Real talk from Jay here. It's so easy to fall into the "buy gear" trap in the hope that it will somehow make you a better musician when, in reality, practice would be the most effective way to improve your skill (also cost-wise). Even after a couple of decades of playing music (mostly as a hobby) I _still_ sometimes need a reminder that it's the archer, not the arrows.
Ive got to say, i appreciate the woven ones more than i thought i would. I saw them and thought “those look childish”, but no, when on the mouthpiece they actually look quite nice. Plus a wee bit to distinguish yours from other instruments always makes me feel a bit more excited to play my instrument. Feels more unique.
You know Jay, throwing a frequency analyzer on these trials might be kinda fun. I would think, to really notice the differences, you would need to be the one behind the mouthpiece/ligature, but seeing the frequencies might help articulate the subtleties of what you're feeling.
Keep in mind even the same person won't play identically moment to moment. It's all still incredibly subjective and contextual. If you're needing to pull out a frequency analyzer, then I have some news...
There's phone apps for that now. Might be useful for guitar string assessment and electric guitar capacitor selection and their filter setting use. Darker with them means reducing higher tones, I probably don't want darker much , but on those it's a knob twist back to bright
WOW .. I have only 1 alto 1 mouthpiece 1 ligature As a recent widow raising a special needs child I'm so happy at just having these... but like a kid at Xmas - my eyes boggle at your multi- everything!! you are really blessed 🙌🙏💯
It's very important to properly lubricate the single screw (or 2 screws) with cork grease, or synthetic key oil. Even 3 -in-one common household hardware store type oil can be used. It's important to prevent gunk buildup, calcium, grit or dirt from contaminating your screws. Apply oil, work in the oil into the threads by tightening and loosening, then wipe off black contaminated oil with tissue or rag.then reapply fresh oil. Remember, the smoother the threads, the more you can feel the overall tightness when final adjusting the overall screw tension.
Oh my goodness! Thank you for this honest review! I've actually been watching videos to learn about what to look for in a new ligature for my clarinet. They will play and say, oh this clearly sounds different from the others, and I think they all sound the same. Feel is a different story. I decided to look for a new one for my son who plays alto sax and found this video. It seems like the first honest one I've seen. So refreshing! I think I'll get him the BG Flex in red since it's his favorite color, will look great on his frosted black nickel sax and black and red are his school colors. It's a win all around.
Not what I expected. It's refreshing to see an influencer not selling the latest "must haves". I'll show my thanks for your unfiltered opinion by subscribing to this channel now.
It seems that if the ligature clamps more evenly and over a larger surface, dampens and couples the reed better to the mouthpiece, the sound can be weightier and probably clearer. Could help on the extremes of dynamics too. Tons of great insight and advice in this video, thanks so much!
Great channel. I don't play sax (bass primarily and guitar more lately) but use this channel to educate myself because my son started this year. But I still find myself watching a lot of these videos, really interesting and well done.
I feel like what makes a ligature good or bad is how well it keeps the reed sealed against the mouthpiece. Personally, I can't hear a difference in tone between anyone of them so if it seals well then it's good in my book
You should also keep in consideration how it makes the reed feels. A good ligature can create more vibration against the mouthpiece and redd just enough to make it feel easier to blow theough. Though you may not necessarily hear the difference you can feel it.
I’ve been playing on a Vandoren Optimum Ligature for my tenor forever, and it has served me well. I’ve also used it on my secondary baritone and it works completely fine for that as well.
I have an old Selmer Paris ligature. I think is like almost 65 years old and it works great for me on my Meyer 6 Small Chamber alto mouthpiece. Very nice and informative video....thanks for your time.
I think there is something to the idea that adding or subtracting mass at the ligature will affect the sound. I’m not an engineer, but I know that mechanical impedance comes into play whenever vibrations are being transferred from one material or medium to another. And mass directly affects impedance. So if the ligature is adding mass at the base of the reed, it stands to reason that would effect how the reed’s vibrations are transferred to the air column and the rest of the instrument.
I have been playing a Berg Larsen ligature on my baritone Berg Larsen HR for 32 years. I tried the BG Duo Gold Lacquered and Sliver Plated. Both are excellent tone and vibration. The tone of the gold is it for me. The intonation improved and the vibration is amazing with cane OR the Legere Signature and American cuts. I am done with bad cane at $8 per reed for baritone reeds. Legere all the way! The rubber feet on the BG take a little getting used to when putting it on the mouthpiece but I love the 1 screw. I look forward to trying the Versa when it is back in stock at my favorite retailer.
Ease of use and adjustment on mouthpiece are underrated qualities for a lig. Sure you don’t want it messing with your sound concept too much, but you also don’t want it to shift your reed position when you go to make a small adjustment in a performance.
The "Set-up.": The sum total of appearance (horn) (Player) player's grooming standards and posture, pairing of the neck, legature, and reed, for overall sound quality, and specific appearance. What I play and my overall appearance as I play seem to drive my passion to play. Of course, This intern is reflected into each note. Richard
Agree, I saw once a fantastic sax player in town and I had the chance to see his sax closer and he was using a metallic hose clamp bought it at autozone, was crazy! But the sound of him on his sax was really great
As an ancient miser 100% new to saxophone with old poor condition alto and tenor saxophone on their way and almost a week of googling on saxophone, I will probably get Yamaha 4C and popular quality number 2 cane reeds to start my ligature choices come down to: cheapo 2:screw, Yamaha brand for ligature fit to mouthpiece, one of the Grovner. I have a unfounded preference for the screws going on top. A downside would be a ligature that gets larger with use, or is troublesome to install or remove. Much thanks for your videos, they have been of help.
I’ve still got my Harrison ligature I bought around 1990. In fact, I played some dance jobs with Shirley Harrison (Mr. Harrison’s widow) in the late 90’s. She was a fantastic piano player. The Harrison ligature was invented/manufactured in Nebraska (Fairbury or Beatrice if I recall).
The Jody Jazz power ring had the best articulation clarity over the whole range you played, and the bottom end sounded very nice as well. 👍 The BG Duo, and the Rovner Versa-X also in the same class. Yep, the Yani Sixs was good without as gutsy a bottom as the others, and you’re right, very subtle differences. I can make the direct sound brighter or darker depending on how much mouthpiece I take in. All said and done, Good advice Jay. 😉
What a fun, entertaining video, with important closing statements starting at about 18 min! An honest look at the importance of what ligatures, if any, make a difference! ...as a beginner, my inner geek will still buy the fancy ligatures for fun and aesthetics! Thanks, Jay!
Been playing for 65 years, bari, tenor, alto, and have learned that the best ligature is the one that works best in conjunction with the mouthpiece and reed I am using. Period. The idea of a "best" ligature is no more valid than trying to argue who the best player is. In an emergency (broken ligature) I have used string and no one knew the difference.
If and when you stumble upon the ligature that will make a difference - that difference is your sense of connectedness with your horn. Your tone will be pretty much the same but the feedback you receive through your teeth / jaw / skull will be that augmented sense of connectedness. Most players never experience this.
Have you tried Ishimori? I’ve never been much of an equipment guy. I’ve been using my main alto mouthpiece for 38 years, and I have been using the same basic gear on all my saxes for about 15 years now. I’m not into gadgets, and I didn’t think much about ligatures for the first half of my career. I used a Charles Bay for many years and was happy. A friend and former teacher introduced me to the original Ishimori ligatures, and I tried not to like it because I just didn’t want to spend the money. It was different though, and I loved it. I’ve been using it for fifteen years now. For me the ligature decision was a response thing. It just made it easier!
This is a good demo. I've been playing the Vandoren optimum ligature forever and it works with my set up. I've been tempted to try something else for fun, but I think I'd be asking for trouble 😊
I have the Vandoren Optimum and i love it. I find the plate with the 4 'dots' brightest, and best for me. So far. Who knows, i will mostly likely change my mind, lol, I also have the Rovner, and i agree, the plate not covered is best. I immediately heard a difference when you started playing the BG. Nice! Hey Jay, another outstanding video. Thank you!
How do you feel about the Optimum vs the Rovner? I play an optimum on my alto but recently got a tenor and was thinking of either getting another optimum or the rovner since its a little cheaper
I was once in a masterclass & recital with Claude Delangle. He just wrapped a piece of twine around his soprano mouthpiece and reed. I figure if that is good enough for him, than ligatures can't possibly be terribly important. If it works and it doesn't become loose when I move my mouthpiece, then its good to me. Been using a vandoren optimum for 16 years and just some rovners or cheapo 2 screws when the optimum doesn't quite fit my mouthpiece.
As a player & dealer have tried most ligs, the Marc Jean is my fav now..more centered tone for me. HAve sold many of them & players can hear a difference.Silverstein if you reverse the metal plates, so they contact the reed works better I feel, but they stretch all to much .
I've found through the years that almost any ligature works a little better than the one that comes with the horn. First get the right mouthpiece/reed combo to suit the sound you prefer. Heat & humidity variances seem tough on reeds, but some ligatures seem to help more in such situations, allowing the reed to play more freely. Great video.
I feel most comfortable with a Rovner on every mouthpiece. Every reed is different and the Rovner bends to fit them all and puts equal pressure on the table of every reed. It eliminates a variable.
I use Rovner mouthpieces exclusively too. I think they darken the sound a little bit, they hold the reed well too. Only nitpick is that taking off the ligature can be a bit difficult in that the ligature tends to stick to the mouthpiece sometimes.
Based on this video, I purchased a Vandorem optimum. I am extremely happy as I finally got that bright alternative rock I’ve been looking for using the “crinkle cut” plate. The other two plates will definitely give you a warmer sound… Good for jazz.
Thanks, Jay, for a good comparison of a lot of options. In a ‘scientific’ experiment or study like this, a ‘control’ or ‘controls’ held constant are essential to ensure fair comparison. In this case the key constant is the reed, but I don’t think you stated what reed you are playing. Can you tell us?
The nice thing with the woven ligature is you can stuff one in your case somewhere and if you break one or step on it and then lost your backup or nobody’s got a spare ligature it will be there tucked away in the crack of your case. I keep a rovner just for that emergency. Rovners tend to shift the reed around in my opinion
Ligatures are definitely a subjective component in the ammo box. Really like how you sound using the power ring. I use gold optimum’s on bot soprano and bari. I use power rings and Olegature’s on alto and tenor depending on which mouthpiece I’m using on either.
This video made me switch back to the Versa on my main horn--and flip the flaps around lol. I thought it was almost too much, but the fact it gave the most distinctive sound (and in a good way) was pretty obvious. I got the original Versa on clearance and it's great but without cramming a tiny piece of paper/cardboard under the plate it will fall out. Probably why it was initially redesigned.
The ideal ligatures are the ones which fit under my favorite mouthpiece caps. I used to use keyring rings but they cause MP cap fit problems. Single-screw cheapo ligs from the Great Auction Site are my current faves. Though for the less-common instruments like my C-Mels or baritone, I have to settle for what I can get.
definitely important to have a well fitted mouthpiece cap match. This is one of the important factors for me when choosing a ligature to use on gigs. Also that cap needs to fit in my pocket when playing. Some caps are way too big.
It’s a feeling thing , the sound will not or have a very subtle change. Maybe one day you will find one that you love and think that you play better wich is psychological. I feel that i play better with the jody jazz power ring because of the weight so i stick with it.
Having various ligatures to choose from can be a help in maintaining a consistent reponse of the set up , baring in mind that reeds, and chops, room accoustics, humidity, air pressure, altitude, planetary alignments, solar winds, etc can change the feel of the set- up.So for me having various ligature options helps me sound the SAME for each performance, and assists me staying close to my "ideal" set- up sound and response. Before each gig I "audition"3 or 4 ligs and go with my favourite for that particular setting.
For me, the ligature allows more or less vibration of the reed and mouthpiece. So, whatever makes the reed feel like it's responding better, is the right lig for me. I liked the Jody Jazz Power Ring the best.
A simple piece of string is the benchmark of all ligatures. Hand tied string (waxed silk cord) is still used in Germany, going back to the 19th century.
hi ! regarding the Vandoren Optimum ligature as per the notice the vertical pressure plate is for a rich colorful sonority great resonance blowing and articulation ease / the horizontal one compact and centered sonority smooth and even sound extraordinary blowing ease / the one with the four points or dots the reed vibrates in total freedom producing a very flexible sound greater ease of expression
I did it. Having had nothing else than a fake Rovner and standard Otto Link binders I bought the Jody ring and the rovner verso X. Honestly, sound doesn’t change a bit but the notes seem to feel much more solid, bends go more controlled and even overtones much, much more solid. Never was able to blow overtones past the G (alto) but now easily. So, my take is if you’re a great sax player you wouldn’t need the heavy weight (literally) ligs but if you’re an almost great player both the Jody ring and the Rovner Verso X is at least worth the try!
I think one of the key points which could be highlighted more is mainly how the ligature feels to play. Also, the transition between notes, legato, articulation. I know from the ligs I have tried all of them might produce a similar sound to the ear, possibly, but the playing experience and feel are totally different. For example, I use a metal Selmer lig on a original Guardala, and wow does that open up the register, fluidity and sound. Any other lig including the one Guardala shipped with his pieces, doesn't seem to have that rich vibrant tone, Guardala lig is slightly sweet, squished tone, articulations is different too.
I love my Jody jazz mouth piece and matching ligature on my alto sax 🎷 and use vandoren optimum on the tenor sax 🎷 I’ve had it ages and still looks as good as the day I purchased it thumbs on both ligatures , I also think it depends what sax model you use and mouthpiece plus reed , but I do agree purchase one that fits good on your mouthpiece that all what counts not the price 👍
I use Vandoren Optimum ligatures on my tenor and soprano. Had them for well over 10 years. Love 'em. I don't think listeners will know the difference. But YOU will. And that will affect the way you play. So, it kinda "does" affect your sound??? Just not directly, as Jay points out.
What I would want to know is the reason why one design sounds different than another? Is it just a matter of the force used to hold the reed? Is there something about the contact points for the reed?
nice physics lesson there - adding the mass seems to be damping the higher frequencies. you should experiment with a strong elastic band and some mass as a home made ligature
Pretty much confirmed what I already strongly believe ... should have spent the time watching this PRACTICING. Would have been fun to see you play one of those ligatures that look like a halo worn by neck-injury patients - with screws to the head from several directions. AND, maybe rubber bands, or cellophane tape used as ligatures. Just for fun. A ligature that doesn't get easily squashed or otherwise distorted from careless handling is one of MY priorities.
Hi Jay, I played with a BG Ligature and recently tried a JLV that was surprising. May i suggest that you give them a try and publish your findings about them (mine is a Black one). Kudos for your fine job
I have the silver JLV for alto (classical). I grew up playing on leather ligatures and absolutely hated the vibration from metal ligatures. Was forced to try the JLV a few years ago. It came home with me - never going back. So yea, Jay should absolutely try one of those!
kinda depends on the reed. Depending on any given day, if I'm getting an unsatisfactory results with 1 set- up I'll try a different lig and sometimes it helps. I generally have 2 or 3 different ligs handy for alto, tenor & clarinet. I like the H, but I also like Luyben (for clar.), Vandoren M/O, certain Rovs (the new one with the slits). As long as long as the reed doesn't move around I'm happy- 1 screw, 2 screw, no screw, I don't care so much
It was interesting to listen, as a beginner of saxophone! Greetings from Germany! Important what you told about other factors how to improve the sound! Helpful tips! Thanks!
Great video, thanks for making the effort. Here's what my ear hears: Vandoeren Optimum - a little darker than the previous ligs Theo Wanne - similar to Vandoren a little darker Marc Jean - slightly better tone Peter Jensen - takes a tiny bit of the edge off BG Duo - brighter, perhaps even buzzier. Not necessary a better tone. Rovner Van Gogh - darker, softens the brightness To me, the ligature can impact tone, but the more important thing for me is reed response, does it impact how the reed plays? Would be cool to know the price differences across these. IMHO, you can get a usable sound even with a rubber band... the main goal is that the ligature keeps the reed firmly attached to the mouthpiece. Thanks for the great video!
@Alan Morgan What is your point actually? I listened to this video using AKG K240 studio headphones. Are you saying I can't tell the difference, or are you saying you hear far greater differences than what I noted above? Feel free to provide your mouthpiece by mouthpiece comparison notes like I did to let me know what you are hearing.
I like a cool looking ligature like the next sax gear junky. But my pet peeve are the ligatures you can’t easily move the mouthpiece on cork. I think ligatures help dial in resistance or lack of resistance (free blowing). Like combining mouthpiece and reed with ligature for resistance desired is the Goldie lox. But still has to be cool looking.
I agree. Best to have the perfect neck cork diameter for that mouthpiece so you don't need too much pressure to turn it. Some ligatures will hold no matter what. In this list all of them hold pretty solidly except for the Yany Sixs and Marc Jean which will slip when turning on a very tight neck cork.
Ligatures, to me, are just like the other tone booster gadgets, the player will feel the difference and will make the player more confident rather there actually be a tone difference. I once used shoelaces on a gig on a dare and I got more compliments on that gig than any other haha.
You are absolutely right. On a well balanced reed the ligature is making no difference. On a reed that develops warps, the points a ligature holds the reed can make a huge difference. Ray Reed wrote a book about balanced reeds.
The BG duo seemed to cut through more and was the first ligature I noticed a difference in. I agree with the first Rovner having some meat to it, and the second was darker for sure.
I am not saying there isnt a feel difference to any of those but...... the sound difference was so subtle to my ears that the cost of most would sway me away from them. M/O or cheap one at the beggining and done for me. To each their own. Ultimately if it gets you to practice then it is worth it.
I feel there was an improvement from the initial “standard” lig to the Harrison. From there on differences were really subtle. To my ear the Rovner with the plates was a bit of a standout.
Playing a SYOS Smoky 7 tip on my Selmer Series 2 alto. I like the mouthpiece, but wanted a darker sound. Tried a Rovner 1-RL; it definitely gave me a darker sound than the SYOS lig. YMMV.
I bought the BG rose gold because of your last recommendations, and really do like it so I will stick with it. By the way, on a jody jazz mouthpiece hard rubber for my Cannonball soprano unlacquered.
Have you attempted to play around with two screws by keeping the back screw cranked down but changing the amount of pressure of the front screw (one closest to the mouth) would change the tone?
I have been playing the optimum ligature for a number of years and I'm very happy with it. To me, the different plates make a suble but consistent difference. Great video once again. Thanks much.
1st thought: What did you glue your reed on the mouthpiece with.... :) 2nd: Those without screws would drive me nutz, since I will move my ligature up or down, depending on what I have for a reed. 3rd: I agree with it needs to fit right. I broke a cheap thin metal no-name that I liked, but it finally snapped. Now I'm back to a no-name, bottom screw ligature. I personally like the top screws, but I don't like the Rovner on tenor with as hard as it is to move around.
So I bought a Rovner Versa X and Jody Jazz power ring after breaking my stock ligature and I think they are both great. Rovner Versa X is my favourite, performance wise, even though I'm not a fan of how it looks. Power ring looks grand. Versa X seems to make both low and high notes come out easier and top end gets this clear, edgy feel to it. I seem to be able to play quieter down low as well and it feels like the reed vibrates more freely. For whatever this means, I was also able to more consistently be able to play above high D, so E and F, which I struggle with still, both on stock and power ring ligature.
Hi Jay, have you already tested the François Louis ligatures? It's a wonderful ligature created and constructed by an amazing belgian luthier (François Louis) that have an incredibly simple and revolutionary system of attachement. Just in case you didn't know this luthier...
Anyone else addicted to Jay comparing saxophone gear?
Ligature are like shoes. If you are comfortable it's all right. But mouthpiece is a different thing. Honestly I think
Yes I love his videos
thanks, I'll make more...
20 minutes of Jay saying, "Well ... does the job." :D Yes, addicted, and I value his honesty.
Not really
Real talk from Jay here. It's so easy to fall into the "buy gear" trap in the hope that it will somehow make you a better musician when, in reality, practice would be the most effective way to improve your skill (also cost-wise). Even after a couple of decades of playing music (mostly as a hobby) I _still_ sometimes need a reminder that it's the archer, not the arrows.
Thanks Anders, always trying to keep it real.
Ive got to say, i appreciate the woven ones more than i thought i would. I saw them and thought “those look childish”, but no, when on the mouthpiece they actually look quite nice. Plus a wee bit to distinguish yours from other instruments always makes me feel a bit more excited to play my instrument. Feels more unique.
"If you are a saxophone nerd, like me, having a lot of different ligatures is fun." ~ Love this.
I love 2 screw vintage ligatures!!! You can have both screws equal tightness, or front screw tighter, or looser, for different feels
You know Jay, throwing a frequency analyzer on these trials might be kinda fun. I would think, to really notice the differences, you would need to be the one behind the mouthpiece/ligature, but seeing the frequencies might help articulate the subtleties of what you're feeling.
Keep in mind even the same person won't play identically moment to moment. It's all still incredibly subjective and contextual. If you're needing to pull out a frequency analyzer, then I have some news...
There's phone apps for that now. Might be useful for guitar string assessment and electric guitar capacitor selection and their filter setting use. Darker with them means reducing higher tones, I probably don't want darker much , but on those it's a knob twist back to bright
WOW .. I have only 1 alto 1 mouthpiece 1 ligature As a recent widow raising a special needs child I'm so happy at just having these... but like a kid at Xmas - my eyes boggle at your multi- everything!! you are really blessed 🙌🙏💯
takes a long time to collect all that stuff. thanks.
It's very important to properly lubricate the single screw (or 2 screws) with cork grease, or synthetic key oil. Even 3 -in-one common household hardware store type oil can be used. It's important to prevent gunk buildup, calcium, grit or dirt from contaminating your screws. Apply oil, work in the oil into the threads by tightening and loosening, then wipe off black contaminated oil with tissue or rag.then reapply fresh oil. Remember, the smoother the threads, the more you can feel the overall tightness when final adjusting the overall screw tension.
The line is from Cannonball on "One for Daddy-O"
Yes!
@@bettersax Pete King borrowed the first part of this line in the MacArthur Park MF1 recording. Love Cannonball
Oh my goodness! Thank you for this honest review! I've actually been watching videos to learn about what to look for in a new ligature for my clarinet. They will play and say, oh this clearly sounds different from the others, and I think they all sound the same. Feel is a different story. I decided to look for a new one for my son who plays alto sax and found this video. It seems like the first honest one I've seen. So refreshing! I think I'll get him the BG Flex in red since it's his favorite color, will look great on his frosted black nickel sax and black and red are his school colors. It's a win all around.
Not what I expected. It's refreshing to see an influencer not selling the latest "must haves". I'll show my thanks for your unfiltered opinion by subscribing to this channel now.
It seems that if the ligature clamps more evenly and over a larger surface, dampens and couples the reed better to the mouthpiece, the sound can be weightier and probably clearer. Could help on the extremes of dynamics too.
Tons of great insight and advice in this video, thanks so much!
thanks for watching!
Great channel. I don't play sax (bass primarily and guitar more lately) but use this channel to educate myself because my son started this year. But I still find myself watching a lot of these videos, really interesting and well done.
Maybe RUclips is telling you to play the sax 😉
I wish I could get good enough someday where a different ligature would make a dang bit of difference LOL
No matter how good you get, you're never 100% sure the difference isn't in your head...
I feel like what makes a ligature good or bad is how well it keeps the reed sealed against the mouthpiece. Personally, I can't hear a difference in tone between anyone of them so if it seals well then it's good in my book
You should also keep in consideration how it makes the reed feels. A good ligature can create more vibration against the mouthpiece and redd just enough to make it feel easier to blow theough. Though you may not necessarily hear the difference you can feel it.
Exactly...the issue is how long the ligature will hold the reed on the mouthpiece securely. The Vandoren Optimum is my go to ligature..
definitely one of the most important factors. Fiddly ligatures are very annoying and can be problematic.
My go to ligature is from a C melody sax , it's German nickel, from the 1920's, and totally fits my alto Meyer perfectly!!!
@@kennyr1161 hi sir, it's just a feeling or it makes it easier for real?
I’ve been playing on a Vandoren Optimum Ligature for my tenor forever, and it has served me well. I’ve also used it on my secondary baritone and it works completely fine for that as well.
I just the single screw leather one and it works great
I have an old Selmer Paris ligature. I think is like almost 65 years old and it works great for me on my Meyer 6 Small Chamber alto mouthpiece. Very nice and informative video....thanks for your time.
It really HAS been helpful. Your honesty/transparency really appreciated 👍
The line is from cannonball adderley on the somethin’ else record One for Daddy-O. I love that solo!
Great honest analysis Jay - watched this multiple times.
I think there is something to the idea that adding or subtracting mass at the ligature will affect the sound. I’m not an engineer, but I know that mechanical impedance comes into play whenever vibrations are being transferred from one material or medium to another. And mass directly affects impedance. So if the ligature is adding mass at the base of the reed, it stands to reason that would effect how the reed’s vibrations are transferred to the air column and the rest of the instrument.
this has always been heavily debated in the sax community. whatever differences there are are subtle
I have been playing a Berg Larsen ligature on my baritone Berg Larsen HR for 32 years. I tried the BG Duo Gold Lacquered and Sliver Plated. Both are excellent tone and vibration. The tone of the gold is it for me. The intonation improved and the vibration is amazing with cane OR the Legere Signature and American cuts. I am done with bad cane at $8 per reed for baritone reeds. Legere all the way! The rubber feet on the BG take a little getting used to when putting it on the mouthpiece but I love the 1 screw. I look forward to trying the Versa when it is back in stock at my favorite retailer.
I love the JodyJazz Power Ring together with the HR mouthpiece. Feels great, sounds great and looks even greater.
The part I love about that ligature is that it gets a perfect fit every time. It also looks amazing.
Ease of use and adjustment on mouthpiece are underrated qualities for a lig. Sure you don’t want it messing with your sound concept too much, but you also don’t want it to shift your reed position when you go to make a small adjustment in a performance.
The "Set-up.": The sum total of appearance (horn) (Player) player's grooming standards and posture, pairing of the neck, legature, and reed, for overall sound quality, and specific appearance.
What I play and my overall appearance as I play seem to drive my passion to play. Of course, This
intern is reflected into each note. Richard
Started and still use the Rovner dark. Doesn't seem to matter what Jay uses, he could make a kazoo sound good.
Agree, I saw once a fantastic sax player in town and I had the chance to see his sax closer and he was using a metallic hose clamp bought it at autozone, was crazy! But the sound of him on his sax was really great
As an ancient miser 100% new to saxophone with old poor condition alto and tenor saxophone on their way and almost a week of googling on saxophone, I will probably get Yamaha 4C and popular quality number 2 cane reeds to start my ligature choices come down to: cheapo 2:screw, Yamaha brand for ligature fit to mouthpiece, one of the Grovner. I have a unfounded preference for the screws going on top. A downside would be a ligature that gets larger with use, or is troublesome to install or remove. Much thanks for your videos, they have been of help.
I’ve still got my Harrison ligature I bought around 1990. In fact, I played some dance jobs with Shirley Harrison (Mr. Harrison’s widow) in the late 90’s. She was a fantastic piano player. The Harrison ligature was invented/manufactured in Nebraska (Fairbury or Beatrice if I recall).
The Jody Jazz power ring had the best articulation clarity over the whole range you played, and the bottom end sounded very nice as well. 👍 The BG Duo, and the Rovner Versa-X also in the same class. Yep, the Yani Sixs was good without as gutsy a bottom as the others, and you’re right, very subtle differences. I can make the direct sound brighter or darker depending on how much mouthpiece I take in.
All said and done,
Good advice Jay. 😉
What a fun, entertaining video, with important closing statements starting at about 18 min! An honest look at the importance of what ligatures, if any, make a difference! ...as a beginner, my inner geek will still buy the fancy ligatures for fun and aesthetics! Thanks, Jay!
Thanks Steve. appreciated.
Fascinated by all the lower jaw movement. Good video on ligs.
haha, yeah my classical sax teacher would not approve.
Been playing for 65 years, bari, tenor, alto, and have learned that the best ligature is the one that works best in conjunction with the mouthpiece and reed I am using. Period. The idea of a "best" ligature is no more valid than trying to argue who the best player is. In an emergency (broken ligature) I have used string and no one knew the difference.
If and when you stumble upon the ligature that will make a difference - that difference is your sense of connectedness with your horn. Your tone will be pretty much the same but the feedback you receive through your teeth / jaw / skull will be that augmented sense of connectedness. Most players never experience this.
Have you tried Ishimori? I’ve never been much of an equipment guy. I’ve been using my main alto mouthpiece for 38 years, and I have been using the same basic gear on all my saxes for about 15 years now. I’m not into gadgets, and I didn’t think much about ligatures for the first half of my career. I used a Charles Bay for many years and was happy. A friend and former teacher introduced me to the original Ishimori ligatures, and I tried not to like it because I just didn’t want to spend the money. It was different though, and I loved it. I’ve been using it for fifteen years now. For me the ligature decision was a response thing. It just made it easier!
This is a good demo. I've been playing the Vandoren optimum ligature forever and it works with my set up. I've been tempted to try something else for fun, but I think I'd be asking for trouble 😊
I have the Vandoren Optimum and i love it. I find the plate with the 4 'dots' brightest, and best for me. So far. Who knows, i will mostly likely change my mind, lol, I also have the Rovner, and i agree, the plate not covered is best. I immediately heard a difference when you started playing the BG. Nice!
Hey Jay, another outstanding video. Thank you!
How do you feel about the Optimum vs the Rovner? I play an optimum on my alto but recently got a tenor and was thinking of either getting another optimum or the rovner since its a little cheaper
@@simondufour6319 I prefer the Optimum. It's brighter.
After I got my silverstein ligature i stopped trying others. It is AWESOME!
One of your best yet Jay!
thanks Bob!
Great presentation Jay!…You put the whole “ligature subject” in its proper perspective….Thanks!👌😉
I was once in a masterclass & recital with Claude Delangle. He just wrapped a piece of twine around his soprano mouthpiece and reed. I figure if that is good enough for him, than ligatures can't possibly be terribly important. If it works and it doesn't become loose when I move my mouthpiece, then its good to me. Been using a vandoren optimum for 16 years and just some rovners or cheapo 2 screws when the optimum doesn't quite fit my mouthpiece.
As a player & dealer have tried most ligs, the Marc Jean is my fav now..more centered tone for me. HAve sold many of them & players can hear a difference.Silverstein if you reverse the metal plates, so they contact the reed works better I feel, but they stretch all to much .
I've found through the years that almost any ligature works a little better than the one that comes with the horn. First get the right mouthpiece/reed combo to suit the sound you prefer. Heat & humidity variances seem tough on reeds, but some ligatures seem to help more in such situations, allowing the reed to play more freely. Great video.
I feel most comfortable with a Rovner on every mouthpiece. Every reed is different and the Rovner bends to fit them all and puts equal pressure on the table of every reed. It eliminates a variable.
Rovners are always great and last forever.
I use Rovner mouthpieces exclusively too. I think they darken the sound a little bit, they hold the reed well too. Only nitpick is that taking off the ligature can be a bit difficult in that the ligature tends to stick to the mouthpiece sometimes.
Based on this video, I purchased a Vandorem optimum. I am extremely happy as I finally got that bright alternative rock I’ve been looking for using the “crinkle cut” plate. The other two plates will definitely give you a warmer sound… Good for jazz.
Thank you so much for the video! Theo Wanne has cool plates in different materials and the difference in sound is noticeable. Try it!
Thanks, Jay, for a good comparison of a lot of options. In a ‘scientific’ experiment or study like this, a ‘control’ or ‘controls’ held constant are essential to ensure fair comparison. In this case the key constant is the reed, but I don’t think you stated what reed you are playing. Can you tell us?
The nice thing with the woven ligature is you can stuff one in your case somewhere and if you break one or step on it and then lost your backup or nobody’s got a spare ligature it will be there tucked away in the crack of your case. I keep a rovner just for that emergency. Rovners tend to shift the reed around in my opinion
Ligatures are definitely a subjective component in the ammo box. Really like how you sound using the power ring. I use gold optimum’s on bot soprano and bari. I use power rings and Olegature’s on alto and tenor depending on which mouthpiece I’m using on either.
yeah, the power ring is really growing on me.
Optimum will always be number 1 for me. It’s held the reed on my mouthpiece for about 5 years now!
those are great ligs. I have it for metal tenor and soprano as well.
This video made me switch back to the Versa on my main horn--and flip the flaps around lol. I thought it was almost too much, but the fact it gave the most distinctive sound (and in a good way) was pretty obvious. I got the original Versa on clearance and it's great but without cramming a tiny piece of paper/cardboard under the plate it will fall out. Probably why it was initially redesigned.
The ideal ligatures are the ones which fit under my favorite mouthpiece caps. I used to use keyring rings but they cause MP cap fit problems. Single-screw cheapo ligs from the Great Auction Site are my current faves. Though for the less-common instruments like my C-Mels or baritone, I have to settle for what I can get.
definitely important to have a well fitted mouthpiece cap match. This is one of the important factors for me when choosing a ligature to use on gigs. Also that cap needs to fit in my pocket when playing. Some caps are way too big.
It’s a feeling thing , the sound will not or have a very subtle change. Maybe one day you will find one that you love and think that you play better wich is psychological. I feel that i play better with the jody jazz power ring because of the weight so i stick with it.
Having various ligatures to choose from can be a help in maintaining a consistent reponse of the set up , baring in mind that reeds, and chops, room accoustics, humidity, air pressure, altitude, planetary alignments, solar winds, etc can change the feel of the set- up.So for me having various ligature options helps me sound the SAME for each performance, and assists me staying close to my "ideal" set- up sound and response. Before each gig I "audition"3 or 4 ligs and go with my favourite for that particular setting.
For me, the ligature allows more or less vibration of the reed and mouthpiece.
So, whatever makes the reed feel like it's responding better, is the right lig for me.
I liked the Jody Jazz Power Ring the best.
A simple piece of string is the benchmark of all ligatures. Hand tied string (waxed silk cord) is still used in Germany, going back to the 19th century.
hi ! regarding the Vandoren Optimum ligature as per the notice the vertical pressure plate is for a rich colorful sonority great resonance blowing and articulation ease / the horizontal one compact and centered sonority smooth and even sound extraordinary blowing ease / the one with the four points or dots the reed vibrates in total freedom producing a very flexible sound greater ease of expression
Some very good advises. Buy a good looking ligature that makes you happy and then keep working on
your sound.
Great Video! I love these reviews they are always so informative! ❤️
thanks Nathan
Pretty sure it’s the talent and practice/expertise in your case buddy!!! 🙏🚀
I just got the Yani SIXS for my A-4. It made a huge difference on the low notes
I did it. Having had nothing else than a fake Rovner and standard Otto Link binders I bought the Jody ring and the rovner verso X. Honestly, sound doesn’t change a bit but the notes seem to feel much more solid, bends go more controlled and even overtones much, much more solid. Never was able to blow overtones past the G (alto) but now easily. So, my take is if you’re a great sax player you wouldn’t need the heavy weight (literally) ligs but if you’re an almost great player both the Jody ring and the Rovner Verso X is at least worth the try!
I instantly noticed a deeper tone when you used the d'addorio Harrison copy
I think one of the key points which could be highlighted more is mainly how the ligature feels to play. Also, the transition between notes, legato, articulation. I know from the ligs I have tried all of them might produce a similar sound to the ear, possibly, but the playing experience and feel are totally different. For example, I use a metal Selmer lig on a original Guardala, and wow does that open up the register, fluidity and sound. Any other lig including the one Guardala shipped with his pieces, doesn't seem to have that rich vibrant tone, Guardala lig is slightly sweet, squished tone, articulations is different too.
I love my Jody jazz mouth piece and matching ligature on my alto sax 🎷 and use vandoren optimum on the tenor sax 🎷 I’ve had it ages and still looks as good as the day I purchased it thumbs on both ligatures , I also think it depends what sax model you use and mouthpiece plus reed , but I do agree purchase one that fits good on your mouthpiece that all what counts not the price 👍
I use Vandoren Optimum ligatures on my tenor and soprano. Had them for well over 10 years. Love 'em. I don't think listeners will know the difference. But YOU will. And that will affect the way you play. So, it kinda "does" affect your sound??? Just not directly, as Jay points out.
What I would want to know is the reason why one design sounds different than another? Is it just a matter of the force used to hold the reed? Is there something about the contact points for the reed?
That's funny Jay, I asked you yesterday about a ligature for my new Jody Jazz DV :) thanks great video btw. Sid.
You and several other people daily.lol...
you should do this exact video but for mouthpieces
nice physics lesson there - adding the mass seems to be damping the higher frequencies. you should experiment with a strong elastic band and some mass as a home made ligature
Pretty much confirmed what I already strongly believe ... should have spent the time watching this PRACTICING. Would have been fun to see you play one of those ligatures that look like a halo worn by neck-injury patients - with screws to the head from several directions. AND, maybe rubber bands, or cellophane tape used as ligatures. Just for fun. A ligature that doesn't get easily squashed or otherwise distorted from careless handling is one of MY priorities.
Hi Jay,
I played with a BG Ligature and recently tried a JLV that was surprising. May i suggest that you give them a try and publish your findings about them (mine is a Black one). Kudos for your fine job
oh yeah I want to try one of those. Looks like a medieval torture device.
I have the silver JLV for alto (classical). I grew up playing on leather ligatures and absolutely hated the vibration from metal ligatures. Was forced to try the JLV a few years ago. It came home with me - never going back. So yea, Jay should absolutely try one of those!
kinda depends on the reed. Depending on any given day, if I'm getting an unsatisfactory results with 1 set- up I'll try a different lig and sometimes it helps. I generally have 2 or 3 different ligs handy for alto, tenor & clarinet. I like the H, but I also like Luyben (for clar.), Vandoren M/O, certain Rovs (the new one with the slits). As long as long as the reed doesn't move around I'm happy- 1 screw, 2 screw, no screw, I don't care so much
It was interesting to listen, as a beginner of saxophone! Greetings from Germany! Important what you told about other factors how to improve the sound! Helpful tips! Thanks!
Great video, thanks for making the effort. Here's what my ear hears:
Vandoeren Optimum - a little darker than the previous ligs
Theo Wanne - similar to Vandoren a little darker
Marc Jean - slightly better tone
Peter Jensen - takes a tiny bit of the edge off
BG Duo - brighter, perhaps even buzzier. Not necessary a better tone.
Rovner Van Gogh - darker, softens the brightness
To me, the ligature can impact tone, but the more important thing for me is reed response, does it impact how the reed plays?
Would be cool to know the price differences across these. IMHO, you can get a usable sound even with a rubber band... the main goal is that the ligature keeps the reed firmly attached to the mouthpiece.
Thanks for the great video!
@Alan Morgan What is your point actually? I listened to this video using AKG K240 studio headphones. Are you saying I can't tell the difference, or are you saying you hear far greater differences than what I noted above? Feel free to provide your mouthpiece by mouthpiece comparison notes like I did to let me know what you are hearing.
Thanks so much. Clears a lot of doubt. :)
Beyerdynamic ribbon mic. I use that one too. Underrated for saxophone!
just getting to know it, but really like it so far.
I like a cool looking ligature like the next sax gear junky. But my pet peeve are the ligatures you can’t easily move the mouthpiece on cork. I think ligatures help dial in resistance or lack of resistance (free blowing). Like combining mouthpiece and reed with ligature for resistance desired is the Goldie lox. But still has to be cool looking.
I agree. Best to have the perfect neck cork diameter for that mouthpiece so you don't need too much pressure to turn it. Some ligatures will hold no matter what. In this list all of them hold pretty solidly except for the Yany Sixs and Marc Jean which will slip when turning on a very tight neck cork.
This is great but I wonder if you were in a jam could you use a radiator hose clamp or a zip tie?
in fairness, Jay could make a ligature out of a piece of spaghetti and bluetack and still sound like a boss :) 🤣😁
thanks
@@bettersax do it
Thanks for the review! I've been trying to upgrade my sax recently and this is very informative
Glad it was helpful!
Thank you. I’ll be returning the leather Vandoren I ordered. I’ll stick with the one that came with my Yamaha 😊
That being said, I can continue to use my yamaha 4c with the included ligature when learning to play the sax.
I always stuck with Rovner….seemed to work well with Selmer mouthpieces
What matters is how far the ligature is pushed forward. This will affect the vibration of the reed in terms of how much of the entire reed vibrates.
Ligatures, to me, are just like the other tone booster gadgets, the player will feel the difference and will make the player more confident rather there actually be a tone difference. I once used shoelaces on a gig on a dare and I got more compliments on that gig than any other haha.
unlike the tone booster gadgets, they are necessary (even if it's a shoelace).
@@bettersax When you're right, you're right!
I tried shoelaces for a while as well. Nicest feeling of all ligs when playing, just a bit of a faff to install.
You are absolutely right. On a well balanced reed the ligature is making no difference. On a reed that develops warps, the points a ligature holds the reed can make a huge difference. Ray Reed wrote a book about balanced reeds.
The BG duo seemed to cut through more and was the first ligature I noticed a difference in. I agree with the first Rovner having some meat to it, and the second was darker for sure.
thanks for listening and the feedback.
I am not saying there isnt a feel difference to any of those but...... the sound difference was so subtle to my ears that the cost of most would sway me away from them. M/O or cheap one at the beggining and done for me. To each their own. Ultimately if it gets you to practice then it is worth it.
I feel there was an improvement from the initial “standard” lig to the Harrison. From there on differences were really subtle. To my ear the Rovner with the plates was a bit of a standout.
thanks for your feedback.
So relaxing watching your videos and informative as always.
Thank you Mike
Playing a SYOS Smoky 7 tip on my Selmer Series 2 alto. I like the mouthpiece, but wanted a darker sound. Tried a Rovner 1-RL; it definitely gave me a darker sound than the SYOS lig. YMMV.
I bought the BG rose gold because of your last recommendations, and really do like it so I will stick with it. By the way, on a jody jazz mouthpiece hard rubber for my Cannonball soprano unlacquered.
Glad that pleases you. Excellent ligature... as are almost all of the ones in this video.
Have you attempted to play around with two screws by keeping the back screw cranked down but changing the amount of pressure of the front screw (one closest to the mouth) would change the tone?
yeah, I was told that when I was a kid. I think I always do that on 2 screw ligatures out of habit. Did not experiment with that here though.
My Jody Jazz mouthpiece unexpectedly came with a very nice new ligature.
I have been playing the optimum ligature for a number of years and I'm very happy with it. To me, the different plates make a suble but consistent difference. Great video once again. Thanks much.
yeah that is one solid ligature for sure.
1st thought: What did you glue your reed on the mouthpiece with.... :) 2nd: Those without screws would drive me nutz, since I will move my ligature up or down, depending on what I have for a reed. 3rd: I agree with it needs to fit right. I broke a cheap thin metal no-name that I liked, but it finally snapped. Now I'm back to a no-name, bottom screw ligature. I personally like the top screws, but I don't like the Rovner on tenor with as hard as it is to move around.
So I bought a Rovner Versa X and Jody Jazz power ring after breaking my stock ligature and I think they are both great.
Rovner Versa X is my favourite, performance wise, even though I'm not a fan of how it looks. Power ring looks grand. Versa X seems to make both low and high notes come out easier and top end gets this clear, edgy feel to it. I seem to be able to play quieter down low as well and it feels like the reed vibrates more freely.
For whatever this means, I was also able to more consistently be able to play above high D, so E and F, which I struggle with still, both on stock and power ring ligature.
Hi Jay, have you already tested the François Louis ligatures? It's a wonderful ligature created and constructed by an amazing belgian luthier (François Louis) that have an incredibly simple and revolutionary system of attachement. Just in case you didn't know this luthier...
Very interesting for a newbie - thanks