Saxophone Players Guide

  • Home
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Privacy
  • Contact

A Saxophone Ligature to hold it all together

The purpose of the Saxophone Ligature is to allow a thin wooden sliver, known as a reed, to vibrate in a controlled way atop a mouthpiece. The Ligature is a specialized clamp that allows a reed to attach firmly to the flat region, or facing, of the mouthpiece.

Most mouthpieces are sold with a matching ligature, however, there are advantages to using separately-purchased mouthpieces and ligatures together. Be sure to play-test both together to ensure they fit securely with each other when combined with a reed.

Most ligatures are made of metal, leather, or plastic. Depending on the material, you will want to use either a woodwind cleaner or soap and water to clean it if it becomes dirty. If a mouthpiece or ligature is not visibly dirty, it is not necessary to wash it after every use.

Some ligatures are made of interchangeable parts, such as the Vandoren Optimum. It has changeable contact plates to vary the kind and amount of pressure holding the reed onto the mouthpiece. Others, such as a Rovner Dark, are a continuous piece of fabric that wraps tightly around both the reed and mouthpiece.

Which Ligature works best?

In general, fabric ligatures are thought of as providing darker, warmer tones than metal ligatures. Some companies also offer accessories for your ligature, such as additional plates or clasps, that can further enhance tone when used on a compatible ligature. If you are unsure of whether an accessory will work, don’t hesitate to send the manufacturer or storefront the details of your mouthpiece setup before making a purchase.

mouthpiece-diagram

When purchasing a new ligature, you may need to invest in a new mouthpiece cap to accommodate it. Don’t force the mouthpiece cap if it’s too tight, as you may risk damaging the ligature.Maybe it’s not a case of needing a new ligature, because you can also experiment with the placement of a ligature on the mouthpiece to achieve a different reed response like a harder – or softer – reed, simply by moving the ligature closer or further from the tip in small amounts. Experimentation with a new ligature is crucial to make sure you are able to achieve the sound you want.


Return from Learning about the Saxophone Ligature to see the other Saxophone Parts

Return from Learning about the Saxophone Ligature to Home


Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

The Invention

  • Who Invented the Saxophone
  • Sax History
  • Adolphe Sax

Saxophone Family

  • Family
  • Soprillo Saxophone
  • Sopranino Saxophone
  • Soprano Saxophone
  • Alto Saxophone
  • Tenor Saxophone
  • The Baritone Saxophone
  • Contrabass Saxophone
  • Bass Saxophone
  • EWI

Famous Sax Players

  • Famous Players
  • John Coltrane
  • Lester Young
  • Sonny Rollins
  • Jan Garbarek
  • David Sanborn
  • Clarence Clemons
  • Kenny G
  • Stan Getz
  • Oliver Nelson
  • Albert Ayler
  • John Gilmore
  • Ben Webster
  • Wayne Shorter
  • Charlie Parker
  • Candy Dulfer
  • Grover Washington Jr.
  • Dave Koz
  • Mindi Abair
  • Bob Mintzer
  • Bill Clinton
  • Julian Cannonball
  • Eric Dolphy
  • Rahsaan Roland Kirk
  • Romy Bylin
  • Ornette Coleman

Jazz Music Info

  • Jazz Music
  • Jazz History
  • Jazz Clubs
  • Jazz Festivals
  • Smooth Jazz
  • Jazz Music Examples

Learn the Saxophone

  • Play Saxophone
  • How long to learn Sax
  • Saxophone Lessons
  • Saxophone Techniques
  • Saxophone Tone

Learn to read Music

  • Learn to Read Music Today
  • Major Scales
  • Minor Scales

Saxohone Teachers

  • Teachers
  • Berklee College of Music
  • Local Saxophone
right-box-img1

Buy Saxophone

  • How to Buy a Saxophone

Saxophone Brands

  • Brands
  • Yamaha
  • Yanagisawa
  • Martin
  • Cannonball
  • Jupiter
  • Selmer
  • Keilwerth
  • Conn
  • King
  • Vito

Saxophone Accessories

  • Essential Accessories
  • Case
  • Neck
  • Mute
  • Mic
  • Stand

Saxophone Parts

  • Parts
  • Reeds
  • Mouthpiece
  • Neck
  • Ligature

Saxophone Repair

  • Saxophone Repair

Wind Instruments

  • Instruments
  • The Trumpet
  • Trombone

Copyright © 2008 - 2023· Saxophone Players Guide · All Rights Reserved

designed by BDhire.com

Copyright © 2023 · MTJPress Niche on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in