability
My ClariMate worked upon first opening the box, but I quickly ran into some issues that made the device inoperable. With assistance from Buffet’s support staff, I was able to resolve these. An ongoing problem is that I am unable to complete the reed calibration process, getting a persistent error message in the apps. That means I can’t alter pitch by applying pressure to the reed.
I experimented with the Windows and Android apps. There are also apps for Apple devices. (As a Linux user, I’m experiencing the familiar disappointment that my preferred platform isn’t supported.) The apps feel buggy and unreliable—I find myself often restarting them and the device to try to solve various technical issues. My conversations with Buffet suggest that they are hopeful about frequent and significant software improvements, including updated firmware that you install on the device itself to improve its future functionality. (Long-term software development will no doubt depend on the financial success of the ClariMate project.)
It’s worth bearing in mind that this is in some ways a whole new class of device, so some birthing pains are to be expected. If you enjoy tinkering with the newest gadgets and have the patience or tech savvy to work around some bugs while waiting hopefully for software updates, then I think the ClariMate is usable. If you are a more reluctant tech user, it may be wise to wait for the ClariMate’s software and/or hardware to mature more fully.
How the ClariMate works
I’m not a scientist or engineer, but here’s what I can gather:
The ClariMate uses an air pressure sensor to detect how hard you’re blowing, and translates that into volume (or silence if it detects you aren’t blowing).
The reed bite sensor works by way of a small mirror, a light, and a light sensor. The light shines on the mirror (part of the “active reed” assembly) and reflects back to the sensor. Biting on the reed moves the mirror and affects how much light is reflected.
The ClariMate unit produces a quiet hum (the “chirp”) inside the bore of the instrument. Opening and closing toneholes affects the pitch of the chirp. A microphone detects the pitch of the chirp, compares it to a stored database of pitches, and plays back the corresponding note from the electronic clarinet sound.
As a side note, the pitch of the chirp isn’t necessarily the same as the pitch of the note that is produced in the earphones. You can hear it change, and the device can match that pitch to the intended note, but you can’t necessarily hear the tune you’re playing just from the chirp.
Also, the ClariMate doesn’t directly detect your fingerings—for example, it can’t tell if you are playing low E with the left or right hand pinky. But it can recognize some alternate fingerings that produce detectably different chirp pitches.
The flexible tube allows for drainage of condensation, and also directs your breath out the instrument’s bell rather than letting it linger inside the instrument’s bore, where it would affect bore temperature and interfere with the ClariMate’s pitch detection.
Additional observations
The name “ClariMate” is cute but fails to describe the product in a useful way. I imagine “ClariMute” must also have been discussed, but another product with that name already exists. Here’s how the packaging justifies the name:
I have heard rumors that the ClariMate has been in development for 10 years. If that’s true, it’s odd that the release of the product feels like it was kind of rushed. There are some rough edges on the technology, and also on the product release. The demonstration video on the product website failed to actually demonstrate the product being used. It didn’t include any audio of the instrument’s sound in the earphones or in the room, the two things that I wanted and expected to hear in a media clip. (I’ve hopefully helped rectify that with this review.)
I was provided by Buffet-Crampon with a ClariMate unit at no charge, with the possibility but not the promise of a review. I have done my best to keep my review unbiased. I use some other Buffet products but have no official relationship with the brand.
There’s an increasing expectation that woodwind doublers be competent and confident oboists. It can be a challenging double, but a worthwhile one. Many of my doubling gigs have come to me because of my ability and/or willingness to play the oboe. And even though it’s not my strongest instrument, there are considerable spans of my career during which I’ve made more money playing the oboe than any other instrument.
Here are some of the common problems woodwind doublers, often coming from background in the single reed instruments, have with the oboe:
Fingering awkwardness. Dedicated, conscientious practice of scales/arpeggios and technical material goes a long way here, but there are some additional considerations specific to the oboe.
First, the oboe’s toneholes are rather widely spaced, maybe surprisingly so for clarinet and saxophone players. (This has to do with the oboe’s very narrow bore—the toneholes have to be quite small so as not to catastrophically weaken the instrument’s body, which means they have to be spaced widely to produce a scale.) This can be a cause of tension. Work diligently at keeping your hands relaxed. If it helps, use a neckstrap to further reduce hand strain.
Second, the oboe, more than the other woodwinds, tends to have more keys the more you pay for it. It’s very worthwhile to save up for an oboe with a left F key, and to learn to use it fluently. The left F key should be seen as part of the instrument’s core fingering technique. Many of the other keys available on professional or semi-professional instruments are less-used, but valuable in specific situations.
Uneven tone and intonation. The oboe requires a very low voicing, lower than a saxophonist is used to and much lower than a clarinetist is used to. It also offers little forgiveness for weak or inconsistent breath support. Learn to balance low voicing against steady support to even out the instrument’s sound and stabilize its pitch. (Like fellow conical-bore instruments the saxophone and the bassoon, the oboe’s response suffers particularly in the lowest register when your voicing is too high.)
Similarly, embouchure should remain open, not pinched, regardless of register. Remember that the embouchure’s function is to be a mostly-passive gasket between your air system and the instrument. Resist the urge to bite when moving into the highest register—rely on good breath support instead.
Overall response sluggishness/unreliability. My experience is that many, many intermediate (and especially self-taught) oboists are playing on reeds that are far too stiff. If your notes won’t respond reliably and delicately at a soft dynamic, and you’re sure your breath support, voicing, and embouchure are working well, you should consider a more responsive reed.
Because oboe reeds are so susceptible to change, the best way to sound like a pro reed-wise is to spend a few years’ worth of lessons learning to make (or at least adjust) them yourself. Failing that, it’s worth it to buy reeds face-to-face from a good reedmaker, rather than from a music store or a distant internet reedmaker, so that they can adjust them for you on the spot. Reeds from a local reedmaker are also adapted to your altitude and climate.
Another important and ongoing concern is adjustment of the instrument itself. The oboe has many adjustment screws that need occasional tweaking. It’s best of course to learn this art under the supervision of a good teacher. But if you’re mechanically-inclined and have a good oboe technician standing by to bail you out, there are a number of books and resources that explain the method in a clear and methodical way. A small tweak here and there can transform a stuffy, stubborn oboe into a responsive, cooperative instrument that is a joy to play.
Approach the oboe on its own terms, equipped with good reeds and a good grasp of tone-production fundamentals, and enjoy!
As regular readers know, I have my university students (oboists, clarinetists, bassoonists, and saxophonists) each add a new recording to their library each semester. During the course of their respective degree programs, they should each accumulate a nice curated collection of recordings. Here are this semester’s selections:
I agree. I expected the cane to be the richer sounding one, which is why I was surprised when both the intonation and tonguing were better on the Legere. Very fascinating. I play saxophone, and these reads are a lifesaver for me, but I didn’t realize the extent of the tone difference on the Clarinet.
I love the sound and response of the Legere reeds. I suspect that I would have to buy 2 or 3 boxes of high quality reeds and do some work on the best couple to get two reeds comparable to any 2 Legere reeds.
So maybe the Legere’s are only “just as good” as the best cane reeds that have been optimized, But with the Legere’s, once I get the series and strength right, every one is perfect.
I have Baritone sax Legere Classics that I have played for 3-4 years, although I have chipped a few by accident. I’m using the newer models now and so far, they show no signs of wear.
I also guess wrong on the blindfold test! They both sound great, but with the Legere I notice a richer core / less of the upper partials in the sound as compared to the cane recording.
For me personally, that makes me happy because if I could really hear a better sound with the cane, I don’t know if I could keep playing my signature. But alas, I feel even better about playing it.
I didn’t guess at all but more importantly to me, the quality of the tone in clip [# – edited!] is better.
Being a Signature player I was a bit afraid that this is the cane reed so the answer was a relief!
This need not in itself be important because it might have been a less than optimal cane reed. Question then, is the cane reed what you consider a good one?
I hope you don’t mind that I have edited your comment so as not to give away the answer.
“Question then, is the cane reed what you consider a good one?” This is an excellent question and one that I didn’t really address in the review. The cane reed was the best that I had at the time in a pretty average batch of broken-in reeds. I considered looking for a really excellent one for the side-by-side comparison, but it seemed to be a better real-world test if I used what I had immediately at hand.
On a related note:
As I mentioned in the original post, I thought it was likely that I could find/adjust a better cane reed for my recital, and keep the Légère on hand as a backup. This is indeed what I ended up doing. The cane reed that I chose felt/sounded better to me than the Légère, but only by a very small margin, and I do still believe that no one but me would have detected the difference.
After listening to :20 of sample A, I then played sample B. I was absolutely sure that Sample A was [edited] within ten sections, the difference to me was not even subtle. I am surprised by the several who picked wrong. I use Legere and Hahn reeds on soprano, alto, and tenor saxophones, therefore feel I am fair in judging a product category of which I am familiar. I continue to use my cane reed of choice on my R13 Prestige. In this test, the [edited] produced the more rich, complex, and desirable tone.
I have been using a Legere reed on bass clarinet and was so impressed I bought a reed for soprano clarinet. I mainly like the way I can pick up an instrument and play without worrying that the reed has dried out. It gets abused on my practice clarinet by being left on the mouthpiece and put away wet etc. Not things I would risk with reed.
I thought that clip [# – edited!] sounded happier (in the sense that the player seemed to be having a easier time of it). Either cut shows a delightful tone, sensitivity and good intonation. The [# – edited!] cut does seem woody and natural. In tests such as these where both results seem professional, the small differences could easily be explained away by player variations and not equipment. I would be much more likely to ask the player which he preferred. Only he can know what his ideal sound is. We can only know what our goals are, and any two artists have different desires. The musician here says that he could get a slight edge with a well adjusted cane reed. For me the consistency and peace of mind that the Legere offers would be more than enough to go with the synthetic choice. I have not yet tried the Legere but I probably soon will.
I have only recently discovered the Legere reeds, and they seem easier to play with in that they seem to have a consistent even sound, unlike the cane, which can vary according to whether it is dry or wet, or whether it is evenly spaced to produce a good sound overall. The Legere reeds seem to give a good sound first time with hardly any additonal effort, which is relative to the cane reeds.
I think I will try the Signature Series.
Okay, so we all agree that the right hardness of Legere reed can sound just as good as a cane reed, and be considerably more consistent. Let’s discuss the drawbacks.
They aren’t adjustable. If you don’t know which hardness us right for you, you can easily spend $100 for a few useless pieces of plastic that will just sit in your case. I have yet to find a distributor that will allow me to try them before purchasing. Let’s face it, the wrong Legere reed feels and sounds awful. I feel that this experience is what keeps most skeptics away.
My other complaint is that they do have a break-in cycle. The first several hours on a new reed sound and feel awkward, and the moment it get soft, it’s unplayable.
And how about value. As I mentioned, finding the right reed for you will break the bank. The price one one reed is the same as a box of cane reeds but I’ve never had one Legere outlast a box of cane.
This being said, I use Legere reeds on bari sax and bass clarinet. Everyone should. And all those wrongly sized reeds in my case? I pass them over the guys next to me who are struggling with their warping cane reeds an they thank me.
For the middle reeds, I soak them 24 hours a day. Say what you want, they play just as consistently as a Legere, they’re completed adjustable, they last 6 months of constant playing, and they’re cheap.
Clarinet and soprano, I just suck it up and deal with a few wrinkles here and there like everyone else.
“If you don’t know which hardness us right for you, you can easily spend $100 for a few useless pieces of plastic that will just sit in your case. I have yet to find a distributor that will allow me to try them before purchasing. Let’s face it, the wrong Legere reed feels and sounds awful. I feel that this experience is what keeps most skeptics away.”
Mike,
Did you know that Legere (the factory) will happily exchange your “wrong-strength” reeds for different strengths until you get it right? You just email, send the reed you don’t like back and they send out a new one of a different strength at no charge. And with a smile. I was very impressed.
I’ve tried to do the same with Harry Hartman reeds, and they won’t even respond to my emails.
I’m shocked too! :) Still can’t believe I went wrong … Very impressed.
I have a question for anyone playing bass clarinet, which is better; Legere Bass clarinet reed or Tennor Sax Signature reed?
I tried Tennor Sax Signature reed for 15minutes and I was quite happy with it, so my question is, is Bass clarinet reed better or worse than the TennorSax Signature?
Either may be better. Reeds need to ‘mate’ with the mouthpiece facing. A different facing may require the other of the two. I have always used tenor reeds on my bass clarinet mouthpiece.
This was a great review. I just ordered a legere contra alto clarinet reed because of the mostly good i have heard about them like the consistancy and durability. For the hearing test i couldn’t really tell much of a difference.
Good review, but I actually guessed right – there was a really small difference in sound. The cane, in my opinion, actually had better tone, projection, and smoothness. The Legere really came close, though.
I just got my clarinet 5 days ago, and I’m still struggling with how to blow to produce a sound at all, and learned that the strength reed 1.5 and 2.5 that I have aren’t “strong” enough for the high register – right or wrong… I don’t know so I am looking at trying out stronger reeds… and in my research stumbled on Legere and this site. I guessed it right (might be a lucky guess). At around 00:18 the cane reed produces a bit more of a vibration whereas the legere produces a more “stable / smoother” sound, with less “vibration”. Not sure which is “better” sounding.. a matter of taste, but I certainly notice it quite clearly – although without such a close “side by side” comparison where I can replay a certain section, it would probably be much harder to tell.
I am glad to see some recent posts, so that I might actually hear back about this. I have been using a Forestone B-flat clarinet reed for the past 2 1/2 months and love it!! My only complaint with it is that it isn’t as wide as my mouthpiece which makes it a little hard to put the reed on correctly. It plays beautifully, but I am wondering if the Legere might be slightly wider and/or a better fit with my mouthpiece. I have a Genusa “Exellente” GE (star) Z – which has greatly eased my problems with upper register issues. I haven’t seen a review with this mouthpiece combination for either Forestone or Legere – so maybe someone will comment???
Abandoned playing for over one year because of 100 hour/week job. Sold and/or gave away Buffets and everything. Quit old job for new 40 hour/week job. Now playing Ridenour instruments (an improvement, I think …) and decided to exclude cane reeds from my life if possible. Used regular cut Legere #3 with Vandoren M30-lyre and later #3.25 signatures. Nicer sound and better articulation. I’ve dug some left-over V12s out of my archives (some still in flow packs) and just can’t use cane reeds again! Life is beautiful with Legere!
I did choose the correct sample based on tone difference. I’ve been playing saxophone for over 30 years and have been searching for the “Perfect reed” for a majority of that time. I tried the Legere reed (studio cut) a few years ago and couldn’t find a size,tone or response that I was satisfied with. Recently, at the TMEA (Texas Music Educators Association) convention in San Antonio, TX, Legere had a booth present with an artist performing on tenor sax using the Signature series reeds. I thought I would give the Legere reeds another try since it was a different model than the previous Legere reed which I didn’t especially care for. After being fitted to the best size for me and my set-up (Otto Link 7*), I was amazed at the response from top to bottom of the horn, including altissimo. I do very little classical playing…mostly jazz standards playing with trios, quartets and big bands. However, I believe I have found the “perfect reed” for me. I have always had problems with my reed drying out during performances while another musician is taking a solo or if I’m doubling…not to mention the hassle of rotating reeds, reed clipping and sanding which I really don’t have the patients or time for. However, due to the bold and slightly edgy tone I get, I’m not sure I would use this reed for classical playing but then again classical saxophone doesn’t pay the bills… at least not for me.
I guessed right on the A/B test, which is no surprise, since I’ve played a Legere Signature reed for a while now. For me, there is a slightly different balance in the overtones with the Legere reed. However, while I prefer a really good cane reed, the reality is that the Legere outshines the average cane reed. And it’s a delight knowing that one can put on a Legere, and being confident that it will work, regardless of the circumstances.
I bought two legere for my tenor sax, I play for 1 to 3 hours depending on the day.
I got six months from the pair and they are now split but one is still playable.
I kept snagging my reed on things so I am a bit careless.
I was wearing out a cane at least once per week.
Tried a test with my sax ($700 new) versus a $5000 sax. Liked the expensive one more.
Put a legere on my cheap sax and it was prefered to the $5000 sax with cane.
Mouthpieces the same.
Have not looked back since. Nice tone and good over the whole range
I heard straightaway the Legere was ‘B’. The sound difference is hard to describe but there is slightly less ‘wind’ at the start of a tone, as if the reed is slightly better controlled. I think it is hard to talk about ‘better’ or ‘worse’ it’s just which characteristic one prefers. By the way, don’t try a Legere outside on a really warm day!
I have been playing Legere Signature on clarinet for nearly two years. In listening to my own comparisons, I have noticed that note-to-note transitions are quicker on the Legere than on cane (I used to use Vandoren V-12). This was quite clear in Sample B and I guessed correctly.
The up side is that it does provide quicker articulation and faster ‘snapping in’ to pitch when slurring. The downside is that it is slightly less flexible (pitchwise, not enough to be a problem) and has a little more tendency to chirp/click on fast note transitions…I’m told that nobody but me hears this…
Bret (et al)…
an update on my journey with Legere reeds.
I have now converted completely to Legere reeds on all reed instruments (SATB saxophone, Bb and Bass clarinets) and very happy with choices. I play baritone sax regularly in big bands and have several reeds that are still going strong after 3 years (the standard cut…the Signature reeds seem to die after 1-2 years). The smaller reeds have shorter life, but none of them less than a year with rotations of 2-3 reeds.
I have made the leap and thrown away all of my open box reeds, and am selling off my remaining sealed reeds as I write this. The American Cut is now my regular on alto and tenor, and the Signature reeds on most everything else.
I have had good luck with beginners on clarinet starting on Signature Cut 2.25.
If you are at all techie and want to learn more about the science behind them, read the patent filed by Guy Legere here:
Well, I did not hear the difference between A and B. After playing Legere Signature clarinet reeds for more than ten years I feel that the tone quality depend more on me and my embouchure. The Legere is mostly the same every day; however it will be a little bent after much playing and will gradually loose a little tension, but not as quickly as cane. I used Bari reed on alto sax in 1980; that was not so bad, but for clarinet the upper register with Bari reed made a strange sound. To improve the cane I guess will be very difficult, but I guess that more research will give still better plastic reeds and the hunt for a good cane reed will be history.
I find it curious that people are surprised that a highly engineered process developed after years of continuous improvement (Legere) is superior to a slivers of bark that are completely unique one to the next…
Since I moved to the lovely and historic 
I guessed wrong on the blindfold test.
Didn’t we all. I was mad at myself, as I consider myself to have a very trained ear.
I actually thought the Legere sounded noticeably better than the cane reed.
So did I, especially on the slurred interval leaps. (and I guessed right—I’ve been playing legere tenor reeds)
I did as well.
I agree. I expected the cane to be the richer sounding one, which is why I was surprised when both the intonation and tonguing were better on the Legere. Very fascinating. I play saxophone, and these reads are a lifesaver for me, but I didn’t realize the extent of the tone difference on the Clarinet.
I got it right because imo the Legere sounded so much better :)
I love the sound and response of the Legere reeds. I suspect that I would have to buy 2 or 3 boxes of high quality reeds and do some work on the best couple to get two reeds comparable to any 2 Legere reeds.
So maybe the Legere’s are only “just as good” as the best cane reeds that have been optimized, But with the Legere’s, once I get the series and strength right, every one is perfect.
I have Baritone sax Legere Classics that I have played for 3-4 years, although I have chipped a few by accident. I’m using the newer models now and so far, they show no signs of wear.
I also guess wrong on the blindfold test! They both sound great, but with the Legere I notice a richer core / less of the upper partials in the sound as compared to the cane recording.
For me personally, that makes me happy because if I could really hear a better sound with the cane, I don’t know if I could keep playing my signature. But alas, I feel even better about playing it.
I too, guessed wrong. From that playing sample, I would have to go the the Legere.
I didn’t guess at all but more importantly to me, the quality of the tone in clip [# – edited!] is better.
Being a Signature player I was a bit afraid that this is the cane reed so the answer was a relief!
This need not in itself be important because it might have been a less than optimal cane reed. Question then, is the cane reed what you consider a good one?
Cheers, Niklas
Hi Niklas,
I hope you don’t mind that I have edited your comment so as not to give away the answer.
“Question then, is the cane reed what you consider a good one?” This is an excellent question and one that I didn’t really address in the review. The cane reed was the best that I had at the time in a pretty average batch of broken-in reeds. I considered looking for a really excellent one for the side-by-side comparison, but it seemed to be a better real-world test if I used what I had immediately at hand.
On a related note:
As I mentioned in the original post, I thought it was likely that I could find/adjust a better cane reed for my recital, and keep the Légère on hand as a backup. This is indeed what I ended up doing. The cane reed that I chose felt/sounded better to me than the Légère, but only by a very small margin, and I do still believe that no one but me would have detected the difference.
After listening to :20 of sample A, I then played sample B. I was absolutely sure that Sample A was [edited] within ten sections, the difference to me was not even subtle. I am surprised by the several who picked wrong. I use Legere and Hahn reeds on soprano, alto, and tenor saxophones, therefore feel I am fair in judging a product category of which I am familiar. I continue to use my cane reed of choice on my R13 Prestige. In this test, the [edited] produced the more rich, complex, and desirable tone.
Thanks Don—I have edited your comment so that it doesn’t give away the answer.
I have been using a Legere reed on bass clarinet and was so impressed I bought a reed for soprano clarinet. I mainly like the way I can pick up an instrument and play without worrying that the reed has dried out. It gets abused on my practice clarinet by being left on the mouthpiece and put away wet etc. Not things I would risk with reed.
I thought that clip [# – edited!] sounded happier (in the sense that the player seemed to be having a easier time of it). Either cut shows a delightful tone, sensitivity and good intonation. The [# – edited!] cut does seem woody and natural. In tests such as these where both results seem professional, the small differences could easily be explained away by player variations and not equipment. I would be much more likely to ask the player which he preferred. Only he can know what his ideal sound is. We can only know what our goals are, and any two artists have different desires. The musician here says that he could get a slight edge with a well adjusted cane reed. For me the consistency and peace of mind that the Legere offers would be more than enough to go with the synthetic choice. I have not yet tried the Legere but I probably soon will.
Thanks for your comment. I have edited it so as not to give away the answer.
I have only recently discovered the Legere reeds, and they seem easier to play with in that they seem to have a consistent even sound, unlike the cane, which can vary according to whether it is dry or wet, or whether it is evenly spaced to produce a good sound overall. The Legere reeds seem to give a good sound first time with hardly any additonal effort, which is relative to the cane reeds.
I think I will try the Signature Series.
I played the legato piece for a solo, and I wasn’t that good; the legere’s amazing!
Okay, so we all agree that the right hardness of Legere reed can sound just as good as a cane reed, and be considerably more consistent. Let’s discuss the drawbacks.
They aren’t adjustable. If you don’t know which hardness us right for you, you can easily spend $100 for a few useless pieces of plastic that will just sit in your case. I have yet to find a distributor that will allow me to try them before purchasing. Let’s face it, the wrong Legere reed feels and sounds awful. I feel that this experience is what keeps most skeptics away.
My other complaint is that they do have a break-in cycle. The first several hours on a new reed sound and feel awkward, and the moment it get soft, it’s unplayable.
And how about value. As I mentioned, finding the right reed for you will break the bank. The price one one reed is the same as a box of cane reeds but I’ve never had one Legere outlast a box of cane.
This being said, I use Legere reeds on bari sax and bass clarinet. Everyone should. And all those wrongly sized reeds in my case? I pass them over the guys next to me who are struggling with their warping cane reeds an they thank me.
For the middle reeds, I soak them 24 hours a day. Say what you want, they play just as consistently as a Legere, they’re completed adjustable, they last 6 months of constant playing, and they’re cheap.
Clarinet and soprano, I just suck it up and deal with a few wrinkles here and there like everyone else.
“If you don’t know which hardness us right for you, you can easily spend $100 for a few useless pieces of plastic that will just sit in your case. I have yet to find a distributor that will allow me to try them before purchasing. Let’s face it, the wrong Legere reed feels and sounds awful. I feel that this experience is what keeps most skeptics away.”
Mike,
Did you know that Legere (the factory) will happily exchange your “wrong-strength” reeds for different strengths until you get it right? You just email, send the reed you don’t like back and they send out a new one of a different strength at no charge. And with a smile. I was very impressed.
I’ve tried to do the same with Harry Hartman reeds, and they won’t even respond to my emails.
Bob
I guessed wrong on the blindfold test too as so many others did…..
I’m shocked too! :) Still can’t believe I went wrong … Very impressed.
I have a question for anyone playing bass clarinet, which is better; Legere Bass clarinet reed or Tennor Sax Signature reed?
I tried Tennor Sax Signature reed for 15minutes and I was quite happy with it, so my question is, is Bass clarinet reed better or worse than the TennorSax Signature?
Either may be better. Reeds need to ‘mate’ with the mouthpiece facing. A different facing may require the other of the two. I have always used tenor reeds on my bass clarinet mouthpiece.
This was a great review. I just ordered a legere contra alto clarinet reed because of the mostly good i have heard about them like the consistancy and durability. For the hearing test i couldn’t really tell much of a difference.
Good review, but I actually guessed right – there was a really small difference in sound. The cane, in my opinion, actually had better tone, projection, and smoothness. The Legere really came close, though.
I just got my clarinet 5 days ago, and I’m still struggling with how to blow to produce a sound at all, and learned that the strength reed 1.5 and 2.5 that I have aren’t “strong” enough for the high register – right or wrong… I don’t know so I am looking at trying out stronger reeds… and in my research stumbled on Legere and this site. I guessed it right (might be a lucky guess). At around 00:18 the cane reed produces a bit more of a vibration whereas the legere produces a more “stable / smoother” sound, with less “vibration”. Not sure which is “better” sounding.. a matter of taste, but I certainly notice it quite clearly – although without such a close “side by side” comparison where I can replay a certain section, it would probably be much harder to tell.
I just went to Legere’s web site and tried their comparison test challenge and I guessed it wrong :(
On a separate note, I’m curious – how long does this reed last?
I am glad to see some recent posts, so that I might actually hear back about this. I have been using a Forestone B-flat clarinet reed for the past 2 1/2 months and love it!! My only complaint with it is that it isn’t as wide as my mouthpiece which makes it a little hard to put the reed on correctly. It plays beautifully, but I am wondering if the Legere might be slightly wider and/or a better fit with my mouthpiece. I have a Genusa “Exellente” GE (star) Z – which has greatly eased my problems with upper register issues. I haven’t seen a review with this mouthpiece combination for either Forestone or Legere – so maybe someone will comment???
Abandoned playing for over one year because of 100 hour/week job. Sold and/or gave away Buffets and everything. Quit old job for new 40 hour/week job. Now playing Ridenour instruments (an improvement, I think …) and decided to exclude cane reeds from my life if possible. Used regular cut Legere #3 with Vandoren M30-lyre and later #3.25 signatures. Nicer sound and better articulation. I’ve dug some left-over V12s out of my archives (some still in flow packs) and just can’t use cane reeds again! Life is beautiful with Legere!
I did choose the correct sample based on tone difference. I’ve been playing saxophone for over 30 years and have been searching for the “Perfect reed” for a majority of that time. I tried the Legere reed (studio cut) a few years ago and couldn’t find a size,tone or response that I was satisfied with. Recently, at the TMEA (Texas Music Educators Association) convention in San Antonio, TX, Legere had a booth present with an artist performing on tenor sax using the Signature series reeds. I thought I would give the Legere reeds another try since it was a different model than the previous Legere reed which I didn’t especially care for. After being fitted to the best size for me and my set-up (Otto Link 7*), I was amazed at the response from top to bottom of the horn, including altissimo. I do very little classical playing…mostly jazz standards playing with trios, quartets and big bands. However, I believe I have found the “perfect reed” for me. I have always had problems with my reed drying out during performances while another musician is taking a solo or if I’m doubling…not to mention the hassle of rotating reeds, reed clipping and sanding which I really don’t have the patients or time for. However, due to the bold and slightly edgy tone I get, I’m not sure I would use this reed for classical playing but then again classical saxophone doesn’t pay the bills… at least not for me.
I guessed right on the A/B test, which is no surprise, since I’ve played a Legere Signature reed for a while now. For me, there is a slightly different balance in the overtones with the Legere reed. However, while I prefer a really good cane reed, the reality is that the Legere outshines the average cane reed. And it’s a delight knowing that one can put on a Legere, and being confident that it will work, regardless of the circumstances.
I bought two legere for my tenor sax, I play for 1 to 3 hours depending on the day.
I got six months from the pair and they are now split but one is still playable.
I kept snagging my reed on things so I am a bit careless.
I was wearing out a cane at least once per week.
Tried a test with my sax ($700 new) versus a $5000 sax. Liked the expensive one more.
Put a legere on my cheap sax and it was prefered to the $5000 sax with cane.
Mouthpieces the same.
Have not looked back since. Nice tone and good over the whole range
I heard straightaway the Legere was ‘B’. The sound difference is hard to describe but there is slightly less ‘wind’ at the start of a tone, as if the reed is slightly better controlled. I think it is hard to talk about ‘better’ or ‘worse’ it’s just which characteristic one prefers. By the way, don’t try a Legere outside on a really warm day!
I’m going to get one soon. What happens to it on a really warm day? How warm is too warm?
I have been playing Legere Signature on clarinet for nearly two years. In listening to my own comparisons, I have noticed that note-to-note transitions are quicker on the Legere than on cane (I used to use Vandoren V-12). This was quite clear in Sample B and I guessed correctly.
The up side is that it does provide quicker articulation and faster ‘snapping in’ to pitch when slurring. The downside is that it is slightly less flexible (pitchwise, not enough to be a problem) and has a little more tendency to chirp/click on fast note transitions…I’m told that nobody but me hears this…
Bret (et al)…
an update on my journey with Legere reeds.
I have now converted completely to Legere reeds on all reed instruments (SATB saxophone, Bb and Bass clarinets) and very happy with choices. I play baritone sax regularly in big bands and have several reeds that are still going strong after 3 years (the standard cut…the Signature reeds seem to die after 1-2 years). The smaller reeds have shorter life, but none of them less than a year with rotations of 2-3 reeds.
I have made the leap and thrown away all of my open box reeds, and am selling off my remaining sealed reeds as I write this. The American Cut is now my regular on alto and tenor, and the Signature reeds on most everything else.
I have had good luck with beginners on clarinet starting on Signature Cut 2.25.
If you are at all techie and want to learn more about the science behind them, read the patent filed by Guy Legere here:
https://patents.google.com/patent/US7902443B2/en?q=legere+polymer+reed&oq=legere+polymer+reed
SO … 11 years later, I have retaken the test, completely forgetting that I took it before.
This time around, I guessed 100% correct and could pick out the Legere in 2 seconds.
Funny thing … I had the opposite reaction. I thought the Legere sounded thin with too many overtones and I much prefer the cane.
I wonder if it’s because back then I played legere and now I play cane?!?!
Well, I did not hear the difference between A and B. After playing Legere Signature clarinet reeds for more than ten years I feel that the tone quality depend more on me and my embouchure. The Legere is mostly the same every day; however it will be a little bent after much playing and will gradually loose a little tension, but not as quickly as cane. I used Bari reed on alto sax in 1980; that was not so bad, but for clarinet the upper register with Bari reed made a strange sound. To improve the cane I guess will be very difficult, but I guess that more research will give still better plastic reeds and the hunt for a good cane reed will be history.
I find it curious that people are surprised that a highly engineered process developed after years of continuous improvement (Legere) is superior to a slivers of bark that are completely unique one to the next…