WO2022234329A1

WO2022234329A1 - Ligature for single-beating reeds

Info

Publication number: WO2022234329A1
Application number: PCT/IB2021/055432
Authority: WO
Inventors: Enrico COMPAGNIN
Original assignee: Vento Sas Di Compagnin Enrico & C.
Priority date: 2021-05-04
Filing date: 2021-06-21
Publication date: 2022-11-10

Abstract

A ligature (L) for reeds (A), comprising a generically tubular clamp (1) suited to be positioned around the mouthpiece (B), a movable pressure element (2), a translation mechanism (3.1, 3.2) suited to translate said movable pressure element (2) from and towards the centre of said clamp (1), the internal dimensions of said clamp (1) being larger than the external dimensions of the mouthpiece (B) and of the reed (A) applied to said mouthpiece (B). When said translation mechanism (3.1, 3.2) is operated, said movable pressure element (2) is thrusted on the external surface of said mouthpiece (B), thus locking the reed (A) on the mouthpiece (B) itself in such a way that the new ligature (L) touches and adheres only to the reed (A) and to the part of the mouthpiece (B) opposite said reed (A).

Description

LIGATURE FOR SINGLE-BEATING REEDS DESCRIPTION

The present patent relates to wind instruments equipped with reeds and in particular concerns a new ligature for single-beating reeds.

Various wind instruments use a vibrating reed to produce sound.

In many wind instruments equipped with reeds, such as clarinets or saxophones, the reed is held on the mouthpiece by a clamp called a ligature.

The ligature has the main purpose of securing the reed to the mouthpiece enabling the replacement of the reed itself, but it must also enable the vibration of the part called the heart of the reed.

Ligatures known in the prior art consist of an open-clamp made of metal or leather, the two ends of which are tightened by a screw generally tangential to the circumference.

Metal ligatures can have a second radial screw to adjust the pressure on the mouthpiece or the pressure on the arched side of the reed.

Some ligatures have one or more protrusions on the inner surface in the area corresponding to the arched side of the reed. This type of ligature enables a minimum additional vibration of the reed.

The pressure of the ligature, in addition to holding the reed in place, stiffens the part of the mouthpiece around which it adheres.

In fact, the greater part of the vibration that generates the sound is provided by the movement of the reed, but a further vibration or resonance is provided by the vibration of the mouthpiece generated by the vibration of the reed itself.

Some people use ligatures made of a cord wrapped and tightened around the mouthpiece and the reed. This type of ligature has less rigidity than the aforementioned metal clamp-shaped ligatures, but in any case limits the vibration of the mouthpiece. In addition to this, cord ligatures require adequate dexterity and time to be applied properly. When playing the instrument, the musician actively acts on the heart of the reed to obtain the desired sound, with various techniques, modifying its elasticity. In this way the musician has control over the various sound parameters: intonation, timbre, staccato, legato and volume.

The object of this patent is a new reed ligature.

One object of the new ligature is to properly secure the reed to the mouthpiece of the instrument. Another object of the new ligature is to enable greater flexibility or mobility of the heart of the reed.

Still another object of the new ligature is not to prevent or limit the vibrations of the mouthpiece.

Yet another object of the new ligature is to enable the modification of the elasticity of the reed by changing the position of the ligature.

A further object of the new ligature is to enable a very free and broad range of sounds.

These and other direct and complementary objectives are achieved by the new ligature, comprising in its main parts a generically tubular clamp, one or more locking elements, a movable pressure element, and a translation mechanism.

The clamp consists of a tubular annular clamp made of a hard metal or any other rigid material. Said tubular annular portion has an internal diameter greater than the external diameter of the mouthpiece in the area in which the reed is to be positioned.

The preferred embodiment of said clamp has an ovoid, elliptical or other shape having different curvatures in the area between where the reed is positioned on the mouthpiece and the opposite side of the mouthpiece.

Said locking elements are located on the inner surface of said tubular annular clamp.

A first embodiment of said locking elements comprises two or more side-by-side protrusions, parallel to each other and parallel to the central axis of said clamp. In particular, said locking elements are arranged on said clamp for an angular width such as to cover the width of the reed.

A second embodiment of said locking elements comprises a further locking element applicable to said clamp, which is translatable with respect to said clamp. Said additional applicable element is preferably made up of a generally rectangular plate.

Said additional applicable element may have parts, portions, protrusions or other suitable parts to enable its positioning on said clamp.

Said translation mechanism is positioned on said tubular portion of said clamp, in a position diametrically opposed to said locking elements. This translation mechanism is preferably made up of a screw tightened into the thickness of said clamp and placed radially with respect to the clamp itself so as to translate from and towards the center of said clamp.

The end of said translation mechanism opposite the center of said clamp preferably comprises a portion suited to be gripped and suited to rotate or translate said translation mechanism from and towards the center of said clamp.

The end of said translation mechanism facing the center of said clamp is suited to support said movable pressure element.

This movable pressure element consists of a part suited to rest and press on the external surface of the mouthpiece on the opposite side from where the reed is positioned. The new ligature thus constituted slides around the mouthpiece with the reed already placed in its final position.

In particular, the new ligature is positioned around the mouthpiece and the reed so that said locking elements adhere to the arched side of the reed.

By actuating said translation mechanism, which is located on the opposite side of the mouthpiece, the mobile pressure element is translated. This translation causes said movable pressure element to rest on the surface of the mouthpiece. The further actuation of said translation mechanism affects both the pressure of said movable pressure element on the mouthpiece, and the pressure of the locking elements on the reed, securing it to the mouthpiece.

By adjusting the force exerted by said movable translation mechanism, it is possible to stiffen the heart, that is, the part of the reed that vibrates.

The new ligature results in a volumetric increase in sound level, both in the forte and in the pianissimo ranges, thus expanding the range of the sound volume.

The characteristics of the new ligature for single-beating reeds will be better clarified by the following description with reference to the drawings, attached by way of non-limiting example. Figure 1 shows an axonometric view of one embodiment of the new ligature (L).

Figures 2 and 3 show respectively a front view and a side view of said first embodiment of the new ligature (L) applied to a mouthpiece (B) with a reed (A).

The new ligature (L) comprises, in its main parts, a genetically tubular clamp (1), a mobile pressure element (2), and a translation mechanism (3.1, 3.2).

The clamp (1) consists of a tubular annular portion made of metal or any other rigid material. Said tubular annular portion of said clamp (1) has an internal diameter larger than the external diameter of the mouthpiece in the area in which the reed is positioned.

In this embodiment, said clamp (1) has a generally ovoid shape.

The translation mechanism (3.1, 3.2) is placed on said tubular portion of said clamp (1).

This translation mechanism (3.1, 3.2) consists of a screw (3.1) tightened into the thickness of said clamp (1) and placed radially with respect to the clamp (1) so as to translate from and towards the center of said clamp (1).

The end (3a) of said translation mechanism (3.1, 3.2) opposite the center of said clamp (1) comprises a portion (3.2) suited to be gripped and suited to rotate or translate said translation mechanism (3.1, 3.2) from and towards the center of the clamp (1).

In the above embodiment, said portion (3.2) consists of a ring nut or a knurled head (3.2)

The end (3b) of said translation mechanism (3.1, 3.2) facing the center of said clamp (1) is suited to support said movable pressure element (2).

This movable pressure element (2) consists of a pad or plate (2) suited to rest and press on the external surface of the mouthpiece (B) on the part opposite the position of the reed (A).

The new ligature (L) thus constituted slides around the mouthpiece (B) on which the reed (A) has already been positioned.

By activating said translation mechanism (3.1, 3.2), which is on the opposite side of the mouthpiece (B) with respect to the reed (A), the mobile pressure element (2) is translated.

This translation causes said movable pressure element (2) to rest on the surface of the mouthpiece (B).

The further actuation of said translation mechanism (3.1, 3.2) affects both the pressure of said mobile pressure element (2) on the mouthpiece (B), and the pressure of the inner edge of the clamp (1) on the reed (A) locking it on the mouthpiece (B).

As is clearly visible in Figure 2, the new ligature (L) does not adhere to and does not press on the entire circumference of the mouthpiece (B), rather it only puts pressure on the lower outer surface of the reed (A) and on the surface of the mouthpiece (B) opposite the reed (A). In this way a further vibration or resonance of the mouthpiece (B) resulting from the vibration of the reed (A) is not muted or muffled.

The new ligature (L) can be positioned at will in a central position on the mouth piece (B), as shown in Figure 3, or it can be positioned more towards the tip of the reed (A) or towards where the mouthpiece (B) is attached to the barrel, as shown in Figures 4a and 4b respectively.

This leads to a chance in the resting point which in turn varies the flexibility of the vibrating part of the reed (A), that is, its heart, modifying its characteristics and enabling the musician to find his/her own sound.

Figure 5 shows a second embodiment of the new ligature (L).

In this case, the locking elements (1.1) are present on the internal surface of said clamp (1).

These locking elements (1.1) consist of one or more protrusions parallel to the central axis of said clamp (1).

In particular, said locking elements (1.1) are arranged on said clamp (1) such as to cover the width of the reed (A).

Figure 6 shows another embodiment of the new ligature (L).

In this embodiment the clamp (1) has a seat (1.2) for the application of a movable locking element (4) on its external side, in a diametrically opposite position to said translation mechanism (3.1, 3.2) and the mobile pressure element (2).

This movable locking element (4) comprises a connection part (4.1) with said clamp (1) and a contact part (4.2) with the reed (A).

Said connection part (4.12) is suited to be housed and slide in said seat (1.2) of the clamp (1), while said contact part (4.2) is suited to keep the reed (A) in position on the mouthpiece (B) after it is fastened.

As Figures 7a, 7b, 7c show, said movable locking element (4) can be positioned at will towards the free edge of the reed (A) or towards the edge of the mouthpiece (B) that connects to the barrel so as to enable a greater or lesser range of freedom of oscillation of the reed (A). These different positions enable other sound variables to be attained, such as bright/dark, projection, attack or "punch".

Therefore, with reference to the preceding description and the attached drawings the following claims are made.

Claims

1. Ligature (L) for reeds (A), comprising a generically tubular clamp (1) suited to be positioned around the mouthpiece (B), a movable pressure element (2), a translation mechanism (3.1, 3.2) suited to translate said movable pressure element (2) from and towards the centre of said clamp (1), characterized in that the internal dimensions of said clamp (1) are larger than the external dimensions of the mouthpiece (B) and of the reed (A) applied to said mouthpiece (B), and wherein , when said translation mechanism (3.1, 3.2) is operated, said movable pressure element (2) is thrusted on the external surface of said mouthpiece (B), thus locking the reed (A) on the mouthpiece (B) itself in such a way that the new ligature (L) touches and adheres only to the reed (A) and to the part of the mouthpiece (B) opposite said reed (A).

2. Ligature (L) according to claim 1, characterized in that said clamp (1) has an ovoid shape.

3. Ligature (L) according to claim 1, characterized in that said clamp (1) has an elliptical shape.

4. Ligature (L) according to the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises locking elements (1.1) on the internal surface of said clamp (1), and wherein said locking elements (1.1) are constituted by projections positioned side by side, parallel to one another and to the central axis of said clamp (1).

5. Ligature (L) according to the preceding claims, characterized in that said locking elements (1.1) are arranged on said clamp (1) over an angular width that is such as to cover the width of the reed (A).

6. Ligature (L) according to claim 1, characterized in that said clamp (1) has, in a position which is diametrically opposite to said translation mechanism, (3.1, 3.2) and said movable pressure element (2), a seat (1.2) for the application of a movable locking element (4), and wherein said movable locking element (4) comprises a portion (4.1) for connection to said clamp (1) and a portion (4.2) intended to come into contact with the reed (A), and wherein said connecting portion (4.12) is suited to be housed and slide in said seat (1.2) provided in the clamp (1), while said contact portion (4.2) is suited to maintain the reed (A) in position on the mouthpiece (B).