Klarinet Archive - Posting 000835.txt from 1997/05

From: Stephen Froehlich <shorthnd@-----.edu>
Subj: RE: Ligatures - OK Please explain
Date: Fri, 30 May 1997 09:24:22 -0400

On Thu, 29 May 1997 Jrykorten@-----.com wrote:

> In fact my scientific backgound has not prepared me for this one (no
> surprise). Can somebody explain how, considering the pressures involved,
> different metals can sound different when used as a ligature? This certainly
> smacks of marketing hypnotization to these jaded ears!

This is even more of a question because these are just metal
platings. I believe silver is harder than gold, but have not gone to the
library to look in the CRC handbook.
Part of the question here is the thickness of the plating and the
alloy used to make the frame of the ligature.

From a fizix point of view, only the highest modes of the reed
should be damped by the ligature. Also, do reeds have any tortional,
compression, or off-axis lateral modes? I would think these are all
important in the higher harmonics.

Note: if there are other modes that are very important, they should behave
quite differently (except for tortional modes) in string or leather
ligatures.

All of this said, I really have no clue. I can but guess from my
limited knowledge where the energy of those higher modes goes. In other
words, besides being primarily coupled to the air column, what is the
second order coupling of the reed? Is it the ligature or the mouthpiece?
A good indicator would be the speed of sound in the two materials. Again,
the CRC handbook is the place for such things, except I don't know if they
list polymers, as they're so hard to charactize.

Sincerely,
Stephen Froehlich