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Ligatures General ligature question

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ptg

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Hello!

The cheap metal lig for my alto needs to be replaced.

I see on the web that you can go anywhere from 10 dollars to 200 dollars for a new one and am wondering if there really is a huge difference as far as tone and sustain goes as far as the lig is concerned.

Any and all ligature comments/info would be appreciated!

Thank you!
 
Some people (including me) think that the ligature makes a difference to the sound, whereas others think it doesn’t.
It can be a hotly debated topic. As can the matter of whether a two-screw ligature is better than a single screw one.
(Possibly because it allows the user to apply different pressures to the front and back of the reed.)
But for just about all of us, the most important thing about a ligature is that it keeps the reed in place without fuss.

In general I like Rovner Dark ligatures because they are so easy to use and don’t slip and don’t scratch the mouthpiece. I don’t like metal 2-screw ligatures because they do tend to slip and they do scratch the mouthpiece. Other members will disagree.
On my classical mouthpieces I use Rovner Platinum because I think they sound richer. Again, other members will disagree.
On my tenor mouthpiece I have a Rovner Versa ligature that I bought in a fit of GAS.
And on my Alto mouthpiece I have a Rico H ligature that came with the mouthpiece.

Personally I am too stingy to spend 200 dollars on a Silverstein Cryogenically treated ligature, but I think they look cool. :cool:
 
In general, no, those fancy ligatures won't make much noticeable difference to your sound and the regular 2 screw metal lig works fine unless you've got a non standard diameter mouthpiece and it doesn't fit.
The main purpose of a ligature is to hold the reed in place securely and in correct alignment. Adjusting the tension and positioning may have a small effect on the response of the reed and some people may perceive a faster response as being more bright sounding..
It's a personal subjective thing that is debated endlessly on sax forums to little avail
I sometimes get tempted to buy some of the nicer looking ligatures just because they look nice, but never bother and stick with the good old metal ones
 
I found the two screw ligatures too fiddly to get it on and off the mp without scratching meant they had to be slackened so far that the screw would come out and then it was awkward to get it back in, it could be because they were the ones supplied with the mp were short, perhaps expensive ones are easier.
I bought a couple Rovner dark and have no problems easy to use, as to a better sound or anything else I don't know.
 
I find any sound difference is mostly only noticed by myself while playing and not in recordings, but only mostly. It makes a bigger difference with response for me. As already mentioned, everyone disagrees. If you can, get to a shop where they'll let you try some and see what you think.
 
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I recently changed my ligature from a standard metal 1-screw ligature to a Rovner (STAR SERIES Ligature). I like it, mostly because it is easy to use and keeps the reed in its place. When I first tried it, my wife said it sounded louder....... But maybe that was just because I was enthousiastic or something ........
My teacher sais he uses a rovner ligature (a more expensive model I think) on his soprano. According to him, the public won't notice the difference (meaning it doens't sound different) but he notices the difference (meaning he finds it is easier to play).
 
Here we go again...

Mouthpieces can have many inconsistencies through manufacturing inadequacies or age related wear or any number of reasons. When you get right down to it I suppose they are all microscopically different. Modern manufacturing techniques using modern materials try to eliminate these imperfections and then again, sometimes the imperfection works to the players advantage.

Some ligatures accommodate these small differences better than others. I'm sure this is what a player is feeling when a difference in response is felt. This brings security and a confidence to the player which allows the exploration of the now extended limits of flexibility in tone production.

Some tables are uneven and a ligature with a flexible construction will adapt to them better than another of more rigid construction. However once adapted it may not be able to adapt again to another piece with different anomalies.

I was able to play with two cable ties on alto when my ancient brass two screw lig let go at a gig. The cost of these cable ties was in the order of pence and they were a one shot solution so not very practical as a long term solution. Don't the Germans use string?

So having seen the blurb with some of the very expensive ligatures I'm of the opinion that it was written by a sales promoter, familiar with the terminology but not with playing.

We always blame the gear when we start out and the lure of a short cut is very tempting. That feeling when we buy a "problem solver" soon fades as we slip back into bad habits. Practice makes perfect.
 
ptg said:
Great thread, Jeanette! While I assumed the lig would have no great impact on sound, I found it interesting that some feel it easier to blow with different ligs!

BTW, all I could tell was that there were 2 different players. I was not able to discern any of the equipment changes...
Click to expand...

It was a fun and interesting thread to run, glad you liked it :)

Personally I'm not convinced there is any sound difference with ligs but I have noted response differences.

Jx
 
I use a Silverstein ligature. I have found that the moveable tone bars, change the reed response slightly. Enough that I feel the difference. I doubt any bystander can hear a difference,..even one with trained ears,
 
Some go with Rovner, I tend to go with BG single screw ligatures. Maybe cause that's what I grew up with... In France we can often get them at a good price and I think they are good.

I did notice some differences at times, but I mostly like the simplicity of the single screw!

The trouble with subjects like that is that the more you scratch the surface, the more opinions you get. So you end up with more questions than answers.
 
My ears are not nearly good enough to hear the tone differences between ligatures although I know they are there. I use Rovner Darks on all my horns. The are durable and very easy to use. I am practicing diligently every day to improve my tone.
 

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