 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Joanna
Date: 2011-06-01 18:18
I currently play with a Vandoren Optimum ligature and was curious about the benefits of using a leather ligature. What are your thoughts, and can you possibly give me a suggestion as to which ones I should try out?
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Author: Ed Palanker
Date: 2011-06-01 18:44
Well, I'm a Rovner lover so I'd suggest you try some of those but there are many others on the market that work well too. I so much depends on what you're looking for in your sound and response. What works for one may not have the same result for someone else. ESP eddiesclarinet.com
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Author: SteveG_CT
Date: 2011-06-01 19:14
Definitely try out a couple of Rovners. I find that the Rovner dark is a good all-around ligature. I have tried the Rovner light as well and find that I prefer it on eefer. The Versa model is my preferred ligature on bass clarinet (haven't tried one for soprano yet).
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Author: cigleris
Date: 2011-06-01 19:47
Rovner is good though is limited in the screw mechanism IMO. I have a handful of ligatures from Rovner, Vandoren Klassik, a wooden one, Gold Bay etc. I have eventually landed on this:
http://www.gfsystem.de/The%20GF-System.php?uid=
The great thing about these is that the material helps the reed vibrations and the screw mechanism screws together on both sides thus distributing the pressure on both sides. This for me enhances the playability of the reed. I have found Rovners not to do this so much but that is my humble opinion.
Peter Cigleris
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Author: clarinettist1104
Date: 2011-06-01 21:22
I know you mentioned leather, but I'm not a fan of leather myself. It could just be the combination of my instruments, embouchure, etc., but I find that a metal ligature gives me the colors I'm looking for. If you're going to be trying some ligatures out, I would suggest adding Bonade–the regular (not inverted) is my favorite– but the silver plated Bonades are my ligatures of choice!
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Author: mankan
Date: 2011-06-01 21:37
I like leather ligature very much, and I have recently also experimented a lot with shoestring. Find both much better than the metal ligature (Optimum) I've used for years. I have a Vandoren leather that I have used with the metal instick, but now I've changed to the brown leather instick instead.
It gives surprisingly good response, not as good as the string ligature, but almost. Shoestring is the ultimate for me. Try it - you'll like it!
mankan
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Author: LarryBocaner ★2017
Date: 2011-06-02 00:10
When I was in high school the rage was cactus needles (styli) for playing 78RPM phonograph records. Eliminated the sometimes scratchy sound of steel ones (no diamonds yet, at that time); also eliminated any frequencies above 5000 hZ! I equate the leather ligature with the cactus styli -- seem to suppress higher frequencies -- brilliance, sparkle -- in the players sound. sort of like driving one's car with foot on the brake pedal all of the time.
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Author: Joanna
Date: 2011-06-02 04:48
Thanks for the suggestions everyone!
@mankan: The Bonade one (regular) was the one I originally had. I love it as well, but I find that it only works well with a tougher reed.
Really, I was just curious about the benefits of playing with a leather ligature as I've noticed that most players at my university and even my professor uses them.
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Author: ned
Date: 2011-06-02 06:14
I just switched from the long term (about 20 years) use of a leather ligature to a metal one.
The reason being - the leather one stretched somewhat and it became fairly difficult to set the reed correctly.
I have noticed absolutely NO change in my volume/tone/attack/vibrato or anything else, except, that I can now reset the reed far more easily than before.
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Author: Tony F
Date: 2011-06-02 15:03
I tried a Rovner dark and didn't much like it. It didn't hold the reed securely, I was always having to fiddle with it to get it to work. I now use a metal no-name reverse ligature that came with a "Jack Brymer" mouthpiece. Works for me.
Tony F.
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Author: annev
Date: 2011-06-02 15:45
I'm looking for a ligature (as I mentioned in an earlier post) and have found this thread very helpful so far. For the past two years I've been using string - 30 inches, 7 or 8 wraps. It gives a wonderful freedom to the reed, but it does take a little time and isn't useful for when I need to switch clarinets or reeds quickly. I wondered what would give a similar freedom and response? My teacher uses a Vandoren Optimum, which is why I thought I might start there, but I'm not sure if it's for me. Unfortunately there are no stores here with clarinet ligatures so I'll need to order in whatever I try. I gather it's all a very personal choice but if there are a few brands or types I could try (the selection feels overwhelming) that you might recommend that would be helpful. Thanks.
I forgot to mention that I'm left-handed, so if it's possible to reverse the screw position that would be an asset.
Post Edited (2011-06-02 16:20)
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Author: SteveG_CT
Date: 2011-06-02 17:28
annev wrote:
>
> I forgot to mention that I'm left-handed, so if it's possible
> to reverse the screw position that would be an asset.
>
You can easily switch the side the screw is on with Rovner ligatures with no modifications.
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Author: Clarimeister
Date: 2011-06-02 18:40
I must be in the minority when I say I do NOT like the Vandoren Optimum metal ligatures. I think they buzz and ring in the sound way too much. Especially in the upper register. I switched to a Vandoren Leather a long time ago and loved it, but didn't like the response I was getting, the more advanced at playing I got and using my ear. Now I use a regular Bonade ligature that's been gold plated. Doesn't ring as nasty as the optimum but has clarity and response that I like. The leather is great but, not enough response for me. But, it's different for everyone.
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Author: sfalexi
Date: 2011-06-02 20:16
clarimeister,
I pretty much agree. I like the vandoren optimum because it's very quick to put on and off the mouthpiece. But it certainly seems to let the higher "partials"(?) out which makes the reed sound a little brighter than a leather ligature. However the leather ligature, to me, seems to dull the response time for tonguing. What I do is I carry around a few ligatures. I have an optimum, a rovner eddie daniels, and a rovner mkIII. Depending on how the reed feels, I switch ligatures. the brighter the reed, the more leather I put on it. The 'duller' the reed, the more metal I put on it.
Alexi
PS - A really good ligature I used to have was the Francois Louis ligature. Only thing is it's a PAIN to line up and pretty fragile. So I compromised for the multiple ligatures.
US Army Japan Band
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Author: Red Chair
Date: 2011-06-02 22:07
Vandiren ligs are all available left or right handed. Not sure who stocks both options apart from buying direct at 56 Rue Lepic where everything is available from my experience.
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Author: ned
Date: 2011-06-03 01:32
David Blumberg writes: ''If you're a Clarinetist, there really isn't a right handed, or left handed issue....''
There is if you are a leftie trying to tighten a ligature with your right hand!
It's a ''right handed'' world - I've learnt to live with it - that does not mean it's easy for lefties though.
Bear that in mind you right handers - how would YOU like the opposite situation to be the rule?
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Author: Buster
Date: 2011-06-03 02:12
ned,
If you're in Australia, but are left-handed isn't that the same as being right-handed in the Northern Hemisphere
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Author: ned
Date: 2011-06-03 03:53
Buster writes: ''ned, If you're in Australia, but are left-handed isn't that the same as being right-handed in the Northern Hemisphere''
No Buster...................I think you are confusing this with the direction of the flow of the bath water down the plug hole here!
Some say we are standing upside down in the SH, but consider this. Were an alien to approach Earth in his space ship ''on his head'', so to speak, then the SH would be ''up'' and the NH would be ''down''.
The earliest cartographers travelled from the north of course, so that became the default orientation.
And............because there are more right handers than left handers, it's a right handed world, again by default.
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Author: ned
Date: 2011-06-06 01:58
Katfish writes: ''Have you tried Velcro? Mine is a Home Depot( I think).''
I think you are doing yourself a disservice there. Don't you KNOW that you'll lose all of your upper partials, your tone will be suspect and that (more importantly) your reputation will suffer because people will see that you are not using a hugely expensive leather or gold ligature?
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Author: ned
Date: 2011-06-06 02:14
Katfish writes: ''Have you tried Velcro? Mine is a Home Depot( I think).''
I think you are doing yourself a disservice there. Don't you KNOW that you'll lose all of your upper partials, your tone will be suspect and that (more importantly) your reputation will suffer because people will see that you are not using a hugely expensive leather or gold ligature?
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Author: super20bu6
Date: 2011-06-06 13:15
And don't count out a Bois Ligature. Minimalist approach that I've had good luck with.
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Author: fernie51296
Date: 2011-06-13 04:09
vandoren klassic is the best in my opinion. sound of a string ligature but a bit easier to handle with (:
Fernando
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Author: fernie51296
Date: 2011-06-13 17:32
the klassik sounds beautiful as well. well it works for me. the best thing is to try them all out.
Fernando
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Author: cigleris
Date: 2011-06-13 23:46
Le9669
I used the Klassik in various orchestral and chamber settings and never had an issue being heard when needed. The player projects the ligature doesn't.
Peter Cigleris
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Author: Le9669
Date: 2011-06-14 01:34
Undoubtedly, the player is the one that plays the instrument. My point is the Klassik doesn't generate the same volume of sound or resonance as some other ligatures do. Not to undermine the ligature overall... Sure, you can be heard. But it's a lot more work for the player. Often times, you should ask yourself - can you be heard at really soft dynamics without the little extra "ping" that is generated from say metal ligatures? Will the audience hear you from the back of the hall during orchestral solos marked pp? This is of course my own opinion...
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Author: fernie51296
Date: 2011-06-14 03:00
i rathr sound nice than anything else. besides it projects fine. its not obnoxious sounding but it projects just fine
Fernando
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Author: clarinettist1104
Date: 2011-06-15 19:08
one point that I think has been missed when discussing whether or not the Vandoren Klassik does or does not project, is that the individual player's style, as well as the mouthpiece/reed/ligature/barrel/instrument combination is really what makes it happen. the combination of these aspects various so greatly from player to player. what works perfectly well for someone, may not project at all for someone else. that is one of the reasons why there are so many different makes and models of ligatures (and anything else, for that matter) on the market today.
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Author: fernie51296
Date: 2011-06-15 21:12
thank you clarinetist1104!
so be sure sure to try them all out including klassic! it works wonders with my viotto L-5 mouthpiece and oscar adler 325! it might work for you too!
Fernando
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Author: cigleris
Date: 2011-06-15 21:25
Clarinettist1104,
What you say is valid though I would suggest that instrument and barrel doesn't really affect the way the player projects. Mouthpiece/reed/ligature might. I would suggest again that the player is the one that projects the sound through the basic fundamentals in clarinet breathing, support, tonal concepts etc. Mouthpiece/reed/ligature/barrel/instrument are arbitrary IMHO.
Peter Cigleris
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