 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: MillerMile
Date: 2016-08-28 03:46
Hello,
I am getting a Viotto N1 to try, and will probably by White Master Traditional Strength 3 for it. The guy said I should get cord or a similar ligature.
Where do you get mouthpiece cord ( and what is it called if not that)?
What is the cheapest ligature that will fit this mouthpiece?
Also, I kind of like the idea of tying my mouthpiece so I would prefer to know what cord most people use that DO tie theirs on.
Whatever it is, I need it within two weeks.
Thanks,
Josh Miller
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2016-08-28 05:13
Ordinary kitchen twine (thicker than kite string) or a shoelace work fine and cost next to nothing. The German cord is called a Blattschnur and is available from German sources for a few dollars. It's black and looks nicer than white string, but the playing qualities are indistinguishable.
If the Viotto is smooth on the outside (rather than having grooves to hold the string, any ligature will work. The the cheapest one (around $5) and bend it so the metal doesn't touch the edges of the bark.
Ken Shaw
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Author: derf5585
Date: 2016-08-28 06:20
$2 Shoelaces or a $70 Vandoren? The ultimate Ligature showdown.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ghMCiV8hTg
fsbsde@yahoo.com
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Author: kenb
Date: 2016-08-28 06:49
Look for a tightly braided round shoelace, 2-3mm in diameter. Lay the lace lengthwise down the centre of the reed, hold it in place with your thumb. Make your first loop at the top and wind down. Tuck the end of the lace under the last loop. There's a YouTube video of someone doing this, but they don't first make a 'spine' of the lace before winding, which seems to improve response.
(Then buy a good bottle of wine with the money you've saved by not shelling out for the latest whizz-bang offering)
Post Edited (2016-08-28 07:02)
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2016-08-29 02:56
I bought some 2mm thick waxed braided cord used in jewellery making and that does a good job. You can either seal the ends with superglue or leave them to fray a bit - this kind of cord won't fray or unravel easily.
We have a German clarinettist in our band who plays Oehler system and he said his teacher would use the same piece cord until it's too short to wind around anymore. Then he just gets another piece and uses that until it too becomes too short to be of any use.
You want around 52" of cord (4'4" or 132cm) for good coverage.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2016-08-29 03:15
A whole spool will!
Maybe braid it (with a four way braid for evenness) and then braid the braids to make it much thicker.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2016-08-29 03:56
I wouldn't use dental floss. It's too easy to wrap extra tight, which could distort the mouthpiece. Stick with standard cord or an inexpensive metal ligature. With the metal one, tighten the screws snug and then back off 1/4 turn. This works every time for me.
Ken Shaw
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2016-08-29 04:21
Or get a standard Rovner fabric ligature - they're not stupidly expensive and will last for aeons. Plus they will stay put on the mouthpiece and will put even pressure across the heel of your reeds and won't mark anything.
http://www.howarth.uk.com/pic.aspx?pid=34863
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: beejay
Date: 2016-09-07 14:32
You can stop the string fraying by dabbing some nail varnish on the end.
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Author: dorjepismo ★2017
Date: 2016-09-07 16:57
The German stuff is relatively soft. Most of it now seems to be braided cotton, although I got some out of nylon or something like it at the Wurlitzer workshop in the '70s. I asked him how much, and he replied, "Ich habe kein Verkauf für Schnur." Craft stores usually have a variety of strings of the appropriate diameter to try. Different kinds of string can give you very different experiences. I suspect the soft stuff is favored because you can get a little more tension with it. I tried different kinds of shoelaces, and none of them ever came close to what the Germans use. Oddly, just about every American and Briton I've seen tie the string wraps it clockwise, and most Germans I've seen wrap it anti-clockwise. There's probably some profiling one could do with that, but it doesn't seem to make any difference in how it plays. If you wrap it clockwise in front of some Germans, though, they might trade knowing glances. I'd suggest getting some of the German stuff, and then seeing what you can get locally that behaves the same way. It doesn't really wear out much.
Post Edited (2016-09-07 17:01)
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2016-09-07 17:27
Attachment: blattschnur 001.JPG (694k)
Attachment: blattschnur 002.JPG (680k)
I wind the cord on towards me, so I suppose that's in an anticlockwise direction. See attached photos.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: Micke Isotalo ★2017
Date: 2016-09-08 00:50
The Wurlitzer string has a core which I believe is elastic, and an outer layer of another material. Thus it behaves differently than standard shoelace. On some mouthpieces I prefer the Vandoren Klassik, which is the stringlike one (quite expensive though). In my experience the Klassik gives a softer grip of the reed than string, which may be beneficial with some mouthpieces/reeds.
Micke Isotalo
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2016-09-08 01:47
If you've got a concave table you might want to use string to get the heel to conform to it by getting more tension on the string when binding the middle of the heel.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: derf5585
Date: 2016-09-08 07:14
Is it better to string a string clockwise or counterclockwise?
And with all these digital clocks will the next generation be able to "read" an analog clock?
fsbsde@yahoo.com
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Author: dorjepismo ★2017
Date: 2016-09-08 16:08
So far, any mystical properties derived from the direction in which one wraps the string haven't seemed to be audible. That isn't to say that wrapping in the wrong direction won't get you on a list you don't want to be on at the NSA, though.
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Author: mddds
Date: 2016-09-09 19:00
to address the OP's original query:
here is a link to a commercially available string ligature, though i don't know if it's the cheapest:
<www.thomann.de/intl/koelbl_mundstueckschnur_fuer_klarinette.htm>
hope that helps.
-CK
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2016-09-09 19:19
You can buy 3 metres (enough to string two mouthpieces) of 2mm thick waxed braided cotton cord off eBay for 99p (GB£) with free postage as opposed to £2.05 for under half that (1.4m) from Thomann.
<www.thomann.de/intl/koelbl_mundstueckschnur_fuer_klarinette.htm>
I just checked the US eBay site and it's on sale there starting at 99c.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: dorjepismo ★2017
Date: 2016-09-09 23:20
For a good time, try https://www.session.de/Blasinstrumente/Mundstuecke-fuer-Holzblasinstrumente/Blattschrauben-und-Kapseln/2/?&navigation=true. Screen 2 has Wurlizer string, though it doesn't mention a separate core and outer layer, and screen 4 has the cheaper Arnold & Sons product, along with the dreaded Alex Niko Snake ligature, which is guaranteed to be noticed! Never run into waxed German ligature string.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2016-09-09 23:52
The Kölbl cord is the same braided cord they use for the string on oboe pullthroughs.
The waxed braided cord is waxed in the sense of having a lightly polished finish (instead of dull) but isn't impregnated with wax nor sticky like candle wick. It doesn't leave any residue on the mouthpiece.
Why pay over the odds for a bit of string?
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: dorjepismo ★2017
Date: 2016-09-10 00:50
If it sounds and feels the same when you use it to tie clarinet reeds to a mouthpiece, no reason at all. If it sounds and feels different, then it depends on which sounds and feels better. Who knows which it will be? Basically, you don't know until you do a comparison. It makes sense to do a comparison against something people who have used string for a couple hundred years use, because they probably use it as the result of a cultural trial and error process. Anyway, there's no substitute for trying the stuff yourself.
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Author: TomS
Date: 2016-09-10 17:00
String.
But, try rubber O-rings ... works well and opens up the sound.
Tom
Post Edited (2016-09-29 06:26)
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Author: MusicalMoon
Date: 2016-09-29 00:41
If you take a lighter to the end of it to prevent fraying, nylon paracord works pretty nicely. Waterproof and durable. And you can typically buy it cheaply in large quantities so you can cut it to the required link and have plenty to spare to make more if needed.
Jordan Thrall
JThrall Music
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNbFWUtD92z4VCnus9TMoFg
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Author: mankan
Date: 2016-10-28 23:35
I've used textile shoestrings from soccer shoes a couple of years now. Perfect for me. Easy to tie and keeps the reed perfectly tight to the mouthpiece.without any destuctive compression to the reed. Best choice ever.
mankan
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Author: KSCop
Date: 2016-10-29 02:32
Earspasm had a fun video about ligatures. He found no real difference in tone among any of them.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ghMCiV8hTg
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Author: Sean.Perrin
Date: 2016-10-29 09:22
Check out the ones by Vientos Bambú! 12 colours. Great product. Great people.
(Disclaimer, I sell them on my site. They are the best-selling product and people love them.)
Founder and host of the Clarineat Podcast: http://www.clarineat.com
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Author: ClarinetRobt
Date: 2016-11-01 18:48
I'll second TomS' recommendation to try o-rings. I sell them for .49/ea in my hardware store. Easy to get on/off and certainly does the job for next to nothing.
~Robt L Schwebel
Mthpc: Behn Vintage
Lig: Ishimori, Behn Delrin
Reed: Legere French Cut 3.75/4, Behn Brio 4
Horns: Uebel Superior (Bb,A), Ridenour Lyrique, Buffet R13 (Eb)
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