Ligature

A ligature holds a reed onto the mouthpiece of a single-reed instrument such as a saxophone or clarinet. A ligature must be placed at least halfway down the stock of the reed and the screws must not be overtightened, to allow free vibration and to prevent distorting the reed. Ligatures are most commonly manufactured from metal and plated in nickel, silver, or gold. Ligatures can also made out of wire, wire mesh, plastic, naugahyde, heavy nylon fabric, wood, string, or leather.