Review and blindfold test: Légère Signature Series clarinet reeds

ByBret Pimentel

A few months ago, I posted about plastic reeds, and reported some of what I had read on another woodwind blog about the Légère Signature Series and Forestone clarinet reeds.

For reasons unknown to me, the post from which I originally quoted has been removed, but there are similar thoughts expressed in a more recent post.

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?

Sample A:

Sample B:

See the answer

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.

*In the interest of full disclosure:

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!)

Similar Posts

  • Synthetic reeds are probably the future

    ByBret Pimentel

    I was pleased to receive recently some samples of D’Addario Woodwinds’s new “Venn” synthetic clarinet and saxophone reeds. In an upcoming post, I’ll share some thoughts about and demonstrations of the specific products. But here are a few thoughts to set the stage:

    • I’m thrilled to see a major cane reed manufacturer like D’Addario take on this challenge. My hunch is that other major reed makers are either close at their heels or betting on musicians’ provincial thinking about modern materials. Let’s hope it’s the former.
    • I am a strong believer that synthetic reeds are the future. Modern science has invented amazing materials for clothing and smartphone screens and space travel; we can invent something that works great for reeds. Natural cane isn’t sacred or magical—it’s a material with upsides and some very clear downsides.
    • It’s easy to fall into the trap of trying something like a synthetic reed and asking the question, “does this synthetic material sound as good as cane?” And, if the reed doesn’t play as well as one’s usual cane reeds, to answer the question with a no, and perhaps to further opine that nothing can ever sound as good as “real” cane. But that knee-jerk reaction fails to take into account all the other things we already know about reeds, such as that their geometry matters a great deal, and that their match to the mouthpiece is equally crucial. We’ve all found the reed-plus-mouthpiece combinations that work for us, and introducing any random new reed (cane or synthetic) isn’t especially likely to improve the situation. The better question to ask is, “Is this a viable reed?” In other words, does it function like a reed should, when paired with an appropriate mouthpiece: with appropriate response, stability, and characteristic tone, regardless of whether it is my new personal favorite?
    • Assuming there are viable synthetic reeds available, it may make sense to adopt them and claim all the potential benefits (consistency, longevity, resistance to warping, reduced waste, cost savings), and, if necessary, seek out new mouthpieces that are well suited to them. I have mouthpieces I like, but if I can replace them and never have to deal with the problems of cane again, that seems like an option well worth considering.

    Zealous loyalty to “traditional” materials isn’t a virtue. (If you’re a woodwind player like me, there’s a good chance your equipment already includes materials that are “new” since the instrument’s invention anyway.) Keep an open mind!

  • ClariMate review follow-up

    ByBret Pimentel

    Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases, at no cost to you.

    Almost two years ago I posted a review of the ClariMate digital clarinet mute by Buffet-Crampon. My conclusion at that point was that the ClariMate was an interesting concept, but with some technical issues.

    At that point the ClariMate seemed to be positioned mostly as a tool for practicing the clarinet silently. I found that to be a bit of a stretch, maybe having limited usefulness for practicing fingerings but far less helpful with matters of tone production.

    At that time, some of the promotional materials also suggested that the ClariMate could be used as a MIDI controller. That turned out to be incorrect, and a Buffet-Crampon confirmed that the feature was “not publicly available yet.”

    There is now some MIDI functionality available. A dual purpose of silent practice plus MIDI capability is reflected in the current advertising copy (found at the ClariMate US website as of mid-September 2024): “Silent Practice, Digital Play,” “ClariMate is a Reversible Hybrid Instrument and Digital Practice Mute for Bb clarinets,” “Opening the door to silent practice and the world of digital music.” This is bolstered with some videos of prominent clarinetists using the ClariMate as a MIDI controller.

    Reliability

    As I mentioned in my full review, I had some issues with my unit, including sporadic inoperability and a persistent failure to complete the “reed calibration” process in the apps. (Calibrating the reed ostensibly makes it possible to bend pitch by applying more or less pressure to the reed. This is a common feature of many wind controllers, though I don’t think it’s an accurate reflection of how pitch is manipulated on the clarinet.)

    To their credit, members of Buffet-Crampon’s ClariMate team have stayed in touch over the last couple of years, and ultimately offered to exchange my ClariMate for a new unit. I have spent a little time with the new unit and I do find it to be more stable, though it’s not clear to me whether that’s due to a defect in the previous one or to improvements to the firmware and apps.

    I did manage to complete the reed calibration process in the Windows app, but only after many attempts with the new unit. And I still find that I do not have any real control of pitch bends. Most of the time the pitch is completely unaffected no matter how much or how little pressure I put on the reed. I do hear very occasional small bends while playing, but they are not intentional and I can’t figure out how to make them happen on purpose.

    MIDI features

    I also experimented a little with the new MIDI functionality. The ClariMate website now offers free “MIDIMate” software, a rudimentary soft synth for Windows and MacOS with a handful of sounds. I was also able to use the ClariMate with another Windows soft synth, and with a music notation program for note entry, though both were considerably more glitchy than MIDIMate or the ClariMate apps.

    In researching the new MIDI capabilities, I did a web search for “ClariMate manual” and clicked the first result, a PDF hosted on the ClariMate EU website. It contains this text: “MIDI will work in USB or bluetooth mode via Windows or MacOS, and in bluetooth mode via Android and iOS. We recommend using MIDI in USB mode to reduce latency as much as possible.” I was unable to get ClariMate MIDI working with my Android device, and a representative has now confirmed that MIDI is “not yet available on Android, but should be soon.” He also pointed me to a more up-to-date version of the manual, which does not include the misleading text. (If you are looking for a current manual, you should visit the ClariMate website to make sure you aren’t looking at something outdated.)

    The fact that MIDI capability was falsely advertised at the ClariMate’s launch, and that Android MIDI was falsely mentioned in a recent user’s manual, seem consistent with an apparent pattern of over-promising and under-delivering. That’s concerning when selling a not-inexpensive gadget to tech-savvy clarinetists, a finicky bunch if ever there was one. The older manuals should probably be removed from the ClariMate websites so they will disappear from Google results, and it would be responsible of Buffet-Crampon to be precise and truthful about which features are and aren’t available.

    Use cases?

    My ClariMate has mostly stayed in its case. I am fortunate to have a space where I can practice out loud, and if that were to change I don’t think the ClariMate’s silent practice functionality would suit my purposes. And the MIDI compatibility pales in comparison to the capabilities and reliability of my Akai wind controller. If you are a professional or semi-professional musician and finding good uses for the ClariMate, I would be curious to hear about them.

    I’m grateful to the ClariMate team for their ongoing communication and support, and I hope this device will be a first step toward continuing innovation.

  • Review: D’Addario Select Jazz tenor saxophone mouthpieces

    ByBret Pimentel

    I’ve already done thorough reviews of the D’Addario clarinet mouthpieces (twice) and alto saxophone jazz mouthpieces, both of which immediately replaced the competing Vandoren products I was previously using. So, naturally I’ve been very anxious for the release of the hard rubber tenor saxophone jazz mouthpiece, and I got my hands on some samples earlier this week. (Full disclosure: D’Addario sent me the mouthpieces for free, but with no strings attached. This is my best attempt to give an unbiased review.)

    I’m pleased to report that everything I like about the clarinet and alto mouthpieces is true of the tenor mouthpieces as well: these are well-made, utterly consistent, easy-to-play, affordable, versatile mouthpieces. Like the clarinet and alto pieces, the Select Jazz tenor mouthpiece is going to be my new mouthpiece for the foreseeable future.

    I like to be as low-fuss as possible about my gear. This is a sub-$200 mouthpiece, fully machine-made to fine tolerances, by a major woodwind accessory company. That means if I break or lose mine, I can quickly and easily get another that plays virtually identically from just about any online or brick-and-mortar music store. (Soon; the tenor mouthpieces don’t seem to be in many stores yet.) Check out my previous reviews for more in-depth discussion about that—in short, the days of having to order a half-dozen and pick the best one are gone.

    The Select Jazz tenor mouthpiece is currently available in a medium chamber and medium facing, with tip openings from 6 (2.54mm/.100”) to 9 (2.92mm/.115”). I’ve been wanting to move to a little smaller tip opening, and the 6 is just what I was looking for.

    The tip openings differ in the ways you would expect. The 6 likes a medium- or medium-soft strength reed, and the 9 needs a medium-soft or soft. The smaller openings are very slightly mellower in tone, softer in volume, and oriented toward stability rather than flexibility, while the larger ones are brighter, louder, and more flexible/less stable, but the differences really are pretty minor. The 6 is my favorite, but I could use the 9 on a gig in a pinch. Choosing your tip opening will probably be more a matter of comfort zone than a question of differences in sound or application.

    My previous mouthpiece was a slightly older model Vandoren V16 metal mouthpiece, the T75 (2.67mm/.105″, I think). It served me well for quite a few years, but recently I’ve been less satisfied with its difficult low notes and overall edginess. (After having it for a few years the gold plating started to get some discolored spots, and ultimately got some pitting on the table, so it may not be playing as well as it once did.) Playing hard rubber for jazz on tenor is actually new for me—I’ve played a string of metal mouthpieces since high school—but the transition to the Select Jazz has been seamless. Eyes closed, I don’t think I could tell the difference material-wise.

    For tenor in particular I want a mouthpiece that can do lots of things—a sweeter, mellower sound for small-group cocktail gigs, a punchier, gutsier sound for amplified rock and blues, precise articulation and rock-steady intonation for studio playing. The Select Jazz has a nice middle-of-the-road quality that moves easily between straight-ahead jazz and funkier sounds. I find that at a scream I don’t get quite as much bite in the tone as I do with the V16, but I was pleasantly surprised at the amount of bottom end in the sound at maximum volume. In other words, the V16 gets bright and aggressive when I push it, but the Select Jazz just gets big and powerful. I’m liking the tradeoff.

    The Select Jazz also wins hands down for ease of playing (against the V16, which I originally selected for its ease of playing). I could just about play a classical recital on the #6 if I had to—the articulation and response are easy from low B-flat up into the altissimo. Like the V16, it strikes a nice balance between stability and flexibility. It’s easy to play in tune, but there’s also plenty of room to bend the pitch around when I want to.

    I’m not going to do a thorough play-test comparison this time, because I don’t think it’s really necessary. My V16 is an old model, in poor shape, and metal, so the comparison isn’t really fair and they are perhaps somewhat different animals anyway. But here’s a quick demo of the 6, moving through a few different styles. (It was supposed to be one uninterrupted take, but I ended up having to re-record the last segment standing a little farther from the mic.) First a snippet of Body and Soul, then a few bars of a Brecker tune that I can never remember the name of, then Night Train, then the horn break from Sir Duke.

    I don’t see myself as a guy who gets snobby about brands, but D’Addario’s pro-line mouthpieces have hit the mark for me 100% so far. Looking forward to what’s next.

  • The right clarinet or saxophone reed strength “for you”

    ByBret Pimentel

    How do you pick the clarinet or saxophone reed that is the right strength “for you?” You mostly don’t, really.

    It’s important that the reed be a good match to the mouthpiece. In most cases the primary consideration is the mouthpiece’s facing curve and resultant tip opening. Generally, a shorter curve and/or wider opening require a softer reed, that can flex enough to meet the mouthpiece while vibrating. A longer curve and/or narrower opening need a stiffer reed, which will have enough guts to spring back after flexing to the mouthpiece.

    This means that the “right” strength for a player using a particular mouthpiece will be pretty close to the “right” reed for anyone else using that mouthpiece.

    Some players and teachers object to this, insisting that the “strength” of the embouchure needs to be accounted for. But the embouchure shouldn’t employ much “strength”—it should close just airtight (but not tight) around the mouthpiece and reed. If you are using your embouchure to muscle the reed around, then you might think you need a stiffer reed, but what you really need is a more open, relaxed embouchure. (If you feel like you will lose control by relaxing your embouchure, make up for it with powerful breath support.)

    So, assuming a reed reasonably well-matched to the mouthpiece, and a correctly-formed embouchure, the only thing left to consider is personal preference for how much resistance is in the setup. A slightly more resistant setup is good for things like soft, gentle articulations and stable pitch and tone. A slightly less resistant setup favors crisp, immediate articulations and some pitch and tone flexibility. I find this acceptable range of reed stiffnesses to be small enough that I can usually find some softer and some stiffer specimens within a box of reeds that are nominally the same strength.

    Some mouthpiece and reed makers publish information about which reeds match to which mouthpieces. If you find yourself straying far from these recommendations, take a closer look at your embouchure and your stability/flexibility priorities.

  • 10 jazz albums that should be in every music lover’s collection

    ByBret Pimentel

    Hello, music fans!

    Miles Davis: Kind of Blue
    You need this.

    I’ve picked out, for your listening pleasure, ten essential jazz albums, as an easy introduction to the wide world of jazz. You’re welcome.

    I’ll assume that you already love music. But maybe you’re a lifelong rocker. Or a connossieur of the great classical composers. Or maybe you like both kinds of music: country and western. No matter your taste, the jazz section of the record store can be a little bewildering.

    Let’s face it, the jazz world is a members-only club. We jazz fans love to lord our superior musical tastes over the uninitiated masses. You listen to whom? Kenny G?! I think I need to lie down.

    Plus, if you’re like me, your budget doesn’t quite allow for the latest comprehensive 40-disc boxed set from Verve or Columbia Records. Same thing goes for rare and valuable vinyl collector’s items.

    So, these ten albums have been carefully chosen to do a few things:

    • Introduce you to key jazz artists, styles, albums, and songs.
    • Keep the cost reasonable. These albums are all readily available and reasonably priced single compact discs (no expensive multidisc sets) or iTunes albums.
    • Preserve the dignity of the jazz tradition, by giving you the music in complete album format whenever possible. No samplers or compilations, except in a couple of cases where compilations are the only logical choice.
    • And, most importantly, add the pleasure and richness of the jazz world to your life!

    Let’s get going! We’ll do this in a sort of rough chronological order. Read More “10 jazz albums that should be in every music lover’s collection”

  • Five little things that will make a difference in your next performance, audition, or competition

    ByBret Pimentel

    When I listen to young and advancing woodwind players at the high school level (masterclass participants, scholarship or honor band auditionees, competition participants), I often think that there are some small fixes that would make a big difference in their success. There’s no substitute for lessons with a qualified teacher, but these improvements are easy and set you apart from the rest:

    • Slow down a little. Speed is only impressive if your playing is clean, even, and precise. If taking a slightly slower tempo gives you better accuracy and control, do it.

    • Breathe intentionally. Where you breathe in the music makes a huge difference in your phrasing. Never just play until you run out of air. Find places to breathe that sound natural. If you’re not sure, listen to a recording of a good player and copy their breaths, or record yourself and notice what sounds right or wrong. Mark the breaths in (all of them!) and practice them carefully until they are a habit.

    • Do bigger dynamics. Even if you think you are already following the dynamic markings, make your softs softer and your louds louder.

    • Choose reeds wisely. I hear lots of ambitious young players using reeds that are much too hard. If a little softer reed allows you to play with ease and comfort, you will probably sound better. And a performance isn’t the time to use a brand-new one, or one that is past its prime. A week or two ahead, break in some new reeds and pick the best 2-3 to have on hand.

    • Relax. Tension is the biggest thing that tanks even well-prepared performances. Practice releasing the tension in your body. As you feel tension creep back in, release it again. Take advantage of rests or other pauses in the music to release once more. Try a pre-performance ritual like box breathing to reduce your adrenaline response, focus and calm your mind, and steady your hands.

    Sometimes the smallest adjustments make the biggest difference. If you are an advancing player, which of these do you think would help you the most? If you’re a teacher, what small fixes do you recommend most?

40 Comments

    1. So did I, especially on the slurred interval leaps. (and I guessed right—I’ve been playing legere tenor reeds)

      Reply

    3. 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.

      Reply

      1. 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.

  3. 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.

    Reply

  5. 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

    Reply

  6. 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.

    Reply

  7. 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.

    Reply

  8. 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.

    Reply

  9. 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.

    Reply

  10. 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.

    Reply

  12. 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.

    Reply

    1. “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

      Reply

  14. 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?

    Reply

    1. 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.

      Reply

  15. 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.

    Reply

  16. 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.

    Reply

  17. 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.

    Reply

  18. 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?

    Reply

  19. 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???

    Reply

  20. 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!

    Reply

  21. 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.

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  22. 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.

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  23. 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

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  24. 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!

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  25. 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…

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  26. 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

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  27. 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?!?!

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  28. 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.

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  29. 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…

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