[saxmsy]

I have been using Rovner dark on my soprano sax in the past 6 months since I started the soprano. The MP is selmer super session and reed is Rico Royal 2.0. Actually I like bright sound and I like to play pop or kenny g's songs. I chose rovner dark because it is a famous lig and but have no ideas it is good or not. Yesterday I tried my stock lig (not a selmer lig, it is a lig coming with my sax), a crappy lig I thought and seldomly use before (a very common 2 screw). Surprisingly, the sound is much better to me, at least brighter and louder. . I start to think that is it a mistake to put rovner dark on my setup since I like bright sound? Does the Rovner muffle my sound since super session mouthpiece is a bright MP?

 

[Pete Thomas]

Yesterday I tried my stock lig, a crappy lig I thought and seldomly use before (a very common 2 screw).

Selmer are a good company, so no need to assume a Selmer lig will be crappy. They are very good.

 

[saxmsy]

Sorry I forgot to mention, the stock lig is not a selmer lig (I certainly dare not say selmer lig is crappy one ). It does not come with my mouthpiece. It is a very regular two screw lig and it is no brand name.

 

[Dave Dolson]

The whole concept that a ligature may or may not affect one's sound has been thoroughly discussed in other threads. Suffice to say I believe the ligature CAN affect one's sound. In fact, that is exactly why I keep different ligs in my cases. For instance, if my set-up is overly bright, I can take the edge off by using a Rovner (of different designs). If I want power I'll use the Selmer two-screw (but any metal two-screw lig gives me the same result). Your results didn't surprise me. DAVE

 

[saxmsy]

Dave, at first I really doubt the effect of lig on sound but now I did observe significant difference between rovner dark and two screw on my set up.

 

[Jorns Bergenson]

I've tried the Rovner dark and didn't like it on any of my soprano mouthpieces which range from vintage to modern. My favorite lig is the Rico H-lig far above any other. It is works well, looks great and is fairly inexpensive.

 

[Dave Dolson]

I have one of those Rico H-ligatures . . . came with my Kessler Custom soprano mouthpiece. Yes, it LOOKS nice but as far as making a difference? Nah . . . I still prefer my two-screw metal Selmers over all. Oh, the Rico H works, and it is among my second-tier ligs (being the Vandoren Optimum, Yanagisawa metal two-screws, Rovner EDII, and the Rico H). The other Rovners I consider to be thrird-tier but like I posted above, they have their place. DAVE

 

[skeller047]

There are two kinds of ligatures - good and bad. There will be little if any difference in the sound between good ligatures.

Rovner Dark is a bad ligature. By this I mean that it generally will not hold the reed firmly against the table of the mouthpiece, but rather it allows it to "float" a little bit, thus darkening the sound. saxmsy, this is the source of the darker sound when using this ligature. I recommend not using it.

 

[zorroperro]

I believe, on the other hand, Rovner are good ligatures. Now, depends on what works for you.

For some setups they work very well. For me, a Rovner Light works very well wity my Jumbo Java mouthpiece and a Rovner Dark has been useful with some mouthpieces, though not my first choice.

My advice would be to listen to you, recorded. Sometimes we lose the concept. The whole setup including the mouthpiece, the reed, the lig and the horn and the most important member of all, you, the player, have to do. If you like it, stop taking into consideration what we say and keep playing.

If you do not like what you hear, practice (excuse, I do not know how long have you being playing other horns... so forgive me if I am being imprudent). And if you do not like what you are getting after practicing, change.

All the best,

JI

 

[saxmsy]

Thanks a lot for the suggestions! Now I get the concept how the rovner dark works to make "dark" sound and I agree that the effect of lig depends on many factors. Maybe after days of practice I will like the rovner again

 

[Pete Thomas]

Thanks a lot for the suggestions! Now I get the concept how the rovner dark works to make "dark" sound and I agree that the effect of lig depends on many factors. Maybe after days of practice I will like the rovner again

After days of practise you may be good enough to not rely on a ligature to help shape your sound.

 

[saxmsy]

After days of practise you may be good enough to not rely on a ligature to help shape your sound.

cannot agree more. I heard that the better your skills the less you will depend on the gears to make good tone.

 

[Jazzaferri]

After days of practise you may be good enough to not rely on a ligature to help shape your sound.

Amen