Synthetic Bass Clarinet Reed Showdown!

All-plastic, all the time-no cane reeds allowed in the clubhouse today!
Check out the chapters to fast forward to the playing-tests.
0:00 Introduction
2:00 Brief History of Synthetic Reeds
4:30 Legere Description & Price
6:12 Silverstein Description & Price
8:11 Forestone Description & Price
9:36 D'Addario Description & Price
10:50 Legere Classic Play-Test
11:42 Legere Signature Play-Test
12:32 Legere European Cut Play-Test
14:16 Silverstein First-Gen Play-Test
15:07 Silverstein Second-Gen Play-Test
15:57 Silverstein First-Gen Jazz Tenor Play-Test
18:08 Forestone Traditional Play-Test
18:58 Forestone Hinoki Play-Test
19:09 Forestone White Bamboo Play-Test
20:00 Forestone Black Bamboo Play-Test
21:56 D'Addario Venn Play-Test
23:30 The Verdict!

[@RikardPeterson]

As a doubler who plays a lot of different wind instruments, I love that good synthetic reeds exist so that I don't have to worry about reeds. The consistency, and not having to moisten the reed before playing are the best things about them for me. (When Légère released their bassoon reed, I was thrilled to no longer have to scrape and do all that stuff that double reed players traditionally do!) But I mostly stick to Vandoren on my clarinet and my soprano sax. I just haven't been able to get as comfortable with synthetic on those instruments, but I play Légère on everything else (including bass clarinet).

[@RikardPeterson]

For the bassoon reed (which was what lead me into synthetic reeds - bassoon was my first reed instrument, and was my main instrument for many years), it took me over a month to get used to it, since it does have a different feel and it took some adjustment of my playing, but now I sound as good on it as on a good cane reed.

[@chrisperyagh]

I'm glad you mentioned Rico Plasticovers made your tongue go numb as I also found that with them. I know they taste funny from new and wonder what they had in the coating that caused the numb tongue thing. I used to use them on both saxes and clarinet, then found especially on bari sax I had loads of response and squeaking problems as they were warped and leaked at the side rails at both sides near the base of the window. I've no problem with Legere bari reeds (or any other Legere reeds) leaking against mouthpiece facings. I currently use Legere Euro Signature 3 on bass clarinet coupled with a Vandoren A2 crystal (as well as a a Pomarico 3 crystal which I've just lent out to someone).

[@shanebentley5630]

As a pit doubler for many years, I've always looked for consistent reeds for sax and clarinet. Sax wasn't so bad, i'm really not picky, but I never found a reed I was happy with for clarinets until trying the European cut Legere reeds. The playability and sound quality has been a surprise to me and to others. It's wonderful when someone asks what i'm playing, or comments on my tone in a positive way, and I get to see their face move to disbelief when I let them know it's a synthetic reed.

[@bassclarinet006]

I was lucky enough to be in the group that tested the reeds before the design was finalized and released to the public. Glad you "like" our final selection. I have played legere reeds for years since I got tired of getting 2 or 3 good reeds out a box of ten. I would much rather spend time playing than adjusting reeds. I was curious about the other synthetics, but you did an execellent job of comparison and now I will not worry about the other guys. Execllent job!

[@tonythompson4022]

That's awesome!

[@sprcow]

Awesome video! I really appreciate the timestamped links making it really easy for us to hop around and do side-by-side comparisons. Sorry if we're screwing up all your YT metrics lol.

[@emjay2045]

🤷🏽‍♂️

[@colevano]

I think this video proves that Michael can make anything sound great

[@reedguy]

Michael, you should try the Legere American Cut Tenor Saxophone reeds. I actually think they are vastly better on Bass Clarinet than the European Cut Bass Clarinet reeds. I agree the Legere are the winners over all! Just my opinion!

[@d1ego175]

congratulations on reaching 50k subs!

[@themindfulmusician7296]

I’m loving that bass clarinet !!! ;)

[@diggingoutsidethebox]

I have played the Plasticover on my tenor for years. Went there primarily for doubling - beats the 'dry reed' challenge yet still has a cane feel and sound for me. So still use them, but mainly when I'm in the pit. I used a Fibracell reed on my bari sax for several years... way back in the 1980-90s... then it ran out of juice for me. Now, after playing boxes of cane I'm using a BARI on my bari. On my bass clarinet I have used BARI reeds too (a bari sax reed even, as my mpce has a really wide table-though I have to shorten the length so it'll fit on the mouthpiece). They have worked well for me and I have gotten good sound from them. Currently I have a Fibracell there (also a bari sax reed). I have tried Silverstein and Legere (several years ago) on my bass clarinet as well as Bb, but they were all way too stiff... even with gauging down on the hardness scale from what I have played with cane for both, so really have no experience there because they were unplayable with my mouthpiece setup. I guess it's time to try out Legere on my Bb again as I'd like to be able to find a good fit there too. (and my Effer as well...) My experience with synthetics: BARI brand reeds have linear groves for some traction on the reeds. When new(er) they can rub your lips and tongue raw if you play a lot on it. Eventually it will wear down some (and your skin toughens up) so it is not as problematic. They do tend to remain a consistent stiffness, even with lots of use. When they do begin to wear out, the tip gets weak and will easily begin to flex too much and there's nothing to do about it but replace. The Fibracell reeds have (IMO) more of a cane texture/feel. Finding the right hardness for my mouthpiece is critical... if the match is not so good, the sound gets buzzy and the open-throat notes, especially, suffer for sound clarity. Generally I do like these reeds, and their durability has been very consistent. Legere - as I shared before, my experience is limited because the reeds were all way stiffer than expected for the hardness ratings on the reeds. Also (I think these were the 'Classic') they were very slippery with little or no texture on the reed face, so getting a consistent grip was sloppy for me. A lot of disappointment with these reeds after hearing so much glowing response. Maybe it is about time to try again? Challenge if they have yet to get their hardness ratings calculated properly! Silverstein - Like the Legere, I have limited experience here as the reeds were all too stiff to really get a good feel for them. Like just about any reed, if it's too stiff it is basically unplayable. And as it's been a while since I tried them, I can't recall what the reed texture/feel was like. Thanks for the reviews!

[@Subparanon]

In general, the Legere European cut is the best reed, the most articulate, the most like good cane, but it also tends to wear out a little faster than their other cuts. I chock this up to being thinner over all so when the material starts to soften, there is less of it to provide support. I get 1-2 months out of mine without rotation, with a lot of play. The classic cut legeres look more like a cane reed in terms of the dimensions, and there is more material so they tend to be slightly harder than the same strength European cut, and they also last much longer before going soft. As such I do the majority of my practice on a classic cut, and I use the European cut for recordings and performing.

[@super20dan]

both my euro reeds died a quick death also

[@perioax6506]

I play Firestone black bamboo reeds on my bari sax and clarinet and I love them

[@beth7467]

The European cut sounds the best of the Legere to my ear.

[@emjay2045]

☝🏽🎅🏾

[@shanebentley5630]

For sure. As a player, I definitely prefer playing them too

[@jaredho7676]

I was on legere for a good bit, but I absolutely love forestone's black bamboo reed on my Bb

[@emjay2045]

👍🏽

[@schreds8882]

I tried the D'Addario Venn reed. I bought a second one because I thought something must be wrong with the first because of all of the fibers were coming off. One stuck into my lip and hurt like crazy. I couldn't play clarinet for a week waiting for my lip to heal. I did email D'Addario but never got a response. I love their Reserve Evolution cane reeds and their mouthpieces. I use their guitar products but the Venn reed will put slivers in your lip. Just an FYI. I use the Legere Signature most of the time because cane doesn't taste good to me. I agree that the Signature is dark but since I'm a hobbyist player, so it works for me. I'll try the European cut next time. I play just the Bb clarinet. I feel I should point that out since this is a bass clarinet reed review.

[@clairegoguen622]

I fully agree with you as a new bass clarinet player doubling on barytone saxmafter 50 years playing Bb clarinet: the Légère European is the most responsive and generkus reedcompared to the arrower sound of the but easier Légère Signature for bass clarinet. My favorite music store in Montreal, Quecec, told me many Orchestr3 Symphonique clarinet players switched to Légère reeds.

[@minnesceongo]

One thing I really like about the Legere European Cut is that it's slightly wider than most BC and tenor sax reeds and fits my table better. Oh, and it plays like a dream.

[@ChrisFarrell]

I’ve bounced back and forth between the Legeres and cane over the years; dealing with cane is undeniably a hassle, but I could never really get comfortable with the synthetics. The cane just felt so much more natural to play, and to me cane sounds richer and fuller even if a listener couldn’t really tell any difference. Anyway, my top tip to anyone considering switching is to give the synthetics a little time. For those of us who are not top professionals, I found that just the feel of them is very different and they do require some adjustments to play well, and you don’t get the best out of them until you’ve had time to adjust to the feel. Backun claims that their Vocalise CG mouthpieces are optimized to play well with the Legeres. Backun’s marketing department also puts in a lot of hours, so I don’t know if this means anything. But I can see the mouthpiece requirements of a synthetic Reed might possibly be different.

[@michaelbpastor]

Great video. Another interesting factor is if they are recyclable. I used the pandemic to really give synthetics a try and I do like them in certain situations. Mouthpiece pairing is critical.

[@super20dan]

who gives a crap about recycling plastic reeds?

[@michaelbpastor]

@@super20dan People who care about the planet and recycling in general

[@etienneyitian]

I like my légère European cut too =)

[@eileenjurek6898]

I personally prefer using plastic reeds on my bass clarinet to cane reeds. I find I go through cane reeds much faster than I do the plastic reeds. I currently play a Legere Signature 2.75 but I might try some of these others. I also play Eb clarinet but on that instrument I do use Vandoren reeds on.

[@gypsyvail]

Heaven help me, i still have a Plasticover reed in my case o.O The fact that it survived this long tells you how playable it was... I do like my Legere on the Bb for playing outdoors, as it's my secondary instrument and i don't want to have to deal with reed vs weather. I've been eyeing the Alta reeds at Midwest clinic the last several years. I might be willing to pull the trigger after this review.

[@tomswift6198]

Huh. Everybody ignores Fibracells. I use Fibracell bass clarinet reeds in old C-melody saxophones. A touch long but all other dimensions are spot-on.

[@tonythompson4022]

For double sided reeds these are mvp

[@AB-cw2nz]

I wish you had included a Legere Tenor Sax Studio Cut. I've tried all of the reeds in the video except the D'Adarrio reed. I agree the European cut is by far the best bass clarinet reed, however it still isn't "there" for me. I still prefer the tenor sax studio cut on bass clarinet.

[@huguesfardaoclarinettesolo7210]

I love Légère European on B flat clarinet, and Légère Studio Alto Sax on Alto clarinet (we don’t have much choice for Alto clarinet reeds, so I tested several Sax reeds brands). The Studio cut last longer than the Alto Sax Signature and gives me punch in lower frequencies. I wonder if Mr. Lowenstein could try the Studio Tenor Sax on his bass clarinet ?

[@tallrob11]

My students have the most luck with Bari brand, both regular and star versions.

[@DynamixWarePro]

Most cane reeds are made out of Elephant Grass (Arundo donax) not Bamboo. I have tried a lot of different synthetic reeds: Legere Classic, Signature, Studio Cut, American Cut and European Cut (I think thr American Cut for saxophone is the same as the European cut), Fibracell, Forestone and G reeds and I use American Cut now on alto sax and European Cut. I started learning on Legere Signature reeds and since I have only played Legere reeds since then, I have never been able to get used to cane reeds or other synthetic reeds. The Forestone I tried wasn't hard enough on any strength I tried, maybe on a very open mouthpiece they could work but Forestone need make better strength options. Fibracell was too buzzy, G reeds felt a bit stiff and too plastic for me. I used to use Legere Signature reeds but due to their resistance, I'd find one strength a bit soft and the next quarter strength up was a lilttle hard for me to play, so when the American Cut came out I liked them more since they had the response I was looking for on alto sax. I used to play Legere Signature Bb clarinet reeds but switched to European Cut as I like their ease of response and the vibrant sound I get. I also play European Cut on them on my soprano sax. I tried it one day when I didn't have any soprano sax reeds in the right strength for my mouthpiece but I tried a 2.75 European Cut I had and it worked fine. Gave me more of a centred tone, although it may be a little too bright for me. They are narrower than soprano sax reeds so some mouthpiece windows might be slightly too wide for them though. I recently tried a bunch of different cane reeds (Vandoren and D'addario) to see if I could get a fuller sound but I could not get used to any of them, even after a few days of breaking them in and trying several of each in the same and different strengths and using a reed geek on some to imrpove their response. I guess it is because I am just too used to playing on Legere reeds.

[@poullamhauge5218]

Hello thanks and for a nice channel 😀. I play normally play tenor sax legere. I had problem with my soprano legere reed 2.25. I found out it help me to flatten the reed. back side Like With cane reeds. Cheers

[@arttweb]

I have checkt them all .. in my humble opinion the FIBERREED is the best .. the oldest brand offering synthetic reeds on the market .. I play all saxes and clarinets with the RPL cut ..

[@bbkiubb]

I thing with the good combination, every well balanced reed can sounds good. But I am more curious where did the Selemr Ninja go?

[@emjay2045]

Same here. Just can’t get used to the legere on soprano clarinet

[@hilarysdrigotti3083]

Hi! I loved Your video. I use the legere european cut on my Bb clarinet from 3 years and I will NOT return on cane reeds. I have a question for you. What kind of mouthpiece do you use? And...until 3 years ago, I was used to play the vandoren rue le pic n. 3.75, but now I play with the legere european cut n. 4.15. Do you feel that the same hardness on cane reeds and plastic reeds it's not the same? Thankyou so much. You are a brilliant musician!

[@IWario1]

You should try out the American cut from the legere

[@IceOfPhoenix88]

How many reeds to you use vs how many do you buy?

[@redeyedfreaks]

I've been in legere for most of my woodwinds. I'm still trying to find a good setup for bass clarinet. Maybe I need to try some new mouthpieces to make it work.

[@ShaneMcFerran_]

Cool

[@breakingcandy3033]

Wouldve been great if you compared the best reed or something to a cane reed

[@TheFra091]

for me in this video the best reed is the legere classic

[@johnfrazier5548]

Kindly post what strength you like with the Legere European Singnature

[@jasonc369]

I’ve tried fibracell. It was very free-blowing, but they felt terrible to play and sounded extremely buzzy. I much preferred Legere

[@johnfrazier5548]

What strength do you like for the Legere European Cut? I play on a Vandoren B40

[@jschaetz]

Also wondering this

[@ArringtondeDionyso]

I've tried a few of these and I still prefer Fibracell for the sound and playability- BUT they had to change their perfect formula because an ingredient in it was not healthy. The new Fibracell have a terrible aspect to them in that they don't last as long, there is a thin clear strip of plastic that starts to FALL OFF the more you play it. Even with this MAJOR annoyance I still stand by them as best sounding synthetic reed.

[@ArringtondeDionyso]

The D'Addario Venn are pretty good though.

[@jimskaleski]

I'm pretty sad that the Forestone reeds haven't improved substantially. I tried them 10 years ago and felt they had a lot of promise, but my experience was similar in that they were way too soft and everything I played tended to go flat in pitch.

[@davidbissell3565]

I've found synthetic reeds don't get along well with some of the standard mouthpieces most clarinet players use. I didn't have any luck with any synthetics until legere came out with the euro signatures and I just happened to try it on a whim with a pomerico mouthpiece. Some mouthpieces tend to be more friendly with legere particularly, Pomerico for one, but also Backun/Hawkins, Licostini, Grabner, Behn, and also Vandoren's BD5. Silverstien also has mouthpieces made especially to match their reeds.

[@super20dan]

hite and bay love them as well

[@tigerstarthebest6344]

"Not a single cane reed in this video" Him wearing a cane reed on his shirt 🤣

[@rakuuun4582]

Could you do a review on the new selmer muse clarinet?

[@ScarRach]

I tried Forestone too... It was like a Musescore clarinet sound... The customersupport was nice, but the reeds..

[@altivoz]

Welcome to the darkside Mike! Great video

[@joshuahuff607]

I'm a sax guy and have tried silverstein reeds and then their synthetics. For whatever reason, both of them get really flat in the altissimo register to the point that they're unplayable. Legere signatures are by far my favorite that I've tried so far. Their the only that I was willing to make my primary reed, and I haven't gone back.

[@heaneymusic]

Légère desperately needs to come out with the European Cut on saxophone. The Signature’s lose reliability in altissimo, especially on soprano sax, so I often find myself playing European Cut clarinet reeds on soprano sax for those altissimo improvements.

[@Aaron-Qman]

I totally agree! Altissimo reliability is my deal breaker when it comes to synthetic reeds in general.

[@pewibears1752]

whats the music he used to try the pieces?

[@jessewakeman6099]

Love the review! Always love hearing your thoughts on equipment. As a voice teacher, I couldn't help but notice how your left shoulder (and elbow by extension) lift every time you take a breath. I think you might start noticing some issues with your neck/shoulders along that side if you're not careful. You also might find it easier to get a fuller breath if you focus on relaxing your lower abdomen when you inhale, almost like you're filling an inner tube around your waist, instead of breathing up with the shoulders. I know you might be aware of it, but I just had to point it out in case you aren't.

[@TurboBinch]

Wind players don't coach vocalists. Take the hint...

[@jessewakeman6099]

Yeah, I'm also a wind player, and I've had every teacher harp on me for posture and alignment. I just am more acutely aware of it as a voice teacher because it more directly impacts our instruments. And wind players coach vocalists all the time. We can learn a lot from each other if you're willing to listen. Nice screen name, btw...

[@super20dan]

shame you didnt try the bari-execellent on bass clar. i have used these exclusively for 20 years both sound and articulation are execellent.

[@Saxman_sam]

And they’re much more durable than any synthetic reed I’ve ever played.

[@super20dan]

@@Saxman_sam true i have used the same reed on bass clarinet for several years

[@Saxman_sam]

BARI woodwinds makes a reeeeally great synthetic reed. And they last twice as long as legere

[@johncarey8485]

I have a Bari tenor reed from 40 years ago and it still plays pretty good.

[@micahmazzella4501]

My boy sam repping the brand

[@super20dan]

@@johncarey8485 ihave ones i bought in the 80,s and they still play also

[@imce8027]

Anyone know the name of this song?

[@emily-zv7fs]

Old video, but I tried the Bari reed on Bb clarinet and it was AWFUL. A great way for a pro to achieve their dreams of sounding like a fourth grader.

[@lucyyockey]

What is that piece?

[@justinwillsey9166]

From a bach cello suite

[@beamoorefrank5194]

I tried Forestone several years ago (got 2 free.) I did not care for them at all. Very buzzy.

[@williamdaniels512]

What is the excerpt?

[@earspasm]

Bach Cello Suite #3, Allemande

[@timdufka1548]

@@earspasm Which score edition do you use for you Bach suites? I have an old Edition Breitkopf that is not an easy read...

[@SaxSith]

Expensive.

[@chun_8070]

Legere gang rise up

[@desmondteague2441]

I don’t understand how a reed made out of fossil fuels is more eco friendly than one made out of a renewable natural resource that in theory sequesters carbon. Can anyone explain it? Is it made out of corn plastic or something like that?

[@desmondteague2441]

And I love Legere reeds, they are ideal for doublers : )

[@bandmusic42]

As descriptions from Légère for what I knew and my experiences, three kinds of cuts have different responses with the same strength but really subtle though. And Forestone? Oh gosh....

[@DonutShoes]

Surprised that Fibracells aren't on the list, unless you've tested them in another video

[@rheamorales1329]

Enjoying this video as a study break at 1.75 speed!

[@AFN2750]

I have to disagree with your comment about bamboo being a dwindling resource. Bamboo grows stupidly fast, the second it starts to be a problem, plant more in some random area that’s a bit warm, and next year or the year after it is more than large enough to cut.

[@christopherherrmann921]

Ouuuu....where is Fiberreed!?

[@windydankoff4020]

I LOVE Fiberreed (Harry Hartmann) for soprano clarinet (normal Bb) and C clarinet (same MP)

[@christopherherrmann921]

@@windydankoff4020 Yea...I normaly use the and love the "Hemp" reeds of them with a glas mouthpiece... perfect for jazz. Clear, but at the same time very deep, dark and resonant tone...

[@super20dan]

he is too cheap to buy them himself

[@clarinettrashcanchannel12]

Honestly, I've tried the legere signature reeds before and I absolutely hated them. Maybe the European cut would be better but to me it's worth it to go through 10 crappy cane reeds if it means I don't have to deal with the synthetics.

[@RikardPeterson]

If you *hated* the Signature reed, there's no need for you to try the European Cut. It is different, and most people seem to agree that it's an improvement, but the difference is not that drastic. (Especially if you're so picky about your reeds that you only use one cane reed in a box of ten, since that indicates that you're looking for something *very* specific in a reed.)

[@geofixated]

I still wet my plastic reeds in my mouth.

[@Plotani]

not a sax player but when I saw the thumbnail I thought they were packs of cigarettes ngl

[@allanjmcpherson]

I got a Bari synthetic reed free at the Midwest Band Clinic, and that's about the most I'd be willing to pay for it. It was buzzy and ugly. I really can't recommend them at all.

[@felixgalanmartinez810]

Tempo

[@martinkoehler4112]

a bit tirering to listen all the time to the cam mic. I'd be happy to see that your followers are a bit more important for you ... 😞

[@earspasm]

😳

[@Perronology]

Has Daddario reached out to you at all about that problem? @earspasm