Saxophone Ligatures
Is there any difference?
Saxophone ligatures. What difference do they make? If you are a beginner then the answer is very little. They are however a highly integeral part of the 'never ending quest' for the perfect sound.Thankfully they are somewhat cheaper than a
mouthpiece,
this can however be your downfall. 'Well, it's only £20. I might as well have it' soon adds up.
Ligatures are designed to compliment the mouthpiece and the
reed
you are using. If you decide to buy one on ebay for instance be sure to ask what mouthpiece it was used on. A ligature for a metal mouthpiece will not generally fit an ebonite mouthpiece.
Its a tough call to determine whether saxophone ligatures actually affect your tone that much when you are a beginner. The trouble is your embouchre will change over time becoming stronger and this will have a major effect on your tone without any interference from the ligature. For example, when I started I had Rovner Dark and Rovner Light saxophone ligatures for my Tenor. Although I could tell the difference anyone who listened to me couldn't. They could however tell if I changed to a metal one. Someone with a more classical set up may well opt for a metal ligature whereas someone interested in playing jazz with a buzzier sound may opt for a soft lig or a metal lig with a rubber or leather insert.
I think the reality for most of us is that it's what you are comfortable with. I believe I play better with the Rovner Light and because of that I'll continue with it. I will say though that the difference between a metal Lig and a leather or rubber one is obvious for me. You get more buzz with a softer Saxophone Ligature as they give the reed more ability to vibrate. However I wouldn't be surprised if some one was prepared to argue that.It's only when you get truly serious and get seriously good that the differences between ligatures comes into it. That said there is no rule to say you can't go out and buy a new one, just make sure you seek out some advice from either your teacher or a specialist supplier.
I went to see a swing band a while ago and spoke to one of the guys who played Tenor. What surprised me was that he didn't know what ligature or mouthpiece he used. He wasn't a bad player but he had no passion. He did it because he started playing as a child as he got a sax as a present and now he could make money from it. The mouthpiece and ligature came with the sax. To him none of his set up made a difference. He played because he got paid to play. With that said it doen't mean he was wrong. The guy was happy with the tone he had. His only concern was playing in tune and keeping to the beat. Sadly, for those of us blessed with a desire that kind of simplicity will never apply.
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