 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: SaRaH18
Date: 2003-06-22 06:47
Hi,
I'm looking for a ligature that produces good quality sound.
I currently use a BG Revalation ligature that promises easy staccato,
but it doesn't seem to my liking.
Which ligature would you recommend?
Sarah M.
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Author: bob49t
Date: 2003-06-22 11:33
You'll find a heap of posts in the BB archives on this subject.
Difficult to recommend ligatures objectively as they'll suit some people and not others. However, Francois Louis is my current favourite. It's by far the easiest lig I've played with great flexibility and dynamic range - (notice I didn't use that oft abused "dark") - it's built along the same lines as Peter Spriggs floating rail type of lig.
I'm sure there may be 10 others disagreeing. Ligs and m/p's must be the two areas about which the most numerous opinions have been given. (and I've just added another!)
BobT
BobT
Post Edited (2003-06-22 16:23)
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Author: DezzaG
Date: 2003-06-22 11:45
No I agree bob, FL ligs are the way to go, been using mine 12 months now, you dont get the muffled and muted sound like lots of other ligs(esp. Rovner types)
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Author: Avie
Date: 2003-06-22 12:42
I use the same ligatures that came with both my clarinets. Its a traditional 2 screws ligature that tightens the reed to the mp appropriately. Of course most do not have this problem but I have recently rotating the screws 180 degrees away from my new gotee to present it getting stuck in the opening. It clamps the reed to the mp either way. I do experiment with the height and torque of one or both screws depending on the reed hardness,etc. I never realized that the type of material or color of plate would make much or any differance in the sound. I have a lot to learn but promising stacato is also a bit far reaching in my opinion. Maybe some of the BB pros could convince me otherwise.
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Author: John J. Moses
Date: 2003-06-22 13:31
As I said in earlier posts, I currently use an FL prototype that I got from Roberto's in NYC about a year ago. Most of my students like the silver FL, I prefer the standard brass version. It's also available in gold, which is quite dark. On all my commercial recordings, it sounds better than any of the other dozen or so ligatures I've tried. Records great, feels great, give it a try.
JJM
Légère Artist
Clark W. Fobes Artist
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Author: beejay
Date: 2003-06-22 14:49
Spriggs Floating Rail goes best with my Charles Bay mouthpiece. I also play on a Vandoren B45. on which I use a standard Rovner to counter what I find is a slightly metallic ring.
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Author: William
Date: 2003-06-22 15:31
I still use vintage Winslow's on all of my sax mpcs. However, on all my clarinets, I hve switched to the VD Optimum lig with the parallel rail insert. It plays just like the famous Bonade inverted, but without the constant reconfiguration issues.
(for the record, I like my clarinet sound to be on the brighter side of dark)
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Author: Ed
Date: 2003-06-22 15:38
Another vote for the Francois Louis Ultimate ligature (others have referred to it as the FL). One of the best I have played. It does not seem to add any color or distortion to the sound- very pure. Response is great.
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Author: GBK
Date: 2003-06-22 15:54
For orchestra, inverted Bonade with center removed or original Harrison gold.
For jazz and big band, Peter Spriggs floating rail...GBK
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Author: Ljpg
Date: 2003-06-22 17:04
Have you tried the Vandoren "Optimum"? You get three different plates with it so could swap depending on the response you were after. Great for projection i've found.
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Author: Brandon
Date: 2003-06-23 04:26
Hmm...something that has been missing thus far. Sarah, the ligature can only go so far. I am not trying to be rude or mean, but you may not be tonguing properly, and that may be the reason for the staccato problems. It could also be a result of not using the proper air support. A company may advertise itself as being able to create easier staccato, but if there are problems elsewhere, these other ligatures are going to be a waste.
Cheers!
Brandon
ps. One of my former teachers wrote an article that I am sure can be found online. Carmine Campione has written an article on embouchure that I think discusses air support as well. The Bonade Compendium is an excellent resource as well.
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Author: Bradley
Date: 2003-06-23 06:57
I use the ED II by Rovner. I find it helps with projection and power, rather than mute and muffle my sound.
Bradley
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Author: gwie
Date: 2003-06-23 07:51
Bonade Inverted. Sides bent out a bit with a plier so they don't touch the reed. Good sound, and only $12-$15 to replace if you mess it up somehow.
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Author: graham
Date: 2003-06-23 07:59
traditional metal with two screws for me on all my instruments (bar the two that have to make do without because I do not have enough of them). I have tried a few others (e.g. recently the Vandoren), but these still seem best to me.
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Author: Mark Pinner
Date: 2003-06-23 10:29
The standard Vandoren Nickel plated thingy. I normally use a Selmer but it finally died and the Vandoren just materialised. I will go back to a Selmer when it dies. I use Selmer on alto and tenor with Selmer mouthpieces, Otto Link with Otto Link, Berg Larsen with Berg Larsen. You can tie the reed on with a shoelace if you want.
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Author: D Dow
Date: 2003-06-23 11:55
try the Bonade inverted, or the Rovner Dark.
Your staccatto problems may be on the technical side rather than the ligature!
David Dow
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Author: Meri
Date: 2003-06-23 18:11
Mainly, the Vandoren 771 Ligature.
Secondarily, three hair-elastics, doubled up, the kind used for ponytails.
Meri
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Author: Marge
Date: 2003-06-23 18:40
The ultimate low-budget approach: two strips of double-sided Velcro (hooks on one side, loops on the other). They provide the best response and sound compared to anything else I've tried (not that I've tried the whole spectrum of possibilities). Such would not be suitable if I had to switch the mouthpiece from one clarinet to the other, however.
Second-favorite: Gigliotti plastic, another inexpensive but good solution.
To Meri: If your keywork is silver-plated, beware of tarnish from the rubber inside the hair elastics.
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Author: L. Omar Henderson
Date: 2003-06-24 00:54
Another vote for the Peter Spriggs Floating Rail ligature. It is better machined and more sturdy in construction than the FL which I have tried and also liked. Bonade inverted is always a good choice too.
The Doctor
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Author: donald
Date: 2003-06-24 11:14
i've got the van-opti, two bonade inverted, two bonade "screws under", a BG tradition and a fine old anon standard "screws under", plus a darn good bit of string (authentic german string at that!)
at the moment i use....... well, actually i use a YAMAHA ligature- inverted, and slightly "re-formed" so that (inverted) the two bars holding the reed are holding the reed in a way similar to the normal vandoren ones (from before the optimum days)
this ligature doesn't make me sound any better, unfortunately i've got to do that myself (keep trying to sound better, i mean)... however it is easy to adjust the reed in the poor lighting of the opera pit, it doesn't move the reed as i tighten the screws.
so far, however, no one has come up to me after a performance and said "hey, cool ligature- where did you get it!
donald
(who went up to Sabine Meyer and asked her where she got her ligature- very unimpressed, she told me it came from her father and ran away at high speed
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Author: Roger Aldridge
Date: 2003-06-24 11:51
John Moses' original message about Francois Louis ligatures was so glowing that it inspired me to try the brass and silver FL models. After a considerable amount of experimentation on each of my horns -- Bb and C clarinets, alto sax, soprano, and c-melody -- I settled on silver. I've been entirely happy with this set up.
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Author: moose6589
Date: 2003-06-24 13:40
i strongly recommend using a shoelace! it's cheap and it's the best. great sound quality, easy to replace, better than rovner!
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Author: Clarinetpunk
Date: 2003-06-24 21:27
I am currently using the Vandoren Opitimum and absolutely love it. I had switched over from a rovner. The responce is great and since there are three plates you can switch according te style your playing.
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Author: moose6589
Date: 2003-06-25 02:27
also, anyone tried the pyne woven ligature thing? it's supposed to simulate string, but anyone tried comparing the two? is it any good?
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Author: Brandon
Date: 2003-06-25 03:57
moose6589 wrote:
> also, anyone tried the pyne woven ligature thing? it's supposed
> to simulate string, but anyone tried comparing the two? is it
> any good?
I believe that the two are quite similar. The Pyne of course can be taken off easier and put on easier. I think sting is more customizable, as the Pyne I tried had didn't match my mouthpiece size wise. I use string occasionally, and prefer it to the Pyne.
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Author: Roger Aldridge
Date: 2003-06-25 11:16
After reading John Moses' message again about the brass FL lig I felt led to give it another try. This time around I find myself warming up to it on Bb clarinet. It does give the sound more warmth and sparkle. I'm going to keep working with it. Silver still works best for me on C clarinet.
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Author: Roger Aldridge
Date: 2003-07-02 12:42
John Moses,
I wanted to let you know that after spending more time with the brass Francois Louis ligature on Bb clarinet I've been getting excellent results with it and have come to like it better than silver. I'd describe my tone as sounding more alive with the brass FL lig. I still prefer silver on C clarinet.
I'm also taking a second look at the brass FL lig on my c-melody saxophone. The first FL lig I tried on this horn was the brass model. However, there was a buzzy quality in my sound that bothered me. I tried the silver FL lig and it sounded much better to me. Now, an interesting turn of events happened.... I recently sent my c-melody mouthpiece back to Ralph Morgan for a check up. He made a subtle adjustment to the baffle. As a result, the buzzy tonal quality that had been bothering me immediately disappeared. Since I've been getting such good results with the brass lig on Bb clarinet I'm giving it another try on the c-mel. I'm thinking that it will give more sparkle to my sound. I'll let you know how it works out.
Thanks so much for your helpful information about FL ligs
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Author: ken
Date: 2003-07-02 22:31
John J. Moses wrote: "I prefer the standard brass version. It's also available in gold, which is quite dark."
--John, heard any positive feedback from colleagues (primarily Trad, Swing or Commercial pickers) who have conducted reliable comparisons of the FL Gold to the BG Gold Traditional (maybe yourself)? I've been on a BG for 2 years but would probably throw half a C-note plus at an FL for another shade darker and like what I hear from industry pros. Thx, KEN
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Author: BobD
Date: 2003-07-03 12:30
In my experience different ligs work differently with different combinations of horn,barrel,reeds and mouthpieces......and......they work differently at different times. Recently I went back to my Bonade inverted with a particular setup and liked it whereas previously I didn't like it. Go figure.
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Author: theclarinetist
Date: 2003-07-03 15:48
I use two different ligatures (with my Chedville Mpc). I have a BG Traditional (silver-plated) and an older Rovner. I like the BG with I'm looking for a real bright sound (or if the reed is a little less responsive). I prefer the rovner if the reed is overly ringy or if I want a darker sound. I think the Rovner is a little more muted and "soft" sounding, so I tend to use it for chamber or solo playing. The BG projects a lot better (it cuts through an ensemble sound more easily, I mean)... so if I have solos in band or anything, I'll go with the BG.
Don
theclarinetist@yahoo.com
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