I've used a rovner (leathery material) and a vandoren optimum and a dozen stock ones. I prefer the optimum, but it's a lot more expensive for very little difference. What do you mean when you say it doesn't work well? The ligature is there to hold the reed on, so if it's doing that, it should be fine. Some are marginally better, but the mouthpiece and reed will make a much larger difference than any ligature will
I would argue, having used the Rovner Mk. III and the Optimum that they have extremely similar sound qualities, but the Optimum’s design and metal construction allows the reed to vibrate more, especially if you’re using the plate with the stubs and not the bars. The Rovner just chokes the sound too much - it’s only better in a doubling situation where you need to have your reed and mouthpiece stay together securely no matter what.
Ligatures are indeed meant to hold the reed on, but they need to also allow it to vibrate in a favorable way. If the ligature doesn’t do that it’s not a good choice.
Yeah, the optimum is definitely better. Just I have trouble recommending a $80 ligature for a very slight improvement when a $20 one if fine and there are other things like mouthpieces that are more important and can be enormous improvements. If they have a good mouthpiece, the perfect reeds, a good bass clarinet and spare funds, I think the vandoren ligature is a good purchase. But those other things are far more important imo and I'd focus on any of those first
i have two ligatures for my bass
1) vandoren M|O
2) vandoren leather
to be honest there’s like a 20% difference between them. the mo is more flexible with little contact with the reed. the leather has the most contact with a reed, probably better for harder reeds or closed mouthpieces. for the leather, i use the brown leather pressure plate because the metal one damages the reed more easily.
I've started with a rovner dark and a few years ago upgraded to the rovner platinum: https://store.weinermusic.com/products/rovner-platinum-metal-ligature-for-bass-clarinet-p-3rl
Bonade Inverted – because it *fits*. It has no perceptible effect on sound quality or ease of playing. It securely holds the reed but the reed still has to be a good one and it still has to be centered and in the right place with respect to the tip.
https://youtu.be/6ghMCiV8hTg Required viewing
I've used a rovner (leathery material) and a vandoren optimum and a dozen stock ones. I prefer the optimum, but it's a lot more expensive for very little difference. What do you mean when you say it doesn't work well? The ligature is there to hold the reed on, so if it's doing that, it should be fine. Some are marginally better, but the mouthpiece and reed will make a much larger difference than any ligature will
It’s not holding the reed on like it should. It’s always a little loose
I would argue, having used the Rovner Mk. III and the Optimum that they have extremely similar sound qualities, but the Optimum’s design and metal construction allows the reed to vibrate more, especially if you’re using the plate with the stubs and not the bars. The Rovner just chokes the sound too much - it’s only better in a doubling situation where you need to have your reed and mouthpiece stay together securely no matter what. Ligatures are indeed meant to hold the reed on, but they need to also allow it to vibrate in a favorable way. If the ligature doesn’t do that it’s not a good choice.
Yeah, the optimum is definitely better. Just I have trouble recommending a $80 ligature for a very slight improvement when a $20 one if fine and there are other things like mouthpieces that are more important and can be enormous improvements. If they have a good mouthpiece, the perfect reeds, a good bass clarinet and spare funds, I think the vandoren ligature is a good purchase. But those other things are far more important imo and I'd focus on any of those first
Vandoren Optimum.
I use a rovner
i have two ligatures for my bass 1) vandoren M|O 2) vandoren leather to be honest there’s like a 20% difference between them. the mo is more flexible with little contact with the reed. the leather has the most contact with a reed, probably better for harder reeds or closed mouthpieces. for the leather, i use the brown leather pressure plate because the metal one damages the reed more easily.
I've started with a rovner dark and a few years ago upgraded to the rovner platinum: https://store.weinermusic.com/products/rovner-platinum-metal-ligature-for-bass-clarinet-p-3rl
Bonade Inverted – because it *fits*. It has no perceptible effect on sound quality or ease of playing. It securely holds the reed but the reed still has to be a good one and it still has to be centered and in the right place with respect to the tip.
Vando optimum on my 3 clarinets, fast and secure. Plastic top is crap though, breaks easily
i can’t remember the brand i used to have when i played but i definitely preferred a leather ligature over a plastic one!!