Jay. Thanks so much for an honest opinion and for backing it up, first with the Tonal Energy results and second with another $27 good faith effort. BTW, I agree with your comment that D'Adarrio makes some fine products. I love the Royal for my alto sax.
Thanks! D’Addario is a great company that makes great stuff. I was disappointed that this was such a misfire for me. I bought the second iteration, but the packaging was the same and the results were the same. Maybe I didn’t get the right product the second time, but I had to stop spending money to try and figure it out lol. Maybe I am naive, but perhaps there will be yet another iteration that works better. I don’t like saying negative things particularly about companies that I otherwise love - but I reluctantly accept part of my role as “TH-camr” is to try things out and report back candidly about what I think. Thankfully nobody has offered me anything for free and I have not had to deal with that conflict of interests!
Jay, when you get a chance I think that you will be very favorably impressed with Vandoren's VK synthetic line. IMHO it is better than Legere, in addition to not being prone to flatness--and I think Legere pretty good, much that I am still a cane player. Also IMHO, the D'addario and Silverstein offerings to date (I haven't tried the Silverstein Maestra offering) are just not "ready for prime time."
I wish I had seen this before I spent the $27 . I don’t see myself using this except for an outdoor performance on a humid day. I have tried Legere and Silverstein, and come to the conclusion that I would rather play cane reeds. During my time studying with Joe Allard I played the original Morre reeds in the 1960’sand 1970’s. When they were no longer made, I went with the V12 that was supposed to be based on the Morre. Still use VD reeds and D addario classic reserve.
I totally agree with you. I have tried anything I can get my hands on. The V12 is the best thing for me. I do like the D'addario reeds very much. As far as the synthetic market goes I like the legeres the best. I have seen a lot of sax players endorse the Venn reeds, but I don't see how this particular clarinet reed made it to the market in this state. Seems like they should have kept working on it. I understand that there is a second version of it. I ordered one. The packaging is either the same, or this one that I reviewed is a G2. It's hard to tell. I don't think it should be hard to tell. I have bought two reeds that don't really work for anything. I do like the company and just about all their other products - but this one fell below what I find to be their standards.
I was also sadly not fond of these reeds. I found the texture to be really off-putting (a fiber from the reed actually splintered off into my tongue), and I agree with your description that they feel "stuck."
I think legere has the right idea, which is designing a product with similar physics to the way cane reeds vibrate, versus designing a product to try to imitate the material they are made of
Haha. I wasted another 27 on the “G2” version of this reed. It’s probably the same as this one. It arrives tomorrow! I would prefer a video of how you made the legeres work!
This is my only experience with this reed…take my thoughts with a grain of salt please. I found this venn #4 to be similar is resistance to my v12 #4. I would think slightly softer would make a more pleasing tone, but would create even worse pitch problems in the upper register. I would suggest sticking with whatever you are already doing rather than spend money on one of these…
@@clarinetninja I think the same way, I'm just a little curious to try and return It on amazon If I don't like It. So, as they're the same strength-little softer, probably a 2.5 or a 3 would fit me..
Would you want to make a video on the silverstein ambipoly reeds? I'm very curious how it works against the cane reeds and legeres ~ Btw, the Venn, ya. Not worth... a not so successful product of the company...
I find their cane reeds to be terrific, although I don't play them regularly I believe I would be happy doing so. This product was a pretty serious disappointment. I do have a video comparing silverstein, legere, v12, v21, and a couple of D'addario can reeds. It is an end card as well as linked in the description. I did not find it to be a great product, although based on the comments, some people favored the sound. I found it to be less usable than the D'addrio reed.
@@clarinetninja silverstein have the new series of ambipoly reeds ~ maybe you can review them 😉 AND... I LOVE D'ADDARIO RESERVES REED. Almost all can be use out of the box! Their evolution reeds is nice too ~ and they are long lasting ~
Just looked...the G2 box looks like the one I had...but looking at the order it was not a G2. This leads to troubling questions about their transparency and differentiation in the branding of the products. However, feeling that I owe it to the cosmos, I ordered a G2 which I am confident will suck! I will report in with a short follow up video when it arrives lol
@@clarinetninja I believe this too. It won't be good as cane. But I'm curious to see If something changed over previous one.. Will be waiting for your video 😂
Jay. Thanks so much for an honest opinion and for backing it up, first with the Tonal Energy results and second with another $27 good faith effort. BTW, I agree with your comment that D'Adarrio makes some fine products. I love the Royal for my alto sax.
Thanks! D’Addario is a great company that makes great stuff. I was disappointed that this was such a misfire for me. I bought the second iteration, but the packaging was the same and the results were the same. Maybe I didn’t get the right product the second time, but I had to stop spending money to try and figure it out lol.
Maybe I am naive, but perhaps there will be yet another iteration that works better. I don’t like saying negative things particularly about companies that I otherwise love - but I reluctantly accept part of my role as “TH-camr” is to try things out and report back candidly about what I think. Thankfully nobody has offered me anything for free and I have not had to deal with that conflict of interests!
Jay, when you get a chance I think that you will be very favorably impressed with Vandoren's VK synthetic line. IMHO it is better than Legere, in addition to not being prone to flatness--and I think Legere pretty good, much that I am still a cane player. Also IMHO, the D'addario and Silverstein offerings to date (I haven't tried the Silverstein Maestra offering) are just not "ready for prime time."
The VK reed review is coming up next:)
I wish I had seen this before I spent the $27 . I don’t see myself using this except for an outdoor performance on a humid day. I have tried Legere and Silverstein, and come to the conclusion that I would rather play cane reeds. During my time studying with Joe Allard I played the original Morre reeds in the 1960’sand 1970’s. When they were no longer made, I went with the V12 that was supposed to be based on the Morre. Still use VD reeds and D addario classic reserve.
I totally agree with you. I have tried anything I can get my hands on. The V12 is the best thing for me. I do like the D'addario reeds very much. As far as the synthetic market goes I like the legeres the best. I have seen a lot of sax players endorse the Venn reeds, but I don't see how this particular clarinet reed made it to the market in this state. Seems like they should have kept working on it. I understand that there is a second version of it. I ordered one. The packaging is either the same, or this one that I reviewed is a G2. It's hard to tell. I don't think it should be hard to tell. I have bought two reeds that don't really work for anything. I do like the company and just about all their other products - but this one fell below what I find to be their standards.
Excellent video. Ty.
I was also sadly not fond of these reeds. I found the texture to be really off-putting (a fiber from the reed actually splintered off into my tongue), and I agree with your description that they feel "stuck."
I had really high hopes. I guess the marketing material gave me hope lol
I think legere has the right idea, which is designing a product with similar physics to the way cane reeds vibrate, versus designing a product to try to imitate the material they are made of
@@josephdvorak9241 that is an excellent way of saying it! I wish I had access to such clarity of thought:)
Nah, I love your style. Keep the videos coming!!
Thanks for saving me $27 Jay! Also, I’d be interested to see a video where you explain how you made Legere reeds “work” for you. Thanks.
Haha. I wasted another 27 on the “G2” version of this reed. It’s probably the same as this one. It arrives tomorrow! I would prefer a video of how you made the legeres work!
What strength of VENN reed you think is right for BG B3 mouthpiece? It generally takes 2-2.5 strengths..
This is my only experience with this reed…take my thoughts with a grain of salt please. I found this venn #4 to be similar is resistance to my v12 #4. I would think slightly softer would make a more pleasing tone, but would create even worse pitch problems in the upper register. I would suggest sticking with whatever you are already doing rather than spend money on one of these…
@@clarinetninja I think the same way, I'm just a little curious to try and return It on amazon If I don't like It. So, as they're the same strength-little softer, probably a 2.5 or a 3 would fit me..
Would you want to make a video on the silverstein ambipoly reeds? I'm very curious how it works against the cane reeds and legeres ~
Btw, the Venn, ya. Not worth... a not so successful product of the company...
I find their cane reeds to be terrific, although I don't play them regularly I believe I would be happy doing so. This product was a pretty serious disappointment. I do have a video comparing silverstein, legere, v12, v21, and a couple of D'addario can reeds. It is an end card as well as linked in the description. I did not find it to be a great product, although based on the comments, some people favored the sound. I found it to be less usable than the D'addrio reed.
@@clarinetninja silverstein have the new series of ambipoly reeds ~ maybe you can review them 😉
AND... I LOVE D'ADDARIO RESERVES REED. Almost all can be use out of the box! Their evolution reeds is nice too ~ and they are long lasting ~
As I see on Amazon, there is a sale for VENN reed which is currently unavailable and another sale says VENN G2, which one you got and tested?
I had a regular venn...I will have to look at the G2 perhaps that is better
Just looked...the G2 box looks like the one I had...but looking at the order it was not a G2. This leads to troubling questions about their transparency and differentiation in the branding of the products. However, feeling that I owe it to the cosmos, I ordered a G2 which I am confident will suck! I will report in with a short follow up video when it arrives lol
@@clarinetninja I think you should make a video also on G2.. Tell us If something changed..
@@clarinetninja I believe this too. It won't be good as cane. But I'm curious to see If something changed over previous one.. Will be waiting for your video 😂
@@jimis3167 the reed has been ordered!:)