 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Timothy Cyders
Date: 2000-11-19 16:20
Hey, I've been playing this wonderful instrument for almost 10 years now, and I can't help but wonder if a new ligature would be a good idea. I need to know if a good ligature really alters the sound the way the companies who produce them say they do. I've been looking at the Vandoren optimum ligature with different pressure plates and such, but I don't really know if it will do anything monumental to change the sound I get out of the clarinet....any input is appreciated.
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Author: Amanda Rose
Date: 2000-11-19 17:04
Dear Timothy,
I am high school junior, but greatly enjoy my Vandoren Optimum. I truly believe that the plates do change the sound. When the 2d Division Marine band visited my school, I asked one of their clarinet players about it, since I noticed that he had it. He agreed that it was well worth it. I like the plate with the two horizontal lines for jazz ensemble, the plate with the four dots or the other one, for wind ensemble. One is loudest, one is brightest, and one is richest... I like the four dot one best.
It's worth it to me.
Amanda Rose
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Author: Kontragirl
Date: 2000-11-19 18:48
Ligatures really can make a difference. I've never played on a Vandoren Optimum, but I've only heard good things about them. I play on a Robert Vinson ligature, it's durable plastic (which is why I bought it) and it holds the reed in place, but allows it to vibrate more. I love it, and I can't imagine my clarinet playing without it.
How much does a Vandoren Optimum cost? You can never have too many ligatures.
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Author: Anji
Date: 2000-11-20 00:32
The Rovner "Eddie Daniels" offers lots of the same choices (multiple plates) and is built on a flexible weave. The BG revelation works around the same notion.
I use the Rovner, the build quality is really high.
I use it with the weave over the metal clips, heaviest plate with Vandoren V-12s.
The fabric designs are less likely to fail catastrophically.
The Gigliotti ligature is an excellent compromise for less than $20!
Anji
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Author: THE Big J
Date: 2000-11-20 01:26
Timothy, let me just tell you that ligatures really do make a difference. I have been using a metal ligature that came with my clarinet for years, and I just recently got a new ligature (a Rovner Dark). I was suprised my the wonderful sound it produced! It made my music alot more mellow, dark, and clearer. I would like to try other ligatures in the future but am limited by my finances. Hope I helped.
-Jeanie
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Author: beejay
Date: 2000-11-20 12:51
My advice: save up and buy one of Peter Sprigg's floating rail ligatures. The response is awesome.
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Author: Meri
Date: 2000-11-20 15:43
I've tried several of those ligatures mentioned above, I didn't like them. The one that I currently use and like is a Vandoren Light.
However, I have also been doing a few experiments with ligatures recently, and one of them I used when rehearsing with my duet partner on Saturday.
Now, before you write me off as a quack about trying this idea for a ligature, which I will tell you in a moment, I will tell you first that I originally got the idea from Pino's book, where he talks about the problems of most ligatures and then talks about the idea of a string ligature. Second, I would encourage that you try it as well--my duet partner did, and also loved the results.
1. Buy a pack of medium-thickness nylon-covered hair elastics, which have a stretch of about 2 inches in the package. (the kind you would use for ponytails) Usually you can get a pack of 10 or 12 for about $1.
2. Take one of those elastics, place it just below (a quarter-inch approximately) from the tip of the mouthpiece,
3. Double the elastic, placing the section of elastic not on the mouthpiece just above the other section of elastic.
4. Slide it down so that it is close to the bottom of the reed, with the metal part on the back of the mouthpiece.
5. With two more of these elastics, repeat steps 2-4, with the change in step 4 being that when you slide the elastic down, it should be directly above the other elastics.
What are the advantages of this ligature? First, there is very little pressure on the reed. Second, the pressure is distributed evenly throughout the reed. Third, if you have to adjust the reed slightly, you do not have to unscrew the ligature. Fourth, it is very easy and quick to remove (just slide the elastics to the top of the mouthpiece) Fifth, it's cost-efficient--you will probably end up replacing your ligature anyway, no matter how much you pay for it. Sixth, and the most important reason, is that the tone quality and response are improved quite a bit.
I hope you guys try this idea, if you do, let me know what you think.
Meri
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Author: Harold
Date: 2000-11-20 19:32
I have been using a Gigliotti ligature, with good results. However, my clarinet teacher recently had me try a Bay ligature, and also a Caesar Moy ligature (which he uses) -- and his and my opinion is that both resulted in some improvements. The place he got his C. Moy ligature no longer sells them: does anyone know where I can buy one? Thanks.
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Author: Ken Rasmussen
Date: 2000-11-21 02:43
I was using a Harrison ligature, and when I went to a mouthpiece that I liked for its response, my sound became too bright. I put on a BG standard ligature, and the sound became darker, but I still had the response that attracted me to the mouthpiece.
Meri's idea sounds interesting too. I'm going to try it. There is no reason why everything has to cost an arm and a leg to work well. I object to BG's idea that gold plate sounds "richer". It does require one to be richer to be able to afford it though.
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Author: Anji
Date: 2000-11-21 15:14
I've tried the same approach with "O-rings" made of Viton, a synthetic rubber.
The plumbing supply center provided these. The down side of elastic ligatures is their performance under temperature extremes.
When hot, they're loose. When cold, they're tight.
The "Scrunchi" approach is effective, cheap and reproducible. The only caution would be with the ones that have metal clasps.
You're using your smarts, this is a good cheap ligature.
Anji
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Author: Kris Long
Date: 2000-11-22 05:07
Greeting,
Indeed, the ligature makes a tremendous difference in the mouthpiece and reed resonance, darking or brightening the sound, and significantly changing the resonance. I'm currently using the BG Standard Ligature, which darkens my sound, with great results. In addition, I would strongly suggest that you not stop at just the ligature. Try a number of different mouthpiece and reed combinations. Also, the barrel you choose can have an equally astounding affect on the sound quality, timber, and resitance of the instrument. To a lesser degree, but perhaps equally important, can be the bell that you choose. Make sure you've tried enough options so that you get a good idea of how they are effecting the playability and sound qualitty of your instrument. Keep going, don't give up.
Kris Long
Clarinetist, Boise, ID
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Author: Nick
Date: 2000-11-22 06:16
I am dying to try the Vandoren ligature, and I probably will soon. At the moment I have 3 ligatures which i swap between. They are all BG's and I find each of them has a different quality. The standard leather one gives me the darkest, free-blowing sound. The super revelation with the gold insert give me a brighter sound yet still quite free, and the BG tradition is the one i most often use in orchestra. It's probably my favourite. It has the best sound projection and sounds quite rich which is apparently due to the gold plating.
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Author: Keil
Date: 2000-11-22 17:22
I used to use a rovner dark but it was suggested to me to try the BG ligature... they never said what kind so i tried the one most moderate, the BG Revelation, I absolutely love it! It takes the beauty and depth of tone as well as darkness of a fabric lig, in this case leather, and matches it with the best qualities of metal ligatures... because i'm not big on an extremly bright tone i didn't get the BG super revelation but i'm sure that it's just as good for the purposes of "super-soloists" I absolutely LOVE my new BG, i use my old lig on the A clarinet matched with my Vandoran M13 mouthpiece it's a decent setup... but my Bb setup is really nice, my BG my vandoren M14 mpc and Vandoren 4.5 V12s
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