Klarinet Archive - Posting 000260.txt from 2004/08

From: ormondtoby@-----.net (Ormondtoby Montoya)
Subj: Re: [kl] re: Ligature
Date: Tue, 10 Aug 2004 00:07:02 -0400

Rose=A0Harrison wrote:

> I have one of those ligatures where the screws
> are facing the player and on the right side. Why
> would a player have the screws on the left side (or
> is that for left handed players?)

The debate isn't right vs. left. Rather, it's whether the gap (which
is opened & closed by the screws) should straddle the reed, which
perhaps allows the reed to vibrate more 'freely'. Or should the gap be
positioned above the mouthpiece such that the reed is clamped by across
its entire width.

As with almost everything else, you'll find supporters for both methods.

With most ligatures, you can remove the screws completely and re-insert
them from the opposite side, thereby providing for both left-handed and
right-handed people.

> I have noticed that the "official" way is lower/bell,
> then upper/barrel, then upper/lower and last the
> mouthpiece. Does it make that much difference?
> Or was I just taught wrong?

What counts is that you don't drop or bang part of your instrument on
the floor or against a wall, etc. It seems to me that if you put your
mouthpiece on last, then you're less likely to bang it against something
while you're assembling the other parts..

Equally as important, pay attention to the latches on your case. Don't
pick up the case with the latches open. :-)

[of course, none of the others of us have ever done this, so you would
be the first person in the world to do it!]

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