Saturday, September 10, 2011

Too change, or not too change; that is the question: Saxophone ligatures.

     Hey clarinet and saxophone players, does your mouth piece and ligature make that much of a difference? Yes it does; what you choose as your set-up does make a difference in over-all sound and amplitude. Many of us (if not all of us) has started on a nickel or metal ligature. On my Selmer Mark VII tenor saxophone I play using a metal two screw inverted gold lacquared ligature that works just fine. We do have choices though, and exercising that choice may be a wise decision.

     What choices do we have? You can always stick with the nickel or metal two screw ligature, which is the standard ligature that comes with your clarinet or saxophone. Other choices include the Selmer single screw inverted metal ligature, the Harrison or "H" ligature made by  Rico, a fabric or leather ligature, or ligature  types from other ligature and mouth piece makers. You just have to do your homework when choosing.

     If a single reed woodwind player is having intonation and tone quality problems, a new ligature is not going to make a difference, but if intonation, quality and production is not an issue, a new ligature could assist you in producing the sound you are looking for. I have an eight grade saxophone student who has recently been promoted to Level III of the Music Teachers National Association/Metropolitan Detroit Musicians League standards. My student is developing into a fine player; he has a good sound, and plays well in-tune, but I am recommending my student move to a fabric ligature. A fabric ligature produces a subdued sound quality due to producing little or no vibration. My goal for this student is to produce a warmer quality of sound, and the fabric ligature should achieve this without having to go into a new mouth piece.

     Sam Sanders, who was an excellent saxophonist, and my jazz/improvisation teacher at Oakland University shared with me in a conversation or lesson, not to get hung-up in purchasing a drawer full of mouth pieces that you will never use (except for the first day you make the purchase). Mouth pieces can be vary expensive, and a waist if you have mouth pieces collecting dust in a drawer. When investing in a mouth piece (or mouth pieces) consider your options, and that option my be not purchasing a new mouth piece, but getting a new ligature.

3 comments:

  1. After Christmas I'm going to play this:

    http://Clarineau-video

    But I'm still pondering the ligature question, since the seller recommended me fabric ligature.
    Actually I am a jazz trumpeter, but improvise on recorder as well. And those clarineaus have recorder fingering as well.

    Whatever, the look of those fabric ligatures isn't pleasing me at all. The lady said it would fit much better, but I definitely dislike the sight. Ever saw Benny Goodman with such a thing? On the other hand, I read it was supposed to make the sound softer and deeper and I really like that. Well, with fabric ligature it's gonna cost a little more.... BLAH!

    Very undecided -- I guess I'm gonna ask all the clarinet players in the jazz scene..... Thanks God I have lots of time until Christmas!

    (Sorry for the weirdness: My online identity is pet seagull, but in this case I speak for my human mom LOL)

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  2. I appreciate and simply loooove very much your following policy in the Troy Davis case. I was really struggling that day. Just to think of that poor man in Texas, who lost his kids in the fire and after all was put to death for being so shockingly unlucky, makes me feel like crying forever!
    A M E N

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  3. Okay, I'm not mixing up those two cases -- Texas was another case.
    Troy Davis was so frightening close, since I listen to Chicago's Progressive Talk.

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