 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: n
Date: 2020-01-26 04:28
I was recommended to purchase plastic ligatures by a friend. Is there any benefit to this? I searched around online a bit and not many companies manufacture them... any info on this?
Thanks,
N
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Author: Bonnie
Date: 2020-01-26 05:47
You might want to look at the Luyben ligature, as well:
https://www.wwbw.com/Luyben-L2215-Bb-Clarinet-Ligature-462602.wwbw?source=TWWR5J1BC&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIm9_E95Gg5wIVwZyzCh069w60EAAYASAAEgJ3s_D_BwE#productDetail
bdskees@comcast.net
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Author: Tom H
Date: 2020-01-26 05:51
I used one for a while in the early '70s. Well, I used a lot of different ligatures, including the waxed string thing. I found no noticeable difference. I wouldn't spend much money on any ligature.
The Most Advanced Clarinet Book--
tomheimer.ampbk.com/ Sheet Music Plus item A0.1001315, Musicnotes product no. MB0000649.
Boreal Ballad for unaccompanied clarinet-Sheet Music Plus item A0.1001314.
Musicnotes product no. MNO287475
Post Edited (2020-01-26 05:51)
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Author: kdk ★2017
Date: 2020-01-26 07:29
n wrote:
> I was recommended to purchase plastic ligatures by a friend. Is
> there any benefit to this?
Why did your friend recommend a plastic ligature? Especially since he/she doesn't seem to have recommended a specific one.
There's nothing inherently better about plastic. You have to pick a ligature based on the way you think it affects your playing. Whether it's made of plastic, metal, leather, cloth or waxed string doesn't really matter.
Karl
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Author: Tony F
Date: 2020-01-26 10:09
I've used the Luyben ligature for some years. They're inexpensive and do everything a good ligature is supposed to do, and I've never had one slide off a mouthpiece, whether it be glass, rubber or plastic.
Tony F.
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Author: n
Date: 2020-01-26 11:16
I talked to my friend again. He is in fact using ligatures from Luyben, and I did check them out. They seem to be good for their price, I ordered 2 just in case.
Thanks again,
N
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Author: Bob Bernardo
Date: 2020-01-26 15:47
I think plastic is fine, if it's hard enough and it doesn't have to be exceedingly hard. If the material is too soft is can provide a darker sound, but you can lose the overtones and fool your ear. We need overtones. Heavy ligatures, such as the Harrison may not work as well because of articulation. Don't take my word on this. Test for yourself.
I did a blind test when working at Rico. Plastic ligatures and very light weight won out. Surprisingly a Bonade inverted won. During this test I was blindfolded and another musician was changing the ligatures.
So every embouchure is different. Even the thickness or thinness of your lips will change the sound and the feel.
Designer of - Vintage 1940 Cicero Mouthpieces and the La Vecchia mouthpieces
Yamaha Artist 2015
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Author: kilo
Date: 2020-01-26 18:58
Luyben ligatures are fine. They even come in a choice of colors! Another good plastic lig is the Robert Vinson Equa-Tone. If you're pleased with the response you get on a $15.00 ligature you can halt the quest right there and save yourself buckets of money.
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Author: Bennett ★2017
Date: 2020-01-26 22:45
When you drop a plastic ligature on the floor while the rest of the orchestra is playing ppp you won't incur the conductor's wrath.
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Author: kdk ★2017
Date: 2020-01-27 00:15
Bennett wrote:
> When you drop a plastic ligature on the floor while the rest of
> the orchestra is playing ppp you won't incur the
> conductor's wrath.
>
But he won't be happy when you knock the music off your stand or knock the whole stand over trying to retrieve the ligature, which may have bounced almost anywhere. ![[wink]](http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/smileys/smilie3.gif)
Karl
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Author: Hank Lehrer
Date: 2020-01-27 00:44
Hi,
I still have my original Luyben ligature from the 1970s plus some newer editions. I believe that the molds for the original ligature were redone several years ago since they had lost some of the fine detail.
Also, I regularly play a Gigliotti ligature. I modified mine with a Dremel and removed the middle portion of the two center ribs leaving only a small bit at each end. This really made an improvement in the response of the reed. The change was much like removing the center section of an inverted Bonade ligature. There is just a little bit of contact holding the reed at the four corners..
HRL
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Author: Tom H
Date: 2020-01-27 01:45
Don't laugh. Back in maybe 1975 I was playing Principal in the symphony (regular guy was away) and dropped my reed (and ligature I think) on the floor when fooling around with it prior to a big solo in the Dvorak. Conductor (also a clarinetist) later said that he knew the solo was upcoming and was concerned to see my chair empty.
The Most Advanced Clarinet Book--
tomheimer.ampbk.com/ Sheet Music Plus item A0.1001315, Musicnotes product no. MB0000649.
Boreal Ballad for unaccompanied clarinet-Sheet Music Plus item A0.1001314.
Musicnotes product no. MNO287475
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Author: donald
Date: 2020-01-27 04:00
While I find the sound I get using a Luyben ligature not to my liking I think it's a pretty good product (and know at least one pro clarinet player who did a concerto performance using one, plus met a German soloist who cuts them in half and just uses the smaller half on his German mouthpiece instead of string).
One advantage - I like these for student use, as standing/sitting/squashing them doesn't seem to do any damage.
re the Vinson ligature- I quite like these, and used to use one for teaching until i gave it to a student and never saw it again... I've been meaning to buy another for ages but never get around to it... the difference is very very very slight, but I DO think they sound a little better than the Luyben.
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Author: donald
Date: 2020-01-27 12:03
It appears that the Vinson plastic ligature is "unavailable" at a number of of vendors. Does anyone know if it is still being made, or if there is a store somewhere that still has them in stock?
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Author: TomS
Date: 2020-01-28 10:53
I often use a Luyben when using a Legere European Signature reed. The little bumps keep the ligature from crushing the sides of the plastic reed. The Spriggs floating rail ligature might be a better solution.
I've noticed that the Luyben ligature seem to play darker and with a little more resistance. Amazing that we can hear/feel the difference in something that just holds the reed on the MP!
Tom
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