 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Mario Poirier
Date: 2005-03-21 19:44
Dear friends:
It arrived two hours ago. Fresh out of the box, with the metallic plate installed, my new vandoren leather ligature is simply excellent. I have been a user of BG superrevelation, Peter Sprigg floating, and lately Vandoren Optimum for many years. I am switching right now (my teacher tells me to experiment with set-up regularly, but also trust first impressions when retaining or discarding...).
As I like to live dangerously, I will use this new lig. immediately this evening during our dress rehearsal of the Mozart Requiem where I play Cl. #2 (performance on Good Friday on the 25th). We will see whether my demanding teammates will prefer what they are about to hear...
What I like:
Easier articulation in the long-tube notes.
Nice and warm long tube notes
Better throat register.
Tone is even and pure across the whole instrument.
Since I have been on Optimum for 12 months now, no difference in intonation and interval response.
Actually, just to get some of the resistance and stuffiness out of my long-tube notes is benefit enough. This is especially true for the Cl. #2 part of the requiem with solos in this area and constant linkages between throat and lower chalumeau that must remain seamless.
Any other such first impression about the new vandoren leather out there?
Mario Poirier
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Author: Mario Poirier
Date: 2005-03-21 19:56
What could explain the easy tone production in the long-tube notes?
Actually, all reeds feel a little bit lighter in general (they probably loose a few decimal strength-wise: 4.0 becomes 4.0- using V12 numbering. Heavy reeds also respond better (some old dying friends now have a short new life).
The two metallic rails on the plate are actually quite close to each other, and clamp the reed down from its very center. This leaves the edges of the reed totally free from tip to toe while the rail pushes hard on the reed at the middle its dead section.
This new location of the rail is something I have not seen elsewhere. Could it be the Vandoren improvement to the leather lig. design?
Mario Poirier
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Author: Liquorice
Date: 2005-03-21 19:59
"As I like to live dangerously, I will use this new lig. immediately this evening during our dress rehearsal"
Are you sure you want to take SUCH a HUGE chance??! ;-)
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Author: Mario Poirier
Date: 2005-03-21 20:01
Yes I know. Strictly speaking there is no rail. The plate is flat. But it has a grove in the middle. Look at the juntion between the curve top of a reed, and the edges of this grove. You will see that the two edges form a rail touching the reed in a thin metallic line close to its center. These edges are the de facto rails.
Mario Poirier
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Author: larryb
Date: 2005-03-21 20:04
liquorice:
it should be OK, so long as there are adequately trained Emergency Management Technicians in the hall, as well as a well stocked first aid kit
just as a precaution, I think Mario should make sure that the first clarinetist has matching blood type
then again, they are playing the Requiem...
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Author: Mario Poirier
Date: 2005-03-21 20:05
To licorice:
Many posts on this very board in the past few years will tell you "never to change anything in your set-up just before a performance"... These are the people I am teasing a bit (with a twinkle in my eyes of course) when I speak of danger.
Mario Poirier
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Author: Alseg
Date: 2005-03-21 21:28
What is different about the placement of the plate?
What other tricks does it do?
Will it promote WORLD PEACE?
and........
..............does it make one more attractive to women???
Former creator of CUSTOM CLARINET TUNING BARRELS by DR. ALLAN SEGAL
-Where the Sound Matters Most(tm)-
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Author: larryb
Date: 2005-03-21 23:52
what's all this about the ligature attracting women? I find this talk offensive!
remember - it's LEATHER with METAL BANDS, boys...
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Author: BobD
Date: 2005-03-22 16:07
Is there enough adjustment for subsequent leather stretching?
Bob Draznik
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Author: Alseg
Date: 2005-03-22 16:56
Leather?
Metal bands?
From my equestrian days, it sounds more like snaffle bit and bridle for a horse
Change the plates? It becomes a pelham.
Do I clean it with Lexol or saddle soap?
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Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2005-03-22 17:13
Come one, you guys, Monsieur Poirier is in Ligature Heaven and you're ruining his fun! Stop teasing him immediately, or the Buffet Mafia will come and break your Vandoren V12s in half.
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Author: ariel3
Date: 2005-03-22 18:11
Ok, I'll stick my neck out on this one. I bought the leather lagature about three months ago - with the leather cap, of course. I was immediately impressed with the response and freedom. I had been a Rovner Mark III user prior. I use the softer leather insert. I have two "gripes", but they do not stop me from using it over the Rovner. I use it with my B-Flat and A horns.
l. The ligature is "stubborn" to remove - and takes some tweaking and tugging to remove as compared to the Rovner. However, it never comes off when you don't want it to during mouthpiece removing.
2. The leather cap is beautiful - BUT, I did bravely remove the "support"band inside the cap because it would bump against the edge of the reed if you were not careful. Luckily, this was a smart move, because the cap did not collapse, but retained its shape nicely without the band.
Another point that has been brought up that I don't think is significant is the concern about stretching the leather. This leather is so thick and durable that I don't think you could actually stretch it without a shoe tree.
Does anyone know what kind of shoe polish I should use ?
Gene Hall
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Author: frank
Date: 2005-03-22 20:27
Sounds like a magical ligature you got there.  Now I might buy a Bundy, slap on a new Vandoren leather ligature and voila! It will sound like a top of the line pro horn. That should save me some bucks! I am only teasing of course. Speaking of changing equipment before a gig, I have done it. Actually two nights ago I played an entire concert on another guy's R13 just for the fun of it. It was a good horn though. Although, I didn't play as well as the previous night for some reason. It's a great way to find excuses in a bad performance. "It wasn't even my horn" is a winner every time. Good luck with your ligature!
Bonade regular man
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Author: DavidBlumberg
Date: 2005-03-22 20:37
When I switched to the Vandoren Optimum, it was 5 minutes before the downbeat of a long Opera Concert.
No problem - it was that good. Switched from the BG Silver to the Optimum and it felt so good that I didn't hesitate to play it.
Worked out fine, but I must have been crazy to do it.
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Author: BobD
Date: 2005-03-22 22:30
The use of animal skin for ligatures brings all kinds of visions to mind....
Bob Draznik
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Author: CPW
Date: 2005-03-23 01:42
Metal and Leather?
And don't oboists use feathers?
This site is getting racy. (racey?)
Hmmmmmm. Next we will have to register with Adult Check Gold and verify age before entering.
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