 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Simon
Date: 2002-11-18 01:34
Hi all,
Another question on Ligatures. I am not a pro so execuse my arrogance.
I have been reading postings on the BB on ligatures, however I am still confused as to how a different types ligatures ( i.e. rovner , leblanc etc etc ) would improve ones playing ability. I am very interested to know and prepared to spend money if it will improve my ability. I have a LeBlanc LX 185 , B45 and mitchell lorry 2.5 reed and the ligature that came with Leblanc. I have another ligature ( don't know the brand) made out of tough plastic with two screws. I see alot of postings about Rovner & Lyre. Would these be O.K. for my set up?
Any help is most appreciated.
Simon
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Author: Allison
Date: 2002-11-18 04:14
I have a Rovner ligature and Mitchell Laurie 3 Reed. It seems to work well for me, but I would recommend going to a music store and asking to try some ligatures. I have played on metal one (I don't recommend these because they are too easy to crank too tight), the plastic one you mentioned and the Rovener. It all depends on how you want it to sound and the "feeling" you like.
As for improving playing ability...I don't think that ligatures can improve this, but as for sound quality they can improve a lot. Getting a new mouthpiece and ligature can make a big difference.
Good Luck!
Allison
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Author: Mark Pinner
Date: 2002-11-18 08:39
Ligatures do not make that much difference. There seems to be a hell of a lot of discussion about them on this bulletin board and the way people go on it seems that they believe that a ligature can turn them into a great player. A great player can play on anything. It is like the search for the perfect reed.
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Author: nzdonald
Date: 2002-11-18 09:00
i don't think anyone really believes that a ligature will make them a "better player" but many people do think that one ligature may help get a certain result by emphasising a certain quality that another may not.
i played on a Rovener for many years before swapping over to a metal ligature- at the time i was very concerned with what i called "jump" in my sound/articulation. The change in ligature didn't improve me per se, but was one part of a process in which i learnt to sucessfully make the sound i wanted to hear.
donald
ps it's Mitchell LURIE
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Author: d dow
Date: 2002-11-18 10:41
Currently I use the Rovner Dark and the Bonade metal...
not so sure about the quality control on the new Bonade inverted ligature though....
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Author: jez
Date: 2002-11-18 12:19
I think the over-tightening problem is the other way round.
A rovner will keep tightening till it puts an enormous pressure on the mp and warp it, metal will go so tight and stop or split.
jez
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Author: GBK
Date: 2002-11-18 12:51
d dow wrote:
"...not so sure about the quality control on the new Bonade inverted ligature though...."
Most of the new Bonade ligatures need to be adjusted (read: bent) so the sides of the ligature do not contact the edge of the reed, thus defeating the original design...GBK
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Author: Zane K
Date: 2002-11-18 14:02
Simon,
Only practice can improve your playing ability. However, a good ligature can make a difference (albeit limited) in your sound and ease of play. Choice of a ligature, just like a choice of the mouthpiece, is very personal, and many players switch between ligatures often. I get the best results with my Vandoren B45 mpc and Gigliotti ligature.
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Author: Ralph G
Date: 2002-11-18 14:51
A good ligature can make all the difference between a clarinet that looks cool and one that looks plain.
Seriously, I'm not that well-versed in how one lig improves sound quality over another, but I do seem to get better results with an inverted lig. That's the main reason I use a Harrison. But I'd like to try a BG Tradition Gold, only because it looks cool.
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2002-11-18 16:42
GBK wrote:
>
> Most of the new Bonade ligatures need to be adjusted (read:
> bent) so the sides of the ligature do not contact the edge of
> the reed, thus defeating the original design...
Most of the old ones are exactly the same (including non-parallel rails). I've looked at Bonades at least 15 years old and they look just like today's ... unfortunately.
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Author: GBK
Date: 2002-11-18 17:01
Mark..The newer Bonades are coming through with the sides of the ligature making contact with the reed. Whether this is due to misalignment in the inside ribs or the inside plates not being close enough to the outside edges of the reed, it is a problem that must be corrected.
This serious problem has been noted by many, including Greg Smith, in this thread (of many):
http://www.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/read.html?f=1&i=58490&t=58401 ...GBK
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Author: Sylvain
Date: 2002-11-18 18:08
In my opinion there are 3 kinds of ligatures:
Fabric (e.g. rovner), metal (e.g. bonade) and a combination of boths (e.g. BG).
The common understanding is that fabric brings a darker sound by suppressing the higher harmonics in your sound and metal gives a somewhat brighter sound.
Different designs bring more clarity to the articulation or more freedom to the reed or more flexibility.
I think it is a good idea to own one fabric and one metal. I am personnaly a metal guy but found a fabric lig useful palying chamber music in very live rooms.
The type of ligature and the specific design might make you more comfortable playing staccato or play large intervals legato.
Go to your local store try a few and buy the one you feel the most comfortable with.
-S
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Author: Bob
Date: 2002-11-18 20:39
Personally I don't think that different ligs make much difference in my sound. I do like to tighten just one screw,however, and find it more convenient than 2 screw ligs.
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Author: Simon
Date: 2002-11-18 20:58
Thanks to all of you . You have been most grateful.
Well I won't get over excited over a ligature then, however I endevour to try a few.
Now I am concerned that I may have worped my MP by over tightening with my plastic ligature.
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2002-11-19 01:54
GBK wrote:
>
> Mark..The newer Bonades are coming through with the sides
> of the ligature making contact with the reed.
15 year old ones did, too - the curvature was incorrect back then, too.
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Author: GBK
Date: 2002-11-19 02:30
Mark is correct. As I do not use Bonade ligatures (however, many of my students do), I checked a new (old stock, unused) Bonade ligature, purchased in the late 70's, which I had on the shelf in my studio.
The same problem is apparent...GBK
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Author: Gregory Smith
Date: 2002-11-19 02:30
That's why, in reference to my earlier posts that GBK so kindly linked, it's important to either use the technique of bending the bands back into their intended place or to use a 20 year old one as I am
Gregory Smith
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Author: GBK
Date: 2002-11-19 02:44
After Greg's posting, I rechecked my (more than 20 year old) new Bonade ligature. At least with my mouthpiece, it would take some adjusting to work as it was intended by design...GBK
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Author: nzdonald
Date: 2002-11-19 09:17
i've thought about this before but never mentioned it..... why doesn't someone do an article or webpage with photographs showing the intended shape and method of bending the Bonade ligature. I've heard Bonades ex pupils talk about this procedure, and "his method" using pliers (there is also mention of this in The Clarinet, printed shortly after Bonades death if i remember correctly). Both my Bonade ligature have been "bent" so it doesn't really affect me, but it would be useful to be able to direct "young Bonade users" to such a resource.
by the way- i definately noticed an improvement in the performance of these ligatures after the magic bending procedure was was performed, but two nz clarinet players who use Bonade inverted ligatures looked at me like i was a lunatic when i described the ritual to them.
donald
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Author: Wayne
Date: 2002-11-21 00:02
I personally use a Hite Premier, Vandy Optimum lig and Fibracell synthetic reeds and love them a lot better than stock MPC's & ligs.
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