Monthly Archives: July 2021

Yes! A ligature can make a difference in the sound of your clarinet. Ligatures are usually made of metal plated in nickel, gold, and silver. Some ligatures are made of wires, plastic, wood, and leather. The mouthpiece and the reed create the vibrations which generates the sound. They cannot vibrate properly without the ligature that holds them together. The vibrations they make will result in easier, cleaner and faster notes to articulate.

The reed must be secured firmly by a ligature against the table of the mouthpiece to make it vibrate freely. Most ligatures are tightened by one or two screws. It is important that your ligature fits perfectly with your mouthpiece. 

Another factor that affects the sound is the material of the ligature that is used. As mentioned, there are ligatures made from metal or leather. The metal ligature helps us to produce higher volume and brighter sound while the synthetic leather material will give us a darker more muffled sound.