Abstract: A ligature is provided for use in a mouthpiece system for attaching a reed to a mouthpiece of a woodwind musical instrument. The ligature is constructed from a single layer of flexible strap of rubberized fabric, having two ends to which rigid bars are fixedly secured. The ends of the straps and rigid bars are brought together to form a loop that is placed over the mouthpiece and reed. A threaded closure mechanism is used to tighten the ligature around the mouthpiece. The ends of the strap are crimped into slots in the rigid bars to secure the masses to rigid bars. A cradle constructed from a rectangular piece of spring steel is attached to the flexible strap and is located on the interior of the loop to contact the reed along two lines.

Abstract: An improved mouthpiece for use with single reed woodwind instruments is provided. The mouthpiece includes rounded portions of the top surfaces of the side rails and tip rail that surround a window of the mouthpiece that leads to an internal tone chamber. The rounded surfaces reduce turbulence in the air flow during the reed closure segment of the oscillatory cycle, improving tonality, response and intonation. The mouthpiece also includes a step or raised portion in the table portion of the mouthpiece adjacent the window. The step elevates the heel end of the reed. The raised heel end permits increased vibration of the heel end of the reed, improving performance. In addition, the mouthpiece includes a transition from the tone chamber to the central bore of the mouthpiece that minimizes lateral offset and the offset angle of the transition, reducing energy reflection that degrades performance.

Abstract: A reed holding device for the mouthpiece of a musical instrument in which a single unitary strip extends around and in engagement with the outer surfaces of portions of the reed and the mouthpiece to secure the reed to the mouthpiece. The thickness of the strip varies from a minimum thickness along the area of engagement with the reed to a maximum thickness along an area of engagement with the mouthpiece to provide a graduated mechanical impedance to the reed during exitation.