Klarinet Archive - Posting 000187.txt from 2005/08

From: "Geoff & Sherryl-Lee Secomb" <gsecomb@-----.au>
Subj: Re: [kl] Ah, ligatures....Gold vs. Silver
Date: Thu, 11 Aug 2005 21:28:46 -0400

What I am suggesting is that gold and silver (NOT the base metals) are what
has the effect, as they are definitely different in hardness. Please also
note that nowhere did I suggest that one material was better than another
(as another writer seemed to suggest I said), merely that I was able to
perceive (with my ears as well as those 'response' sensitive parts) that
there is a difference. I *did* say that my personal preference was for the
gold.
Yes, I tried one of each ligature, and with the same reed and mouthpiece.
Yes, there probably are differences from one to another. But as to whether I
was getting tired? As a player with 35 years experience on the instrument, I
believe I am sensitive enough to my own playing to be able to say this was
not a factor.
I guess what I *am* saying is: OPEN your minds to the possibilities that
these things could make a difference. After all, different configurations
are available, and many players seem able to grant that these produce
different results. Why not the plating? I haven't heard anyone say that the
difference between Velcro, leather, metal, Bonade, or Bay doesn't exist. Why
pick on this one aspect to express your disbelief and scepticism?
And once again the question: why this amount of discussion if you haven't
personally tried silver versus gold on the same model ligature? "A man with
experience is never at the mercy of a man with an opinion."

Geoff Secomb. BA(Mus) Grad Dip (Mus)
Performer
Teacher
Instrument repairer

----- Original Message -----
From: "Ormondtoby Montoya" <ormo2ndtoby@-----.net>
To: <klarinet@-----.org>
Sent: Friday, August 12, 2005 10:38 AM
Subject: Re: [kl] Ah, ligatures....Gold vs. Silver

> Geoff, I'm not endorsing this (I've already expressed my disbelief), and
> I certainly don't know anything about plating, so I'm just asking.....
>
> Are you suggesting that perhaps silver and gold are plated at different
> temperatures, and the difference in temperatures affects the metal
> underneath? If so, I suppose that it's imaginable that 'softened'
> metal could come into more intimate contact with more surface area of
> the reed, etc.
>
> But I still ask Jacob (I think he was the one who asked the original
> question?) to think seriously about the validity of comparing ligatures
> that are positioned differently on the mouthpiece, thereby changing the
> reed's support. And ditto for variable tightening which could have a
> major effect on how the ligature contacts the reed because tightening
> distorts the ligature's original shape.
>
> The original question was definitely an apples-vs-oranges sort of
> question.
>
> ...and it's also possible (probable?) that all Gold Tradition ligatures
> are not identical, just as all instances of Grabner CXZ-SW2 mouthpieces
> and all R-13 Bb clarinets and all V-12 reeds are not identical. You
> apparently tried only one of each ligature, and perhaps you tried
> several ligatures on the same day and what you heard was your embouchure
> losing strength or breath support or whatever.
>
>
>
> ======
> Isn't it wonderful that no musical question has a clear cut answer !?
> Perhaps this is why music can allow us to transcend reality.
> ======
>
>
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> Klarinet is a service of Woodwind.Org, Inc. http://www.woodwind.org
>
>

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