Author: WhitePlainsDave
Date: 2016-02-03 02:15
I've always associated metal ligatures with a slightly brighter reed sound/response that say leather/string/plastic, because a metal ligature can, all else equal, hold down the base of the reed strongest, and let the business end do the vibrating better than say leather/string.
This is not necessarily, IMHO, a good or bad thing for everyone, although it is a good thing for me (I like metal ligs). And of course I speak in generalities. A lousy metal lig doesn't hold much of anything.
With leather/plastic/string ligatures, some of this vibration energy--for better or worse--can be transferred to the parts of the reed that touch the mouthpiece, and ergo the mouthpiece itself.
This is analogous to trying to cut a piece of wood held "looser that tight" in a vice. Some of the energy that would normally help the saw to do ts job is compromised in the wood's vibration (i.e. acceptance of some of the saw's energy) with the saw's motion, taking it away from the saw.
Of course with cutting, normally, such energy transfer is bad. With clarinet play, this might be by design and a good or user preferred thing; also far more subtle.
I'm not sure if this conflicts with Mr. Bernardo's reported response one has with metal ligatures, or his explanation behind it. But bottom line, a mouthpiece that's vibrating is, all else equal, taking away energy that could go to reed vibration--again, whether good/bad or by design/unintended is user specific, but not subject to scientific debate regarding the physics.
I am of the opinion that metal's rigidity minimizes vibration in all but the business end of the reed, maximizing the amount of energy in one's embouchure/blow going to the reed vibrating.
There are exceptions to these generalities, badly designed products notwithstanding. Some, myself including, report Silverstein ligatures to play like metal ones despite being classified as string ligatures. I suspect this has in large part to do with the fact that the same chord used to make the ligature was used to actually lower planetary rover equipment (no joke) from landed (but slightly higher up) spacecraft, and like metal, that string/cord has (by design, and why it was chosen for both applications here) little "give" on expansion energy applied to it.
Then again, if resistance to expansion is your thing, mason line, available at any box store, has by design the same attributes--and it comes in pretty fluorescent colors too (which at least serves a purpose: the ability to be seen.)
To point regarding the sarcasm: I believe the Silverstein ligature line, and many others like it, to certainly meet the requirements of a good ligature (e.g. reliable hold/screws etc.), but be absurdly overpriced for attributes that otherwise, for 99.99% of clarinet players (that's right, 1 in 10,000--maybe higher) what subtle benefits it might supply aren't worth how that money could be better spent (to improve your play or life.)
Yes, "your mileage might vary"--but cryogenics on the Silverstein metal--really?
We may differ on what our favorite ligature is, but we should not disagree (those being professionally endorsed notwithstanding) on what to look for in a favorite ligature.
Our favorite ligature is reliable, and is the one that lets us play our best, at a price that doesn't take our money away from other expenditures that can better improve our play (or lives), like good teachers, etude books, metronomes, or even the babysitter that affords us practice time, or the extra time we get to practice not having to take an extra shift at work to pay for the "Silverstein."
For the vast majority of us, here it is:
http://shop.weinermusic.com/STANDARD-Bb-CLARINET-LIGATURE/productinfo/LK1N/
Ain't she a beauty (no preference or discrimination towards Weiner Music, a very reputable firm IMHO, intended).
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Finally, in the sake of full disclosure, I don't play this lig. In fact I play a name brand one: a Vandoren M/O.....but only because its double threaded screws allow me the ease of getting reeds (something that matters a whole lot) I'm adjusting on and off the mouthpiece quickly.
What others think their ligatures does for play confuses me given Drucker's use of the same no-name lig for years, despite his willingness to try new things (enormous collection of mouthpieces), ability to afford them, the genius to benefit from true subtle lig. improvements, and the fact that manufacturers would not only supply him with such product for free, but pay him to use it.
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