Author: Bob Barnhart ★2017
Date: 2020-06-19 18:39
I will say up front that I believe ligatures can make a difference for (1) some people and (2) for some mouthpieces, mostly because they can change the "feel" of the mouthpiece/reed combination and may therefore influence how one plays a particular setup.
I also believe a given ligature may not be the "best" on all mouthpiece/reed combinations. I have several favorite mouthpieces and may use a different ligature for each one for different reasons. For example, a bright-sounding mouthpiece might be best served with a ligature that absorbs high-partials somewhat, e.g., a fabric ligature or one that uses a soft contact patch. A free mouthpiece might be best served with a ligature that "compacts" the sound somewhat, e.g., a Bonade-style ligature. A resistant mouthpiece might be best served with a ligature that allows the reed to vibrate more, e.g., the Vandoren Optimum (with horizontal ribs) or M/O.
Several notable players play the BD5 and I recall that they play a variety of ligatures with it, including the BG Duo, Vandoren Optimum, M/O, and Leather, as well as the Silversteins.
Personally, I consider the BD5 (which is among my favorites) to be a rather "dark", "resistant" mouthpiece, so when I play it, I want something that encourages vibrational freedom/flexibility. I have tried a variety of ligatures with it and find that, for me, the Optimum (with horizontal ribs) and M/O work yield more freedom when I play it. I have both Black and Gold M/Os, and while the Black is "freer", I prefer the Gold as I find that with it, the sound feels rounder to me.
I have a number of colleagues who have/play Silverstein ligatures, but I don't have that kind of money any more. However, some years ago I began fabricating a VERY light ligature design from (18-20 gauge) hookup wire to test the Silverstein concepts. While this must be custom-fit to a given mouthpiece/reed combination, I (and others who have tried it) find it places minimal restriction on reed vibration and yields a very full/round sound. I actually prefer it to any other ligature I can afford, on any mouthpiece that I have. I recently made one to fit my Behn Prescott mouthpieces (whose large bodies required using one of my Rovners) and found that it significantly mitigates the resistance I felt when playing them.
Anyway, good luck in your search!
Bob Barnhart
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