Getting the public to see the value of synthetic reeds hasn't been so hard. You typically get a product that lasts for a long time and has more durability. That instantly one-ups a cane reed. The hardest part of selling the idea of a synthetic reed? "It doesn't sound like cane." I'd say that you were correct until the Signature Series was released by Legere ten years ago.
These reeds changed the game so quickly. They had great tone. Super durability. They were really quick to respond. They resonated like a cane reed. They outlasted cane reeds by many times. They came in 1/4 sizes, AND they had an exchange policy (which is the first policy like this that we're aware of in the industry). It is practically unbeatable in value.
Legere Reeds Signature Series Reeds for Tenor Saxophone.
A Synthetic Reed that sounds like cane?
The owners of Legere are really remarkably intelligent people. Both are scientists by trade, and one is a clarinet player.
It was obvious that there was a real need for a properly good synthetic reed. Years ago, we started watching cane reeds get worse and worse. Likely over-farmed, the soil was nutrient-deprived and wasn't producing good cane. More and more, we saw fewer good cane reeds coming out of a box. Many, unusable. Then synthetics started changing the game.
In 1998, Legere started manufacturing their first synthetic reeds. Their first models ended up being released as what is now know as the Classic Line. This was an excellent first attempt at a reed, and it really put Legere on the market as a real contender. Being the first series of reeds they'd done, it obviously wasn't perfect. It didn't respond as quickly as the Signature Series does (which came out much later in 2009), and it unfortunately sounded a bit plastic-y. Still, a great effort.
Some years later, the Studio Cut came out. This was the first attempt at pleasing the jazz crowd, who had not yet really adopted these reeds like classical players were. The Studio Cut had a thinner tip and it responded much quicker- but unfortunately still had a bit of a plastic sound to it. None the less, Legere continued growing as their reed technology grew. It was starting to get some great acceptance in the industry.
Legere Signature Reeds for Soprano Sax
If you're looking to buy Legere Reeds, you can get one them here on Amazon. These aren't an inexpensive reed, but they will outlast a box of cane by many times. Legere also has a great Exchange Policy to help you find the right size reed for your needs.
In 2009, the Signature Series came out, and blew everyone away. For the first time (in my opinion), Legere had a contender against cane reeds.
I found out later on that there was a real effort to replicate the behaviors of a real cane reed, and I'm sure that's what changed the game here. Legere introduced the Signature Series with the thinnest tip to date, and the most responsive one, too. One big concept was introducing "spines" into the material during the CNC process so that the material would be forced to vibrate in the same directions that cane typically vibrates in. If you hold a Legere Signature Series reed up to the light, you can actually see the spines running through the reed.
The Signature Reed was such a game changer. First in the clarinet world, and then it really gained ground in the saxophone world with many jazz players adopting these for their arsenal. Currently, there's a new version of the Signature Series called the "European Signature" with some changes to the tip and vamp. These have a bit of a wider tip. They respond as well as the Signature Series do, but they have a bit of a different body to the sound. There's currently only a model of this for clarinet, and one model for saxophone, although more are coming as they dial in their technology for each reed.
Want my thoughts?
I mention in the video that I found Legere more than ten years ago, and I'll tell you a bit more about that experience.
I came from California where I was out playing a session- back to coastal North Carolina where I was going to school at the time. I got off the plane, and headed home to drop off my luggage before heading to a gig where I was playing soprano, alto, tenor, and baritone saxophones. SURPRISE! My reeds were so warped. If I were going to use them, I would have to condition them back into to shape and it wouldn't be immediate. They were useless for my gig. I went to the local music store frantically before soundcheck, only to find that they were completely out of the reeds I was using at the time. In fact, they were out of practically every cane reed that I knew worked for me. The only thing left? Legere.
I've been using Legere Signature series reeds for ten years.
Having worked in a music store in high school for a few years, I'd had surprisingly few experiences with Legere before actually trying them in college. Most of these experiences included a number of professionals practically bashing them. Thinking about it later on, these people only trusted the gear that they had played for the past forty or fifty years, and never experimented with anything new, so obviously if it was "new age", they weren't going to be keen to adopt it.
Getting back to my story, I ended up buying Legere Reeds for all four horns. It was a mix of Classic Line and Studio Cuts, as it was all they had at the time. I played the gig that night, and was really surprised at the quality of the product. It wasn't perfect, but at the very least, they had completely saved my a** on this gig. Practically no warm up or break-in time, durability, good tone. It was just amazed. I still wasn't entirely sure that I wanted to switch over to playing synthetic as I was still stuck a bit in the cane world.
Before my first NYC clinic with Legere, 2009.
So I wrote an email to Legere (random, eh?) just to thank them for basically saving my gig. I told them about this experience that I wrote about above, and they were happy to hear that their product had helped me out. In the email, the guy replied, "If you thought those were good, you should check out this reed we're releasing- the Signature Series. Would you like to test it?"
From the moment I played that reed, I was absolutely hooked. Done. Converted. With the Signature Series, I had a smooth transition away from cane. I didn't lose any of my tone! Shortly thereafter, I was invited to NYC to do a clinic with Legere at Roberto's Winds and I became an artist about a month later. You know when you just find a product that works for you, and don't feel the need to look any further? This was it. I've been playing Legere as an artist since 2009, and wouldn't have it any other way.
These reeds (for me) are a real and dangerous competitor to cane reeds. They're everything cane reeds wish they could be: Consistent and great-sounding all the time. If you've never tried them before, it would absolutely be worth a shot to A/B these against what you're currently playing and see if it's right for you.
Also, I should note: This is the PERFECT reed for a doubler or a soloist. No warm up or break-in time. That means you can just pick up the horn and play. End of story. Also, with that exchange policy, you can find the right size for you. This is important. It's easy to dial in your sound because they come in quarter strengths. You'll know when it feels right.Enter your text here...
Why Legere Reeds?
Legere Reeds has been manufacturing woodwind reeds since 1998. Geared towards making "the ultimate synthetic reed", they manufacture reeds for all saxophones, clarinets, and in the past few years they've also included oboe and bassoon in their line up.
All reeds have practically no warm-up or break in time, they're way more durable than cane, they outlast cane, they have a tone like cane, and come with a great Exchange Policy to help you find the right size (which by the way, they make their reeds in 1/4 strengths!).
In the long run, you'll save a lot of money and you won't lose any tone.
This is the PERFECT reed for a doubler or a soloist. No warm up or break-in time. That means you can just pick up the horn and play. End of story.
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