 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Ginny
Date: 2000-06-09 15:55
My son (11), in honor of making "A" band after playing for one year will get a ligature or a mouthpiece. The local shop carries Bonade and Rovner ligs, and an assortment of Vandoren mouthpieces. I think he'll get a new ligature, he's got a Vandoren m13 mouthpiece. Are there other must try ligs?
Does it make sense to drive him 50 miles to the clarinet shop with all the toys? And have the risk of buying everything in sight?
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2000-06-09 16:02
Ginny,
How special is the occasion? A hundred mile round trip is only a couple of hours and makes everything even "more special".
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Author: Kontragirl
Date: 2000-06-09 18:39
I really really (really) love my Robert Vinson ligature. It's plastic, durable, and it doesn't cost a whole lot. I got mine for $15. I don't know why, but I have bad luck with keeping my ligatures out from under people's feet. So having the durable plastic one has saved me $$. Okay, I'm done being a commercial now.
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Author: paul
Date: 2000-06-09 19:20
Fetch a good mp and ignore the lig. The mp makes the sound and all a lig does is hold the reed in place, IMHO.
If you fetch a Vandoren mp, get the lay planed down totally flat by a skilled woodwind tech. These mass produced mps can have defective high spots on the lay that can be the bane of almost any student of the clarinet. Been there, done that with Vandoren mps.
From folks who should know better than me, the Rovner (cloth style) lig may give you more problems than it's worth. A custom mp maker I know tells his customers to not use cloth ligs on his mps. They slip off way too easy.
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Author: C. Hogue
Date: 2000-06-09 19:39
Just to show that there are ever so many opinions out there...
I turned up my nose at Rovner ligs until I actually tried one. I love it! Half the clarinetists in my community band, including the 82-year-old first chair (such a sweet sound he brings forth from his horn!) have switched to these in the last year.
IMHO, don't judge a lig before trying one on your MP.
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Author: Bob Gardner
Date: 2000-06-09 20:50
Yu can pick up a Rouver Lig for under $20.00--i have a couple of them and think they are great. Easy on, Easy off, Easy to adjust, and they hold the reed with no pinching. i would go for a good mouthpiece and buy the lig.
With teh price of gas i wouldn't drive a 100 miles to get a $20.00 item. So to make the trip worth while spend another hundred or so.
Bob
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Author: Dee
Date: 2000-06-10 01:57
paul wrote:
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Fetch a good mp and ignore the lig. The mp makes the sound and all a lig does is hold the reed in place, IMHO.
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A ligature essentially serves a clamping function. Any clamp, how tight or loose it is, and location relative to the clamped component and supporting component will impact the vibration characteristics of the item that it is being clamped. Automotive engineers spend thousands of hours analyzing vibration and clamping systems so that you will a durable and quiet vehicle. The ligature/reed/mouthpiece system is no different in this regard than any other mechanical system. Now in the case of a reed this effect might or might not be insignificant.
Have you never moved the ligature up or down a bit to get a better response from a reed? Have you never tightened it or loosened it a bit to improve the sound of a given reed? If so, you have changed the reed vibration characteristics by changing the clamping characteristics. If not, I'd be willing to bet that you get a very low yield of playable reeds from a box.
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Author: Ginny
Date: 2000-06-10 08:17
Dee, regarding moving the lig around, he has some concept of this. He does change it around to find a better sound, and uses most of the reeds in his box. But, if you can explain what effect tightening, loosening and up and down have this would be much appreciated though - or point out the articles already available.
I think he has a little equipment envy thing going with another kid at the junior high. Actually, I love his tone (with the good reeds) but he seems to want something beyond this. He has some concept mentally, he says does not want to sound like Sabine Meyers, he likes Stoltzman's low range a lot though. He requested a new lig and mouthpiece a while ago, I want to reward him for his practice for the "A" band audition. I like the special trip to the big city idea, to play with clarinet stuff.
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Author: Dee
Date: 2000-06-10 11:33
Adjustments in ligature position are very slight of course but here are the basic effects. The lines inscribed on mouthpieces are guidelines not mandates.
Moving the ligature towards the tip of the mouthpiece makes the reed act as if it were slightly stiffer. Moving it down towards the barrel makes the reed act as if it were slightly softer. This is one way to compensate for the natural variability in reeds. It is also a way to compensate if you like a reed strength between the divisions that the manufacturer makes available.
A ligature that is too tight will limit the reed vibrations and affect the tone. If it is really tight, you can damage the reed or even mouthpiece.
A ligature that is too loose can fall off.
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Author: Bob Gardner
Date: 2000-06-11 00:48
i have tried a new mouthpiece and use the same lig and reed i had been using and could get zero sound out of my horn. My moving or even tilting the lig i was able to get the mp to work. If it required to much fussing around i rejected the mouthpiece. i need a more open mp because of the #2 or 2 1/2 reeds that i use.
i'm waiting to receive my G. Smith mp next week to see how they are. i'm betting they are great. Will let you know.
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Author: Justin
Date: 2000-06-12 02:06
I myself use a Rovner Eddie Daneils 2 and love it. My teacher uses a Vandoren Optimum on his alto sax, and says that if the clarinet one is as good it is well worth the $90 (Canadian Dollars) Price tag.
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Author: Sara
Date: 2000-06-12 03:23
I love my B&G super relevation, gives me a great liquidy and smooth tone i love it!
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