Metal mouthpiece with ligature

Abstract

To provide a metal mouthpiece with a ligature that enables a performer to fully draw out one's own expressive power.SOLUTION: In a metal mouthpiece MP with a ligature comprising a combination of a metal mouthpiece and a saxophone ligature LG for securing a reed R to the metal mouthpiece, ratio of height difference between a tip and the center of a straight body of a chamber to the inside diameter of a straight body of the metal mouthpiece is set to a first predetermined value or more, and the maximum inclination angle of the baffle surface is set to a second predetermined value or more, a saxophone ligature pressing plate portion is located above a base portion at a position where the base portion 12 of the mouthpiece is provided and along the direction of extension of the table surface, and the pressing plate portion can press the reed against the mouthpiece via a pressing portion 20 in a point or line contact manner.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a metal mouthpiece with a ligature, and more specifically, to a metal mouthpiece with a ligature that, despite its low baffle, provides a good blowing feel regardless of the player's level, and allows the player to fully express themselves while taking advantage of the sharp sound that is unique to metal mouthpieces. [Background technology]

[0002] Traditionally, woodwind instruments such as saxophones and clarinets have been widely used not only in classical music performances, but also in jazz, pop and enka performances. Such woodwind instruments are usually played by fastening the reed to the mouthpiece with a ligature, and the vibrations of the reed are amplified by the instrument. More specifically, the mouthpiece has a table surface which abuts and fixes one end of the underside of the reed, and a facing which extends at an angle from the table surface towards the tip, and a tip opening is formed between the other end of the underside of the reed on the gripping side, so that by blowing air into the tip opening, the reed vibrates up and down like a cantilever, making it possible to produce sound.

[0003] Among woodwind instruments, mouthpieces for saxophones are made from a wide variety of materials, including metal, rubber, wood, and ceramic, and ligatures are also available in a wide variety of materials and structures, and are used differently depending on the musical genre, such as classical or jazz. An example of such a ligature for a single reed woodwind instrument is the type disclosed in Patent Document 1.

[0004] This ligature is for tightening the reed and mouthpiece so that the reed does not move, and comprises a thin plate portion made of metal, for example brass, for winding the reed and mouthpiece, tightening portions for tightening both ends of the thin plate portion at a position facing the reed across the mouthpiece, a protruding portion that protrudes toward the reed and contacts the reed at its tip, and a reinforcing member that is provided on the surface of the thin plate portion opposite the surface on which the protruding portion is provided and that extends laterally on both sides beyond the outermost end of the protruding portion when viewed from the mouthpiece, in order to reinforce the bending strength of the thin plate portion in the vicinity of the protruding portion and thereby prevent contact between the reed and the thin plate portion, the reinforcing member is attached around a hole provided on the reed-side surface of the thin plate portion, and the surface of the thin plate portion to which the reinforcing member is attached is formed to be approximately flat, and the tightening portion tightens both ends of the thin plate portion at a position facing the reed across the mouthpiece, using a screw hole, a cylindrical portion, and a screw. It is stated that with a ligature of this configuration, even when it is tightened tightly, the ligature will not touch the edge of the reed, and the desired sound can be produced; however, the ligature makes surface contact with the reed along the longitudinal direction of the reed and across the entire width of the ligature, intentionally eliminating point contact.

[0005] However, as described in Patent Documents 2 and 3, from the standpoint of sound quality rather than the volume of the instrument when it is played, the smaller the contact area of ​​the ligature with the reed, the better, and in this respect, line contact or point contact is better than surface contact. In this regard, Patent Document 4 discloses another ligature.

[0006] This ligature has a base portion that spans the width of the reed that is arranged along the table surface of the mouthpiece and is fixed to the mouthpiece, a pressure plate portion that presses the reed against the table surface of the mouthpiece, and a tightening screw portion that screws into the base portion. The pressure plate portion has a clearance hole portion through which the tightening screw portion passes in the thickness direction, and a pair of pressure portions that extend in opposite directions to each other, sandwiching the clearance hole portion. The base portion has a screw hole portion into which the tightening screw portion can be screwed. The pressure plate portion is arranged in the space between the reed and the base portion and is arranged so as to come into surface contact with the curved front surface of the skin portion of the reed in the extension direction of the table surface. When the tightening screw portion is tightened into the screw hole portion, the pressure plate portion can press the reed against the mouthpiece.

[0007] In the case of this ligature, it is possible to reduce the contact area with the reed by using a pressure plate; however, because the pressure plate is located in the space between the base and the reed, i.e., below the base, the overall structure is large, unwieldy, and heavy, and it is inconvenient to wear with the reed in contact with the mouthpiece. Furthermore, when trying to adjust the depth at which the mouthpiece is inserted into the instrument while playing, gripping the ligature with one's fingers and rotating it around the longitudinal direction of the mouthpiece can cause the ligature to shift its fixed position on the reed, which can interfere with playing.

[0008] Furthermore, due to the complex structure of the pressure plate, which is located in the narrow space between the ligature and the reed, the female screw is soldered to the ligature body, making it inconvenient to disassemble the ligature itself and to perform maintenance such as disassembling it for cleaning.In addition, the ligature body can become soft due to the heat caused by the soldering, which can have an adverse effect on the sound quality.

[0009] On the other hand, conventional metal mouthpieces have a so-called high baffle structure, which allows for sharp edges and the production of a flashy tone, but on the other hand, it is difficult to achieve a simple blowing feel, and only professionals or advanced players can play them. For beginners or players who have not yet established an embouchure, it is difficult to master them, and they are prone to inducing reed errors. It was also difficult to solve this blowing feel with conventional ligatures. More specifically, the metal mouthpiece for saxophone has a hollow main body and a hollow shank on the instrument connection side. The hollow main body has a pair of side rails that face each other and extend longitudinally to form a window between them, and a table surface that is connected to one end of the pair of side rails and extends longitudinally toward the hollow shank. A chamber is formed inside that extends longitudinally from the tip to the opening at the instrument connection side end of the hollow main body. At a position equivalent to the window, the baffle surface is inclined from the tip toward the pair of side rails and has a discontinuous step. However, the so-called high baffle structure has a small floor volume for the baffle surface, that is, the downward inclination angle from the tip toward the instrument connection side of the hollow main body that forms the chamber straight body is small, and the ratio of the difference in height between the tip and the center of the chamber straight body to the inner diameter of the chamber straight body is small. Because of this, in the high range, it is possible to produce an edgy, flashy tone color, but in the low range, the difference in level means that considerable playing technique is required. This is difficult to solve by selecting the right ligature to secure the reed to the mouthpiece, or by selecting the width of the tip opening, the distance between the tip of the reed and the tip of the mouthpiece, making it difficult for the player to demonstrate their expressiveness without being limited by the range of sound. [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 4695225 [Patent Document 2] US 2004 / 0177743 A1 [Patent Document 3] U.S. Patent No. 5000073 [Patent Document 4] US 2014 / 0305279 A1 DISCLOSURE OF THEINVENTION [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0010] Based on the above, the object of the present invention is to provide a metal mouthpiece with a ligature that has a low baffle, yet provides a good blowing feel regardless of the player's level, and allows the player to fully express their own expressiveness while taking advantage of the sharp sound that is unique to metal mouthpieces. [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] In order to achieve the above object, the metal mouthpiece with ligature of the present invention is as follows: A metal mouthpiece with a ligature is a combination of a metal mouthpiece and a saxophone ligature that fixes a reed to the metal mouthpiece, The metal mouthpiece is A hollow brass body portion having a tip at one end thereof forming a tip opening between the tip and the reed, and a hollow sterling silver shank portion fitted into the hollow brass body portion, The brass hollow body portion has a pair of side rails extending in the longitudinal direction opposite each other and forming a window therebetween, and a table surface connected to one end of the pair of side rails and extending in the longitudinal direction toward the pure silver hollow shank portion, the pure silver hollow shank portion has an opening at one end that is of a diameter such that it can be fitted tightly around an opening at an end of a neck of a woodwind instrument; The brass hollow body and the pure silver hollow shank define a chamber extending from the tip in the longitudinal direction to the one end opening. The brass hollow body portion forms a part of the chamber at a position facing the window, and has a baffle surface that smoothly slopes from the tip in a longitudinal direction away from the pair of side rails without any step, The ratio of the height difference between the tip and the center of the straight body portion of the chamber to the inner diameter of the straight body portion of the chamber on the neck side is set to a first predetermined value or more, The maximum inclination angle of the baffle surface is set to a second predetermined value or more, The saxophone ligature is The reed is provided along the table surface, and the base portion is fixed to the mouthpiece and a pressing plate portion presses the reed against the table surface of the mouthpiece. The pressing plate portion has at least two pressing portions spaced apart in the longitudinal direction, The pressure plate portion is located above the base portion at the position where the base portion of the mouthpiece is provided, and is provided along the extension direction of the table surface, so that the pressure plate portion is configured to be able to press the reed against the mouthpiece in a point or line contact manner via the pressure portion.

[0012] According to the metal mouthpiece with ligature having the above-mentioned configuration, the part of the mouthpiece that is directly connected to the neck of the instrument is made of a hollow shank made of pure silver, a material that does not have a natural frequency, and a saxophone ligature is attached to the hollow brass body, which allows the reed to be pressed against the mouthpiece in a point or line contact manner at two positions spaced apart in the longitudinal direction of the mouthpiece. This allows the baffle surface to form part of the chamber at a position facing the window, and to slope smoothly and without steps in the longitudinal direction from the tip in a direction away from the pair of side rails, the ratio of the height difference between the tip and the center of the straight body of the chamber to the inner diameter of the straight body of the chamber on the neck side is set to a first predetermined value or more, and the maximum slope angle of the baffle surface is set to a second predetermined value or more. Despite this being a so-called low baffle, it is possible for the player to enjoy a good blowing feel regardless of their level, and to fully bring out the player's own expressiveness while taking advantage of the sharp sound that is unique to metal mouthpieces.

[0013] Preferably, the outer surface of the hollow brass body is gold plated. Furthermore, for a tenor saxophone, the first and second predetermined values ​​are preferably 0.31 and 18.2°, respectively, and for an alto saxophone, the first and second predetermined values ​​are preferably 0.33 and 16.5°, respectively. BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THEINVENTION

[0014] The use of the metal mouthpiece 10 with ligature of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0015] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the metal mouthpiece 10 with ligature is made of metal and has a table surface T that abuts and fixes one end of the back surface of the reed R, and a facing F that extends at an angle from the table surface T toward the tip, and a tip opening O is formed between the other end of the back surface on the gripping side, allowing the reed R to vibrate up and down like a cantilever beam to produce sound. The metal mouthpiece 10 with ligature is a metal mouthpiece 10 with ligature for soprano saxophone, alto saxophone, tenor saxophone, or baritone saxophone.

[0016] The metal mouthpiece with ligature 10 has a hollow brass body 70 with a tip TP at one end that forms a tip opening O between the reed R and the hollow brass body 70, and a hollow pure silver shank 72 fitted into the hollow brass body 70. The brass hollow body portion 70 has a pair of side rails SR extending longitudinally opposite each other and forming a window W between them, and a table surface T connected to one end of the pair of side rails SR and extending longitudinally toward the pure silver hollow shank portion 72. The brass hollow body 70 is preferably gold plated on its outer surface, which enhances the sound quality of the metal mouthpiece with ligature 10. The pure silver hollow shank portion 72 has an end opening 79 which has a diameter that allows it to be fitted snugly around the end opening of the neck portion of the saxophone. The brass hollow body portion 70 and the pure silver hollow shank portion 72 define a chamber CH extending longitudinally from the tip TP to one end opening 79, forming a flow path for the breath blown into the instrument from the tip opening O. The diameter, thickness and length of the brass hollow body portion 70 and the pure silver hollow shank portion 72 may be set as appropriate, but since they are made of metal and are heavy compared to a rubber mouthpiece, it is preferable for them to be as thin and compact in diameter as possible, and the length from the tip TP formed by the brass hollow body portion 70 and the pure silver hollow shank portion 72 to the neck end is, for example, XX mm to XX mm. 9 and 10, for the fitting portion between the hollow brass body 70 and the hollow pure silver shank 72, the outer peripheral surface at one end of the hollow pure silver shank 72 is formed as an annular inclined outer peripheral surface 47 that slopes downward toward the end, while the inner peripheral surface at one end of the hollow brass body 70 is formed as an annular inclined inner peripheral surface 49 that slopes upward toward the end, with the shapes being complementary to each other, and the fitting is configured by fitting the one end of the hollow pure silver shank 72 into the one end of the hollow brass body 70. The inclination angle may be set appropriately, and since the material of the hollow pure silver shank 72 changes due to heat, which affects the sound quality, it is preferable to glue the annular inclined surfaces of the two parts together.

[0017] The inner peripheral surfaces 71, 73 of the fitting portion between the hollow brass body portion 70 and the hollow pure silver shank portion 72 are flush or have a slight step. More specifically, in the case of a tenor saxophone, the neck of the instrument is curved and offers a strong sense of resistance when playing, so it is desirable to have a small flow resistance in the chamber CH, which is the breath passage in the mouthpiece.On the other hand, in the case of a soprano saxophone, the neck of the instrument is straight and offers a weaker sense of resistance when playing, so it is desirable to have a large flow resistance in the chamber CH, which is the breath passage in the mouthpiece.The alto saxophone is positioned between the tenor saxophone and the soprano saxophone. In order to satisfy these requirements, the inside diameter of the mouthpiece chamber CH is determined, and the inside diameter of the hollow brass body portion 70 and the hollow pure silver shank portion 72 are made slightly different, with a step of less than 1 mm provided at the boundary between the two depending on whether the saxophone is alto, tenor, or soprano.

[0018] The pure silver hollow shank portion 72 has the same thickness as the brass hollow body portion 70; the multi-sided portion 46 is formed by forging a pure silver flat plate of 2 to 3 mm in thickness, and the pure silver flat plate is then bent into a ring shape and tightly fitted (inner or outer) into the end of the brass hollow body portion 70. By using this type of flat forging, an irregular pattern PN is created on the outer peripheral surface of the pure silver hollow shank portion 72, which responds in a dispersed manner to various vibration frequencies, resulting in a rich sound that includes multiple overtones, as well as excellent resonance and a sense of extension.Furthermore, the multi-faceted portion 46 of the irregular pattern PN sparkles in various directions in response to the light of a light, especially in a dark indoor environment, improving the design of the woodwind instrument on which the metal mouthpiece with ligature 10 is attached.

[0019] As shown in Figures 9 and 10, the brass hollow body 70 forms part of the chamber CH at a position corresponding to the window W, and has a baffle surface 75 that slopes smoothly and without steps in the longitudinal direction from the tip TP away from the pair of side rails SR. The ratio of the height difference Δh between the tip TP and the center XX of the straight body portion of the chamber CH to the inner diameter Di of the straight body portion of the chamber CH on the neck side is set to a first predetermined value or more, and the maximum inclination angle Θmax of the baffle surface 75 is set to a second predetermined value or more, which is a so-called low baffle structure. The maximum inclination angle Θmax means the maximum inclination angle among the baffle surface 75, which is not a flat inclined surface but a curved inclined surface in the longitudinal direction of the metal mouthpiece 10 with ligature and the inclination angle varies depending on the longitudinal position. In the same type of metal mouthpiece 10 with ligature, several types of tip openings O are prepared with a constant inner diameter Di of the straight body part of the chamber CH, and the width of the tip opening O is adjusted by the inclination angle of the facing F, and the inclination angle Θ and height difference Δh of the baffle surface 75 are constant. The cross section of the baffle surface 75 perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the metal mouthpiece 10 with ligature has an arc shape centered on the central axis of the chamber CH.

[0020] As shown in Figures 9 and 10, in the case of a tenor saxophone, the inner diameter Di is 17.04 mm and the height difference Δh is 5.446 mm, so that the first and second predetermined values ​​are 0.31 and 18.2°, respectively, and in the case of an alto saxophone, the inner diameter Di is 15.96 mm and the height difference Δh is 5.418 mm, so that the first and second predetermined values ​​are 0.33 and 16.5°, respectively. Note that Figure 9 shows a so-called rollover type baffle surface 75 for tenor saxophones, which has a portion 77 with a small inclination angle near the tip TP, and Figure 10 shows a so-called straight type baffle surface 75 for alto saxophones, which does not have a portion 77 with a small inclination angle near the tip TP.

[0021] The saxophone ligature LG has a base portion 12 that spans the width of the reed R that is arranged along the table surface T and is fixed to the metal mouthpiece 10 with ligature, and a pressing plate portion 14 that presses the reed R against the table surface T of the metal mouthpiece 10 with ligature. The pressing plate portion 14 has at least two pressing portions 20 that are spaced apart by a distance D in the longitudinal direction. The pressing plate portion 14 is located above the base portion 12 at the position where the base portion 12 of the metal mouthpiece 10 with ligature is arranged, and is arranged along the extension direction of the table surface T, so that the pressing plate portion 14 can press the reed R against the metal mouthpiece 10 with ligature via the pressing portions 20. As will be explained below, even with this low baffle structure, it is possible to achieve both a good playing feel and sound quality by using a metal mouthpiece 10 with a hybrid material ligature and the ligature LG.

[0022] More specifically, the metal mouthpiece 10 with ligature is generally composed of a base portion 12 that spans the width direction of the reed R that is provided along the table surface T of the metal mouthpiece 10 with ligature and is fixed to the metal mouthpiece 10 with ligature, a pressing plate portion 14 that presses the reed R against the table surface T of the metal mouthpiece 10 with ligature, and a fastening screw portion 16 that screws into the base portion 12.

[0023] The base portion 12 does not cover the entire periphery of the metal mouthpiece 10 with ligature, but is arch-shaped to cover only the upper portion of the metal mouthpiece 10 with ligature. More specifically, the base 12 has a constant arch-shaped cross section in the longitudinal direction with a smaller radius than the metal mouthpiece 10 with ligature, and each of the opposing longitudinal edges 48 has a convex portion 50 facing the other, and a long groove 52 into which the convex portion 50 can fit is provided on the outer peripheral surface near the lower side of the table surface T of the metal mouthpiece 10 with ligature. The long groove 52 has a substantially U-shaped cross section, is provided approximately horizontally parallel to the table surface T, has a depth of about several millimeters, and is preferably provided at a position several millimeters below the table surface T of the metal mouthpiece 10 with ligature. The length of the long groove 52 may be determined from the viewpoint of being able to adjust the fixed position of the reed R by the pressing plate portion 14, and it is preferable that it extends from the boundary between the window W of the metal mouthpiece with ligature 10 and the table surface T to the opening end face of the metal mouthpiece with ligature 10 on the instrument side. In particular, it is preferable to provide the long groove 52 so that it can pass through the instrument side end of the metal mouthpiece 10 with ligature, so that when the base portion 12 is attached to the metal mouthpiece 10 with ligature, it can be inserted from the instrument side end toward the tip TP. After attaching the base portion 12 to the metal mouthpiece 10 with ligature and pressing and fixing the pressing plate portion 14 against the reed R with the fastening screw portion 16, the longitudinal position of the metal mouthpiece 10 with ligature can be adjusted by simply sliding the convex portion 50 of the base portion 12 longitudinally along the long groove 52.

[0024] In addition, a screw hole 22 penetrating the thickness direction is provided in the arch-shaped base portion 12 itself at the center in the width direction, and the fastening screw portion 16 is directly screwed into the screw hole portion 22 of the arch-shaped base portion 12, so that the pressing plate portion 14 located above the arch-shaped base portion 12 can be pressed downward, as described below. More specifically, the upper surface of the arch-shaped base portion 12 is provided with a convex portion 40 at the center in the width direction, which protrudes upward and has a non-circular cross-section and an upper surface 41, and inside the convex portion 40 is provided a screw hole portion 22 that penetrates in the thickness direction, and the outer shape of the convex portion 40 is complementary to a recess 36 provided in the underside of the pressure plate portion 14 described later, so that the pressure plate portion 14 is fitted from above against the arch-shaped base portion 12 so that it cannot rotate relative to the arch-shaped base portion 12. In addition, by adjusting the arch shape of the base portion 12 so that the base portion 12 abuts against the upper corner of the widthwise edge portion E of the reed R, the base portion 12 may be made of silver and provided with an irregular pattern PN on its outer surface, which may help improve sound quality.

[0025] 4, the pressing plate portion 14 has a clearance hole portion 18 through which the fastening screw portion 16 passes in the thickness direction, and a pair of pressing portions 20 extending in opposite directions to each other across the clearance hole portion 18. The diameter of the clearance hole portion 18 is large enough to allow a shank portion 54 (described later) of the fastening screw portion 16 to pass therethrough. More specifically, an annular projection 31 having a flat upper surface is provided on the upper surface of the pressing plate portion 14, and a clearance hole 18 is provided in the upper surface of the annular projection 31. The pressing plate portion 14 is located above the base portion 12 of the metal mouthpiece 10 with ligature at the position where the base portion 12 is provided, and is provided along the extension direction of the table surface T so as to straddle the width w1 of the base portion 12 from above, and the pressing plate portion 14 has an approximately U-shaped side cross section.

[0026] Each of the pair of pressing portions 20 has two pressing surfaces 24 spaced apart from each other in the width direction of the lead R. More specifically, the pressing plate portion 14 is provided with a clearance hole 18 and has a central portion 26 that is longer than the width w1 of the base portion 12, and the pair of pressing portions 20 each have a leg portion 30 extending downward from the corresponding end of the central portion 26, and a pressing surface 24 is provided at the lower end of the leg portion 30. The pressing surface 24 is arched in the width direction of the lead R so as to fit along the curved surface of the skin portion SS of the lead R.

[0027] Regarding the pressing surface 24, the contact area of ​​the pressing surface 24 with the front surface of the skin portion SS can be adjusted by the pressing force of the pressing plate portion 14 against the lead R by tightening the fastening screw portion 16 according to the degree of curvature of the front surface of the skin portion SS of the lead R. More specifically, the longitudinal cross section of the reed R of the pressing surface 24 has a shape that slopes downward from the central portion 26 side to the longitudinal tip portion. More specifically, of the pair of pressing plate portions 14, the pressing surface 24 provided on the tip TP side from the central portion 26 has a shape that slopes downward from the central portion 26 side to the longitudinal tip portion on the tip TP side, and the pressing surface 24 provided on the instrument side from the central portion 26 has a shape that slopes downward from the central portion 26 side to the longitudinal tip portion on the instrument side. In either case, the rigidity, particularly the thickness, of the leg 30 is set so that the longitudinal tip first comes into contact with the front surface of the skin portion SS of the lead R, and as the pressing force increases, the contact area increases from the longitudinal tip toward the center.

[0028] On the other hand, the cross section of the pressing surface 24 in the width direction of the lead R is curved from the width direction center of the lead R to the width direction tip. More specifically, in each of the pair of pressing plate parts 14, the pressing surface 24 of one leg part 30 is curved from the width direction center of the lead R to the width direction tip, and the pressing surface 24 of the other leg part 30 is curved from the width direction center of the lead R to the tip in the opposite width direction. In this case, the rigidity, particularly the thickness, of the leg part 30 is set so that the width direction tip first contacts the front surface of the skin part SS of the lead R, and the contact area increases from the width direction tip toward the width direction center of the lead R as the pressing force increases. The curved shape of the front surface of the skin part SS of the lead R varies depending on the type of the lead R, and the contact area can be adjusted by increasing or decreasing the contact area in the longitudinal direction and width direction by adjusting the pressing force, and versatility can be ensured for the type of the lead R. As shown in FIG. 5, in the present metal mouthpiece with ligature 10, the ligature LG itself has a lower center of gravity than the conventional ligature installed below the base, i.e., between the base and the reed R. The contact of the pressing surface 24 with the front surface of the skin portion SS of the reed R is at two positions spaced apart in the longitudinal direction of the reed R, and at each position, each pressing surface 24 makes line contact with the front surface of the skin portion SS. Furthermore, the area of ​​line contact can be adjusted through the pressing force by changing the degree of tightening of the fastening screw portion 16. This allows for improvement and adjustment of sound quality despite the simple structure.

[0029] The clearance hole 18 is an elliptical opening whose major axis is located in the longitudinal direction of the central portion 26, and is set to a size that allows the shank portion 54 of the fastening screw portion 16, which will be described later, to pass therethrough. The pair of legs 30 extend obliquely downward within the width direction of the lead R so as to move away from each other in the width direction of the lead R. The base portion 12 and / or the pressure plate portion 14 may be lacquered on the front surface, which, like the instrument itself, can improve the sound quality. The distance D in the longitudinal direction between the pair of pressing portions 20 is preferably one third to one half of the length of the surface portion SS on the front surface of the lead R. The width of the central portion 26 of the pressing plate portion 14 is preferably one-third to one-half of the width of the metal mouthpiece 10 with ligature. The height of the U-shape, i.e., the height h2 of the central portion 26 relative to the pressing portion 20, may be determined according to the arch height of the base portion 12 so that the pressing surface 24 of each of the pair of pressing portions 20 can press and fix the reed R against the table surface T of the metal mouthpiece 10 with ligature by screwing the fastening screw portion 16 into the screw hole portion 22 of the protrusion 41 described later. However, from the viewpoint of lowering the center of gravity of the entire metal mouthpiece 10 with ligature as much as possible and contributing to improving sound quality, it is preferable that the height is as low as possible, for example, within 5 mm, and the material should be metal, for example, brass, and especially silver.

[0030] 5, the pressing plate 14 has a recess 36 with a non-circular cross section on the underside, concentric with the clearance hole 18, and the pressing plate 14 is fixed to the base 12 so as not to rotate relative to the base 12 by fitting the recess 36 into the protrusion 40 of the base 12. More specifically, the upper surface 41 of the protrusion 40 abuts against the annular bottom surface 37 of the recess 36, determining the relative height of the pressing plate 14 to the table surface T of the metal mouthpiece 10 with ligature, and disabling the pressing plate 14 from rotating relative to the protrusion 40, and thus the base 12. The relative height of the pressing plate portion 14 with respect to the table surface T of the metal mouthpiece 10 with ligature may be set so that the front surface of the skin portion SS of the reed R set on the table surface T of the metal mouthpiece 10 with ligature can be pressed and fixed by screwing in the fastening screw portion 16.

[0031] As a modified example, the pressing plate portion 14 may have a clearance hole 18 and a central portion 26 longer than the width w1 of the base portion 12, and each of the pair of pressing portions 20 may have an inclined portion (not shown) extending downward from the entire corresponding end portion 28 of the central portion 26, and each of the pair of pressing portions 20 may extend from the entire lower end of the inclined portion and have a pressing surface 24 provided on the lower surface. In this case, the pressing surface 24 may have a pair of protrusions (not shown) spaced apart from each other in the width direction of the pressing plate portion 14, and each of the pair of protrusions may form a curved surface that protrudes downward to the extent that the front surface of the skin portion SS of the lead R is not depressed by pressing, and may make point contact with the lead R via the curved surface.

[0032] As shown in FIG. 7, the fastening screw portion 16 has a shank portion 54 and a head portion 56 that is concentrically provided at the tip of the shank portion 54 and can be held and turned by fingers. By tightening the fastening screw 16, the pressing plate 14 between the fastening screw 16 and the base 12 fixed to the metal mouthpiece 10 with ligature is pressed against the base 12, i.e., the front surface of the reed R, and the reed R is fixed to the table surface T of the metal mouthpiece 10 with ligature. The pressing force of the pressing plate 14 against the reed R can be adjusted by the degree of tightening of the fastening screw 16. From the standpoint of lightweight design, it is preferable that the head portion 56 is not solid, but rather consists of an upper plate and an annular plate extending downward from the periphery of the upper plate, and that the upper plate be approximately polygonal so that the annular plate can be easily pinched with the fingers and rotated around the longitudinal direction of the shank portion 54. As shown in Figure 8, it is preferable to set the length l2 of the shank portion 54 so that, when tightening with the tightening screw portion 16, the lower end of the shank portion 54 does not protrude as much as possible from the lower surface of the base portion 12 until the lower surface 64 of the solid cylindrical portion 62 of the shank portion 54 comes into contact with the upper surface of the annular protrusion portion 31 of the pressing plate portion 14. Furthermore, a solid cylindrical section 62 is provided concentrically with the shank section 54 at the base of the shank section 54. In this case, since the sound quality changes depending on the mass of the solid cylindrical section 62, it is preferable to adjust the diameter and / or length l1 of the solid cylindrical section 62. With the annular bottom surface 37 of the recess 36 on the underside of the pressure plate portion 14 abutting against the upper surface of the protrusion 43 of the convex portion 40, by tightening the fastening screw portion 16, the lower surface 64 of the solid cylindrical portion 62 of the shank portion 54 abuts against the upper surface of the annular protrusion 31 of the pressure plate portion 14, thereby enabling the pressure plate portion 14 to press and fix the reed R against the table surface T of the metal mouthpiece 10 with ligature.

[0033] As described above, it is possible to set the pressing plate portion 14 so that it cannot rotate relative to the annular base portion 12. With the reed R positioned on the table surface T of the metal mouthpiece 10 with ligature, the shank portion 54 of the fastening screw portion 16 can be screwed into the screw hole portion 22 of the protrusion 40, thereby pressing and fixing the reed R against the table surface T by the pressing surface 24.

[0034] As shown in FIG. 6, the elastic ring 17 is interposed between the pressing plate portion 14 and the fastening screw portion 16. More specifically, the elastic ring 17 is annular with a circular opening 19. By passing the shank portion 54 through the circular opening 19 and fastening the fastening screw portion 16, the elastic ring 17 is pressed against the pressing plate portion 14 and is crushed in the vertical direction, and the pressing force of the pressing plate portion 14 is reinforced by the repulsive force. The sound quality can be changed by selecting the rigidity of the elastic ring 17. For example, a rubber ring with low rigidity produces a soft tone, while a spring washer with high rigidity produces a bright, sharp sound but a slightly thin sound. The elastic ring 17 is optional, and in that case, the lower surface 64 of the solid cylinder portion 62 of the shank portion 54 directly contacts the upper surface of the annular protrusion portion 31 of the pressing plate portion 14.

[0035] According to the metal mouthpiece with ligature 10 having the above-mentioned configuration, the press plate portion 14 is positioned above the base portion 12, which is fixed to the metal mouthpiece with ligature 10 and spans the width direction of the reed R provided along the table surface T of the metal mouthpiece with ligature 10, and the fastening screw portion 16 is inserted into the clearance hole portion 18 of the press plate portion 14 and fastened to the screw hole portion 22 of the base portion 12, so that the press plate portion 14 can press the reed R against the metal mouthpiece with ligature 10 via the pair of press portions 20. Since the pair of press portions 20 extend in opposite directions to each other, sandwiching the clearance hole portion 18, the reed R can be pressed from directly above against the surface of the table surface T of the metal mouthpiece with ligature 10 at two points spaced apart in the longitudinal direction of the table surface T. This ensures excellent sound quality, and the press plate portion 14 is positioned above the base portion 12 and the fastening screw portion 16 is inserted into the clearance hole portion 18 of the press plate portion 14 and fastened to the screw hole portion 22 of the base portion 12. Since the width w1 of the base portion 12 is spanned from above along the extension direction of the base portion 12, it has a simple structure with excellent design, and the ligature LG10 can be easily attached to the metal mouthpiece 10 with ligature. For example, when the metal mouthpiece 10 with ligature is held in one hand and rotated about the longitudinal direction relative to the instrument body to adjust the insertion depth of the metal mouthpiece 10 with ligature into the instrument body during performance, it is possible to prevent the reed R from shifting relative to the metal mouthpiece 10 with ligature during performance. On the other hand, the base portion 12, the pressure plate portion 14 and the fastening screw portion 16 can be disassembled separately by simply loosening the fastening screw portion 16, so it is possible to provide a ligature LG10 that is easy to disassemble and maintain. When fitting, as shown in FIG. 1, the base 12, pressure plate 14 and fastening screw 16 are separated, the reed R is passed through the opening of the base 12, and fixed to the metal mouthpiece with ligature 10. Next, the convex part of the pressure plate 14 is inserted into the concave part of the base 12 to position the pressure plate 14 relative to the base 12, and then the fastening screw 16 is fastened to press the pressure plate 14 against the curved front surface of the skin SS of the reed R. However, because this metal mouthpiece with ligature 10 is composed of separate, disassembled components, it is possible to arrange a variety of tones by selecting and combining the base 12, pressure plate 14, fastening screw 16 and optional elastic ring 17. Furthermore, even though the base portion 12, the pressing plate portion 14, and the fastening screw portion 16 are made up of separate component parts, they can be assembled using a screw structure without using brazing, thereby reducing factors that adversely affect sound quality during the manufacture of the metal mouthpiece with ligature 10. Furthermore, for an existing conventional metal mouthpiece 10 with a brass ligature, a long groove 52 is machined on the outer surface 44 of the metal mouthpiece 10 with a ligature, and the ligature LG is attached. In addition, a hollow shank portion 72 made of pure silver is prepared and fitted into the metal mouthpiece 10 with a brass ligature. This allows the player to fully express themselves while enjoying the sharp sound characteristic of the metal mouthpiece 10 with a ligature, providing a good blowing feel regardless of the player's level, even with a low baffle.

[0036] According to the metal mouthpiece with ligature 10 having the above-mentioned configuration, the portion of the mouthpiece that is directly connected to the neck of the instrument is made of a hollow shank made of pure silver, a material that does not have a natural frequency, and the saxophone ligature LG provided on the hollow brass body 70 aligns the reed R at two points spaced apart in the longitudinal direction of the mouthpiece. By making it possible to press against the mouthpiece in a point or line contact manner, the baffle surface 75 forms part of the chamber CH at a position facing the window W, and slopes smoothly and without steps in the longitudinal direction from the tip TP away from the pair of side rails SR, the ratio of the height difference Δh between the tip TP and the center XX of the straight body portion of the chamber CH to the inner diameter of the straight body portion of the chamber CH on the neck side is set to a first predetermined value or more, and the maximum inclination angle of the baffle surface 75 is set to a second predetermined value or more.Despite being a so-called low baffle, it is possible for the player to fully express himself / herself while enjoying a good blowing feel regardless of the player's level and utilizing the sharp sound that is unique to the metal mouthpiece 10 with ligature.

[0037] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, those skilled in the art can make various modifications and changes without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example, in this embodiment, the baffle surface 75 of the metal mouthpiece 10 with ligature for tenor saxophone is described as being of the so-called rollover type (Figure 9), but it is not limited to this, and as long as it is an inclined surface that slopes smoothly without steps from the tip in the longitudinal direction, it may be of the so-called straight type that does not have a portion with a small angle of inclination near the tip. For example, in this embodiment, the pressing plate portion 14 of the metal mouthpiece with ligature 10 has a pair of pressing portions 20 that extend in opposite directions across a central portion 26 having a clearance hole 18, and each of the pair of pressing portions 20 has a leg portion 30, and each of the pair of pressing portions has a pair of legs 30 that extend downward from a corresponding end of the central portion 26, and each leg 30 extends in the width direction of the reed R. In the above description, the legs 30 extend diagonally downward so as to move away from each other in the width direction, and the pressing surface 24 is provided at the lower end of the leg portion 30, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, a pair of legs 30 may be provided only at the tip TP side end of the central portion 26, and a single leg 30 may be provided at the instrument side end of the central portion 26, and a single pressing surface 24 may be provided. For example, a pair of legs 30 may be provided only at the tip TP side end of the central portion 26, and the instrument side end of the central portion 26 may have an inclined portion extending downward from the entire instrument side end, and a pressing surface 24 may be provided at the entire lower end of the inclined portion. For example, the tip TP side end of the central portion 26 may have a single leg 30 only at the tip TP side end, and a single pressing surface 24 may be provided; the instrument side end of the central portion 26 may have an inclined portion extending downward from the entire instrument side end, and may extend from the entire lower end of the inclined portion and have a pressing surface 24 provided on its underside. All of these have in common the simple structure in which the pressing plate portion 14 is located above the base portion 12 so as to straddle the width w1 of the base portion 12, but the form of the pressing plate portion 14 can be selected depending on the desired sound quality.

[0038] For example, in this embodiment, the pressing plate portion 14 of the metal mouthpiece with ligature 10 has been described as fixing the reed R from above at four positions spaced apart in both the longitudinal and transverse directions, but this is not limited thereto. As long as the reed R is fixed from above at two positions spaced apart in the longitudinal direction, for example, the pressing surface 24 may be provided with linear or point-like protrusions that protrude downward, so that the pressing surface 24 makes line or point contact with the reed R. For example, in this embodiment, the pressing plate 14 of the metal mouthpiece with ligature 10 has an annular protrusion 31 on its upper surface, and the pressing plate 14 presses and fixes the reed R from above by tightening the tightening screw 16 until the lower surface 64 of the solid cylinder 62 provided at the base of the shank 54 of the tightening screw hits the upper surface of the annular protrusion 31. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and as long as the pressing plate 14 can press and fix the reed R from above, for example, the annular protrusion 31 on the upper surface of the pressing plate 14 may be omitted, and the tightening screw 16 may be tightened until the lower surface 64 of the solid cylinder 62 hits the upper surface of the pressing plate 14.

[0039] For example, in the present embodiment, the pressure plate portion 14 is provided with a pair of pressure portions 20 extending in opposite longitudinal directions relative to a central portion 26 having a clearance hole 18, and each pressure portion 20 is provided with a pair of legs 30 extending diagonally downward, spaced apart in the width direction of the pressure plate portion 14, and a pressure surface 24 is provided at the lower end of each leg 30. However, this is not limited to this, and as long as a pair of pressure portions 20 extending in opposite longitudinal directions relative to the central portion 26 is provided, a single leg 30 may be provided in the central portion of the pressure plate portion 14 in each pressure portion 20 or in any of the pressure portions 20.

[0040] For example, in the present embodiment, the metal mouthpiece 10 with ligature, which is composed of the base 12, the pressing plate 14, and the fastening screw 16, is described as using one type of pressing plate 14, but the present invention is not limited thereto, and as long as the base 12 and the fastening screw 16 are common and have a clearance hole 18 through which the fastening screw 16 passes, pressing plates 14 of different shapes may be prepared and selected according to the shape of the reed R and the desired sound quality. In this case, to replace the pressing plate 14, it is sufficient to loosen the fastening screw 16 while the base 12 is attached to the metal mouthpiece 10 with ligature. Alternatively, as a combination of the base portion 12 and the pressure plate portion 14, the annular base portion 12 of the first embodiment, the arch-shaped base portion 12 of the second embodiment, or a base portion 12 having an uneven irregular pattern PN may be prepared, and combined with a pressure plate portion 14 of the desired shape to change the design and sound quality. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0041] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a metal mouthpiece 10 with a ligature according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] 1 is a cross-sectional view of a metal mouthpiece 10 with a ligature according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 3] FIG. 1 is a side view of a metal mouthpiece 10 with a ligature according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] 1 is a perspective view of a pressing plate portion 14 of a metal mouthpiece 10 with a ligature according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Diagram 5] 1 is a bottom view of a pressing plate portion 14 of a metal mouthpiece 10 with a ligature according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 6] 1 is a perspective view of an elastic ring of a metal mouthpiece 10 with a ligature according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 7]1 is a perspective view of a fastening screw portion 16 of a metal mouthpiece 10 with a ligature according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 8] FIG. 1 is a side view of a metal mouthpiece 10 with a ligature according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] 1 is a side cross-sectional view of a metal mouthpiece 10 with a ligature according to a first embodiment of the present invention, for a tenor saxophone. [Figure 10] 1 is a side cross-sectional view of a metal mouthpiece 10 with a ligature according to a first embodiment of the present invention, for an alto saxophone. [Explanation of symbols]

[0042] MP Metal Mouthpiece with Ligature LG ligature for saxophone O Tip Opening TP Tip F Facing T table surface R Lead D: The distance in the longitudinal direction between a pair of pressing parts E Edge part SS epidermis SR Side Rail Di: Inner diameter of the chamber body Δh Height difference between the tip TP and the center XX of the straight body of the chamber CH Θmax Maximum inclination angle of baffle surface XX: Central axis of the straight body of chamber CH l1 Height of solid cylinder l2 Shank length 12 Base section 14 Pressing plate part 16 Fastening screw 17 Elastic Ring 18. Stupid Hole 19 Aperture 20 Pair of pressing parts 22 Screw hole 24 Pressing surface 26 Central part 28 End 30 Legs 31 Annular protrusion 32 Bottom end 34 Back side 36 Recess 37 Circular bottom 38 Front 40 Convex 41 Top side 44 Outer surface 48 Longitudinal Edge 50 Convex part 52 Nagamizo 54 Shank 56 Head section 57 Screw part 58 Nut 62 Solid cylindrical section 64 Bottom surface 47 Annular inclined outer surface 49 Annular inclined inner surface 70 Brass hollow body 71 Inner peripheral surface 72 Pure silver hollow shank 73 Inner peripheral surface 75 Baffle surface 77 Tip inclined surface 79 One end open

Claims

1. A metal mouthpiece with a ligature is a combination of a metal mouthpiece and a saxophone ligature that fixes a reed to the metal mouthpiece, The metal mouthpiece is A hollow brass body portion having a tip at one end thereof forming a tip opening between the tip and the reed, and a hollow sterling silver shank portion fitted into the hollow brass body portion, The brass hollow body portion has a pair of side rails extending in the longitudinal direction opposite each other and forming a window therebetween, and a table surface connected to one end of the pair of side rails and extending in the longitudinal direction toward the pure silver hollow shank portion, the pure silver hollow shank portion has an opening at one end that is of a diameter such that it can be fitted tightly around an opening at an end of a neck of a woodwind instrument; The brass hollow body and the pure silver hollow shank define a chamber extending from the tip in the longitudinal direction to the one end opening. The brass hollow body portion forms a part of the chamber at a position facing the window, and has a baffle surface that slopes smoothly and without steps in a direction away from the pair of side rails in the longitudinal direction from the tip, The ratio of the height difference between the tip and the center of the straight body portion of the chamber to the inner diameter of the straight body portion of the chamber on the neck side is set to a first predetermined value or more, The maximum inclination angle of the baffle surface is set to a second predetermined value or more, The saxophone ligature is The reed is provided along the table surface, and the base portion is fixed to the mouthpiece and a pressing plate portion presses the reed against the table surface of the mouthpiece. The pressing plate portion has at least two pressing portions spaced apart in the longitudinal direction, A metal mouthpiece with a ligature, characterized in that the pressure plate portion is located above the base portion at the position where the base portion of the mouthpiece is provided, and is provided along the extension direction of the table surface, and the pressure plate portion enables the reed to be pressed against the mouthpiece in a point or line contact manner via the pressure plate portion.

2. 2. The metal mouthpiece with ligature according to claim 1, wherein the brass hollow body has an outer surface that is gold plated.

3. 3. A metal mouthpiece with a ligature as described in claim 1 or 2, wherein in the case of a tenor saxophone, the first and second predetermined values ​​are 0.31 and 18.2°, respectively, and in the case of an alto saxophone, the first and second predetermined values ​​are 0.33 and 16.5°, respectively.

Images