Klarinet Archive - Posting 000276.txt from 2000/11

From: "Charles Schneider" <chnani@-----.fr>
Subj: Re: [kl] Ligaphone repair
Date: Sun, 5 Nov 2000 10:11:23 -0500

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----- Original Message -----
From: "Anne Bell" <bell@-----.net>
Subject: Re: [kl] Ligaphone repair

> Charles- It was me!! I've checked just about everyone around here and
> haven't found the cord. What changes are there in the new screw?
> Best Wishes,
> Anne

Hello Anne,

the design of the new cord is just better and it's made in another =
material,
more sturdy. (Now it is so solid than you cannot destruct it)
But if you have an old Ligaphone model, the last new cord will maybe
not fit on. So if you want, i can send to you (i live near Paris and =
closed
to Roger Petit, Mr Ligaphone) the two last models and you will try to
find yourself wich model fit well on your ligature,
it will be a pleasure for me to do that.
The micrometric screw is very precise, you can really work on the =
pressure
you apply on the reed. Lot of people grip the reed to high and broke
the cord, they loose all the musical benefits of this ligature.

Just a few words about the very first model, the wich one with the =
plastic
carpet inside. For me it is a very bad model.
I cannot really speak about the results with the clarinet (i am a =
beginner
on this instrument), i can only say that on sax with the current =
un-metalic
mouthpieces, it works very very well.
Honnestly on clarinet i havent try all the models like the new Francois
Louis, Harrisson and BG Revelation !

But :
I have given my gold platted Ligaphone (with the more thin carpet =
inside) to
my teacher, i don't know if i really use it often. But when he plays =
with
it, i feel like if the Ligaphone is "more artistic tool" !? Even in the =
low
register the high composents of his sound were beautifull
(like more in tune and present). After two weeks he said to me that he =
has
the same sound than with his Bonade. For me it's maybe a prouve than he
can easely reproduce the sound he use to have with the Bonade
on the Ligaphone. But when i listen to him i personnaly hear
something different. My perception is that this ligature (with the thin
carpet, for me it's the best choice) is less an "equalisator" than other
models.You can choice yourself the harmonic composents of your sound.
For me, with some other models (Bonade for instance) i feel like study =
an
esthetic of sound that is "in the ligature design". I use my Bonade with
pleasure, for understanding this esthetic. I know that maybe in a few
years an esthetic will exist with the Ligaphone, if some creative and
influent
players will use it ! I know there are no neutral Ligature ! (I'm from
Switzerland)
and on tenor sax i use a Selmer Ligature who act eaxctly in a opposite =
way
than
the Ligaphone ... !

I teach improvisation to two good Bass clarinet players, they now use =
the
ligaphone with beautifull results.
(They use it without i have made my little publicity ...i'm not shure of
that ... ;-)

I am really NOT in the business of Ligature and Roger Petit, who made =
it, is
an artisan and a good repairman not an ... His 'very first' approach of =
the
ligature process was to made a model who fit on different instruments
(sax alto, tenor, differrent clars). He has taken the problem from =
another
(and funny) point of view and found something interesting.

QUESTIONS:

- If you have the time, i like to have your points of view about this
ligature.
I know that Roger Petit will also be very interested because i know
he is always searching .

- I have read than some clarinetists made modifications on their Bonade.
What is this modification? Is it to just let it press only on the nodal
points of
the reed , something like that ? Where are they exatly ?

Best regards
Charles Schneider
chnani@-----.fr

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