 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Clarimeister
Date: 2011-02-19 05:19
Hey all. I know this gets asked all the time, but I'm asking again for a ligature recommendation based on the following: What would you guys recommend for someone looking for the warm round sound of the Vandoren Leather ligature (which is my current ligature), and the awesome response and articulation of the peter spriggs floating rail ligature (which I own but don't use because it's too bright) or any other "bonade" style ligature. In basic wording I'm looking for better response with a ligature with the same sound i have with my current one. A new mouthpiece is not what I'm looking for as I love my mouthpiece, and it's fine. Would getting a Bonade and getting it gold plated be a recommendation? Any other like a BG or something else? What do you guys think? Thanks all!
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Author: RJShaw0
Date: 2011-02-19 05:46
Personally, I find the BG ligs horrible, but that's just me.
If you haven't already, try out the Vandoren Optimum lig. The response is a bit crisper than the Leather, but not as bright. It also has the 3 changeable plates.
RJS
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Author: Clarimeister
Date: 2011-02-19 05:49
I do have the optimum and in my taste I can't stand it. I am already a player with more of an aggressive ("brighter") sound, and so I have taken measures to help with that, aka buying a newer clarinet, which has helped tremendously. To me the optimum rings in my sound way too much, but I love the response of that lig as well. If I could find something that combined the sound and feel of the leather to that of the articulation of the optimum or spriggs, I'm totally for it. Thanks for the help though!
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2011-02-19 10:40
Just a thought.
I am going through a "ligature reformation" myself. I used to really crank down on the reed with my ligatures. Now I find there is much more vibrancy to EVERY ligature if you just use a minimum of pressure (you should be able to wiggle the reed side to side with just a bit of resistance).
I find the Vandoren Leather is much more responsive than before and now is very similar to a Bay inverted (which I never liked before, but is now my favorite).
Oddly enough I just bought a Spriggs and anxiously await its arrival.
.....................Paul Aviles
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Author: Iceland clarinet
Date: 2011-02-19 11:03
I have Vandoren Klassik and Leather ligatures,BG standard and traditional gold plated,Bois,Bay rohdium and Rovner Eddie Daniels II and have used Vandoren optimum and master and Luyben in the past.
I find that some ligatures are more reed friendly and some give me more resistance and other are more freely and some project very well and others not.
But sound wise less than week after I change a ligature I forget about the ligature and just sound like myself.
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Author: Ed
Date: 2011-02-19 11:38
The ligatures made by
http://www.musiquedemarc.com/en/index.asp
are great. From my experience they are better than the Bonades, which can be very inconsistent. They have a very nice response, with a nice even round tone. They are definitely worth a look. They are available in different plating.
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Author: Ed Palanker
Date: 2011-02-19 14:10
I love the Rovners, that doesn't mean you will though. Check out his website, Rovnerproducts.com and look at his offerings. He may be willing to send you several types to try but I don't really know if he does that or not. The one he calls the Star Series with the addition of the Turbo charger kit, that's almost exactly what his newest one will be like when he finally produces it some time in the future. That's pretty much what I'm using now, the prototype. it's brilliant yet warm and full sounding, not bright but not dull. ESP http://eddiesclarinet.com
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Author: DavidBlumberg
Date: 2011-02-19 15:27
Thy maybe the new metal plate that comes with the Vandoren Leather ligature. It does hit the reed slightly differently than the previous model.
To increase the response of a Bonade, you can cut out the center of the ligature rails (between the metal bands of the ligature). Moennig idea - another thing you can do is to glue leather to the remaining 4 contact points in the cut ligature - leather Sax pad works well for that. Thats what I did in high school along with the gold plating. Long before any of the distributors did that.
http://www.SkypeClarinetLessons.com
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Author: NBeaty
Date: 2011-02-19 16:19
First, most every ligature in the world falls somewhere in between a spriggs\bay and vandoren leather.
However, a few to try would be:
1) Rico H ligature in Gold.
2) BG Gold traditional or Super Revelation
3) Gold plated bonade inverted or non-inverted (gold plating could be done by a jeweler).
4) Kaspar ligature from Muncy
My personal opinion (sorry for the dissertation length...) is that you should differentiate between "bright" and "edge". Most players today seem to throw the baby out with the bathwater and are left with much less than a full spectrum of clarinet sound. "edge" is harsh, shrill, and not desirable. "Bright" aspects of clarinet sound help it project, resonate, clarify, and allow for more flexibility for different types of sound.
I wouldn't look for equipment to remove aspects of your sound. I'd be surprised if you are getting an edge to your sound due to your equipment, as zinners+V12 4's with a decent embouchure should be favoring low on the tonal spectrum.
My recommendation would be to use your spriggs and a box of 3.5's and play it for a week or two (only that setup). Get used to the idea of managing a very vibrant setup and allowing the sound to really resonate. Be sure to allow the lower lip and jaw to be relaxed and air is flowing freely into the setup.
I personally play a Bay inverted gold plated single screw ligature. It's extremely light and holds the reed very well. Very vibrant reeds and held by this ligature allow the sound to vibrate very well and it's very easy to project or blend depending on musical context.
Learning to be consistent and control a vibrant and resonant setup allows for much more flexibility in dynamics, projection, tone color, size and shape of sound, and intonation.
As Mark Nuccio has said "most people wouldn't say it's a brighter sound, but most would say it's a more interesting sound".
Long story short: Be extremely cautious about equipment that removes or limits aspects of your sound and be sure to differentiate between "bright" and "edge".
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Author: Ed
Date: 2011-02-19 20:18
Quote:
To increase the response of a Bonade, you can cut out the center of the ligature rails (between the metal bands of the ligature).
FWIW- I have one that I removed the center and to my ears and feel it seemed less resonant and a little more dead. Go figure. As Ed P says, each person has to find what works for them.
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Author: Clarimeister
Date: 2011-02-21 05:54
For those that have gotten their Bonades gold-plated, about how much does it cost to have that done? I know each jeweler will be different, but on average I guess you can say? Thanks for the suggestions everyone. I really appreciate it.
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