Are Ligatures a WASTE OF MONEY??

[@DavePollack]

Guess away! How many did you get right? Which sounded the best? Let me know!

[@jahsonx]

2

[@alexgreenbergmusic187]

I liked 8

[@DavePollack]

Look at that! Wasn't my ligature

[@theludicrouslime]

Number 5 sounds very free blowing.

[@qubanhall6111]

9

[@carlospenamartinez8357]

#5 really speaks to me tone wise 🔥😎

[@Saxologic]

I’m gonna guess that #5 was the screwed one LMAO

[@DavePollack]

Cmon that wasn't that difficult, haha

[@maverickdallas1004]

That mouthpiece was SCREWED... BIG TIME!!!

[@StoneysWorkshop]

rofl

[@acemcfumble355]

@Saxologic Winner of a video, I been tryin to find out about "essure or tubal ligation which is better" for a while now, and I think this has helped. You ever tried - Fiyrace Beyogan Formula - (do a search on google ) ? Ive heard some extraordinary things about it and my cousin got amazing results with it.

[@davidzarn3150]

I noticed on demo #4, strings lights - it looked like they were turned on. Would you get a darker sound if they were turned off? Asking for a bass player.

[@DavePollack]

Hmmm..I didn't think of that! I'm sure that I could darken the sound by turning them off. Need to do another test!

[@robstevens9590]

They all sounded good except #5, which was really bad. The difference between the expensive and cheap were minimal.

[@thebreathalyzer]

1 seemed very responsive 3 darker, 6 was kind of similar to 1. Very nice. That #5 though, that was the best!

[@DavePollack]

Hahahah! It's crazy how good the hair tie sounded...I actually like it better than every other one, including my own ligature (Eddie Daniels Rovner)

[@sequoyahcisneros8719]

Dude, you have to tell me what serial # bandaid you use, please!

[@DavePollack]

No! It's my own personal secret!!

[@leftatcostco3367]

@@DavePollack pleaseeeee

[@joaquinmendoza2306]

Misty

[@sequoyahcisneros8719]

@@joaquinmendoza2306 No....NO! It can't be!!!

[@jerrodshack7610]

I thought that 6 sounded the best, so I figured it was the Eddie Daniels, and I guessed right. It just sounds more resonant and freeblowing. You know, compared to a reed screwed through the mouthpiece

[@DavePollack]

Hahahaha true true

[@McGillMusicSaxSchool]

Great video Dave. That’s it -I’m going out to get some Christmas lights for my mouthpiece!

[@DavePollack]

Awesome!! If you get the red or white ones the sound is a bit brighter.

[@macs7641]

Great post Dave! I have found that red painters tape sounds hotter than the blue, which i think sounded more bluesy, i found the white painters tape sounded brighter. But I am going to market with all three - $ellmore Ligature Tape - paint your own wall of sound - only $25 a roll!

[@DavePollack]

Awesome!! Might wanna go $50 a roll so people will think they'll end up sounding even better ;)

[@bobsalbertasaxophone6916]

I had a mouthpiece where the 2 screw metal would slip off no matter how tight I put it on. The rovener leather fixed that on that piece. Sounds to me like if it holds the reed on securely and easy to get on and off that is what matters. Thanks for the comparisons and ideas if you ever forget a ligature.

[@jonathanmorrison112]

#5 really screams, definitely one of the Rovners

[@thomaskipfer1008]

On soprano I have a real nice Rovner... Then I tried a piece of plain Velcro. It blew the Rovner away! This is one you didn't try, but it rocks. I'm going to move to Velcro for tenor B. Larson stainless and hard rubber. Also alto- stainless and hard rubber. Try it!

[@alexandergeddes925]

I like 2, 6, and 8. Others were very close but those kept your sound full throughout the whole horn.

[@justified_parker]

Those were the exact ones that stood out to me, too.

[@joeblankenship377]

I bought a Rovner recently since they're frequently recommended and reasonably priced. But if I'm 100% honest, I prefer the plain old, regular 2 screw ligature. It's so much easier and quicker for me to put the reed on the mouthpiece and get it in the right spot. And I much prefer the screws on the bottom because it's easier to get it lined up and centered. The Rovner is sort of a pain in the ass to line up and center, and when I use a synthetic reed, it slips out of place when I tighten it.

[@grantkoeller8911]

This proves that the standard 2 screw metal ligature sounds great. Richie Cole played his whole career on a stock Meyer ligature made by AP&M , Chicago (cheapie)

[@bobblues1158]

Yes it´s the feel that counts.

[@brunocyclist]

I liked 1, 7 and 9 best. Nowadays I mostly use a cable tie for a ligature. Set once, melt the lock to fix the position and then just slide on and off. Easy peasy and dirt cheap. Sound and playability are equal to my BG gold plated 1-screw lig but it's so much faster to put a reed on. And a black one nicely blends in with my hard rubber mouthpiece.

[@curtisvalle5141]

bingo my friend.

[@KadrianThomas]

The screw was the only thing that didn’t work. Dang. Thanks man. It was very informative.

[@DavePollack]

Appreciate that! I was a bit surprised too

[@AozoraNoUta]

Hi! For me, #3 and #6 especially stood out. I can't hide my surprise upon discovering that #3 was the earbuds haha! #6 gave out the sweetest, roundest and most brilliant sound overall and I very much appreciated it! I kind of felt it was the easiest one with which you could model the sound to your liking. :) Now... a special mention of #5: that was such a plain and dull sound and I could hear how much you struggled just to get something out of it... xD

[@DavePollack]

Well #6 was my own ligature! So I'm glad you liked it the best, hahah.

[@gib321]

Really happy to stumble on this when considering forking out for one of those expensive ligs. Money still Pocket!

[@evanchrisney7069]

I liked 1, 4, and then the joy con in that order. If they made a single screw option for any of those then I'd go with that. I mainly like my vandoren optimum because its only one screw to tighten.

[@DavePollack]

I love single screw ligs- super easy!

[@seanh9190]

Now you have it stuck in my head

[@jimmyb1133]

I'd like to learn that lick you are playing ... sounds really hip ... I'll have to listen more and get it in my head ....

[@birdy808]

I own several different types of ligatures and different rovners. You can tell the difference with each one. Some fabrics dampening the sound while others making the sound louder and brighter. It all depends on much the Reed is vibrating. It also depends on where you place the ligature on the mouthpiece/reed. Your Rovner sounded the best in this video.

[@Bobbybabybobbybubbie]

I find that a key difference they can make only shows up in the long term: what percentage of reeds work. Also, how quiet can you play before the sound drops "off a cliff" is a good test.

[@ajkirkcaldie]

Eddie Daniels was my preference, closely followed by hair tie. Only picked the screw

[@DavePollack]

I honestly liked the hair tie better than my ligature!!

[@grantkoeller8911]

number 4 was great!!!!

[@ninjaaron]

I actually really liked the sound of the switch controller. Good balance of depth and projection. XD

[@babajamiaco]

That #5 certainly has a potential. Was it a standard medium carbon steel or high carbon? I think I even heard a hint of Vanadium there, on the top G. I'm almost certain that a silver screw with gold plated thread would beat all of them...

[@xaviermaulave1423]

Thank you Dave for this video. Very smart, instructive and demonstrative too about the ligature MYTHS! A real and sincere Insight indeed! However beside of the price and the look/personal pleasure factors the most important are of course: how that is sounds to the audience? to the player? BUT how comfortable are they to play and how efficient/responsive in the most difficult sound/articulation situations (overtones, higher register etc). I did earlier such sound test with simple rubber band and was impressed how good and cheap it was. To my point of view, we are often getting our selves lost in "research" and expenses instead of practicing and in fact the absolute number ones factors are the musician, the efficacy of the practicing, the reed, then the mouthpiece. Reeds are the most critical matter to my opinion; also after years of headaches and money spending I found than the secret is your luck if the reed is perfect on day one, secondly how you can very simply improve it (by bending a bit = reed yoga/fibers stretching on the table of the mouthpiece), simple and cheap, since then I found that most of them were okay! Altering the reed may shorten its life but it is still a better option than the bin. I am highly recommending you to watch the below videos: kzbin.info/www/bejne/mn-6Z4CId5mAfpI kzbin.info/www/bejne/n5CkaquBnt6ieqM Good day to all!

[@JakeWerkmeister]

A ligature is designed to hold a reed butt firmly against a mouthpiece plate. The ones that can do this the most efficiently make the reed/mouthpiece combo sound as they're designed. The ones that cannot do this efficiently create leaks that make the tone sound airy. Other problems can also arise since you're potentially creating a leak at the upper most part of the horn. To this end, the screw and bolt is clearly the worst. Other non-ligature items sound pretty decent since they're basically replicating the classic string ligature. In my opinion, the Roverners are very efficient in holding the reed in place. However, the ones that have less contact area around the reed butt sound a bit brighter since they're not cutting off the upper partials by over dampening the reed's vibrations. It's a very subjective matter, and is totally worth the extra money if you find a lig that consistently gives you the results you're looking for on paying gigs.

[@DavePollack]

That's why I love my Eddie Daniels Rovner - holds it perfectly every time, only 1 screw so quick and easy, and gets me the exact feel and sound I want. I own exactly ONE ligature, and I've only owned that ligature for the past 13 years or so. Love it!

[@grantkoeller8911]

Number 2 sounded nice and full

[@BourdeoixEterno]

Even the nut and bolts one sounds kind of pretty good, it's all in the technique!

[@stangetz534]

2 was the best by far. 4 was pretty balanced. some were really dead. = Ligatures make a difference!

[@bryanlecza6844]

They were all the same

[@ubizmo]

Except for #5, the differences between the rest are too subtle to bother about, and could be just normal variation in playing. You're not a robot, after all. But maybe the more important question is whether you feel any difference in responsiveness and ease of play between them. I have a Rovner leather, and a couple of standard metal ligatures, one with two screws, one with just one. I tend to use the one-screw metal more than anything else, just because it's the easiest to set up. I have the idea that the Rovner gives me a more muffled sound, but I think that's all in my head; no one else can hear it.

[@DavePollack]

Yep, it's mostly about feel! For me, I own exactly one ligature- the Eddie Daniels Rovner. It is easy to set up, 1 screw, holds the reed in place perfectly, and has the metal touching the reed so I can really feel the vibration and it's not muffled or dampened at all.

[@JulieBluestoneMusic]

I guessed the two Rovners. They sounded good.

[@alexandergeddes925]

Personally I realized that the fancy ligatures were making the feel too open so I went back to a two screw then the Rovner Platinum (for cool factor. I've stood next to blinged out trumpet players too long)

[@DavePollack]

Bam! There you go

[@imlacsina]

#4 - wow, i didn't expect that to sound good.

[@bassAsax]

off to my daughter's room for some hair ties! the hair tie and Rovner leather sounded best to me

[@DavePollack]

Good luck! Post a video of how it sounds!

[@neatopapito8260]

I think even though it doesn't influence sound very much what is important about ligatures is that they can change how it feels to play.

[@DavePollack]

Absolutely! That’s why I use a Rovner Eddie Daniels. It feels the best to me!

[@curtisvalle5141]

1, 3, 6,...2?.... I already forgot which was which. Good old 2 screw.... invariably you lose a screw... use in front?... in back? Whatever... Dig a screw out of the consol of your car or in the back room of the club and cross thread/ream/tap it out through brute force? Grab some rubber bands? All the above. It all pays the same. I wish I was so solid that the lig was what was holding me back. uh... no.

[@borisaranchuk2279]

You are very professional saxophone Player! 🇺🇸👍

[@DavePollack]

Thank you!

[@Jazzcaz15]

Well they all sounded OK except number 5. So much for my exceedingly expensive Theo Wann ligature!

[@lottierose8668]

best ligature to use on a rubber tenor piece is arron drakes lig of his slant or bergonzi piece ,works excellent .

[@DavePollack]

That, or a hair tie.

[@ht3beartom330]

All but one sounded fine,the worst of the lot was number 5 of course.

[@DynamixWarePro]

I could hear a subtle difference between 1 and 2 and 3 and 3 I found a bit stuffy sounding. I actually liked the hair tie a bit. 5 was definitely the worst and I can tell why. I guessed right which ones the Rovner were. I have used Rovner dark and Versa ligatures on a Meyer 6M alto and was used to how they sound. I do find with ligatures there can make some small difference in the sound, especially when changing from a soft material like the Rovner or BG ligatures to metal ones and how freely the reed vibrates, but I think it is more how it feels to play on that is important.

[@DavePollack]

Yup- just like I say in the video, a lot of the money we spend on gear is to make us feel as comfortable as possible and to get us to play the sound we hear in our heads the easiest.

[@roblee7081]

Thank you. I laughed so hard, I could barely breathe. So, based on this review and and what I do sax-wise, I am keeping my set-up, stepping away from the YTUBE and going to my studio to practice. I once saw someone, in a pinch use, zip ties, duct tape, and holy crap, a hose clamp.

[@Armando_Gutierrez]

5:25 omg he did it😂😂😂

[@DavePollack]

Yup!

[@jooelewis]

I feel like the mouthpiece always was the bigger indicator than the ligature. I'm not fully convinced anyone can identify a ligature just by ear 100% of the time. If you opened with expensive ligature options, show them on camera, and bait switch with low budget "just put the thing on the thing" options youd get people saying these heady, tone comparisons over tucktape and rubber bands.

[@DavePollack]

Hahah! I was thinking about play every single one with the hair tie or bandaid or something, but I wanted to do this legit. Maybe for round 2??

[@bobblues1158]

Velcro is really good.

[@killersax]

All except the nut and bolt sounded ok, though I slightly preferred the Apple ear buds and the Rovner leather. BUT, given how hard you seemed to be working to get that last note out (low B-flat?) you should have your horn checked for leaks!

[@DavePollack]

Wasn't working hard at all...just subtoning it a bit. Also it was a B ;)

[@alanhowell3646]

All sounded very similar apart from 5 obviously. Not sure it was really worth ruining a Meyer mouthpiece to confirm what we knew would happen.

[@DavePollack]

Just a stock piece, can find them everywhere...I might have another (used) one soon, so be on the look out in future videos!

[@firehandszarb]

1 and 6 seemed brighter, others more mellow or even quite and muffled. Could not really say which one is best, 5 is the worst!

[@Jazzznbluezzz1]

I liked 2, 4, 6 and 10 the best

[@vladimirlopez7840]

Goes to show that a good player will always sound like themselves regardless of ligature. Except for the nut a bolt that was awful. I’m not convinced by super expensive ligatures. I like the rovner’s myself inexpensive and they work fine.

[@DavePollack]

I love my Rovners on both alto and tenor!

[@ricardoporras4651]

Get a nice ligature for your self.. in all honesty It won't make or break you. it is however a nice piece of attire to match your beautiful tone;) and personality.. imho😎

[@DavePollack]

Hahah! Love it

[@ayankhanna4769]

Next Video: Wrapping my sax in Christmas lights and walking into Taco Bell. (Smooth Jazz Edition)

[@59trader43]

for sure the painters tape has more 2019 vibe to the sound .which hardware store you recommend ?

[@DavePollack]

Home Depot gives a little darker sound, while Lowes gives a nice brightness to it.

[@stephennewcomb2627]

I'm shook that the hair tie was number one

[@DavePollack]

Crazy right? My student's ligature broke recently and has been using a hair tie for about a week - he loves it!

[@alexwillats]

Bit late to the party! Very interesting test and point well-made. What mouthpice and reed were you using throughout? Useful to know the control aspects of the setup. Thanks.

[@DavePollack]

I said it in the video (I think!) but it's a Meyer 5M and D'Addario Select Jazz 3M Filed reeds

[@armthealiens]

Dave Pollack And that exact reed is the bomb. Not the 3 soft or the 3 hard. If the 3 medium does not play, get a different mouthpiece. I play it with the Vandoren A+ #5. It’s the best alto reed I know of.

[@overthetarget9401]

#1 Some of the notes were a bit hairy #2 Kind of a metallic sound #3 A bit fruity for my taste #4 This one did "light up" your sound #5 Kinda nuts and not very bolt #6 Like a sip of Jack Daniels #7 Reminds me of Band Aid ca. 1984 #8 Leather all the way #9 Controlled and focused #10 You painted yourself in a corner there

[@DavePollack]

Darth Vader 10/10 comment...amazing

[@danbunch1514]

Im not a big fan of anything stuffy or overly buzzy. On the buzzy side I liked #2, & #6, On the softer sound l liked #4, (it glowed, how can you not like it) & #8.... my overall favorite is #9...I know right.

[@grantkoeller8911]

I also really like number 9

[@featherlite7873]

Fascinating! I actually liked the hair band the best! It seemed more mellow. PS - nice see my Mark VI played (mine, 5 digit, ~1962)

[@JJ_Photo]

Actually it is not the ligature. But it is the placement of the reed. You can't make an exactly alignment of the reed as before every time you put the reed on. The placement means so much more than the lig itself. If the reed seals with the given lig of course...

[@DavePollack]

JJs so then everytime you play with the same setup you sound different? I know I get it pretty much the same each time, both with my own lig and the ones in this video

[@JJ_Photo]

@@DavePollack no, my point was only that the differences you hear when changing ligature could as easy be the reed alignment...

[@DavePollack]

JJs gotcha...for this video it was a quick side-by-side comparison- I’d love to see someone do a longer more in-depth video!

[@patrickdaw5361]

Going in to the reveals, 1 was my favorite. Needless to say I was suprised

[@DavePollack]

Patrick Daw mine too!

[@brunocyclist]

And mine. You should try out a cable tie as well. Great sound!

[@jimneely2052]

Nice tone... great riffs.

[@mortalstorm]

Rubber bands are the bomb!

[@wabek5882]

#5 takes the cake

[@It.wasnt_me]

Right, off to get me some string lights ... brb.

[@DavePollack]

Post a clip when you get it set up!

[@grantkoeller8911]

the best sound was number 1,hair tie, ,number 2 2 screw, eddie daniels rovner,

[@DavePollack]

I loved the hair tie as well..better than my own ligature (Eddie Daniels)!

[@abelbernal4766]

I liked the painters tape

[@DavePollack]

Me too!

[@stangetz534]

so now seeing the resulsts--- funny. i'm glad I picked the 2 screw. That's waht I use. the others were funny but I could tell you sounded really bad on some of them. Funny tho the 4 was light strings and that sounded good.

[@DavePollack]

Which ones (besides #5 of course) did you think I sounded bad on? I love all the different feedback!

[@PhinAI]

Number nine was superior.

[@JohnFoxBass]

#1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 10: All tied for 1st place and virtually indistinguishable; #9: 2nd place and still acceptable; #5: Third place and unacceptable. Maybe it would have worked better if you would have sealed the holes in the reed and mouthpiece to make both holes airtight.

[@DavePollack]

It would definitely work if I had sealed them, but that wasn't the point of that video! (in a future video I make it work great!)

[@crugil]

Ear buds sound great, but what if you get a call.. Actually I've always thought a nice strip of Velcro around reed and MP would work nice.

[@christiang.7332]

The only one I could tell was the rovner. It stood out as far as nice sound.

[@emcepemce]

Maybe you should test a metal mpc, since it's might be more prone to transmit the vibrations from the lig (same material usually). On my Drake Stubbie I can feel the difference between a Link lig compared to a Selmer one.

[@DavePollack]

I don't play metal on any of my horns so I'd be a bad person for that example. Someone who usually plays metal should though!

[@janymikeptz1156]

Great video, very informative. The only one I was certain of was #5. Also, you've got me curious to try the hair band, painters tape and band-aid just for fun :)

[@janymikeptz1156]

Also, am curious to know which one of the non-traditional ones you liked the best and which one of the traditional ones you prefer too, thanks!

[@DavePollack]

Jany&Mike Pautz well I only own 1 ligature- the Eddie Daniels Rovner, and that’s my favorite standard lig. As for non-standard it was the hair tie, no question!

[@janymikeptz1156]

Cool, thanks again! @@DavePollack

[@toddwarren3452]

I wonder if the reed makes more difference than the lig or the mouthpiece, or even the sax itself

[@DavePollack]

Well I already did a video on saxophones, maybe mouthpieces are next!

[@maverickdallas1004]

A poor reed ruins everything. No fancy mouthpiece, ligature or expensive horn is going to fix that! But a good mouthpiece and a good reed will work miracles...no matter what holds them together, as long as the connection is solid!

[@featherlite7873]

the sax does make a difference. That is why Mark VI has been considered to be the Stradivarius of saxophones!

[@dynoroad]

@@featherlite7873 Not the best example since it's been proven countless times that even professional violinists can't pick out a stradivarius violen from a modern violin in blind tests.

[@marcusdickerson3016]

You should review the LIBRE clarinet ligature sold on ebay

[@marcusahlback1096]

Funny video! My untrained ear only managed to differ no 5 from the others.

[@capricorniaproject3020]

Standard metal ligatures go out of shape when trodden on (though they can be reshaped); Rovners are black and easy to lose. I keep string and hair ties in my emergency kit.

[@DavePollack]

There you go!

[@marcusdickerson3016]

You should review the new Dickerson Resonator Ligature on Reverb & ebay - it's a game changer

[@jimneely2052]

Love the #7 bandaid... was that a cureaid???? But I prefer a F-Clamp from Pep Boys. PEACE.

[@DavePollack]

Just regular Bandaid brand!

[@nedmic2722]

Number 6 sounded best to me after that no.9

[@georgemonroe9683]

Other than #5 I couldn't tell the difference

[@maverickdallas1004]

$2.00 hose clamp works as good as any!

[@DavePollack]

Oh yeah!!

[@maverickdallas1004]

I really don't think it matters all that much what holds the reed onto the mouthpiece, as long as the reed stays put. But for heaven's sake, don't drill holes in your mouthpiece!

[@jahsonx]

im not a jazz guy but i think you made me one

[@DavePollack]

Awesome!

[@marijnkuijlman]

I think 3 is the best... (edit: OMG the earbuds XD)

[@DavePollack]

Yup!!

[@dustinpace8446]

What song are you playing?

[@DavePollack]

It Could Happen to You

[@whodhavethoughtit3784]

Number one sounded the best to me... But don't take my word for it LOL

[@DavePollack]

Sounded best to me too!

[@featherlite7873]

agreed

[@chief2632]

Your best takes were #6 and #8. Your vibrato was better and it seemed to ring out better. I don't think it's in the material though, It's a possibility that those are ones you personally like and you just subconsciously play better when you put them on the mouthpiece. The general timbre didn't change, though.

[@DavePollack]

#6 is my own ligature...#8 I've never played before this video!

[@chief2632]

​@@DavePollack Maybe you need to make a video playing a solo with the earbuds or the band aid to see if you can fool everyone. Like not even mention having them on lmfao

[@DavePollack]

Hah! That's a really good idea...stay tuned!!

[@jimmyb1133]

They all sound good and just about zero difference except for #5 there was a very slight but hardly noticeable difference in the sound ...

[@sergej100qca4]

Where can I buy the screw ligature? It would be great for free jazz.

[@DavePollack]

Home Depot, Lowes, etc.

[@thechunkytrucker5111]

Call me crazy but the few notes you were able to get out on #5 sounded better than any others.

[@DavePollack]

You’re crazy

[@StoneysWorkshop]

#1 the low note did sound a little nasally

[@Antohin22]

#8 the best I suppose

[@danielbardelli9621]

A diferença é mínima ou inexistente, como sempre pensei AAAAAA mas um monte de gente diz o tempo todo que uma deixa o som mais brilhante ou escuro que outra.