I'm not even a clarinet player (saxophonist actually) yet I'm still glued to these videos. Your explanations help me get a good insight in what to keep in mind testing other ligatures and what you out of them. Thank you for presenting the information so clearly. I'll be following your ligature saga closely. (I wonder if you'll try out the Brancher gold plated ligature in your metal video, I always think it gives such a clear sound and response.)
I tend to switch ligatures when I feel like it and then after just couple of days I forget that I changed the ligature. Among them is this Eddie Daniels/now Versa ligature. Yes I do hear a difference between it,the Charles Bay Rhodium,Vandoren leather ligature and Vandoren optimum ligature to name few in my collection. But they all do the job and just sound myself after using each for couple of days. Best quote is what the renowned clarinetist John McCaw said in a masterclass in 2001: A bad ligature can ruin a good mouthpiece. Ps. I'm sorry you already said the same thing about ligatures in the first part which I hadn't watch when I commented.
I loved your analysis on different types of mouthpieces and how much ligatures affect them. Overall, I quite agree with your thoughts for these ligatures, both in terms of feel and sound. I'd like to add my two cents, as someone who enjoys playing 2 setups, 1) a very closed/flexible mouthpiece with a medium reed (M13 Lyre) and 2) a medium-open/"hold" mouthpiece with a medium-resistant reed, but also as a student who's not quite adjusted fully to either particular setup. I find that on the M13 Lyre and all my favorite closed tip mouthpieces, my ligature choices were based on the kind of sound and feel I was going for; a good balance of overtones, aka vibrancy in the sound, with just enough resistance to control dynamic and color. For me, that meant a metal ligature (currently a bonade inverted) works well with a 3½ blue box reed. It requires a lot of sensitivity with my air stream, embouchre, and voicing, but it allows me to sing with that balance of higher frequencies I look for in this setup. On my Kanter and other favorite open mouthpieces that emphasize the fundamental a lot more, I found myself going for a less resistant ligature that also emphasizes the fundamental a bit more, and encourages a more gentle feel and sound for the way I play these mouthpieces. The only exception I've found to this so far is the B40, where I prefer a metal ligature (Bonade non-inverted). I think this is because, despite being a relatively open facing mouthpiece, soundwise, it harkens a lot closer to the M13 Lyre and my favorite closed facing mouthpieces. This all to say, I think that someone used to one mouthpiece type or another would find the other type to be less affected by the same factors, because they are already so different. They require different physical and tonal approaches, especially when you compare mouthpieces that encourage "vibrancy" or "hold" using just your air/embouchre/voicing, and those that encourage "darkness" by biting and constricting the vibrations of the reed. My own preference is one that doesn't require biting, so I know very little about those mouthpieces that encourage it, such as the Vandoren BD and HD series. However, for the more old-school mouthpiece which are designed for minimal jaw pressure (there is still so much variation in these), I find that, regardless if it is a more fundamental emphasizing mouthpiece or overtone emphasizing mouthpiece, they are a lot more sensitive to ligature and reed changes. I think I only came to this conclusion, though, because they are what I'm used to. Fantastic video overall, as always, Mr Kurokawa!
Thanks Amay! I am certainly in agreement that different ligatures suit different mouthpieces and reeds. I haven't played the B40 a ton, but many of the B40 players I know prefer metal ligatures as well. Thanks as always for watching!
Thanks for this interesting review of these different ligatures. I am currently using a Rovner Dark on a Vandoren BD5 mouthpiece, which I like very much and plays well for me, but over the past 6 months I have bought and played a couple of other ligatures with which I have had mixed results. I have a BG Duo in silver, that plays well for me with this mouthpiece, and I also bought a Rovner Versa, which I am not happy with, so I very much appreciated your take on that ligature. On top of not being particularly happy with the way that the Versa responded for me personally, I also found that if I didn't leave the flaps covering the plate on the reed side of the ligature, that if I left the ligature on my mouthpiece, even loosely, when it is stored in my case the metal plate on the Versa started leaving visible scratches/depressions in the table of my mouthpiece, which is a huge problem. I stopped using the Versa and will probably not use it again. I will be very interested to see if you try the BG Duo in your part 3 video, and if so, what you think of it. In the meantime, thank you for all of your videos! I find them to be very interesting and I enjoy them very much.
Thanks for the kind words, and thanks for watching! Part 2 will be delayed as the ClarinetFest is this coming week, but I’ll be back with more videos after that!
As a side note to my other comment, I am now a very happy owner of a set of Yamaha CSVR-ASP clarinets! I sat with Tomoji Hirakana, who went with me note by note until the entire instrument played and sounded very even, with much less resistance than my old Buffet set, and is now much more reed and mouthpiece friendly! Thought I'd let you know because you also play CSVR clarinets :)
Congratulations! Tomoji is AMAZING. You're going to love them. I think the CSVR is one of the best clarinets on the market, and I'm proud to have been one of the many consultants on that project! Enjoy!
@@john.kurokawa I absolutely love them, and he is amazing! I didn't know you were a consultant for the CSVR project, but it makes a lot of sense. I know many players who love both the CSVR and the ASP variant, as it is very flexible without leaning towards either extreme. Were you a Yamaha artist before the CSVR?
@@amay.clarinet Yes. I played the CSG models. In fact, I’m seriously considering them for my next set. David Shifrin was using them when they were new and he showed them to me when he was playing the Mozart concerto with my orchestra. I was very taken with them and haven’t looked back since. Enjoy
@@john.kurokawa awesome! Do you find the CSVR and CSVR-ASP to be that much different in how they play? I'm also curious as to your thoughts on the CSG, and what you like the most about those. I haven't had the opportunity to try either the base CSVR or the CSG models yet.
@@amay.clarinet Yes. For myself, I actually prefer the original CSVR- it's a little freer and easy for me to play. I had Tomoji put a custom low F mechanism on my A clarinet as I feel it is absolutely essential on these models. He did an amazing job- it looks almost stock. The CSG's actually have the same lower joint as the CSVR (so I'm told), but the upper joint and barrel are different. They just blow different- hard to describe. But I played them for about 10 years. Great clarinets. Extremely stable intonation and even sound. I love 'em.
Saxophonist here, I much prefer my Ishimori woodstone ligature to anything else I’ve tried. Gives my sound a nice ring and I find it makes it much easier to work with when it comes to tonal flexibility.
I personally use a gold Bonade ligature (from Taplin Weir, of course). Simple, effective, gold is my favorite material, and it doesn’t obliterate the wallet haha.
Great video...!!! Of the ligatures in this video, the Rovner Van Gough checks all of my boxes. Price for this--as most Rovners--is reasonable (NO Silverstein for me as price alone is a deterrent), Rovners last for years, etc. Okay, I have used Rovners for many years, and I do have a bias. But...I have never tried the Van Gough. A suggestion for all clarinetists that have the issue of ligature caps that are too large and do not fit the case: try the Silverstein Omnicap mouthpiece cap. It fits over the tip, is not bulky, and will protect the mouthpiece and reed. I use them for all of my mouthpieces, and my only issue is that if you are not careful, they can get lost. Looking forward to more videos like this...
That’s a really good idea. I also see there are some cheap knockoff versions on Amazon. Good thing, because the Silverstein cap is quite expensive for what it is. Thanks for watching!
@@john.kurokawa: Yes there are cheaper copies of the Silverstein, but cheaper does not always equal better. YES, I am biased and spoiled... :) :) :) Seriously, always good to try.
@@davidnaden I'm only talking about the cap, lol. I have several of the knockoffs and they do just fine. They actually look identical to Silverstein's cap, but for a fraction of the price.
Yes! With the right mouthpiece they can be quite good! However, they don’t seem to be in production any more and are unfortunately difficult to obtain. Thanks for watching!
Have you tried the Rovner dark? I know it's a budget model, but after comparing it to how many other ligatures (Versa, Silverstein, Vandoren optimum, and a few more) work for me, I've actually found that it actually feels better than most. It holds the reed to the mouthpiece extremely firm if I want it to (can take mouthpiece off clarinet and reed stays) and it is durable enough to last me 6 years with no signs of deterioration. I also think it looks quite nice and clean on the instrument :)
I have. I I think adjustable barrels are a really interesting proposition, but I haven't found any that rival the ones that Tomoji Hirakata made for me. Thanks for watching!
Aloha John! What perfect timing as I am currently trying to change ligatures too. I use the traditional older Harrison which I love. However I just recently switched to using the Legere French Cut Reed and the reed tends to slip no matter even if I tighten it all the way. I am currently using the Rovner Versa as it does hold it and response is ok. I am awaiting my Silverstein to arrive as I read online that this ligature will hold the Legere reed firmly. I do want to try the Woodstone Ligature too but it’s so expensive and being that I just paid for the Silverstein. It will have to wait. I do prefer metal ligatures though. Do you have any ideas or suggestions? Thank you so much! - Elden
Hi Elden! I don't actually use synthetic reeds, but have a few ideas. There are some vendors in the states like Meridian Winds that carry the Woodstone- they might be cheaper for you. Just be careful about over tightening the screws on a Harrison- you can snap them really easily! If you like the Rovner Versa, then I would use it- I just don't like it for myself. I would guess the Woodstone would hold a Legere very firmly as it has a wooden point of contact on the reed. Have you tried a D'addario H? They're not incredibly well made, but a lot cheaper, and they do tend to grip the reed a little more firmly due to the design changes from the original Harrison. I'll be curious to know how the Silverstein works with synthetic reeds. Since Silverstein makes their own line of synthetic reeds, I would imagine it would work pretty well; I just couldn't get over how easily the ligature would slip off the mouthpiece. There will be another ligature video coming on metal ligatures. Stay tuned! In the meantime, best of luck and keep me posted on your ligature search!
Yes! I really enjoyed the older incarnations of those liguatures. I had a student who had real issues with the latest versions in terms of build quality, but that might have just been the one we ordered. Thanks for watching!
I'm not even a clarinet player (saxophonist actually) yet I'm still glued to these videos. Your explanations help me get a good insight in what to keep in mind testing other ligatures and what you out of them. Thank you for presenting the information so clearly. I'll be following your ligature saga closely.
(I wonder if you'll try out the Brancher gold plated ligature in your metal video, I always think it gives such a clear sound and response.)
I tend to switch ligatures when I feel like it and then after just couple of days I forget that I changed the ligature. Among them is this Eddie Daniels/now Versa ligature. Yes I do hear a difference between it,the Charles Bay Rhodium,Vandoren leather ligature and Vandoren optimum ligature to name few in my collection. But they all do the job and just sound myself after using each for couple of days.
Best quote is what the renowned clarinetist John McCaw said in a masterclass in 2001:
A bad ligature can ruin a good mouthpiece.
Ps. I'm sorry you already said the same thing about ligatures in the first part which I hadn't watch when I commented.
Joel was my mentor in woodwind repair, and a fantastic craftsman!! Lomax for the win!
Some of the nicest people you'll meet! Thanks for watching!
RIP JOEL 😢 💔
I loved your analysis on different types of mouthpieces and how much ligatures affect them. Overall, I quite agree with your thoughts for these ligatures, both in terms of feel and sound. I'd like to add my two cents, as someone who enjoys playing 2 setups, 1) a very closed/flexible mouthpiece with a medium reed (M13 Lyre) and 2) a medium-open/"hold" mouthpiece with a medium-resistant reed, but also as a student who's not quite adjusted fully to either particular setup.
I find that on the M13 Lyre and all my favorite closed tip mouthpieces, my ligature choices were based on the kind of sound and feel I was going for; a good balance of overtones, aka vibrancy in the sound, with just enough resistance to control dynamic and color. For me, that meant a metal ligature (currently a bonade inverted) works well with a 3½ blue box reed. It requires a lot of sensitivity with my air stream, embouchre, and voicing, but it allows me to sing with that balance of higher frequencies I look for in this setup.
On my Kanter and other favorite open mouthpieces that emphasize the fundamental a lot more, I found myself going for a less resistant ligature that also emphasizes the fundamental a bit more, and encourages a more gentle feel and sound for the way I play these mouthpieces. The only exception I've found to this so far is the B40, where I prefer a metal ligature (Bonade non-inverted). I think this is because, despite being a relatively open facing mouthpiece, soundwise, it harkens a lot closer to the M13 Lyre and my favorite closed facing mouthpieces.
This all to say, I think that someone used to one mouthpiece type or another would find the other type to be less affected by the same factors, because they are already so different. They require different physical and tonal approaches, especially when you compare mouthpieces that encourage "vibrancy" or "hold" using just your air/embouchre/voicing, and those that encourage "darkness" by biting and constricting the vibrations of the reed.
My own preference is one that doesn't require biting, so I know very little about those mouthpieces that encourage it, such as the Vandoren BD and HD series. However, for the more old-school mouthpiece which are designed for minimal jaw pressure (there is still so much variation in these), I find that, regardless if it is a more fundamental emphasizing mouthpiece or overtone emphasizing mouthpiece, they are a lot more sensitive to ligature and reed changes. I think I only came to this conclusion, though, because they are what I'm used to.
Fantastic video overall, as always, Mr Kurokawa!
Thanks Amay! I am certainly in agreement that different ligatures suit different mouthpieces and reeds. I haven't played the B40 a ton, but many of the B40 players I know prefer metal ligatures as well. Thanks as always for watching!
@@john.kurokawa of course! Always a pleasure.
I'm surprised how much I liked the sound of the snake-skin ligature... This is quite interesting!
Yep- it is quite interesting. Unfortunately some of my colleagues in the orchestra are rather repelled by it. 😳
@@john.kurokawa haha, that is quite unfortunate.
Thanks for this interesting review of these different ligatures. I am currently using a Rovner Dark on a Vandoren BD5 mouthpiece, which I like very much and plays well for me, but over the past 6 months I have bought and played a couple of other ligatures with which I have had mixed results. I have a BG Duo in silver, that plays well for me with this mouthpiece, and I also bought a Rovner Versa, which I am not happy with, so I very much appreciated your take on that ligature. On top of not being particularly happy with the way that the Versa responded for me personally, I also found that if I didn't leave the flaps covering the plate on the reed side of the ligature, that if I left the ligature on my mouthpiece, even loosely, when it is stored in my case the metal plate on the Versa started leaving visible scratches/depressions in the table of my mouthpiece, which is a huge problem. I stopped using the Versa and will probably not use it again. I will be very interested to see if you try the BG Duo in your part 3 video, and if so, what you think of it. In the meantime, thank you for all of your videos! I find them to be very interesting and I enjoy them very much.
Thanks for the kind words, and thanks for watching! Part 2 will be delayed as the ClarinetFest is this coming week, but I’ll be back with more videos after that!
I definitely prefer metal ligatures but I also agree the kodama II is great. I'm also a fan of the BG super revelation.
BG does make nice ligatures- agreed! Thanks for watching!
I use a Rovner Light, but thanks for giving me a couple ideas for other options! The kodama looks tempting!
You bet! Thanks for watching!
As a side note to my other comment, I am now a very happy owner of a set of Yamaha CSVR-ASP clarinets! I sat with Tomoji Hirakana, who went with me note by note until the entire instrument played and sounded very even, with much less resistance than my old Buffet set, and is now much more reed and mouthpiece friendly! Thought I'd let you know because you also play CSVR clarinets :)
Congratulations! Tomoji is AMAZING. You're going to love them. I think the CSVR is one of the best clarinets on the market, and I'm proud to have been one of the many consultants on that project! Enjoy!
@@john.kurokawa I absolutely love them, and he is amazing! I didn't know you were a consultant for the CSVR project, but it makes a lot of sense. I know many players who love both the CSVR and the ASP variant, as it is very flexible without leaning towards either extreme. Were you a Yamaha artist before the CSVR?
@@amay.clarinet Yes. I played the CSG models. In fact, I’m seriously considering them for my next set. David Shifrin was using them when they were new and he showed them to me when he was playing the Mozart concerto with my orchestra. I was very taken with them and haven’t looked back since. Enjoy
@@john.kurokawa awesome! Do you find the CSVR and CSVR-ASP to be that much different in how they play? I'm also curious as to your thoughts on the CSG, and what you like the most about those. I haven't had the opportunity to try either the base CSVR or the CSG models yet.
@@amay.clarinet Yes. For myself, I actually prefer the original CSVR- it's a little freer and easy for me to play. I had Tomoji put a custom low F mechanism on my A clarinet as I feel it is absolutely essential on these models. He did an amazing job- it looks almost stock.
The CSG's actually have the same lower joint as the CSVR (so I'm told), but the upper joint and barrel are different. They just blow different- hard to describe. But I played them for about 10 years. Great clarinets. Extremely stable intonation and even sound. I love 'em.
Your videos are always great! Thank you for making them.
Glad you like them Tyler! Thanks for watching!
Saxophonist here, I much prefer my Ishimori woodstone ligature to anything else I’ve tried. Gives my sound a nice ring and I find it makes it much easier to work with when it comes to tonal flexibility.
Very cool! They are excellent ligatures for sure. Thanks for watching!
My favourites are Bonades and I'm also interested to try the AK someday maybe..
Metal ligatures are next! Thanks for watching!
@@john.kurokawalooking forward to it ! 👏🏼
I personally use a gold Bonade ligature (from Taplin Weir, of course). Simple, effective, gold is my favorite material, and it doesn’t obliterate the wallet haha.
I have several of those and they are among my favorites- excellent choice! Thanks for watching!
And the winner of this comparison is the woodstone kodama II, the only one were the sound of the clarinet got spirit!
Glad you liked it! Thanks for watching!
Which ligature do you prefer.. kodama Il or the momo?
Great video...!!! Of the ligatures in this video, the Rovner Van Gough checks all of my boxes. Price for this--as most Rovners--is reasonable (NO Silverstein for me as price alone is a deterrent), Rovners last for years, etc. Okay, I have used Rovners for many years, and I do have a bias. But...I have never tried the Van Gough. A suggestion for all clarinetists that have the issue of ligature caps that are too large and do not fit the case: try the Silverstein Omnicap mouthpiece cap. It fits over the tip, is not bulky, and will protect the mouthpiece and reed. I use them for all of my mouthpieces, and my only issue is that if you are not careful, they can get lost. Looking forward to more videos like this...
That’s a really good idea. I also see there are some cheap knockoff versions on Amazon. Good thing, because the Silverstein cap is quite expensive for what it is. Thanks for watching!
@@john.kurokawa: Yes there are cheaper copies of the Silverstein, but cheaper does not always equal better. YES, I am biased and spoiled... :) :) :) Seriously, always good to try.
@@davidnaden I'm only talking about the cap, lol. I have several of the knockoffs and they do just fine. They actually look identical to Silverstein's cap, but for a fraction of the price.
Have you tried the Baroque ligatures by Charles Bay? I got one a couple days ago and I’m a big fan
Yes! With the right mouthpiece they can be quite good! However, they don’t seem to be in production any more and are unfortunately difficult to obtain. Thanks for watching!
Have you tried the Rovner dark? I know it's a budget model, but after comparing it to how many other ligatures (Versa, Silverstein, Vandoren optimum, and a few more) work for me, I've actually found that it actually feels better than most. It holds the reed to the mouthpiece extremely firm if I want it to (can take mouthpiece off clarinet and reed stays) and it is durable enough to last me 6 years with no signs of deterioration.
I also think it looks quite nice and clean on the instrument :)
I've not- I'll have to add it to the list. Thanks for the tip and for watching!
Have you tried Brad Behn’s adjustable barrels? I use a Silverstein ligature and just swap the barrel between A and Bb, and it works great.
I have. I I think adjustable barrels are a really interesting proposition, but I haven't found any that rival the ones that Tomoji Hirakata made for me. Thanks for watching!
Aloha John! What perfect timing as I am currently trying to change ligatures too. I use the traditional older Harrison which I love. However I just recently switched to using the Legere French Cut Reed and the reed tends to slip no matter even if I tighten it all the way. I am currently using the Rovner Versa as it does hold it and response is ok. I am awaiting my Silverstein to arrive as I read online that this ligature will hold the Legere reed firmly. I do want to try the Woodstone Ligature too but it’s so expensive and being that I just paid for the Silverstein. It will have to wait. I do prefer metal ligatures though. Do you have any ideas or suggestions? Thank you so much! - Elden
Hi Elden! I don't actually use synthetic reeds, but have a few ideas. There are some vendors in the states like Meridian Winds that carry the Woodstone- they might be cheaper for you. Just be careful about over tightening the screws on a Harrison- you can snap them really easily! If you like the Rovner Versa, then I would use it- I just don't like it for myself. I would guess the Woodstone would hold a Legere very firmly as it has a wooden point of contact on the reed. Have you tried a D'addario H? They're not incredibly well made, but a lot cheaper, and they do tend to grip the reed a little more firmly due to the design changes from the original Harrison. I'll be curious to know how the Silverstein works with synthetic reeds. Since Silverstein makes their own line of synthetic reeds, I would imagine it would work pretty well; I just couldn't get over how easily the ligature would slip off the mouthpiece.
There will be another ligature video coming on metal ligatures. Stay tuned! In the meantime, best of luck and keep me posted on your ligature search!
Have you ever tried the Luyben ligatures?? I highly recommend them
Yes! I really enjoyed the older incarnations of those liguatures. I had a student who had real issues with the latest versions in terms of build quality, but that might have just been the one we ordered. Thanks for watching!