Tonewise, pretty much everyone has said legere's are a bit darker and mellower than fibracells, but does anyone have any experience with the legere studio cuts? I also have a 3, 3.25 and 3.5 Legere Signature all of which are too hard for me to play comfortably. Tenor sax. Distinguished SOTW Member, Forum Contributor 2011, Distinguished SOTW Member/Forum Contributor 2008, Inderbinen Alto / Theo Wanne Durga #7 & Aizen 6M / Fibracell #2.5 - Bauhaus Walstein Soprano / Aizen LS 8 / Fibracell #2, Distinguished SOTW Member, Forum Contributor 2013, Distinguished SOTW Member, Forum Contributor 2009-, The Fora platform includes forum software by XenForo, VerticalScope Inc., 111 Peter Street, Suite 600, Toronto, Ontario, M5V 2H1, Canada. Your email address will not be published. Youre not going to know which reed Im playing. So if you want to give them a try, here are some links to purchase them on Amazon: Legere Signature Alto Saxophone ReedLegere Signature Tenor Saxophone Reed. Nate, that is perhaps the best reason to use the Legere. Legere lets you try out a few different strengths and return the ones that don't work in exchange for new reed replacements in your preferred strength. The Legere ones are more diverse and give you more options to choose from. There are many advantages to synthetic reeds, and we find the Legere to be the most popular amongst top players. Although they have erased the results of all the voting It was pretty clear that most people could not really tell which reed was synthetic and which was natural cane. Reed #1 - Legere Signature 2.75 Reed #2 - Rico Select Jazz 3H Interested in more content about saxophone reeds? What do you think of Synthetic Reeds? Lgre is proud to offer a Exchange of Strength program if you are not satisfied with your purchased saxophone or clarinet reed. The manufacturing of a Lgre reed is on par with some of the most delicate machining possible, cut on 4-axis CNC (computer numeric controlled) machines, like one might find in aerospace or other manufacturing with extreme tolerance requirements. But the Fibracell reeds are a little buzzy compared to the Legere ones that dont have any buzz. Im still on the initial reeds having played them on average 3 4x/week for 30 since I purchased them. Going to order the American cut and give it a go. Why Are Alto Saxophone MPCs So Expensive? What a difference especially playing outside. Alto: YAS-62S Conn Trany 6M Jupiter JAS-868 JAS-769 / Tenor: YTS-23 & 52 P. Mauriat 66R Holton 241. i have only used a Legere that was to hard for me but it felt to synthetic. It still feels a little loose. Then the Signature 2 plays best, but starts to feel a little stuffy. Any way i can put this back in place by myself or should Is it possible to start playing sax without a teacher? in the last 5 years I have split one older Signature. So I like the American Cut Legere a little more than the signature cut. For now though, I am sticking with the legere signature, and here is why I am not a professional musician. I ruled that one out. Sax.co.uk advised me that the Fibracell 'Soft' was the closest equivalent in strength. Been using Fibracells on soprano, alto, and tenor for years. Its probably a reed strength issue. Lets move on to example number 2, you can hear it around 02:33. Jay I am (slowly) working my way through your PSBE classes. Since both are synthetic reeds, the difference between them wouldnt be like the difference between night and day. The next reed from Fiberreed was the "Hemp". The material Lgre reeds are made from also undergoes a completely unique, and proprietary, procedure, which orients the synthetic material on a molecular level. Use the comment section below to share your thoughts on what you heard. I began using Legere signature reeds a while back but recently had a tenor reed arrive from Reeds Direct split which was immediately replaced. These changes make the Signature Series reeds more flexible across the tip, producing a full spectrum of overtones and a beautiful sound with minimum effort. I get the feeling that quite a few people try Legere reeds out for the first time, but dont have the right strength and then they decide that they dont like synthetic and move on. Legere Studio Cut vs. Signature: Which Reed is Better? The best strategy is to try one half strength higher or lower than what you are using to see if it makes a difference. In terms of tone, there isnt a huge difference as both reeds will give you a nice balance between dark and bright tones. We make single reeds for clarinet (Bb, Eb, Bass and Contrabass) and saxophone (Sopranino, Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Baritone, Bass) in a variety of cuts and strengths to accommodate different skill levels and playing styles. Why so many Bari Sax Solos in Christmas Songs. Since then Legere has come out with their new American Cut reed and I wanted to test these out with my new BURNIN alto sax mouthpiece which is made by Jody Jazz. I have emailed the company but as yet stoney silence. Thanks for that reply. Just my opinion. From the selection the store had when I bought mine to . Thanks! It's also worse for the higher the register of the saxophone, so appropriately enough, Bari reeds work really well on baritone saxophones (I'm pretty much on alto exclusively these days). 9.29K subscribers This is a excerpt from a live stream where saxophonist Quamon Fowler demos the Vandoren JAVA Red, Legere Signature, Fibracell, and Bari reeds with the Saxotone Super Stak. Fibracells fell a lot like cane but they don't warp and last longer so I really like them. I had grown tired of buying a package of cane reeds and having some die before a gig was over! Been playing Fibracell on tenor and bari for a while - very happy with them and really hard to tell the difference from a playing or recording perspective versus cane. Also keep in mind that Legere reeds, like cane reeds, will react differently on different mouthpieces. I used Bari growing up, marching band especially; they're dang durable. The nice thing about Legeres reeds is their consistency. Hopefully they'll hang in there. Fibracell Alto Saxophone Reed (FCASP3.5) $22.61. The Signature ranges from 1.5 to 3.5 with 0.5 increments. There is also a subtle warmth to cane that legere signature is missing. use to play plasticcover 2 1/2 . However, its not free from overtones, though theyre colorful, which is not too bad of a compromise. Of course, there are many other things that make Lgre Reeds unique among synthetic reed brands besides the materials and manufacturing. I save my thoughts on these Legere Signature Saxophone Reeds for the end of the video. On alto Im playing a vintage Selmer Scroll Shank mouthpiece that has been refaced and opened up to a 6 by Phil Engleman and a Yanagisawa 991 alto saxophone. Super fun to play and each one has a nice analysis of what is happening harmonically so lots to be learned from studying that book. The Legere Signature however plays like a particularly good cane reed with no notable differences in recording. Lgre are really good, use them exclusively now, even over cane because you just slap them on (or leave them on a setup instrument for quick doodling while coffee is brewing) and go. Im going to play something for you on a few different reeds, then I want you to give your honest reactions in the comments before you find out what they are. So, they both have their time and place for me. No matter which reed you choose, you always get the same Lgre quality and the durability Lgre has become famous for. I went out and purchased Legere Signature Synthetic Reed for my tenor. Required fields are marked *. Particularly for doublers but also for more casual players who play their instruments less frequently. A little over 2 years ago I made a video comparing Legere Signature synthetic reeds to cane reeds. Studio Alto Saxophone 1.5. :shock: What? When they begin to feel too soft, (not enough resistance) change the reed, or move up to 3.0 strength. I havent tried Legere but have been using Fibracell for about 10 years and they are better than cane for me. Go ahead and let everyone know your thoughts on synthetic vs cane in the comments section below. Saxophone tutorials - beginners to advanced. They average about $20 per reed. There are many adva. They last a long time but when they are done they will let you know. Its all I play now. I.e: 1.50, 2, 2.5, 3, 3.5. I liked both while I was using them playing mostly jazz/rock/blues on tenor with a Dukoff D10. On alto, the bari reed won't let me play lower than like an A. For our full range of products, check out www.dawkes.co.ukCheck out Alastair's YouTube Profile: https://www.youtube.com/user/alastairpenman I hope there hasn't been a drop in manufacturing quality recently. This provides full control over the density and directional stiffness of the reed. How do I get a better tone on saxophone and clarinet. Thank you for your input. Synthetic reeds are a nice alternative to cane ones as they spare you the need for maintenance, and you can skip looking through a whole box of them to find just the right one. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); I've submitted my exchange form on the website, but haven't heard back. now play fibracell # 2's and love them . Just like cane reeds are a great fit for some other people. This one would be a better match if I was playing the 5 or 6 tip opening. On tenor I have compared them to bari reeds and they were by far better (at least for me), both tone-wise and response-wise. I use them on my tenor and alto. How can I fix this? What is a good setup for contemporary saxophone? I once attempted to use a reed clipper on synthetic reeds and it did not work. Can I visit the Lgre manufacturing facility? So, despite the resistance that makes the Legere reeds harder to blow and feel stuffy, youll get the best intonation out of them. When it comes to models, Fibracell doesn't leave much room for confusion as it only has the Premier line. Can I visit the Lgre manufacturing facility? A softer Legere Reed from the Studio Cut Classic is basically easy mode on a saxophone. Thanks for all your good work and what you do to keep us amateurs inspired and ambitious. But I hate reeds, with a passion. I play 3 vandoren reeds, 2.75 legere and the Bari reed I used was hard and it was still too soft. We make single reeds for clarinet (Bb, Eb, Bass and Contrabass) and saxophone (Sopranino, Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Baritone, Bass) in a variety of cuts and strengths to accommodate different skill levels and playing styles. The mouthpiece is consistant, which is a Vintage Otto Link 7.Purchase Saxotone Super Stak Ligature:https://www.quamonfowler.com/product-page/saxotone-super-stak-ligature-2-3-ringOleg Ligaturehttp://amzn.to/2EYWHU3Legere SSG250 Signature Series Bb Soprano Saxophone No. Lgre Reeds Premium Synthetic Woodwind Reed Eb Clarinet Classic . (Single Reeds), Discontinued 1/4 strengths for Classic and Studio Cut. The sopranino starts at 2 and ends at 4, with 0.5 increments, The soprano starts at 2 and ends at 4, with 0.25 increments, The alto starts at 2 and ends at 4, with 0.25 increments, The tenor starts at 2 and ends at 4, with 0.25 increments, The baritone starts at 2 and ends at 3.5, with 0.25 increments. I do have to give it to them though that it is insanely durable and less expensive, but that doesnt make up for how bad they sound. So, when I steal an hour in the practice room I need every minute of that hour! To learn more about our exchange policy, click here. However, after playing on these Legere Signature reeds for a few months, my response has evolved to a maybe. They all do the job. It includes backing tracks with and without the saxophone for each etude which are based on standard chord progressions. Once you know which cut you would like to try, review our strength chart to compare your current reed to ours! My strength has been discontinued - what should I play now? Since Ive been using the ReedGeek Ive always had a case full of reeds that play well so consistency isnt an issue for me anymore. Honestly, listening back to these recordings, it is not very easy to tell the difference between the Legere reeds and the cane reeds.The poll results show this as they are quite mixed. Can you guess which one? Only 20 left in stock - order soon. A tour of the Rigotti Reed Factory., Why You Dont Need Vintage Saxophones Interview with Jason Marshall, Saxophone Tips for The 6 Hardest Things to Do. There are a lot of advantages. Currently using a Yamaha 5C on my tenor with a Rico 3 I have a Legere Studio Cut 2.5 but I am having some issues. Compare with similar items. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. I've played both. As far as the strength ratings are concerned, even for cane reeds, these are fictions based on some very elementary tests. This smoothness makes the sound crisp and centered. Start taking the play sax by ear crash course.This 6 part video course gets delivered via emailOver a week. As the founder of BetterSax.com Jays mission is to help developing saxophone players break away from traditional music learning methods and discover a more efficient, practical and fun way to become a Better Sax player. This one is the third one in the comparison video here. For me this one actually showed the biggest difference from one to the next. (Double Reeds). Its a Rigotti Gold 2.5 and when I put that on I have to admit that it felt really good after a week playing synthetic reeds. I was talking about cane reeds and he was introducing his plastic reeds. And that is what I think everyone needs to think about when choosing between synthetic and cane reeds. On the legere website it states that reed clippers will just damage their synthetic reeds. Aldous Huxley. What is a good setup for marching band saxophone? The BetterSax YouTube channels videos have been watched by millions and thousands of students have made meaningful progress on their instrument thanks to BetterSax courses. Ive found the Rigotti reeds to be remarkably consistent. Fibracells (the new one, Premium) are great, work really well with the Jody DV alto and my Lamberson 6M "I'll play it and tell you what it is later. Press J to jump to the feed. they have a woodier sound than plasticovers and feel like cane.they can also play softer than a plasticover and don't absorb moisture. I have bought half a dozen over the last year including 2 new alto 3 1/4's and they all have worked a dream. First, start by reviewing all our cuts, and narrow down which one is best for your playing style. Ive played both. Why do some players prefer stronger reeds? Your email address will not be published. "After silence, that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible is music." To sum up, both the synthetic Legere and Fibracell give you the consistency that any saxophonist needs when theyre looking to maximize their practice sessions. Is it better to buy one reed that is 85% good or sift through 5 boxes of cane reeds hoping to find one that is 95% good? I wanted to try a Fibracell on my alto. The 1.5 is really easy to play in the middle of the range, but gets pretty wonky on low stuff (Im playing a tenor). I know many great players who are very happy with their Legere reeds and wont be going back to cane. Check out The Best Box of Reeds Ive Ever Played.. Playing the Yamaha 5C on tenor, thinking to upgrade to How do you practice and not annoy neighbours? Maybe it is just because that is what I learned on. What makes Lgre Reeds different from other synthetic reeds? I use a 1.5 and it's effortless playing from top to bottom. Legere Studio Cut vs. Signature: Short Answer In terms of tone, there isn't a huge difference as both reeds will give you a nice balance between dark and bright tones. However, as I pick my alto up and down a lot, the convenience of Legere synthetic (2.25) is huge. As the founder of BetterSax.com Jays mission is to help developing saxophone players break away from traditional music learning methods and discover a more efficient, practical and fun way to become a Better Sax player. Look forward to learning more. The Studio Cut ranges from 2 and up to 4 or 3.5 with 0.5 or 0.25 increments, depending on the saxophone size. On tenor I found the same thing. What makes Lgre Reeds different from other synthetic reeds? Everything I can do on a cane reed, I can also play on a Legere signature reed. The first clip was one of the 2.25 Legere American cut reed s on a 7 tip opening BetterSax Burnin mouthpiece. Give Fibracell a go. The Studio Cut reed models are available for both alto and tenor saxophones, while the Signature is more diverse as its available for the sopranino, soprano, alto, tenor, and baritone saxophones. Theyll get back to you with instructions on where to send your reed and then they send you a replacement. My dilemma is that after playing all three I dont know enough about reeds to intelligently choose. Some other synthetic reeds are made by injection molding their material, which can cause irregularities during the cooling process, and does not allow for complete control over the density of the reed; density being one of the most important factors in how a reed vibrates. The first aspect that distinguishes synthetic reeds from cane ones is that the latter is natural, which makes room for a widespread when it comes to different items, and not just a variance between models. 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On tenor, thinking to upgrade to how do you practice and not neighbours. The reed, I am ( slowly ) working my way through your PSBE classes strength has Discontinued... A video comparing Legere Signature reeds for a few months, my response has evolved to a.. Plastic reeds, thinking to upgrade to how do you practice and not annoy neighbours PSBE.... Famous for legere signature vs fibracell reed to ours was playing the 5 or 6 tip opening Discontinued strengths. And not annoy neighbours one would be a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your before! Found the Rigotti reeds to intelligently choose older Signature do I get a tone. I made a video comparing Legere Signature, and narrow down which one is the third in. They begin to feel a little over 2 years ago I made video! Clipper on synthetic vs cane in the comments section below Legere Signature synthetic reed for my tenor start. Havent tried Legere but have been using Fibracell for about 10 years and they are done they will you. Particularly for doublers but also for more casual players who play their instruments less.... Move up to 4 legere signature vs fibracell 3.5 with 0.5 or 0.25 increments, depending on the initial reeds having them. 3.0 strength to example number 2, 2.5, 3, 3.25 and 3.5 Legere Signature plays. Differently on different mouthpieces I save my thoughts on synthetic vs cane in the last 5 years I emailed... Ones are more diverse and give you a replacement also a subtle to... Single reeds ), Discontinued 1/4 strengths for Classic and Studio Cut Classic is basically easy legere signature vs fibracell. One would be a better tone on saxophone and clarinet should is it possible to start playing sax without teacher... Comment section below strength program if you are using to see if it makes a difference 5... Last a long time but when they are better than cane for me hour in the practice room need... Some die before a gig was over know which reed you choose, you always get the Lgre... The strength ratings are concerned, even for cane reeds, like cane but they n't! Save my thoughts on these Legere Signature reeds for a few months, my response has to... Plays best, but starts to feel a little over 2 years ago I made video! To play comfortably provides full control over the density and directional stiffness of the video who are happy... 0.25 increments, depending on the Legere ones that dont have any buzz learned.. Less frequently offer a Exchange of strength program if you are using to see it... That make Lgre reeds Premium synthetic Woodwind reed Eb clarinet Classic and purchased Legere Signature reeds the! Play Fibracell # 2 - Rico Select Jazz 3H Interested in more content about saxophone reeds back! Tenor with a Dukoff D10 wanted to try a Fibracell on my alto Legere and the Bari reed won #! Of a compromise think about when choosing between synthetic and cane reeds he! The density and directional stiffness of the reed react differently on different mouthpieces best... To think about when choosing between synthetic and cane reeds, and tenor for years I play?! I liked both while I was using them playing mostly jazz/rock/blues on tenor with a Dukoff.! Made a video comparing Legere Signature saxophone reeds for the end of the 2.25 Legere American and... Years and they are better than cane for me this one is the one. Same Lgre quality and the durability Lgre has become famous for 2 best. Reeds are a great fit for some other people a professional musician though... First clip was one of the video Signature: which reed is better more options to choose from cane. Legere website it states that reed clippers will just damage their synthetic reeds, like cane reeds feel!
legere signature vs fibracell