 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Richie
Date: 2016-08-17 04:19
So many professional players have become Silverstein artists recently. I've personally never tried one, but might soon. But is it as good as they say, or a marketing sham?
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Author: Matt74
Date: 2016-08-17 06:11
I found this very interesting. I think they change the way the clarinet feels or plays more than the sound.
https://youtu.be/6ghMCiV8hTg
- Matthew Simington
Post Edited (2016-08-17 06:16)
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Author: maxopf
Date: 2016-08-17 06:21
I just spent 4 weeks playing at the Idyllwild Symphony/Chamberfest, and at one point a representative from RDG woodwinds drove up with some gear to try. All of the clarinetists and the three clarinet teachers held a masterclass, and we listened to each person trying out the equipment.
I was using a standard silver Bonade at the time. I tried the silver and gold Silversteins and two nickel Bonades, standard and inverted. Everyone immediately liked how I sounded with the standard Bonade, and I bought it on the spot. Nobody liked how the Silversteins sounded on anyone's setup; they just took out too much of the highs and left a dull sound. We all agreed that the gold Silverstein sounded better than the silver one.
Doesn't mean it wouldn't work for other people — just not for me and the other clarinetists who tried it at the time.
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Author: Bennett ★2017
Date: 2016-08-17 07:52
Great comment on the video Matt74 posted above -(bass clarinet being played with a variety of ligatures):
Wow! Where do I buy that shoelace?!?
It is a Backun shoelace. They sell those also in Mahogany brown.
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Author: Matt74
Date: 2016-08-17 09:19
I liked the wood clamp.
Like he says in the video, they do make a difference in sound, but it's not radical. Although I haven't played one, I do like the Silverstein design. I imagine that the weight of the ligature has as much effect as how it holds the reed. (Like some trumpet players who use heavy mouthpieces.) That said, a lot of great clarinetists used, and still use, simple metal ligatures. German pros effectively use the shoe string.
- Matthew Simington
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Author: Jeroen
Date: 2016-08-17 13:17
The Silverstein is a good one. The standard one can indeed sound a bit dull. The Cryo Gold is a bit brighter. Depending on your setup and personal taste of course.
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Author: dorjepismo ★2017
Date: 2016-08-17 17:06
Played one of the silver ones they don't make anymore for over a year, and like it, in particular, better than Rovners and an old Harrison I have. I alternate using it and string, depending on the need for projection. Bought a Cryo for the Eb and it's significantly better than the stock one that came with the instrument. Tried a champagne gold at ClarinetFest and thought it sounded better than the silver, but can't justify the cost difference; I keep visualizing the look on my wife's face if I were ever to admit what it costs. But ligatures are highly personal and also depend a lot on the setup. They aren't snake oil, though. Played snake oil, and this isn't it.
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2016-08-17 18:37
Silverstein makes great ligatures, fully as good as a German Blasttschnur (string) or a tweaked Bonade. IMHO, they cost about 20 times what they're worth, and the marketing oil has as much snake in it as it's possible to get.
To find the right ligature, start with your left thumb. Then go to string and then to the cheapest, lightest metal ligature you can find, bent with needle-nose pliers so that the metal doesn't touch the edges of the bark. That was plenty for Kal Opperman and is still plenty for Richard Stoltzman.
Harold Wright used a Bonade for his entire career, as did Robert Marcellus. When you can outplay them, then consider something else. Otherwise, save your money and avoid the snake.
Ken Shaw
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Author: Ed
Date: 2016-08-17 18:41
Quote:
Everyone immediately liked how I sounded with the standard Bonade, and I bought it on the spot.
I like the ring and resonance of the standard Bonade. These days with all of the boutique ligatures available, they often get overlooked, but are still a great choice for many players.
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Author: gwie
Date: 2016-08-17 21:45
I keep a pair of thin pliers in my case for immediate adjustment of out-of-regulation Bonade ligatures! Got my practice fixing hundreds of them for students and colleagues.
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Author: chamberguy
Date: 2016-08-18 01:18
Can someone explain exactly what is done with the pliers? I have a standard(unchanged) inverted Bonade and I think it is quite fine, so I'd need to be convinced a little to fool with it. But if Opperman and Stoltzman do it, then I'd like to try too!
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Author: Ed
Date: 2016-08-18 05:12
The idea is that the rails are the only part contacting the reed, so that the bands are not touching the sides. The concept is that it will make the reed freer and more vibrant. Some other styles of ligatures hold the reed uniformly across. It all depends on what you like and what works for you.
If you have one that you really like you may not want to mess with it, but try it on a spare just in case.
Post Edited (2016-08-18 05:13)
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Author: super20bu6
Date: 2016-08-18 05:41
While I DID succumb to the hype...and got a silver Silverstein for Bass Clarinet..... Didn't notice any big difference for me from the Black Nickel and wouldn't justify the difference for the Cyro Gold. Now that I plunked the money down...I never really was nutz over the thing...it was better than what I had (Rovner Platinum)...but still not what I wanted. It's open sounding...but not what I was hearing in my head...not the sound I wanted. I'm currently giving a brass Francois Louis a test that is SO much better than the Rovner Platinum. I've not tried a Bonade...but may at some point. NOT a professional player....but a good amateur with an excellent community band. Like others have said and will say, your miles will vary and your response with your particular mouthpiece and instrument will vary. For what it's worth, I use a Leblanc Low C Bass Clarinet with a MoBa Bass + Mouthpiece.
Mark T
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Author: Ed Palanker
Date: 2016-08-18 16:51
Although I've neve tried this ligature I have tried a great many. Many years ago i wrote a camparison article in the Clarinet journal of about eight popular ligatures at the time. I'm a big advocate of a ligature making a difference in your sound and especially in the response of the reed. With that said though, the sound difference in usually very slight and mostly heard more to the player than the audience. Of course if you feel better in comfort you can sound a little better to the listener as well. I've found most of the tonal difference in ligatures is in brightness, brilliance or darkness. That's because some ligature dampen the overtones and some emphasize them more. It also depends on how high or low you place it on the mouthpiece and how loose or tight you make it. There are many variables involved. The only way you can tell if one plays better for you is to try them. Just like mouthpeces and reeds, not everyone sounds the same on any of them. My opinion is that for the price they sell for it better make you sound or feel a lot better. Some players sound great on a piece of string.
ESP eddiesclarinet.com
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Author: sfalexi
Date: 2016-08-18 20:53
It's a good ligature. Like backun products, I think their marketing department is vastly superior than the products themselves, but the products ARE good products.
Like backun, I wouldn't even begin to think of a 1 to 1 ration of increase in price and increase in quality over your standard products. I DO think they're better, just not that many dollars better.
Just my opinion. (And yes, I do own and use Silverstein ligatures because I could swing the total cost of two ligatures, but no I do not own or use backun barrels and bells because I couldn't justify in my head the cost of that combination)
Alexi
US Army Japan Band
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Author: Ed Palanker
Date: 2016-08-20 17:42
Finding the best barrel, and bell, can make a world of difference as compared to a ligature. If a Backun barrel, or other make, can make your clarinet play more in tune, a ligature can't, or the bell can make certian notes better in tune, either is worth the price when using a $4K-5K clarinet. As I always and keep saying, you have to try any clarinet piece to know if it's best for you and makes you a better player.
ESP eddiesclarinet.com
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