Special thanks to Légère for sending me these samples, even though they knew I had some misgivings about synthetic reeds! If you're interested in watching my original reed overview video, you can check it out here: ua-cam.com/video/g-XmGxm5Yfs/v-deo.html
I just ordered my first synthetic alto reed. A Fiberreed Onyx 2.0. Waiting for it to arrive. My reason to try one is for the consistency over a longer period of time.
C was my favourite & I was sure it was the Java until the reveal. I was curious to hear a pro player do a blind test because I actually use Signature reeds because there is less messing about and more consistency and I wanted to see if there was a huge difference or not. I have to say I like them, but I have used them pretty much since I started playing..
Hallo, I'm from Germany and I'm a beginner. I'm very happy with Legere american cut. First I try 2.0, it was too hard for me and I change to 1,75. My problem was in past the different quality of wooden reeds. Now I'm happy!
Really speaking, couldn't tell the difference. I have however just bought 0ne size 2 Alto Legere, since i use 2.5 Vandoren Regular. But yet to open the new one. And your commentary is likely to help a lot for amateur players like me. Profuse thanks.💯😇
I liked A and C and couldn't tell much difference between them. On the first part, I didn't like B but it started sounding better after that. I play on Legere Signature and American Cut reeds on my alto sax on a Selmer S80 E and Claude Delangle mouthpieces. I find the reeds are too buzzy for me on thin tip mouthpieces. I also play Legere Signature European Cut reeds on my soprano sax Selmer S80 D and Concept mouthpieces as I like the centred, brighter, smooth tone I get with them over soprano sax reeds.
@@kiefervandenberg I have tried all of Legere's reeds and it used to be on thin tip mouthpieces I'd either get a bit too buzzy of a sound or with the next quarter strength up of reed, it would feel a bit too resistant. I don't have this problem as much now though. I now play on the new Legere French Cut reeds on a Meyer G and Jody Jazz HR* mouthpieces and find they give me darker tone that isn't too buzzy which I like. I tried Classic Cut reeds but found them a bit too resistant for me. I tried Legere reeds on Vandoren V16 A5 M and AL5 alto sax mouthpieces but found they played OK for a little while, then I would get a very dull, almost stuffy tone for some reason.
Brand new alto player here. I couldn't tell which was which, but I didn't like the sound of B during the first cycle. It didn't sound like it was projecting very well and it was a bit breathy compared to the others. By the second B cycle that had been worked out and they all sounded good. All three reeds sounded different, (C was so bright omg) but they all definitely sounded like serviceable reeds to a non experienced ear!
As I normally play on Java and American Cut, I can still answer correctly that B is the Java while A and C must be Legere. I just can't tell between A and C of which is American Cut because I've never played the Signature Series. In conclusion, I think I can still tell which one sounds synthetic to my ears (But I didn't mean that synthetic is bad, just able to feel the differences).
I have a studio cut Legere for my tenor and I've found that it works on a baffled mouthpiece and not so much on my other mouthpiece s. currently play a Jody Jazz jet which has a high long baffle . It projects better than my Guardala MB 2.
As a new sax player I use the signature synthetic Reed as found the wood reeds too unreliable and couldn't find the sound I liked. Listening to this video I found the B reed a lot richer in tone. I think as you have said it is finding the tone you like yourself whether synthetic or wood reeds
I am an amateur player and practice for a couple of hours almost daily on tenor. I've been using my Legere Signature reed for at least 18 months and to my ears the sound has not altered very much at all. I love the reliability and playability of these legere reeds and would recommend them to anyone. They save you heaps of cash and feel good in the mouth compared to cane.
@@janeseddon5500 thanks for replying! Real nice im a beginner but starting out on a cane rico 2.0 hasnt been bad at all. However, i did get a 1.75 Legere American cut. Having Different strengths around is some of the best advice i got. Im just in love with all this explorin man.
Listening to all three without knowing which is which, I picked A for its warmth, adding a good bit of clarity (brightness), and stylistically, I could imagine that A would give a good sound in the Pop and Jazz styles. I also picked C for its warmer, personal melodic tones in Jazz. I didn't pick B because it is too warm, kind of dull, and also somewhat thin in mid-range tones.
Hello. Great video!!! For some time now I have been interested in switching to using Legere synthetic reeds, but I am still undecided on the size. You often read that it is necessary to use Legere reeds 0.25 or 0.5 lower than the corresponding cane ones. Do you think this is correct? I usually use Rigotti 2.5 or Gonzalez 2.5 or LaVoz M. So I should decide whether to use Legere 2.25 or 2.0 ......
Hi Davide! That is great advice, I normally play a strength 3 Vandoren and on Legere I feel most comfortable on a 2.5. If you’re just going to pick one, go a size 2 - otherwise get both 2 and 2.25 and see which one works best for you 😊
On a gig no, I couldn’t tell. But anytime I hear playing tests like this with side by side comparisons I guess correctly every time. It’s hard to explain but I can hear the resonance of the cane distinctly. The cane just has a more crisp buzz to it.
I'm late to this, but I preferred B on the test, A was almost as good, and C was noticeably behind. As a non-pro, though, the convenience of synthetics makes them the winner.
American cut all the way. It excels at snappy playing in my opinion. B is nice and warm but im new and i don’t need to worry about if its wet enough or consistency.
Wow, I got it all wrong! I thought B was American Cut, C was Java Red and A was Signature. B/Java is the brightest/most clear in your playing followed by A/American cut. The darkest was C/Signature. I play Java Red and prefer its filed cut compared to the Java Green. I play Signature on baritone and love it for all the reasons you gave especially knowing what to expect without preparing it or worried about weather/dryness after being on the stand for some minutes. I am yet to try the American cut and I see myself buying it. I have cane stock up (years) for SATB but after trying Signature on bari, I know what to expect and I see Legere reeds in the future of my SATB saxes despite my canes. For me, it might be the other way round; cane for practice/back-up and Legere for practice/live performance.
I initially tried the Legeres 2.0 signature cut but as a novice player found I couldn’t get the lower notes below D very easily. I switched to American cut 1.75 had what a difference it became very easy. After 6 mths of using the American cut I found that I could also then use the signature Reed so my embouchure had improved sufficiently I suppose? I love them, but I do sometimes use a cane reed now just for a change.
I have tried synthetic reeds a lot and cannot get good results. The legere reeds do not work for me at all very dull sound even though I did play one enough to get it to be easy to play. I suppose it got broken in. I would like to play synthetic but I sound way way better on cane .
I liked A and B and it would be up to personal preference what sound you were looking for…A was more precise and focused…B was warmer and full of sound…C sounded like a kazoo to me…didn’t like it.
They still sounds nasal and plastic (as most synthetics do, maybe Fibracell sounds the best..) besides they last forever and weather dont affect 'em. So, its a trade off. Maybe using for practice and outdoors playing but not for recording.
In my opinion, I hear all just like if it was cane reeds. Only using some kind of oscilloscope could I tell the difference. Now, one can FEEL the difference. Not actually hear it. It’s my take on this. And is much easier to deal with synthetic
I DONT LIKE CAN REEDS !! They drive me crazy all the time. Being worried about if they will work better or worse that the day before. Synthetic is peace of mind
Special thanks to Légère for sending me these samples, even though they knew I had some misgivings about synthetic reeds! If you're interested in watching my original reed overview video, you can check it out here: ua-cam.com/video/g-XmGxm5Yfs/v-deo.html
I definitely liked the B sound over the others in the blind test. It was noticeable. Interesting.
C is my favorite synthetic reed. I plan on trying out these synthetic reeds
I just ordered my first synthetic alto reed. A Fiberreed Onyx 2.0. Waiting for it to arrive. My reason to try one is for the consistency over a longer period of time.
C was my favourite & I was sure it was the Java until the reveal. I was curious to hear a pro player do a blind test because I actually use Signature reeds because there is less messing about and more consistency and I wanted to see if there was a huge difference or not. I have to say I like them, but I have used them pretty much since I started playing..
Hallo, I'm from Germany and I'm a beginner. I'm very happy with Legere american cut. First I try 2.0, it was too hard for me and I change to 1,75. My problem was in past the different quality of wooden reeds. Now I'm happy!
Really speaking, couldn't tell the difference. I have however just bought 0ne size 2 Alto Legere, since i use 2.5 Vandoren Regular. But yet to open the new one. And your commentary is likely to help a lot for amateur players like me. Profuse thanks.💯😇
I liked A and C and couldn't tell much difference between them. On the first part, I didn't like B but it started sounding better after that. I play on Legere Signature and American Cut reeds on my alto sax on a Selmer S80 E and Claude Delangle mouthpieces. I find the reeds are too buzzy for me on thin tip mouthpieces. I also play Legere Signature European Cut reeds on my soprano sax Selmer S80 D and Concept mouthpieces as I like the centred, brighter, smooth tone I get with them over soprano sax reeds.
Have you thought about getting a thicker size (legere) reed for the thinner mouthpieces you own?
@@kiefervandenberg I have tried all of Legere's reeds and it used to be on thin tip mouthpieces I'd either get a bit too buzzy of a sound or with the next quarter strength up of reed, it would feel a bit too resistant.
I don't have this problem as much now though. I now play on the new Legere French Cut reeds on a Meyer G and Jody Jazz HR* mouthpieces and find they give me darker tone that isn't too buzzy which I like.
I tried Classic Cut reeds but found them a bit too resistant for me. I tried Legere reeds on Vandoren V16 A5 M and AL5 alto sax mouthpieces but found they played OK for a little while, then I would get a very dull, almost stuffy tone for some reason.
What about Studio Cut? Is it same the American Cut. Or these are two different type reeds?
Brand new alto player here. I couldn't tell which was which, but I didn't like the sound of B during the first cycle. It didn't sound like it was projecting very well and it was a bit breathy compared to the others. By the second B cycle that had been worked out and they all sounded good. All three reeds sounded different, (C was so bright omg) but they all definitely sounded like serviceable reeds to a non experienced ear!
Thanks for posting this…imho, then sounded the most natural for this particular setup. A sounded not quite as warm. C sounded a bit resistant…
Start here: 3:08
Thanks for this review. I could not pick the difference. I use cane but will consider the plastic :)
As I normally play on Java and American Cut, I can still answer correctly that B is the Java while A and C must be Legere. I just can't tell between A and C of which is American Cut because I've never played the Signature Series. In conclusion, I think I can still tell which one sounds synthetic to my ears (But I didn't mean that synthetic is bad, just able to feel the differences).
im not sure if anyone else noticed but with the vandoren you can hear air go through and the legere it has a more noticeable buzz
I have a studio cut Legere for my tenor and I've found that it works on a baffled mouthpiece and not so much on my other mouthpiece s. currently play a Jody Jazz jet which has a high long baffle . It projects better than my Guardala MB 2.
The Jody Jazz jet comes in hard rubber rod or metal.
A for me has the best sound. I use the American Cut for my tenor sax and bass clarinet.
As a new sax player I use the signature synthetic Reed as found the wood reeds too unreliable and couldn't find the sound I liked. Listening to this video I found the B reed a lot richer in tone. I think as you have said it is finding the tone you like yourself whether synthetic or wood reeds
I am an amateur player and practice for a couple of hours almost daily on tenor. I've been using my Legere Signature reed for at least 18 months and to my ears the sound has not altered very much at all. I love the reliability and playability of these legere reeds and would recommend them to anyone. They save you heaps of cash and feel good in the mouth compared to cane.
Sounds awesome. What size do you use?
@@TheDarkGreenMarine I use a 2.5. Love to be able to afford to have a couple of different strengths on hand, just for the hell of it.
@@janeseddon5500 thanks for replying! Real nice im a beginner but starting out on a cane rico 2.0 hasnt been bad at all. However, i did get a 1.75 Legere American cut. Having Different strengths around is some of the best advice i got. Im just in love with all this explorin man.
Wow I guess I have a specific kind of ears because I could absolutely confirm that Reed B sounded fuller rounder and less high pitched buzzy.
Listening to all three without knowing which is which, I picked A for its warmth, adding a good bit of clarity (brightness), and stylistically, I could imagine that A would give a good sound in the Pop and Jazz styles. I also picked C for its warmer, personal melodic tones in Jazz. I didn't pick B because it is too warm, kind of dull, and also somewhat thin in mid-range tones.
Hello. Great video!!!
For some time now I have been interested in switching to using Legere synthetic reeds, but I am still undecided on the size.
You often read that it is necessary to use Legere reeds 0.25 or 0.5 lower than the corresponding cane ones. Do you think this is correct?
I usually use Rigotti 2.5 or Gonzalez 2.5 or LaVoz M.
So I should decide whether to use Legere 2.25 or 2.0 ......
Hi Davide! That is great advice, I normally play a strength 3 Vandoren and on Legere I feel most comfortable on a 2.5. If you’re just going to pick one, go a size 2 - otherwise get both 2 and 2.25 and see which one works best for you 😊
@@SaxTuition Hi, thank you very much for this important advice. I trust your observations a lot.
What size synthetic reed is equivalent to a 2.0 cane read?
Hello! Can you tell me what type of opening on the mouthpiece in this video?
I liked the sound of B best and I play Legere routinely on sax and clarinet. May have to reevaluate my choice.
On a gig no, I couldn’t tell. But anytime I hear playing tests like this with side by side comparisons I guess correctly every time. It’s hard to explain but I can hear the resonance of the cane distinctly. The cane just has a more crisp buzz to it.
I'm late to this, but I preferred B on the test, A was almost as good, and C was noticeably behind.
As a non-pro, though, the convenience of synthetics makes them the winner.
Which is best for low notes?
Legere American cut is ny vote . Loved the sound. Vandoran too bright. Legere signature too stuffy. Thanks
American cut all the way. It excels at snappy playing in my opinion. B is nice and warm but im new and i don’t need to worry about if its wet enough or consistency.
Yeah I knew the cane reed. Synthetic a little buzzy and thinner sounding. Still a lot better than those fibrecells I tried many years ago.
Wow, I got it all wrong! I thought B was American Cut, C was Java Red and A was Signature. B/Java is the brightest/most clear in your playing followed by A/American cut. The darkest was C/Signature. I play Java Red and prefer its filed cut compared to the Java Green. I play Signature on baritone and love it for all the reasons you gave especially knowing what to expect without preparing it or worried about weather/dryness after being on the stand for some minutes. I am yet to try the American cut and I see myself buying it. I have cane stock up (years) for SATB but after trying Signature on bari, I know what to expect and I see Legere reeds in the future of my SATB saxes despite my canes. For me, it might be the other way round; cane for practice/back-up and Legere for practice/live performance.
I initially tried the Legeres 2.0 signature cut but as a novice player found I couldn’t get the lower notes below D very easily. I switched to American cut 1.75 had what a difference it became very easy. After 6 mths of using the American cut I found that I could also then use the signature Reed so my embouchure had improved sufficiently I suppose? I love them, but I do sometimes use a cane reed now just for a change.
The american cut synthetic reed mimics the unfiled reeds. Why do you not compare it with a unfiled cane reed? This would be interesting.
I’ve been using a single legere signature reed 3.0 for over a year now. Never going back to cane reeds again 👌
Nice one!
You would do better with 2.5 Legere reeds. They are approximately the same strength as Java 3's. I speak from experience.
A. Beautiful sound
I have tried synthetic reeds a lot and cannot get good results. The legere reeds do not work for me at all very dull sound even though I did play one enough to get it to be easy to play. I suppose it got broken in. I would like to play synthetic but I sound way way better on cane .
My favorite was cane, AC, then S
I liked B a lot
B for me
Ok I picked the bamboo reed. wow ok
First run through I thought the American Cut beat the cane. However, I thought the cane won by a good margin the rest of the time.
2 years later how ling did they last?
I liked A and B and it would be up to personal preference what sound you were looking for…A was more precise and focused…B was warmer and full of sound…C sounded like a kazoo to me…didn’t like it.
They still sounds nasal and plastic (as most synthetics do, maybe Fibracell sounds the best..) besides they last forever and weather dont affect 'em. So, its a trade off. Maybe using for practice and outdoors playing but not for recording.
I tried a Fibracell. It was hopelessly inconsistent on intonation.
In my opinion, I hear all just like if it was cane reeds. Only using some kind of oscilloscope could I tell the difference. Now, one can FEEL the difference. Not actually hear it. It’s my take on this. And is much easier to deal with synthetic
B
Interestingly enough I thought reed B sounded better.
strangely i thought a and c were the best....b was too bright...
They sounded the same.
100% sure B was cane.
I DONT LIKE CAN REEDS !! They drive me crazy all the time. Being worried about if they will work better or worse that the day before. Synthetic is peace of mind
B