Ligatures Ligatures don't matter?

[Ivan]

I use a Francoise Louis or Louis Francoise.... Because I like the look of it

Agree that reed placement is important

The claim that freezing a ligature alters tone is unscientific cobblers

 

[GCinCT]

An example (IMHO) is Theo Wanne's "enlightened" ligature that comes with (some/all?) his mouthpieces. Looks nice, but very poor design. Doesn't hold the reed firmly and is bulky. When you pull the mouthpiece off your horn, it always mucks up the reed alignment. It can also go out of alignment while playing. If you're in the market for buying a lig and buy one of Theo's, the only thing that will be [en] lightened will be you wallet.

I agree completely. The Theo Wanne Enlightened is by far the worst ligature I have ever played. The design makes no sense. I don't know what Theo was going for, but even if you manage to get it in place and keep it there (which is asking for a minor miracle) there is no great addition to tone, response or anything else that matters.

 

[Ivan]

The Theo Wanne Enlightened is by far the worst ligature I have ever played. The design makes no sense

You need the correct haute couture to make the lig function as intended

View: https://youtu.be/TB6S0YY-zpc


A polo neck and Zen beanie will balance the lig and allow freedom for hitherto unnoticed harmonics to come to the fore

Please note the polo neck should not extend above chin level or notes may become muffled

 

[6441]

It's starting to look like there are two distinct poles: Yes, they matter, and No, they don't.

I also think, knowing my own case, that if you have a very mature and stable embouchure, they probably matter less or not at all. If, like me, you're new at this, the reed can move from bad habits (biting, for one), etc. It's certainly possible to move the reed in the Syos ring ligatures, but that hasn't been a problem for me except in the circumstance where it wasn't tight enough. Since they have no screws to be adjusted, this is easier to do than with a classic ligature. They make up for that by the fact that they're faster to put on, and tighten than the screw models.

 

[GCinCT]

You need the correct haute couture to make the lig function as intended

View: https://youtu.be/TB6S0YY-zpc


A polo neck and Zen beanie will balance the lig and allow freedom for hitherto unnoticed harmonics to come to the fore

Please note the polo neck should not extend above chin level or notes may become muffled

So that's the secret!

 

[GCinCT]

From personal experience, I don't really find a difference in sound and very little in feel from one ligature to the next. I have on a couple of occasions, found a lig that just didn't work well with a particular mouthpiece. I do notice a difference in placement of the ligature. On my current set up, I get the best response and tone when I have the lig placed closer to the tip than what would be considered normal position.

That said, I certainly don't discount the experiences of others who notice a significant difference. In that regard, I would have to say that ligatures do make a difference. A big one for some players and for others, at least a difference in ease of function.

 

[Pete Effamy]

I agree with @nigeld - they have made a big (anything that isn’t “right” is big) difference to me over the years. Also to my ex-teacher who is a world renowned clarinet soloist and many of my pro mates.

Also agree about the Enlightened Wanne lig - rubbish.
My favourite ligs I’ve had - I’ve had many - are the Eddie Daniels Rovner, Rico H, and the Optimum. Even the H and Optimum have slight differences especially in attack in the low register and a little in sound too. How little? Well, big enough to annoy the crap out of me.

 

[Halfers]

You need the correct haute couture to make the lig function as intended

View: https://youtu.be/TB6S0YY-zpc


A polo neck and Zen beanie will balance the lig and allow freedom for hitherto unnoticed harmonics to come to the fore

Please note the polo neck should not extend above chin level or notes may become muffled

I learned something interesting from that video.

How to pronounce Wanne.

I have to admit, I don't spend a great deal of time thinking about Ligatures. Confession, I generally leave my lig and reed on the mouthpiece and the mouthpiece on the Sax. It's probably not a great idea, but I'm quite lazy when it comes to dismantling things!

 

[Pete Effamy]

I learned something interesting from that video.

How to pronounce Wanne.

I have to admit, I don't spend a great deal of time thinking about Ligatures. Confession, I generally leave my lig and reed on the mouthpiece and the mouthpiece on the Sax. It's probably not a great idea, but I'm quite lazy when it comes to dismantling things!

Leaving the mouthpiece on all the time - I’ll let the techies tell you off about that one!

 

[TimboSax]

Confession, I generally leave my lig and reed on the mouthpiece and the mouthpiece on the Sax. It's probably not a great idea, but I'm quite lazy when it comes to dismantling things!

Me too. Hold on, while I shuffle across to make room on the naughty step.

 

[Halfers]

Leaving the mouthpiece on all the time - I’ll let the techies tell you off about that one!

I'm hoping that as I use a fabric lig, it's not going to do any damage to my PPT. Probably more likely to stretch the lig over time, but it's only a cheapy.

I do occasionally remove the mouthpiece to give it a gentle bath in some mildly soapy water and I swear I can hear the PPT sigh gently as it rests in the cleansing suds! Whilst I'm in confession mode, I very rarely even wet my reed anymore before playing. I just blow it and it seems to respond.

I just love being able to pick up the Sax whenever I feel like it. I rarely play for more than 10 minutes at a time. Put it down, come back to it whenever the feeling hits me, so the Sax needs to be ready for me. dismantled would put me off getting started.

 

[Pete Effamy]

I'm hoping that as I use a fabric lig, it's not going to do any damage to my PPT. Probably more likely to stretch the lig over time, but it's only a cheapy.

I do occasionally remove the mouthpiece to give it a gentle bath in some mildly soapy water and I swear I can hear the PPT sigh gently as it rests in the cleansing suds! Whilst I'm in confession mode, I very rarely even wet my reed anymore before playing. I just blow it and it seems to respond.

I just love being able to pick up the Sax whenever I feel like it. I rarely play for more than 10 minutes at a time. Put it down, come back to it whenever the feeling hits me, so the Sax needs to be ready for me. dismantled would put me off getting started.

Yes the last part is great. It’s the compression of the cork for one.

 

[jazzdoh]

I have a number of ligs from cheap 2 screw ones to more expensive single screw ones and I can't tell any difference to the sound, this could be my ears as I do suffer from Tinnitus, I have tried many times to tell a difference but can't so for me providing the lig does the job its supposed to by holding the reed firm on the mouthpiece then I'm happy.

 

[jbtsax]

All of this discussion of ligatures raises and interesting acoustics question. That is: How much do the vibrations of the reed behind the cut portion affect the sound or the vibrations at the front of the reed?

My teacher for whom I have the greatest respect completely immerses his cane reeds in water to the point that the fibers through to the back of the reed are waterlogged. He also never allows a reed he is playing on to dry out. I'm not sure what soaking the entire reed accomplishes, but he seems to like how they play and respond when soaked like that.

 

[Ivan]

I learned something interesting from that video.

How to pronounce Wanne

I was watching the vid on the train to Abergavenny with the sound off. I didn't want to tempt everyone else in the carriage to stampede down the hill to *Aber Music and Petfood* to buy the town out of Ted Wanne merch

Before I had first dibs

 

[6441]

Marienthal once said he leaves the reed and lig on the mouthpiece, wraps them in a damp cloth, puts them in the case!

 

[Pete Effamy]

Marienthal once said he leave the reed and lig on the mouthpiece, wraps them in a damp cloth, puts them in the case!

Yes, Sanborn too I think, but not on the end of the crook.

 

[6441]

I can't remember if he leaves it on the crook. Actually after hearing that, I do that on my cheap soprano because it's a pain to put the mouthpiece on it, gotta push it way up the cork, dontcha know.

 

[nigeld]

You need the correct haute couture to make the lig function as intended

View: https://youtu.be/TB6S0YY-zpc


A polo neck and Zen beanie will balance the lig and allow freedom for hitherto unnoticed harmonics to come to the fore

Please note the polo neck should not extend above chin level or notes may become muffled

I love it that the black pressure plate gives the darkest sound.
And I covet a titanium plate.
The copper plate makes it sound like a Rovner.
And it comes with a Theo Wanne™ screwdriver.
What’s not to like?

 

[Ivan]

I love it that the black pressure plate gives the darkest sound.
And I covet a titanium plate.
The copper plate makes it sound like a Rovner.
And it comes with a Theo Wanne™ screwdriver.
What’s not to like?

The screwdriver is actually the tonal centre of the whole device

A quarter turn too few and you sound like a duck. It's the effect of a stray reed lodged in the larynx