Ligatures Optimum ligature tightness

[Bobby G]

Is there an optimum ligature tightness? Should it be just tight enough to stop the reed moving, so tight you can hear it stretch as you tighten it and need a spanner to undo it, or somewhere in between? Or doesn't it make much difference?

Cheers, Bob

 

[Pete Thomas]

Just tight enough to stop the reed moving IMO.

BUT if the reed or table of mouthpiece is warped slightly tighter would be necessary I imagine.

 

[spike]

Just tight enough also, my opinion, I kid myself it makes a difference, but I don't think it does . . . but when the voodoo gets you . . . !

 

[Bobby G]

I ask because I was ponderating the effectionality of varying the tighteration of the ligature on the reed in terms of freedom of reed vibrationality and tone producterisation.

Yrs George.

Yo Blair! Pete'n'Spike reckon you may have been over-tighterating your ligature!

 

[spike]

okay, I'll change my wording -

just slack enough that it doesn't fall off . . .

 

[lee_]

If you regularly overtighten, eventually you're gonna bust out the threads and it's gonna open up on you - likely as not when you really don't want that.

I was always told the proper technique is to tighten the bottom screw fairly taught. Then tighten the top one only as much as needed to keep things lined up.

There are various ligatures on the market that supposedly promote vibration by freeing the sides of the reed. The Consoli is one that I use on my tenor. I like it, but I can't tell you with a straight face that there is a huge difference.

 

[Bobby G]

Fair enough he he. Seriously, if all this stuff about ligs is to be believed, the tightness is going to have an effect. E.g. the vandoren lig with the 3 plates, each giving a subtly different tone, depending on how much plate (parallel raised bits, crossways raised bits or 4 raised spots) is in contact with the reed. What they are saying is that this has an effect on how freely the reed can vibrate, so I suppose it follows that the tightness of a standard metal or Rovner lig will also have an effect.

I've gone from really quite tight to just tight enough, and it seems slightly easier to produce quiet low notes.

Or is it just voodoo??

Just slack enough that it doesn't fall off. I like that.

Cheers, Bob

 

[Saxlicker]

Bob Green wrote:

I've gone from really quite tight to just tight enough, and it seems slightly easier to produce quiet low notes.

Or is it just voodoo??

C'mon,
I'm suprised at you guys!!!
Its much more accurate than that! its........


Hocus Pocus! 😛

Seriously though, IMO, sure enough it makes a difference acoustically....BUT!
Who the hell's gonna pick that out on a gig or after most studio edits?

Just make sure the reed aint movin', you haven't imitated a wrench and thats its givin' you nice vibes!!