 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Kevin Newman
Date: 1999-02-17 09:25
Hi
My name is Kevin Newman from the UK.
My question is, are there any advantages/disadvantages of metal or rubber type ligatures? I currently us a metal type on a fairly cheap type clarinet. Someone said that you get a better tone from a rubber type. is this true?
Any info will be gratefully received.
Bye the way I agree with Karen (UK) but I am 40!
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Author: Kevin Bowman
Date: 1999-02-17 14:11
Ligatures are almost as personal as mouthpieces. The function of a good ligature is to hold the reed secure without interfering with its vibration. These two things are contradictory so different ligature do each of these things to different degrees.
You can get an idea of the tradeoffs in ligature design by performing an experiment. You're no doubt familiar with a vibrating ruler? Hold a wooden (or plastic) ruler over the edge of a table and set the free end to vibrating so that you hear a sound. Now change how you hold the ruler to the table - hold it further back, hold it close to the edge of the table, hold it loosely, hold it tightly, etc. You will notice a change in the quality of the sound. This is a crude demonstration but a reed can be viewed in the same way. Think of your lower lip's contact with the reed as the edge of the table and the ligature as your hand claping the ruler to the table.
So, what am I try to say? Every ligature is different and you need to determine for yourself which one is best *for you*. Having said that, there are two types that *I* prefer and recommend to students:
1) Bonade Inverted Ligature (I modify mine by cutting the center section out)
2) A standard Rovner, which I use exclusively on my saxophones.
Have fun finding *your* ligature
Kevin Bowman
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Author: Justice
Date: 1999-02-17 18:26
I believe that the ligature has very little effect on the sound production of an instrument. The main factors in tone quality are 1) the player, 2) the mouthpiece, and 3) the reed (in that order. I use the Rovner ligatures simply because I was tired of having all of my metal ligature being bent and/or breaking.
Justice
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Author: Kevin Bowman
Date: 1999-02-17 18:54
Justice wrote:
-------------------------------
I believe that the ligature has very little effect on the sound production of an instrument. The main factors in tone quality are 1) the player, 2) the mouthpiece, and 3) the reed (in that order. I use the Rovner ligatures simply because I was tired of having all of my metal ligature being bent and/or breaking.
-----
But the ligature does have *an* effect on the sound of the instrument, even if you do think the effect is small. The reed is singularly responsible for generating a tone - it's actually the sound of the vibrating reed that we hear from the bell of the instrument (after the instrument has amplified and filtered that sound), or from various tone holes. So I believe it is the *reed* that is the most important element. That's why I take the time to work a reed to (near) perfection (at least I try, with occasional success). Because the ligature is part of the coupling between the tone generator (the reed) and the amplifier/filter (the instrument), it plays a very important role in determining the ultimate vibrational characteristics of the reed. Let me point out that I'm talking about *equipment* here - I do agree with you that the player's ability is paramount. The player must be capable of forming a proper embouchure, have proper air support, etc. but when the player has done everything he or she can do, physically, to create the "ultimate tone" then examining the equipment is a natural thing to do.
I encourage clarinetists to determine their choices in equipment in this order: 1) reed, 2) ligature, 3) mouthpiece, 4) clarinet. This also makes sense in terms of cost, where the first things you fiddle with are the least expensive. I say "fiddle with" because each artist has his or her own preferences in tone and response (I didn't mentions that different ligatures will have different effects on the reed's response). When students don't know what their preferences are, it is often helpful for the instructor to "guide" the student to a useful starting point (that's what they're paid to do, IMHO).
Kevin Bowman
Clarinet and Saxophone Instructor,
Rochester Conservatory of Music, Rochester, MI
and
Saxophones, Clarinet, and Keys,
B-Side Blues Project
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Author: Hiroshi
Date: 1999-02-18 00:33
There exist ligature hogs like Don Byron.I read his article
in Clarinet Masterclasses.He saids ligature should be matched with reed.It affects especially legato playing.Reed condition changes as season changes(In winter and in room very dry condition!).Different reed condition needs different ligature.But it does not cost much.There are many goooood ligatures in bargain bins in music shops(they don't know how precious they are).May be Don is right.
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Author: Paul Wusow
Date: 1999-02-18 01:31
I am curious... has anyone ever tried the BG ligatures (used by Morales)? I use a silver plated Bonade (inverted) that seems to respond well with my Hite mouthpiece and #5 v12's. I have used Rovener also... but I think they take away from the response and resonance. Good for sax, though!
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Author: Ben
Date: 1999-02-18 02:19
No matter what the physics are, a ligature can really effect
your sound. I use a Rovner ligature (which is a rubberlike synthetic) because it works for me. There are some really good metal ligatures too.
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Author: SeAn
Date: 1999-02-18 04:12
perhaps you can try out the German method of tying the reed to the mouthpiece using a cord or round shoestring.
IMHO, thats the best ligature(though troublesome in setting up) after having tried plastic, leather, and metal ligature.
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Author: Paul Wusow
Date: 1999-02-18 04:47
What type of string... do you have to purchase a string ligature, or can you use any waxed string, or ??? Thanks!
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Author: SeAn
Date: 1999-02-18 09:55
the easiest to find is shoelaces(round type)
thats what I use.
you can always get from shops selling shoes accesories.
& they are really cheap too.
another suggestion...get those crazy neon colour shoelaces for the fun of it.
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Author: Paul Wusow
Date: 1999-02-18 19:58
SeAn--
Do you have to "wax" the string in order to make it fom tightly around the mouthpiece? A colleague of mine uses a string lig... it seems to be waxed... I'm curious...
Thanks
Neon colors are awsome!
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Author: Daniel
Date: 1999-02-18 23:18
On the contrary... every ligature has different effects on the sound and the response of the reed. Harrison ligatures tend to be quite bright. Luyben ligatures i've found to be rather muffled. Charlie Bay's covered ligatures have excellent response and crystal clear sound. Rovner ligatures lack in projection for clarinet, except for their Eddie Daniels II model that opens up the sound a little and clears the tone but gives excellent response and good projection. The old Kaspar ligatures, well... what can i say... they're the world's best ligature as far as i've been able to tell. The closest i've found to a Kaspar ligature is Bay's covered gold inverted.
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Author: Daniel
Date: 1999-02-18 23:24
I've never seen a mouthpiece that was so close you had to use V-12 5's. That mouthpiece must have next to no curve at all to be playing trees like that.
As for ligatures. I use BG Revelation and Tradition on my Eb mouthpiece and they work great. I tried the Super Revelation on my Bb and didn'tlike it as much as my Rovner EDII or Bay gold covered inverted.
Ad for Bonade ligatures. I've never found a Bonade that stayed on the mouthpiece. And i'm not about to try them again and have them scratch my Kaspars like they did my mouthpieces a few years ago.
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Author: Hiroshi
Date: 1999-02-18 23:30
Everytime I saw Wuritzer players play CL,I wondered why they can put stings around the MPs since it is so slippery.I found "an" answer to this when I bought a Zinner mouthpiece(for Boehm system).They have ditches to have strings neatly wound-up!
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Author: Paul Wusow
Date: 1999-02-18 23:32
Daniel--
My Hite is an excellent mouthpiece. It was hand made for my teacher John Moses who is a well-known clarinetist in New York. He plays in many, many motion picture sound tracks ie "And the Band Played On". The facing is not really that closed, but the #5's provide me with the right level of resistence, focus and darkness. I also use a Springer barrel that has been bored by John Moses (for his use).
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Author: Paul Wusow
Date: 1999-02-19 00:09
Not sure if you are familiar with this concept Daniel, but you are supposed to size a ligature on an old mouthpiece before putting it on you good one. Even if the contour is slightly different, this will smooth down any rough or slightly bent edges. I am NOT saying that Bonades are the ONLY way to go, I was simply stating what worked for me. Next time try using a less abraisive tone. Whether or not you like the equipment I use is not an issue here. I know that what I use works for me, and I make my living (an a comfortable one) as a full-time performer.
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Author: Evan
Date: 1999-02-19 00:44
I have played on many o ligature in my time, recently 3 types of rovner's a luyben, a mitchel lure, a JD&Hite(?) some french metal POS. Some cheap metal ligatures and some thread. BUt What I prefered out of all of these was my father's silver plated ligature that came with a leblanc horn. Pete Fountain plays on one just like it(except gold), if you can find it I would highly suggest trying one out.
Evan
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Author: SeAn
Date: 1999-02-19 04:07
I dun wax my shoelace ligature. it cling on to the mouthpiece pretty well after i learn how to wind it properly. I do not know whether I wind it the way german clarinetist do, but if the the thing works for me, wat the heck) one minus point is that it takes me at least one minute to setup. and when I do need to change reed.....argghh
some of the ligatures I tried and used before:
rovner C1R-mkIII : lacks the projection
luyben : 2nd best response after my shoelace ..harr
Bay gold & Bay Rhodium : clear articulation but lacks the response I wanted
BG super revelation: abt the same as rovner type. (I use this for my bass clar though)
BG traditional : better projection than the leather counterpart
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Author: Daniel
Date: 1999-02-19 15:29
Zinner makes many models of mouthpiece blanks. The model you bought was designed for such players that do use the string. But they also make mouthpieces for people who use screw clamp ligatures.
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