For all you in marching band. Synthetic reeds are honestly great for being outside. They dont chip as easy and you dont have to worry about soaking it after they dry up from not playing for 5 mins
Marty Owens the amount of moisture seen on the legere reed is only more visible because the reed is almost see through, your vandoren reed doesn’t show it as easily but it’ll have the same moisture on it.
@@chrizze5062 I find it easier to suck the moisture out of the legere signature than my Rico Jazz select cane reed. Was skeptical of these reeds but I love them!
flashak agreed! Also easier to clean in general. I also used select jazz before legere. Was also skeptical about them but I have now been using them for almost 2 years. I dip my reeds in boiling water or very hot water to soften them if they’re too hard for me. I definitely feel like I have the sound I want but I am tempted to try out the Boston sax shop reeds because the hype it’s been getting recently.
Playing Baritone-Sax in an Orchestra i came to love the Legere. I tried them first because cane-reeds were just too expensive in the long run when I was a student (the baritone being about 8€ per reed are ridiculous). What made me stay with the synthetic reeds is simple practicability. I don't have to wet them, the don't get deformed under the wrong humidity and over all they behave just the same in the beginning of an exercise all the way to the end. When playing alto sax I switch between some different synthetic and cane ones depending on the needed style (I find it easier to play classical on cane and pop on synthetics like the fiberreed).
I would love to have a bari, and I think if I did I'd go the synthetic route too. It's always seemed to me that Arundo Donax does not typically grow to the proper diameter for bari reeds. With my tenor, about a third to half of the reeds are really good, but with clarinet almost every reed in the box is good.
I switched to the Legere Signature so I could quickly demo for my band students without having to soak up a reed. I can put the reed on at the beginning of class and leave it right there without worry of it drying out. Easy to pick up and play. Sounds almost as good as the best cane reed after a lot of work and I don't have to dump a bunch of money, time, and effort to get the cane reeds to get to that point.
I don’t think synthetic reeds are as horrible as cane enthusiasts make them out to be, it really is an efficient reed cost wise and playing wise. If you just can’t to seem to get a good reed synthetic reeds are a great alternative. Since they also can last up to a year you hardly ever have to buy one. Personally I do prefer cane reeds, but synthetic reeds are perfectly fine as well. Personally I try to use synthetic reeds when I practice and use cane reeds in moderation so that I can use it in performances.
Synth reeds are cheaper in the long run to cane. A single Hartmann fiberreed cost $30. It'll last a very long time. I single box of cane reeds won't last as long.
I was skeptical in synthetic reeds, but I’m not going back to cane reeds after using them. One can last like 6 months or more while I kept chipping the cane reeds. The cane reeds also dry my lips out. However, it is the consistency they provide that is really why I like them. One cane reed can be like the holy grail (before it chips) and the next one can make you sound like a beginner, or at least make you put extra effort to sound decent.
I will say though that you do have to get used to them to get the best sound. Since they are totally smooth, your embouchure may not be the best when using it for the first time, unlike cane reeds which are more rough.
@TimeLapse 123 Yessir. Wray & Nephew Jamaican rum. Basically, the Jamaican version of everclear. To be fair, it's probably not the best for the reeds. I liked it though.
Long story short. I started to learn Tenor when I was 18 (55 years ago). Having wanted to play for years, on my first lesson my lip became red, itchy and swollen. Disaster. Fortunately my teacher was a grader for PTD resin reeds (made near London) so switched to them. Success. HE really does work in mysterious ways!
I picked the cane reeds 5 for 5. There seems to be an edgy sound to the synthetic reed that I can pick out on the side by side test. I would not be able to fault the tone quality of the synthetic if I heard it without a comparison. They were close enough that the advantages of the synthetic reed might be worth the shot.
gotta love jay... teaches me every thing my half dozen professional teachers never taught me because they probably didnt know as much as Jay.. thanks good buddy bobby G.
Yep, I agree 100%. The comments you've made..... could have been me talking. The Legere's are fantastic for what they are, but they are in my 'spare/just in case' reed case too for both alto and tenor. I throw one on every so often at rehearsal or even a gig, differences are subtle. Bottom line, play what feels right & play what sounds right to you.
Thanks Jay. I listened a couple of times to each with high quality headphones and my results were totally mixed. Just goes to show that having a strong sound concept makes all the difference, and that there are no hard and fast differences between synthetic and cane reeds today. I've been playing Forestone Black Bamboo reeds for a couple of years now on alto and love them. They just feel like the best cane reeds I've ever played. And then again, all that is completely subjective .... Thanks again.
Yeah, I think the more you play on these, the better they will sound as you grow used to them. I've been playing them some more and they are feeling even more natural over time.
Thanks muchly for the vid. Comments were extremely helpful. I am very much a beginner on the tenor sax (for some 2-3 months) and have become quite frustrated with the Rico 2.5 reeds as they seem to be too unreliable (high % of fails, soften very quickly, limited life etc). Interestingly I tried the Vandoren 3 and I found them much more reliable, although harder for me to practise as a beginner. I have come to the conclusion that I would be better off and make much more efficient use of my practice time swapping over to synthetic reeds. I am not really concerned about difference in tonal quality but in reliability and from all my research it seems the answer might be found in using the synthetics. I realise that as a newbie I know very little about the dark art of choosing one's sax reed and have opened myself up to criticism from the pros. But even if as a student sax player I can improve my practice of tones by 30+% then it will be worth it: and it will just a bit easier for me to determine whether a badly played note is my fault or that of the reed. I really would welcome input from all parties on my observations. I have done quite a bit of research on the topic covering most aspects but really haven't come across any comments on the merits of the beginning sax student using synthetic over cane.
Interesting... I picked the natural reed all five times -- even though I thought it was the synthetic reed. It just sounded smoother and more open to me. I'm a clarinet player from long ago and I know how finicky natural reeds can be. So, I assumed that the smooth consistent sound I heard was because it was the synthetic reed. WRONG! Interesting...
I play the Rico jazz select. Interestingly, I picked that reed every time on the blind test except for test A. I picked the legere. It really does just come down to preference. It's just what you're used to.
synthetic reeds remind me of my beginner days, my teacher had us use them because they are more durable and last a long time. I used one for my whole first year and saved a ton of money.
With regards to the Fibracell Reeds, I find they play on my metal Otto Link 7* like magic! Takes my intonation down a whole subtone, once you adjust, smooth.... 🎷🎉👍
I agree. I play a Fibracell Premium 3’s on my Guardala MB II Tenor Mpc. Magic. Great sub tones , overtones and altissimo, and regular tone is complex and rich and full. Use them on my Link Tone Edge 7* on bari, but 2.5 strength to make it super easy to crank out the low register as softly as I want... they’re great reeds.
I agree with your comment about not being comfortable. They don't just feel quite right. I use Fibrecell on my tenor, as they feel closer to a cane reed than the Legere
I have used Fibrecell too and I agree that they feel more like cane reeds. I did try a fibracell tenor reed on my alto just to see how it would sound and I got a big, more fuller sound with the low notes coming out easier but it was a little bit buzzy sounding for me.
I switched to Fibrecell for my 1920’s alto a few years ago. Love them, but it took some some testing as they tend to be weaker than charted. Using a 3.5 which produces a warm sound on my horn with little warm. Still have cane on my soprano though. Great video. Thanks for sharing your wealth of knowledge.
A fair review. When do we ever see that? For me, at the present time, the reliability of the Signature reeds trumps everything else. But why are they so expensive?
@@pablokesler7824 That might be the motivation to set such a high price, but surely maintaining the land, growing the cane, all the harvesting and handling, the precision, machinery and cutting, rejects, etc - all that is going to be way more expensive to make cane reeds than a bit of plastic. Here in Australia a Legere Sig costs about the same as a box of 10 good reeds.
Wait til you see the Key Leaves. Those are like 30.00 USD for 3 pieces of rubber to hold your keys open while they dry so they dont stick. US-made, tho! lol The Legere synth reed was like 22.00 on Amazon.
Most honest appraisal of Legere I've seen. I tried them for a bit.. convenient....but. Anybody that says they can't tell the difference hasn't played a good cane reed for a long time and has forgotten what they really sound like. Put it this way, have you ever heard anyone say they sound better than cane reeds???? No, didn't think so.
Fantastic overview, thanks. I urge all new sax players to use synthetic reeds and then experiment with cane reeds once your embochure is developed. This method you will improve your muscles without the headache that cane reeds give you. It’s like troubleshooting from the very beginning where you remove all unnecessary hassles. However once you are ready you will find a cane reed can make your sound amazing, but this only happens a few times a year when you find that golden reed. Hope that helps if you are just starting out. Synthetic reeds will certainly lead the way, based on what I have briefly explained, but the true moment of expression and emotion can only be captured on a cane reed. This great sound only lasts a few days, so synthetic will always win.
Dude, blew me away with that little spin on In A SENTIMENTAL MOOD. Way to kill it! Would love to try out a Legere reed on my series 3! Keep it up, Love the channel @bettersax
When I was in a jazz group finding these was great. I played guitar 50% of the set, alto 25-30%, and tenor the rest... so in some cases I would set everything up, and not touch the tenor for an hour or so. Cane reed would be dried out by the time I picked it up... so these made so much sense.
Tocar com uma palheta sintética é adaptação do músico. Esse vídeo provou que as sintéticas conseguem um excelente som, só é preciso ter paciência pra testar as diversas numeração da mesma palheta. Muito bom o vídeo!
I've been using Legere signature 2 1/2 reeds since they came out and have used nothing else since. I get a great tone, it is always consistent, and one reed lasts longer than a couple of boxes of cane.
Thanks for this the 2.25 has proved to be the Holy Grail reed for my Meyer Ritchie Cole Alto piece . Lovely job ! Agree it’s a bit plastic feeling in the mouth but no mucking around and gives a nice edge .
I was a rock keyboardist since 1980, and sax "solos" were always relegated to me, and sounded like ass. Finally saved up enough nickels, got a real tenor and played along with Abersold's "Blues in 12 Keys" for two years, and finally on stage. I wasn't very good, but it sounded a magnitude better than a synth "sax". I went with the synthetic reed from the get-go, as I was only playing one or two sax solos per set, and hard to keep a real reed wet here in the High Desert. I'm glad I could not hear the differences on your examples; I won't worry about "real" reeds anymore! Thank you.
Interesting that I picked all Legere for both horns. That’s probably why I play Signature 2 1/2 on alto and Studio Cut/Traditional 2 1/2 on tenor.🙂 Nice video comparison Jay!
Great advise as always. Thank you. I purchased a Hinoki Forestiere recently for Tenor . I have found it to be perfect from the first note. I get more power and projection with less effort. I'm Sold!
I voted 2,1,1,1,2, which were all Legere for alto and all cane for tenor. You might also be interested to know that I have never played a reed instrument. I am primarily a trumpet player, but i find these videos really interesting and i enjoy learning about other instruments occasionally. also really ingenious use of these polling features on youtube for these sorts of musical product blind tests.
I know this is an old video but I have just watched it. For every single example and reed I picked the Cane reed on best sound. Not once did I pick Synthetic. Cane reed was a clear winner for me. Very interesting video. Thank you.
Hi Jay, watch your videos often, love what you do. I rarely comment but I spent a good amount of time with the Legere staff at the NAMM show this year, and yes you do make a good point about the reed sizes being off and to try a quarter size in either direction to find the right one. That’s exactly what they recommended and what I did and it was way different than my normal usage (3.5 Vandoren Java’s on both tenor and alto compare to 2 3/4 alto and 3 for tenor Legere). Additionally, and perhaps most importantly, they told me there is a significant period of time of “getting used to the response” and Chris urged me to try them for 2-3 weeks before making up my mind. I didn’t have any gigs during that time so I just figured let’s use this for practice while not wearing out my good cane reeds. I fought and struggled, really, with them for 2-3 weeks, and I also found the response to be wildly different on my metal mouthpieces, and was about to give up, put on the cane reed and played for a couple days then came back to them and they suddenly “clicked”. So I think that’s really important. If they aren’t doing what you want them to do, then you need to spend more time and let your body adjust to the different response. I do agree with you that there are subtle differences and an exceptionally good cane reed with adjustments will have a warmth and subtlety that can’t be duplicated. Thanks for your work and effort on the video!
I honestly feel like I'm licking my mouthpiece when I articulate on a Legere reed and it is weird to have something that slick against my lip. I play cane for the feel of them mainly as a result, but also for the sound. For me, my tone just gets too thin and noisy on synthetic reeds and I have trouble properly getting a big, warm sound.
Or Fibracell. Been playing them on all my pro gigs out pretty much exclusively for the last 4-5 years. I swear by them . Look and Feel and sound just like cane, and dang they are nearly impossible to chip, crack, split etc - they are bullet proof and last a long long time. And every single one plays exactly the same. I still have various vandorens and Rico’s in my case as spares and I’ve had to use them on gigs on rare occasions. But like Jay said here, my experience (and I’ve been playing both cane and synthetics a long Time) is that the synthetics tend to player harder or stiffer than their cane equivalent strengths. About 1/2 a strength. I just bought my first set of Alto , Tenor and bari Legeres In 2.5, 2.75 and 3. DANG they’re expensive!!! I can easily buy 2 Fibracells for the price of one Legere (and the Fibracells ain’t cheap! They are 2-3x more expensive than a typical Rico Jazz Select! I’ve only play tested them briefly so far on my Tenor and bari. They sound pretty good head to head with the Fibracells . I like that they have the 1/4 strength increments that really helps dial in the stiffness much better! about time.... more to follow...
I do that all the time to keep my reed soaked It’s basically a meme in my band class,we even thought of a shirt for it We eat 🎷 REEDS Saxophone band Violently licks reed
@@ScottRutledge I heard that the strength of the synthetic reeds reflects the strength of a _brand_new_ cane reed. That's why the same number feels stiffer on the synthetic reed.
I picked cane reeds 2/3 for Alto, 2 for 2 for tenor. I've used Legere before . . . they are super easy to play but I could never get rid of a "spit" buzzing. As well, I found that cane just had a nice sound.
Forgetting I had commented on this video 2 years ago, and did the listening test again and preferred cane in all situations. But the differences were slight. I still use a Legere on my soprano.
Legere was a game changer for me when I tried them out at NAMM. It was extremely comfortable switching over and is really good for me since clarinet is no longer my main instrument. I agreed on the strength chart moment too. I actually had to go almost a full strength lower based off of one of the representatives. I played 3.5 Vandoren, but then had to go to 2.75
Thank you so much for doing this! I liked the sound of the cane reeds best on the alto (which I use that set up as well.) And on the tenor I was split a little, they sounded similar to me, but I ended up choosing the synthetic reeds both times on the poll just to pick one. Your videos are just the best.
I do not know if I have tried Legere, but I have used synthetic. Used them back in the day when I was in marching band. They were great for getting a better loudness. Personally though, I love using Vandoren V16's.
Thank's for your great review Jay. I've played a Legere 2.25 on a Theo Wanne Ambika 2 7* tenor for about 2 years and love it but my ears told me 2 out of 3 that the Rico 3H was the best sound but not by much. I might just give the Rico a little try
Very good fair review and tests. On my alto I started on Legere Signature 1.75, 2, 2.25 and quickly found that 1.75 and 2 were too soft so got two of the 2.25 and thought they were not strong enough so exchanged one for a 2.5, took about 2 weeks to get the replacement (I live in the UK so had to send the reed to Germany for replacement) . I got the 2.5 and found it ever so slightly too hard and although I got a slightly better sound with it, the 2.25 was easier to play on. The reason I like them is that I have been only playing the sax for 7 months and wanted to not have any reed issues that might effect my sound. I wanted to make sure that any issues I was having was myself and not the reed. Plus I had issues with humidity and reeds drying out quickly. I do like the sound of cane reeds but prefer Legere for the reasons I mentioned. The only thing I found was that my first two Legere 2.25 reeds cracked at the top within a month each of using them, but my current is lasting longer.
@@bettersax I haven't used many cane reeds but I have used Rico Royal 2.5 blue box and to me they seem to me that they might be a similar strength to the 2.25 legere.
Only one that clearly stuck out to me was the first example - I thought the vandoren red sounded way better. But the rest of them were all vs Rico 3H and it was amazingly a toss up to my ears....
I always used cane reeds but always had a synthetic for back up. Playing in crowded bars sometimes canes would get damaged if we kept them all dancing long enough!!! Love me some rock & roll.
I love my Legere signatures a lot, I have used them both on Bari and alto. In a college band setting having predictability in your reeds is ideal. Though as a bari sax player you will have a lot of spit and moisture build up so releasing the spit valve is necessary every once in a while.
This blind test is indeed interesting. Whereas what sounds "better" is up to personal taste, finding the synthetic reed is an objective goal. So I tried that. I play a tenor sax, do not own an alto. I have cane reeds and a Legère reed. I was right both times on the tenor and I was wrong all three times on the alto. Personally, I feel that 1) the synthetic reed sounds a bit too clear for my ideal preferred sound and 2) that the synthetic reed builds up liquid more easily/faster while playing and at some point that can be heard. So you have to suck it out more often.
No need for hating! Same with gaming console fanboyism. I like about half and half. I split from the majority on the tenor sax D example and chose the Legere. My goal is doubling with clarinet, bass clarinet and flute SO I will likely go with a box of cane, have one extra Legere and play on Legere primarily. Then I'll ALWAYS be prepared.
Good test. I’m surprised that in each case I preferred the sound of the cane reeds. That’s just listening to the sound directly from my iPad. I must say that I’ve been playing Legere Signatures exclusively on the Clarinet for the past four or five years. I switched to the ‘European’ cut when they came out and find they’re very similar to Signature soprano sax reeds on my (Bb soprano clarinet). I’ve been playing Legere Signatures, exclusively, on my tenor sax since I got it last Spring. I really like them and I don’t miss fussing with cane reeds.
I use the same legere reeds on my tenor. In the community concert band I play in, 3 sax players have switched also to the legere and one oboe PlayStation.
Great video, Jay! Fair and easy to compare using multiple horns and styles, and I agree a lot with your assessment. I get a lot of questions in regards to using synthetic reeds from players, teachers, & students. I can now share this with them for a quality response! As a professional player (all saxes, clarinet/bass, flutes) I have used Legere reeds for a long time, even going back to my marching band days in high school. I really believe there is value in both cane and synthetic reeds depending on various situations. Like you, I use Legere for some of my doubling instruments almost exclusively (clarinet and bari) to simply pick up and play. I personally like keeping "gig reeds" separate from practice or rehearsal reeds, and Legere also helps there. Living in Florida, humidity is a huge factor and having reeds that don't warp is helpful performing in outdoor settings too. At the end of the day, I still prefer cane for the response, tone, and feel. Before I got the Reed Geek a few years ago, I was very frustrated from the inconsistency of cane reeds, and considered making the full switch - which speaks to their quality. I will say depending on the instrument, I have had mixed results to how much I like the Legere sound. Reeds can be a struggle, and I'll admit I love just picking up my flute and not having to even think about them. However, I've learned in order to have consistency, you need to put in the effort in "curing" and maintaining them. BTW, I choose all the cane choices but one an example D! Thanks for making this video!
I stared playing the tenor sax for marching band and started out on a synthetic reed, I personally feel like it helped because all my natural reeds split within a week or two
Great video! About 8 years ago I started playing my school band tenor saxophone again that I also used for jazz, after having not touched it for 25 years. That didn’t work, but I got me a new saxophone. I was hoping for that somebody in the meantime had done something with the read nightmare with clipping and filing and throwing away half of the box. After some experimenting I started with Otto Link NY metal 7* and Vandoren Java #2. It worked great, but then I was back to the nightmare again. I tested out several synthetic reeds, Fibracell and Fiberreed, but after some further searching I stumbled into Legere Signature reed. They work fantastic to me. Im using #2. I’m playing the clarinet as well, and have great joy with their clarinet reed, European cut. Never back to the cane reed again that plays well one day and is useless the next. However, Legere is promising consistency between the reads, but that’s only partly true. Better than cane, but I had to throw away some Legere as well.
Thanks for your great video! After 5 years playing Sythetic reeds i came back to cane reeds. On the beginning it was difficult, it took me 2 month to get adjusted, but cane sounds better, also intonation is better, but you have to select the reeds. Also you have a bigger range of sounds with a cane reed, it is much more flexible for me. But as you say, it is a sound, you like it or not
My son has only been playing for about 4 months, but plays for hours a day. He has developed dry cracked lips to the point of being unable to play. On your recommendation we bought a Legere reed. 5 mins in & he loves it. Far more control over the soft tones, and feels better on his lip. Changed up from the standard student Rico reeds. Looks like I'm paying for studio-quality reeds from now on.
Hey Jay , I tried the legere reeds didn’t care for them switch back to cane reeds and got a reed geek 🎶🎶🎶🎷I,m happy with the cane reeds, also the same reason you gave, not knocking those who used them, maybe one for a backup in my case .
I've been playing synthetic made by Bari since the 80's and never went back. It took me a couple of days of playing to get adjusted, Consistency is huge and in the long run they are cheaper.
Thanks again Jay for your insight. As you are a professional player, I respect your opinion and follow your channel. However, as an "on-again-off-again" beginner, my experience is different. I purchased my dodgy old alto cheap, and thought I'd just bum around on it after many years without my old tenor. My first reed was a Rico 2, and after a couple of weeks it cracked, and I bought some Vandoren 2.5 reeds. Not playing every day, my embouchure never got up to strength, and eventually I gave the whole idea up as useless. Then I read an article on synthetic reeds and ordered a Legere 2.5 reed, which astounded me - I could actually play! I still don't practise every day, but I can make a passable sound consistently on the alto. Today, I decided I should go back to cane to check the difference ... and my facial muscles immediately objected, and very strongly. I also noticed a difference in the sound produced. So, the point of my response is to say that as a beginner without a strong embouchure, I find the Legere suits me infinitely better than cane, but I haven't tried any other reeds apart from what's mentioned. (also I'm over 60 and not as strong as I used to be ...)
I’ve been in the Légère camp since about four months ago (after 25 years of cave reeds). I think it is important to allow oneself enough time to get used to the differences between cane and synthetic. At first I too was getting an overly pure sound in my jazz playing, but now I can get all the graininess, huskiness and complexity of tone that I can achieve with a cane reed. The smoothness is off putting at first, but then you get used to that as well. And my lips thank me! No more cuts and dryness. Some mouthpieces also respond better to them than others; I find my Selmer Concept and Jody Jazz Custom Dark pieces (on both alto and tenor) pair beautifully with the Signatures. And yes, getting exactly the right strength is essential in being able to obtain all the tonal variations you seek. The American cuts are great too, if you’re after a brighter sound especially, but I find the Signatures play like a Vandoren blue box; versatile. In short, not going back to cane ; love the reliability and predictability that allows me to focus on other aspects of my playing, instead of worrying about the condition of my reed.
I’ve been playing Legere Signatures for the last couple years and don’t ever play cane now. A couple years ago, I had exactly a half hour between when my wife went to work and I went to work in which to practice, so I liked having no warm up. (She also had a rule “No Fela Kuti after 9:30 at night.). Now I’m playing in a group in which I sit out many songs in a row, and sometimes get called to join in when I didn’t expect it. I like that the Legere is ready to go anytime. Like the consistency.
One of the best argument I have heard that's making me thinking of buying one of those is as a teacher, being able to put away your sax and while you're getting it back to play, you don't need to moist the reed again each time in order to play well, which can be very convenient...
If you are an Amazon Prime member just send it back if it doesn't work "as advertised"! And yes, Légère's are 1/4 to 1/2 stronger (in strength) than cane.
I now use Fibracell premier 2.5 on Bari and Tenor ---I repeat "premier" they are very good ---but still use cane 2h D'darrio (cant spell ) on Alto---my Yamaha 62 with Meyer 5
Just tried a Legere synthetic reed in my clarinet. Even though it was 11 time more costly than a Rico cane reed, I will not go back to a cane reed. Synthetic all the way, stick it in and play, no fuss no bother. Thanks "Better Sax" for letting me know about them.
I love my Legere Signature on Tenor. It’s a little “buzzier” than cane but I quite like that. Apart from lasting ages, they’re just so convenient, just pick up and play😘
I'm not a player, just a fan of music, I've always been more interested in how muscians chose their setups . I honestly think once you're beyond a mid level player it comes down not to which thing is better, but what works for the tone you're after.
Hi Jay, tried nearly all the synthetic reeds out there and have been using fiberreed hemp and also fiberreed carbon and they really work and feel great, I double on guitar and tenor so works for me
I've played synthetic reeds for the past 10 years. Fibracell. Every single one of them is perfect, right out of the case. Very very consistent. Virtually indestructible (impregnated with kevlar in the reed's surface matrix). And last forever. Well, not forever, but they'll last nearly a year, the way I take care of them. Take them off after each play, wipe them down, rub them with the Reed Geek to keep 'em flat, and put 'em back in their case. Cool thing about Fibracells (and I think most synthetic reeds): You never have to lick them or pre-wet them down before you play on them. Just take 'em out, put them on the mouthpiece, and they'll play perfectly. I DO stick them in my mouth briefly to moisten them before I mount them on the mouthpiece, but this is really more out of a lifetime habit of using cane reeds more than anything. I've played them in a hurry absolutely dry and had just great luck with them. I can shape and bend my tone in any way that I want using them - there's no difference that I've been able to tell between a Fibracell and any regular cane reed. Anyway, give the Fibracells a try. Yes, they're more expensive. A lot more. But then, every single one plays - and plays great. Right out of the gate. And will last as I said above probably 4-5 times longer than your well-kept and -pampered reed. Totally worth the extra $$ in my mind. Jay - have you tried Fibracells?
Had to share this bit of humor with you all here: saw a sax player walking around at the mall with this T-shirt on: "It's all fun and games until someone chips a reed."
I like the idea of synthetic reeds, but I always found them to feel dead. I always ended up over working my embouchure because I was always playing as if the reed itself were dead.
Totally agree. Gear just keeps evolving and getting better and better. I personally think Legere synthetics - both Classic and Studio Cut - were crap , until they came out with the Signature series . What a huge improvement! But that’s just the nature of things, technological advancements have brought about huge improvements to sax gear from consistency to quality...
So glad I got a Legere reed! I'm a beginner still working on strengthening my embouchure, so I'm limited presently to about 15 mins an hour before I have to give it a rest. Inevitably the cane reed dries up in that 45 minute rest and I have to remove the mp and reed, wet it again ... sigh ... carefully reset it ...groan ... test it ... and put it back on the sax. Very, very tiresome. I got a stand to make it easier for me to just pick up and play - but the cane reeds defeat that purpose. So much easier with the synthetic reed! Thanks for bringing these to my attention Jay. :)
I live in a very dry climate in the winter and have found the synthetic reeds to be very consistent day to day. I am not suggesting that they are better sounding for a professional, but for my noodling they are more enjoyable to play.
I think if the exact same music was being played it might have given a better way to judge, but as it wasn't it's a bit difficult to decide. But in each case both reeds sounded good. Consistency is a problem with reeds as you said I used to use a reed cutter and fine grit to smooth out my reeds, I even tried plastic reeds but I found those too buzzy. Even used to use an extremely sharp blade to shave the reeds down to get a good one. It takes time and practice to get this right though. I miss playing my sax.
Okay.... I just bought a Legere Studio Cut reed. And I guess I nailed the strength right on the noggin, because damn, that thing sounded really good! Very impressed. Last time I played a synthetic, I was very "meh" about it. I got a 2.25, playing on an Otto Link HR 6. Nice bright, fat sound.
I switched to synthetic in 2010 & haven't loooked back. In fact I'm still playing the same reeds I bought then. I use Bari (the brand not the instrument!)
@@thomasschneider1785 yeah the buzz sound on fiberreed: like it or not. i changed my mtpc from metal to hrubber. now the sound-color is great. recently i just tried a legere signature #2 on my alto hr mtpc: works great with nearly zero buzz! little bit to hard for me, but great if play with bands (drummer...)
Jay, I understand and agree with most of your thoughts regarding Legere Signature. May I suggest also trying Fiberreed Carbon Onyx Reeds. You'll probably find it the best of both worlds. Since I play typically 2 or 3 different saxes (soprano, alto, tenor), the ability to have a consistent ready-to-go sound makes the gigs so much more enjoyable.
Very good review. I play alto and tenor sax as well as clarinet. For alto and clarinet, I completely agree with you. Legere reeds work well, but lack something in tone quality. However, with tenor sax, I switched 15 years ago and have become 'addicted' to Legere signature reeds. Tried to switch back to cane reeds (Vandoren) but couldn't get the ease of response and tone that I got from the Legere reed.
Just love this channel - full of top info for the beginner like me. Thanks Jay As a beginner I was wondering whether it would be easier for me to use Legere reeds given that they are more reliable in staying on the note. Any comments welcome.
I pretty much agree with Jay. I use a 2.75 on my alto and use it for doubling gigs. Use 2.5 on clarinet. I still think that a good cane reed is better. I have found that the synthetic starts to go off after about 3 months i.e. less resistant and slightly buzzy. It is then a matter of how much more I can get out of it before having to shell out for a new one. I have a reed geek and use micromesh paper and season my cane reeds over an 8 day period. It takes a bit of commitment but does result in stable useable cane reeds.
Just got a legere and I love it. I can play an altissimo G ( the hardest note for me) with total authority and the sound is awesome. And yes, I played 100's of California outdoor gigs sticking my mouthpiece in an ice bucket between songs so that the reed doesn't turn to pulp. After playing cane reeds for 56 years, I'm done with them.
@@Eazyoflaylay Hi Ulu. Just search Playing altissimo on sax and several will pop up. It takes time and practice and you won't use it a lot in performance, but you can do it. Take one week of commitment to Master it and you'll play it like a pro.
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For all you in marching band. Synthetic reeds are honestly great for being outside. They dont chip as easy and you dont have to worry about soaking it after they dry up from not playing for 5 mins
Ditto. Every time I use a cane reed in marching band it seems to disintegrate after a day or two. I can march a synthetic for months, until it cracks
@@jackmoseley1628 or until a barri sax doesnt watch were theyre going and crack it the 2nd day you've had it.
Honestly that’s why I would play one, I’m playing bari for marching, and it’s always drying out, it’s sooooo aggravating
My cane reed dried in like 2 mins in the heat...
Ok thanks
I'm just kind of worried bc I think I might have to try some new reed strengths out on can reds and I think that would be a lot at once
One of the things my son and I notice with the synthetic reeds is the amount of moisture that builds up while playing.
Ooh that wouldn't be good for me because apparently I spit an unusual amount into my instruments when I play
That’s not good. I’ll stick with Vandoren.
Marty Owens the amount of moisture seen on the legere reed is only more visible because the reed is almost see through, your vandoren reed doesn’t show it as easily but it’ll have the same moisture on it.
@@chrizze5062 I find it easier to suck the moisture out of the legere signature than my Rico Jazz select cane reed. Was skeptical of these reeds but I love them!
flashak agreed! Also easier to clean in general. I also used select jazz before legere. Was also skeptical about them but I have now been using them for almost 2 years. I dip my reeds in boiling water or very hot water to soften them if they’re too hard for me. I definitely feel like I have the sound I want but I am tempted to try out the Boston sax shop reeds because the hype it’s been getting recently.
Playing Baritone-Sax in an Orchestra i came to love the Legere.
I tried them first because cane-reeds were just too expensive in the long run when I was a student (the baritone being about 8€ per reed are ridiculous). What made me stay with the synthetic reeds is simple practicability. I don't have to wet them, the don't get deformed under the wrong humidity and over all they behave just the same in the beginning of an exercise all the way to the end.
When playing alto sax I switch between some different synthetic and cane ones depending on the needed style (I find it easier to play classical on cane and pop on synthetics like the fiberreed).
I just play baritone saxophone 🤣🤣
hold on hold on hold on hold on, a bari? In an Orchestra???
I would love to have a bari, and I think if I did I'd go the synthetic route too. It's always seemed to me that Arundo Donax does not typically grow to the proper diameter for bari reeds.
With my tenor, about a third to half of the reeds are really good, but with clarinet almost every reed in the box is good.
I switched to the Legere Signature so I could quickly demo for my band students without having to soak up a reed. I can put the reed on at the beginning of class and leave it right there without worry of it drying out. Easy to pick up and play. Sounds almost as good as the best cane reed after a lot of work and I don't have to dump a bunch of money, time, and effort to get the cane reeds to get to that point.
You leave the reed on after playing? So you don't swab out the mouthpiece after playing?
William Spencely He probably means he leaves it there during class and then cleans it later.
I don’t think synthetic reeds are as horrible as cane enthusiasts make them out to be, it really is an efficient reed cost wise and playing wise. If you just can’t to seem to get a good reed synthetic reeds are a great alternative. Since they also can last up to a year you hardly ever have to buy one. Personally I do prefer cane reeds, but synthetic reeds are perfectly fine as well. Personally I try to use synthetic reeds when I practice and use cane reeds in moderation so that I can use it in performances.
Synth reeds are cheaper in the long run to cane. A single Hartmann fiberreed cost $30. It'll last a very long time. I single box of cane reeds won't last as long.
I was skeptical in synthetic reeds, but I’m not going back to cane reeds after using them. One can last like 6 months or more while I kept chipping the cane reeds. The cane reeds also dry my lips out. However, it is the consistency they provide that is really why I like them. One cane reed can be like the holy grail (before it chips) and the next one can make you sound like a beginner, or at least make you put extra effort to sound decent.
I will say though that you do have to get used to them to get the best sound. Since they are totally smooth, your embouchure may not be the best when using it for the first time, unlike cane reeds which are more rough.
@@davidcox8961 I find my cane reeds last a very long time.
@@jonathonbahr7457 that's great man. What's a long time?
I prefer the cane because I like the taste honestly.
@TimeLapse 123 it tastes like bamboo
Bro I also love the taste jaja I always suck them for no reason and my band director always got mad at me for that
Ussd to soak mine in Jamaican overproof rum. It makes your bottom lip tingle.
@TimeLapse 123 Yessir. Wray & Nephew Jamaican rum. Basically, the Jamaican version of everclear. To be fair, it's probably not the best for the reeds. I liked it though.
Long story short. I started to learn Tenor when I was 18 (55 years ago). Having wanted to play for years, on my first lesson my lip became red, itchy and swollen. Disaster. Fortunately my teacher was a grader for PTD resin reeds (made near London) so switched to them. Success. HE really does work in mysterious ways!
I picked the cane reeds 5 for 5. There seems to be an edgy sound to the synthetic reed that I can pick out on the side by side test. I would not be able to fault the tone quality of the synthetic if I heard it without a comparison.
They were close enough that the advantages of the synthetic reed might be worth the shot.
i play guitar been thinking of learning the Sax and this channel has been a huge help thank you.
keep playing guitar horn players and especially sax are a dime a dozen and most dont work
0/5 of my votes went towards the synthetic reeds. 😅😂 Oops. I don't even know how I managed that.
Same. I don't even play any reed instrument. But, I am an audio engineer so I'm sure that helps.
same
Same
Same
gotta love jay... teaches me every thing my half dozen professional teachers never taught me because they probably didnt know as much as Jay.. thanks good buddy
bobby G.
I have not played in over a decade but im picking it back up and im going to go synthetic this time... great video! thank you
thanks
Thanks for doing this! I chose the Legere reed every time while you were playing alto and the cane reed both times while you were playing tenor.
To my surprise I picked Legere on 3 of 5. Used Legere exclusively for years but only on tenor with the metal Rovner.
Yep, I agree 100%. The comments you've made..... could have been me talking. The Legere's are fantastic for what they are, but they are in my 'spare/just in case' reed case too for both alto and tenor. I throw one on every so often at rehearsal or even a gig, differences are subtle. Bottom line, play what feels right & play what sounds right to you.
Thanks Jay. I listened a couple of times to each with high quality headphones and my results were totally mixed. Just goes to show that having a strong sound concept makes all the difference, and that there are no hard and fast differences between synthetic and cane reeds today. I've been playing Forestone Black Bamboo reeds for a couple of years now on alto and love them. They just feel like the best cane reeds I've ever played. And then again, all that is completely subjective .... Thanks again.
Yeah, I think the more you play on these, the better they will sound as you grow used to them. I've been playing them some more and they are feeling even more natural over time.
Thanks muchly for the vid. Comments were extremely helpful. I am very much a beginner on the tenor sax (for some 2-3 months) and have become quite frustrated with the Rico 2.5 reeds as they seem to be too unreliable (high % of fails, soften very quickly, limited life etc). Interestingly I tried the Vandoren 3 and I found them much more reliable, although harder for me to practise as a beginner. I have come to the conclusion that I would be better off and make much more efficient use of my practice time swapping over to synthetic reeds. I am not really concerned about difference in tonal quality but in reliability and from all my research it seems the answer might be found in using the synthetics. I realise that as a newbie I know very little about the dark art of choosing one's sax reed and have opened myself up to criticism from the pros. But even if as a student sax player I can improve my practice of tones by 30+% then it will be worth it: and it will just a bit easier for me to determine whether a badly played note is my fault or that of the reed. I really would welcome input from all parties on my observations. I have done quite a bit of research on the topic covering most aspects but really haven't come across any comments on the merits of the beginning sax student using synthetic over cane.
I got completely mixed results 😂 I wasn’t expecting that
Interesting... I picked the natural reed all five times -- even though I thought it was the synthetic reed. It just sounded smoother and more open to me. I'm a clarinet player from long ago and I know how finicky natural reeds can be. So, I assumed that the smooth consistent sound I heard was because it was the synthetic reed. WRONG! Interesting...
I play the Rico jazz select. Interestingly, I picked that reed every time on the blind test except for test A. I picked the legere. It really does just come down to preference. It's just what you're used to.
Thanks for the demo.
To me, the differences were small, probably less than the difference between individual reeds?
That is something I want to see. Like, buy a box of traditional Vandoren's and see how much variation there is.
synthetic reeds remind me of my beginner days, my teacher had us use them because they are more durable and last a long time. I used one for my whole first year and saved a ton of money.
Forestone synthetic and Rico Plasticover are the ones that work for me. The plasticover, to me, is the best of both.
I'm thinking about buying a Legere Signature reed. This video is very helpful. Thanks for your tine. Much appreciated!
With regards to the Fibracell Reeds, I find they play on my metal Otto Link 7* like magic! Takes my intonation down a whole subtone, once you adjust, smooth.... 🎷🎉👍
I agree. I play a Fibracell Premium 3’s on my Guardala MB II Tenor Mpc. Magic. Great sub tones , overtones and altissimo, and regular tone is complex and rich and full. Use them on my Link Tone Edge 7* on bari, but 2.5 strength to make it super easy to crank out the low register as softly as I want... they’re great reeds.
I agree with your comment about not being comfortable. They don't just feel quite right. I use Fibrecell on my tenor, as they feel closer to a cane reed than the Legere
I use Fibrecell reeds also, I think they are a good compromise between quality of sound and reed stability in different conditions.
I have used Fibrecell too and I agree that they feel more like cane reeds. I did try a fibracell tenor reed on my alto just to see how it would sound and I got a big, more fuller sound with the low notes coming out easier but it was a little bit buzzy sounding for me.
I switched to Fibrecell for my 1920’s alto a few years ago. Love them, but it took some some testing as they tend to be weaker than charted. Using a 3.5 which produces a warm sound on my horn with little warm. Still have cane on my soprano though. Great video. Thanks for sharing your wealth of knowledge.
A fair review. When do we ever see that? For me, at the present time, the reliability of the Signature reeds trumps everything else. But why are they so expensive?
I think because they last more than the cane reeds
@@pablokesler7824 That might be the motivation to set such a high price, but surely maintaining the land, growing the cane, all the harvesting and handling, the precision, machinery and cutting, rejects, etc - all that is going to be way more expensive to make cane reeds than a bit of plastic. Here in Australia a Legere Sig costs about the same as a box of 10 good reeds.
@@ggauche3465 came reeds are also mass produced now (unless you use double reeds lol), so the cost can be lowered.
Wait til you see the Key Leaves. Those are like 30.00 USD for 3 pieces of rubber to hold your keys open while they dry so they dont stick.
US-made, tho! lol
The Legere synth reed was like 22.00 on Amazon.
Most honest appraisal of Legere I've seen. I tried them for a bit.. convenient....but. Anybody that says they can't tell the difference hasn't played a good cane reed for a long time and has forgotten what they really sound like. Put it this way, have you ever heard anyone say they sound better than cane reeds???? No, didn't think so.
Fantastic overview, thanks. I urge all new sax players to use synthetic reeds and then experiment with cane reeds once your embochure is developed. This method you will improve your muscles without the headache that cane reeds give you. It’s like troubleshooting from the very beginning where you remove all unnecessary hassles. However once you are ready you will find a cane reed can make your sound amazing, but this only happens a few times a year when you find that golden reed. Hope that helps if you are just starting out. Synthetic reeds will certainly lead the way, based on what I have briefly explained, but the true moment of expression and emotion can only be captured on a cane reed. This great sound only lasts a few days, so synthetic will always win.
Dude, blew me away with that little spin on In A SENTIMENTAL MOOD. Way to kill it! Would love to try out a Legere reed on my series 3! Keep it up, Love the channel @bettersax
When I was in a jazz group finding these was great. I played guitar 50% of the set, alto 25-30%, and tenor the rest... so in some cases I would set everything up, and not touch the tenor for an hour or so. Cane reed would be dried out by the time I picked it up... so these made so much sense.
My God, I chose the legere in all the examples and I'm also a Select Jazz player...
Try using two reeds at the same time man. It costs a little more but it's so luxurious that you'll think you're in Xanadu
Tocar com uma palheta sintética é adaptação do músico. Esse vídeo provou que as sintéticas conseguem um excelente som, só é preciso ter paciência pra testar as diversas numeração da mesma palheta. Muito bom o vídeo!
I've been using Legere signature 2 1/2 reeds since they came out and have used nothing else since. I get a great tone, it is always consistent, and one reed lasts longer than a couple of boxes of cane.
Would it be correct to say that from how it sounded in the video the legere reads seem more usable for control with tone and Dynamics
Thanks for this the 2.25 has proved to be the Holy Grail reed for my Meyer Ritchie Cole Alto piece . Lovely job ! Agree it’s a bit plastic feeling in the mouth but no mucking around and gives a nice edge .
I'v built plastic reeds for/by myself 2.5 and 3 number. Very. Very good and so natural
I was a rock keyboardist since 1980, and sax "solos" were always relegated to me, and sounded like ass. Finally saved up enough nickels, got a real tenor and played along with Abersold's "Blues in 12 Keys" for two years, and finally on stage. I wasn't very good, but it sounded a magnitude better than a synth "sax". I went with the synthetic reed from the get-go, as I was only playing one or two sax solos per set, and hard to keep a real reed wet here in the High Desert.
I'm glad I could not hear the differences on your examples; I won't worry about "real" reeds anymore! Thank you.
Interesting that I picked all Legere for both horns. That’s probably why I play Signature 2 1/2 on alto and Studio Cut/Traditional 2 1/2 on tenor.🙂 Nice video comparison Jay!
Thanks Wendell, that is interesting that you picked all Legere. When I took the polls I picked Legere twice which surprised me..
Thanks Jay you sound great on any horn you play
Great advise as always. Thank you. I purchased a Hinoki Forestiere recently for Tenor . I have found it to be perfect from the first note. I get more power and projection with less effort. I'm Sold!
I voted 2,1,1,1,2, which were all Legere for alto and all cane for tenor. You might also be interested to know that I have never played a reed instrument. I am primarily a trumpet player, but i find these videos really interesting and i enjoy learning about other instruments occasionally. also really ingenious use of these polling features on youtube for these sorts of musical product blind tests.
Cool, thanks. Going to be doing more poll videos soon.
I know this is an old video but I have just watched it. For every single example and reed I picked the Cane reed on best sound. Not once did I pick Synthetic. Cane reed was a clear winner for me. Very interesting video. Thank you.
Hi Jay, watch your videos often, love what you do. I rarely comment but I spent a good amount of time with the Legere staff at the NAMM show this year, and yes you do make a good point about the reed sizes being off and to try a quarter size in either direction to find the right one. That’s exactly what they recommended and what I did and it was way different than my normal usage (3.5 Vandoren Java’s on both tenor and alto compare to 2 3/4 alto and 3 for tenor Legere).
Additionally, and perhaps most importantly, they told me there is a significant period of time of “getting used to the response” and Chris urged me to try them for 2-3 weeks before making up my mind.
I didn’t have any gigs during that time so I just figured let’s use this for practice while not wearing out my good cane reeds. I fought and struggled, really, with them for 2-3 weeks, and I also found the response to be wildly different on my metal mouthpieces, and was about to give up, put on the cane reed and played for a couple days then came back to them and they suddenly “clicked”.
So I think that’s really important. If they aren’t doing what you want them to do, then you need to spend more time and let your body adjust to the different response.
I do agree with you that there are subtle differences and an exceptionally good cane reed with adjustments will have a warmth and subtlety that can’t be duplicated. Thanks for your work and effort on the video!
I have just bought Legere synthetic...I love it. I love the consistency, and I do not have energy to fiddle around with cane reed.
Your censoring did nothing, I have watched so many hentais that I can decode all forms of censoring.
a fellow man of culture i salute you XD
Culture or addiction?
@@E_Bagels I only watch for research purposes.
@@E_Bagels I work in the illustration medium so mostly reference
I watch for the plot.
I honestly feel like I'm licking my mouthpiece when I articulate on a Legere reed and it is weird to have something that slick against my lip. I play cane for the feel of them mainly as a result, but also for the sound. For me, my tone just gets too thin and noisy on synthetic reeds and I have trouble properly getting a big, warm sound.
Try Fiberreed
Or Fibracell. Been playing them on all my pro gigs out pretty much exclusively for the last 4-5 years. I swear by them . Look and Feel and sound just like cane, and dang they are nearly impossible to chip, crack, split etc - they are bullet proof and last a long long time. And every single one plays exactly the same. I still have various vandorens and Rico’s in my case as spares and I’ve had to use them on gigs on rare occasions. But like Jay said here, my experience (and I’ve been playing both cane and synthetics a long Time) is that the synthetics tend to player harder or stiffer than their cane equivalent strengths. About 1/2 a strength. I just bought my first set of Alto , Tenor and bari Legeres In 2.5, 2.75 and 3. DANG they’re expensive!!! I can easily buy 2 Fibracells for the price of one Legere (and the Fibracells ain’t cheap! They are 2-3x more expensive than a typical Rico Jazz Select! I’ve only play tested them briefly so far on my Tenor and bari. They sound pretty good head to head with the Fibracells . I like that they have the 1/4 strength increments that really helps dial in the stiffness much better! about time.... more to follow...
I do that all the time to keep my reed soaked
It’s basically a meme in my band class,we even thought of a shirt for it
We eat
🎷
REEDS
Saxophone band
Violently licks reed
@@ScottRutledge I heard that the strength of the synthetic reeds reflects the strength of a _brand_new_ cane reed. That's why the same number feels stiffer on the synthetic reed.
@@ScottRutledge how have those Fibracells been holding up over time compared to the Legere?
I picked cane reeds 2/3 for Alto, 2 for 2 for tenor. I've used Legere before . . . they are super easy to play but I could never get rid of a "spit" buzzing. As well, I found that cane just had a nice sound.
Forgetting I had commented on this video 2 years ago, and did the listening test again and preferred cane in all situations. But the differences were slight. I still use a Legere on my soprano.
Legere was a game changer for me when I tried them out at NAMM. It was extremely comfortable switching over and is really good for me since clarinet is no longer my main instrument. I agreed on the strength chart moment too. I actually had to go almost a full strength lower based off of one of the representatives. I played 3.5 Vandoren, but then had to go to 2.75
Thank you so much for doing this! I liked the sound of the cane reeds best on the alto (which I use that set up as well.) And on the tenor I was split a little, they sounded similar to me, but I ended up choosing the synthetic reeds both times on the poll just to pick one. Your videos are just the best.
Thanks Danielle!
I do not know if I have tried Legere, but I have used synthetic. Used them back in the day when I was in marching band. They were great for getting a better loudness. Personally though, I love using Vandoren V16's.
Pics n Motion I swear by V16s
Thank's for your great review Jay. I've played a Legere 2.25 on a Theo Wanne Ambika 2 7* tenor for about 2 years and love it but my ears told me 2 out of 3 that the Rico 3H was the best sound but not by much. I might just give the Rico a little try
Terry, I really like the RSJ reeds. The one I played in this video was just average, but even the so so ones play fine for me.
Very good fair review and tests. On my alto I started on Legere Signature 1.75, 2, 2.25 and quickly found that 1.75 and 2 were too soft so got two of the 2.25 and thought they were not strong enough so exchanged one for a 2.5, took about 2 weeks to get the replacement (I live in the UK so had to send the reed to Germany for replacement) . I got the 2.5 and found it ever so slightly too hard and although I got a slightly better sound with it, the 2.25 was easier to play on.
The reason I like them is that I have been only playing the sax for 7 months and wanted to not have any reed issues that might effect my sound. I wanted to make sure that any issues I was having was myself and not the reed. Plus I had issues with humidity and reeds drying out quickly. I do like the sound of cane reeds but prefer Legere for the reasons I mentioned. The only thing I found was that my first two Legere 2.25 reeds cracked at the top within a month each of using them, but my current is lasting longer.
What cane reed do you find the equivalent strength to the 2.25?
@@bettersax I haven't used many cane reeds but I have used Rico Royal 2.5 blue box and to me they seem to me that they might be a similar strength to the 2.25 legere.
We find the Vandoren V16 and ZZ are great but they often need some reed geeking. The Legere last and sound good for jazz.
I tried legere and my life changed greatly...
They sound amazing similar! Even hard to hear that you’ve changed reeds!
Yeah surprising right?
Only one that clearly stuck out to me was the first example - I thought the vandoren red sounded way better. But the rest of them were all vs Rico 3H and it was amazingly a toss up to my ears....
I always used cane reeds but always had a synthetic for back up. Playing in crowded bars sometimes canes would get damaged if we kept them all dancing long enough!!! Love me some rock & roll.
I love my Legere signatures a lot, I have used them both on Bari and alto. In a college band setting having predictability in your reeds is ideal. Though as a bari sax player you will have a lot of spit and moisture build up so releasing the spit valve is necessary every once in a while.
This blind test is indeed interesting.
Whereas what sounds "better" is up to personal taste, finding the synthetic reed is an objective goal. So I tried that.
I play a tenor sax, do not own an alto. I have cane reeds and a Legère reed.
I was right both times on the tenor and I was wrong all three times on the alto.
Personally, I feel that
1) the synthetic reed sounds a bit too clear for my ideal preferred sound and
2) that the synthetic reed builds up liquid more easily/faster while playing and at some point that can be heard. So you have to suck it out more often.
Majo Troobs imagine having to suck out your water from your instrument. This comment was made by the brass gang
I play on synthetic, I used to hate them but they come in clutch for auditions especially when there’s a huge weather change the night/day before.
just realized this video is almost a year old lol ig I’m late to the party
No need for hating! Same with gaming console fanboyism. I like about half and half. I split from the majority on the tenor sax D example and chose the Legere. My goal is doubling with clarinet, bass clarinet and flute SO I will likely go with a box of cane, have one extra Legere and play on Legere primarily. Then I'll ALWAYS be prepared.
Good test. I’m surprised that in each case I preferred the sound of the cane reeds. That’s just listening to the sound directly from my iPad. I must say that I’ve been playing Legere Signatures exclusively on the Clarinet for the past four or five years. I switched to the ‘European’ cut when they came out and find they’re very similar to Signature soprano sax reeds on my (Bb soprano clarinet).
I’ve been playing Legere Signatures, exclusively, on my tenor sax since I got it last Spring. I really like them and I don’t miss fussing with cane reeds.
It's funny that lots of people are voting for the opposite of what they play...
I use the same legere reeds on my tenor. In the community concert band I play in, 3 sax players have switched also to the legere and one oboe PlayStation.
Great video, Jay! Fair and easy to compare using multiple horns and styles, and I agree a lot with your assessment. I get a lot of questions in regards to using synthetic reeds from players, teachers, & students. I can now share this with them for a quality response!
As a professional player (all saxes, clarinet/bass, flutes) I have used Legere reeds for a long time, even going back to my marching band days in high school. I really believe there is value in both cane and synthetic reeds depending on various situations. Like you, I use Legere for some of my doubling instruments almost exclusively (clarinet and bari) to simply pick up and play. I personally like keeping "gig reeds" separate from practice or rehearsal reeds, and Legere also helps there. Living in Florida, humidity is a huge factor and having reeds that don't warp is helpful performing in outdoor settings too. At the end of the day, I still prefer cane for the response, tone, and feel. Before I got the Reed Geek a few years ago, I was very frustrated from the inconsistency of cane reeds, and considered making the full switch - which speaks to their quality. I will say depending on the instrument, I have had mixed results to how much I like the Legere sound.
Reeds can be a struggle, and I'll admit I love just picking up my flute and not having to even think about them. However, I've learned in order to have consistency, you need to put in the effort in "curing" and maintaining them. BTW, I choose all the cane choices but one an example D!
Thanks for making this video!
I stared playing the tenor sax for marching band and started out on a synthetic reed, I personally feel like it helped because all my natural reeds split within a week or two
Great video! About 8 years ago I started playing my school band tenor saxophone again that I also used for jazz, after having not touched it for 25 years. That didn’t work, but I got me a new saxophone. I was hoping for that somebody in the meantime had done something with the read nightmare with clipping and filing and throwing away half of the box. After some experimenting I started with Otto Link NY metal 7* and Vandoren Java #2. It
worked great, but then I was back to the nightmare again. I tested out several synthetic reeds, Fibracell and Fiberreed, but after some further searching I stumbled into Legere Signature reed. They work fantastic to me. Im using #2. I’m playing the clarinet as well, and have great joy with their clarinet reed, European cut. Never back to the cane reed again that plays well one day and is useless the next. However, Legere is promising consistency between the reads, but that’s only partly true. Better than cane, but I had to throw away some Legere as well.
1:20 felt like watching hentai
Esteban Vergas wtf is wrong with u...
well then..
Evan YUEH to make sure you don’t see the reed
@Evan YUEH it was so you wouldn’t see which reed it was so 7 could have. A blind test to see which sounds better or which one you orefer
Wait, isn't that the same neck strap from that $278 soprano sax you played? Pls reply, I wanna make sure.
A lot of neck-straps are like that, it doesn't mean that they are low quality.
Thanks for your great video! After 5 years playing Sythetic reeds i came back to cane reeds. On the beginning it was difficult, it took me 2 month to get adjusted, but cane sounds better, also intonation is better, but you have to select the reeds. Also you have a bigger range of sounds with a cane reed, it is much more flexible for me. But as you say, it is a sound, you like it or not
My son has only been playing for about 4 months, but plays for hours a day. He has developed dry cracked lips to the point of being unable to play. On your recommendation we bought a Legere reed. 5 mins in & he loves it. Far more control over the soft tones, and feels better on his lip. Changed up from the standard student Rico reeds. Looks like I'm paying for studio-quality reeds from now on.
Hey Jay , I tried the legere reeds didn’t care for them switch back to cane reeds and got a reed geek 🎶🎶🎶🎷I,m happy with the cane reeds, also the same reason you gave, not knocking those who used them, maybe one for a backup in my case .
Leo, glad the ReedGeek is working for you.
I've been playing synthetic made by Bari since the 80's and never went back. It took me a couple of days of playing to get adjusted, Consistency is huge and in the long run they are cheaper.
Thanks again Jay for your insight.
As you are a professional player, I respect your opinion and follow your channel.
However, as an "on-again-off-again" beginner, my experience is different. I purchased my dodgy old alto cheap, and thought I'd just bum around on it after many years without my old tenor. My first reed was a Rico 2, and after a couple of weeks it cracked, and I bought some Vandoren 2.5 reeds. Not playing every day, my embouchure never got up to strength, and eventually I gave the whole idea up as useless.
Then I read an article on synthetic reeds and ordered a Legere 2.5 reed, which astounded me - I could actually play! I still don't practise every day, but I can make a passable sound consistently on the alto.
Today, I decided I should go back to cane to check the difference ... and my facial muscles immediately objected, and very strongly. I also noticed a difference in the sound produced.
So, the point of my response is to say that as a beginner without a strong embouchure, I find the Legere suits me infinitely better than cane, but I haven't tried any other reeds apart from what's mentioned. (also I'm over 60 and not as strong as I used to be ...)
I’ve been in the Légère camp since about four months ago (after 25 years of cave reeds). I think it is important to allow oneself enough time to get used to the differences between cane and synthetic. At first I too was getting an overly pure sound in my jazz playing, but now I can get all the graininess, huskiness and complexity of tone that I can achieve with a cane reed. The smoothness is off putting at first, but then you get used to that as well. And my lips thank me! No more cuts and dryness. Some mouthpieces also respond better to them than others; I find my Selmer Concept and Jody Jazz Custom Dark pieces (on both alto and tenor) pair beautifully with the Signatures. And yes, getting exactly the right strength is essential in being able to obtain all the tonal variations you seek. The American cuts are great too, if you’re after a brighter sound especially, but I find the Signatures play like a Vandoren blue box; versatile. In short, not going back to cane ; love the reliability and predictability that allows me to focus on other aspects of my playing, instead of worrying about the condition of my reed.
I’ve been playing Legere Signatures for the last couple years and don’t ever play cane now. A couple years ago, I had exactly a half hour between when my wife went to work and I went to work in which to practice, so I liked having no warm up. (She also had a rule “No Fela Kuti after 9:30 at night.). Now I’m playing in a group in which I sit out many songs in a row, and sometimes get called to join in when I didn’t expect it. I like that the Legere is ready to go anytime. Like the consistency.
One of the best argument I have heard that's making me thinking of buying one of those is as a teacher, being able to put away your sax and while you're getting it back to play, you don't need to moist the reed again each time in order to play well, which can be very convenient...
If you are an Amazon Prime member just send it back if it doesn't work "as advertised"! And yes, Légère's are 1/4 to 1/2 stronger (in strength) than cane.
I now use Fibracell premier 2.5 on Bari and Tenor ---I repeat "premier" they are very good ---but still use cane 2h D'darrio (cant spell ) on Alto---my Yamaha 62 with Meyer 5
This was fun. Love music, can't play. I heard a warmth from the cane and my results 4/5 shows there must be something to that.
Just tried a Legere synthetic reed in my clarinet. Even though it was 11 time more costly than a Rico cane reed, I will not go back to a cane reed. Synthetic all the way, stick it in and play, no fuss no bother. Thanks "Better Sax" for letting me know about them.
I love my Legere Signature on Tenor. It’s a little “buzzier” than cane but I quite like that. Apart from lasting ages, they’re just so convenient, just pick up and play😘
I'm not a player, just a fan of music, I've always been more interested in how muscians chose their setups .
I honestly think once you're beyond a mid level player it comes down not to which thing is better, but what works for the tone you're after.
Hi Jay, tried nearly all the synthetic reeds out there and have been using fiberreed hemp and also fiberreed carbon and they really work and feel great,
I double on guitar and tenor so works for me
I've played synthetic reeds for the past 10 years. Fibracell. Every single one of them is perfect, right out of the case. Very very consistent. Virtually indestructible (impregnated with kevlar in the reed's surface matrix). And last forever. Well, not forever, but they'll last nearly a year, the way I take care of them. Take them off after each play, wipe them down, rub them with the Reed Geek to keep 'em flat, and put 'em back in their case. Cool thing about Fibracells (and I think most synthetic reeds): You never have to lick them or pre-wet them down before you play on them. Just take 'em out, put them on the mouthpiece, and they'll play perfectly. I DO stick them in my mouth briefly to moisten them before I mount them on the mouthpiece, but this is really more out of a lifetime habit of using cane reeds more than anything. I've played them in a hurry absolutely dry and had just great luck with them.
I can shape and bend my tone in any way that I want using them - there's no difference that I've been able to tell between a Fibracell and any regular cane reed.
Anyway, give the Fibracells a try. Yes, they're more expensive. A lot more. But then, every single one plays - and plays great. Right out of the gate. And will last as I said above probably 4-5 times longer than your well-kept and -pampered reed. Totally worth the extra $$ in my mind.
Jay - have you tried Fibracells?
Had to share this bit of humor with you all here: saw a sax player walking around at the mall with this T-shirt on: "It's all fun and games until someone chips a reed."
I like the idea of synthetic reeds, but I always found them to feel dead. I always ended up over working my embouchure because I was always playing as if the reed itself were dead.
Great very real comparison and you’re opinion is very open minded unlike a lot of others
We all have to keep an open mind about these things. Over the years my mind has changed about a lot of saxophone gear...
@@bettersax I agree completely!
Totally agree. Gear just keeps evolving and getting better and better. I personally think Legere synthetics - both Classic and Studio Cut - were crap , until they came out with the Signature series . What a huge improvement! But that’s just the nature of things, technological advancements have brought about huge improvements to sax gear from consistency to quality...
So glad I got a Legere reed!
I'm a beginner still working on strengthening my embouchure, so I'm limited presently to about 15 mins an hour before I have to give it a rest. Inevitably the cane reed dries up in that 45 minute rest and I have to remove the mp and reed, wet it again ... sigh ... carefully reset it ...groan ... test it ... and put it back on the sax. Very, very tiresome. I got a stand to make it easier for me to just pick up and play - but the cane reeds defeat that purpose. So much easier with the synthetic reed!
Thanks for bringing these to my attention Jay. :)
I live in a very dry climate in the winter and have found the synthetic reeds to be very consistent day to day. I am not suggesting that they are better sounding for a professional, but for my noodling they are more enjoyable to play.
I think if the exact same music was being played it might have given a better way to judge, but as it wasn't it's a bit difficult to decide.
But in each case both reeds sounded good.
Consistency is a problem with reeds as you said I used to use a reed cutter and fine grit to smooth out my reeds, I even tried plastic reeds but I found those too buzzy.
Even used to use an extremely sharp blade to shave the reeds down to get a good one.
It takes time and practice to get this right though.
I miss playing my sax.
Okay.... I just bought a Legere Studio Cut reed. And I guess I nailed the strength right on the noggin, because damn, that thing sounded really good! Very impressed. Last time I played a synthetic, I was very "meh" about it. I got a 2.25, playing on an Otto Link HR 6. Nice bright, fat sound.
Something good about cane reads is you can get them flavored so when you wet lick your read it tastes good.
This channel is great I have brought my first sax yesterday !
Good luck with it!
I found the same issue with their strength chart. True for both alto sax and clarinet.
Thanks Christina...
On every poll except the last one I chose the synthetic, I guess I’ll have to try these for myself.
I switched to synthetic in 2010 & haven't loooked back. In fact I'm still playing the same reeds I bought then. I use Bari (the brand not the instrument!)
Have you ever use a Fibereed made of carbon fiber, made in Germany. I think it is better and more similar to cane reed. I recommend you to try.
I'll be looking into those...
Eungjoo Lee Yes but don’t like the BUZZ sound that outs I used 2 /12 & 3 on tenor ok if big band or rock Tom
I've used one. Sounds nice and better feel than Legere. Only problem is adjusting on a black mouthpiece on a dark stage 🤣🤣🤣
You mean Hartmann Fiberreeds. I play them. They are good. I've used the carbon classic, and the hemp.
@@thomasschneider1785 yeah the buzz sound on fiberreed: like it or not. i changed my mtpc from metal to hrubber. now the sound-color is great. recently i just tried a legere signature #2 on my alto hr mtpc: works great with nearly zero buzz! little bit to hard for me, but great if play with bands (drummer...)
Jay, I understand and agree with most of your thoughts regarding Legere Signature. May I suggest also trying Fiberreed Carbon Onyx Reeds. You'll probably find it the best of both worlds. Since I play typically 2 or 3 different saxes (soprano, alto, tenor), the ability to have a consistent ready-to-go sound makes the gigs so much more enjoyable.
Thanks for the suggestion, I'll try them out...
Got to agree, the Carbon Onyx reed by Harry Hartman is the one sounds great.
Very good review. I play alto and tenor sax as well as clarinet. For alto and clarinet, I completely agree with you. Legere reeds work well, but lack something in tone quality. However, with tenor sax, I switched 15 years ago and have become 'addicted' to Legere signature reeds. Tried to switch back to cane reeds (Vandoren) but couldn't get the ease of response and tone that I got from the Legere reed.
Just love this channel - full of top info for the beginner like me. Thanks Jay
As a beginner I was wondering whether it would be easier for me to use Legere reeds given that they are more reliable in staying on the note. Any comments welcome.
I pretty much agree with Jay. I use a 2.75 on my alto and use it for doubling gigs. Use 2.5 on clarinet. I still think that a good cane reed is better. I have found that the synthetic starts to go off after about 3 months i.e. less resistant and slightly buzzy. It is then a matter of how much more I can get out of it before having to shell out for a new one. I have a reed geek and use micromesh paper and season my cane reeds over an 8 day period. It takes a bit of commitment but does result in stable useable cane reeds.
Just got a legere and I love it. I can play an altissimo G ( the hardest note for me) with total authority and the sound is awesome. And yes, I played 100's of California outdoor gigs sticking my mouthpiece in an ice bucket between songs so that the reed doesn't turn to pulp. After playing cane reeds for 56 years, I'm done with them.
Please where can I get a tutorial on how to play the Altissimo G?🙏🙏
@@Eazyoflaylay Hi Ulu. Just search Playing altissimo on sax and several will pop up. It takes time and practice and you won't use it a lot in performance, but you can do it. Take one week of commitment to Master it and you'll play it like a pro.
Oh man, all my answers were for the cane reeds, I think I'm going to stick with that for now. Eventually I will order a Legere to try out.