I played in high school school and hadn't touched one in four years when a video of his on a Jean Paul sax popped up. Was inspired and said fuck it and bought one. I forgot how fun it was and the memories it brings back are priceless.
I like that you're not being a snob regarding the use of cheap Chinese instruments. The usual professional wouldn't put themselves in such a position, rather they would encourage right from the get go to have a top notch instrument ( whatever that is ). I have a lot of respect for you doing such an amazing review on the Chinese instrument. I recently bought a clarinet and I honestly can't understand how this instrument could be made for such little money. Thanks for being so realistic and down to earth.
Jay, I watched most if not all of Your clips. They are practical, clean, honest and pleasant probably like the person You are :) I I could also appreciated Your elegant qualities as a saxophonist: Really all well done!
Hey Jay, greetings from far away! I’m a 73 year old Ophthalmologist who’s been an aficionado woodwind player since 1958. I still enjoy playing and own a small collection of saxes ranging from sopranino to bass. Since I still practice my profession full time, I have to stay within my comfort zone in terms of instrumental technique. Hence, I cannot but extract the useful “pearls” you always throw in in your videos. Thanks for sharing your knowledge and artistry!
I bought the amazon sax with the vintage laquer and I can’t wait for it to arrive because I haven’t played alto in years and your videos inspire me to get better at sax, great work!👍
Better Sax my alto just came in today 13 days ahead of schedule and I was amazingly surprised by how it played and looked I can play all the notes and I was never able to play altissimo all my life and then I tried it today on alto and I was able to hit double altissimo g and it is 1000000% worth it especially for the money and everything you mentioned was right and better, Amazing job👍
I will be receiving mine Wednesday. I absolutely can not wait. I was always decent in school, even tutored the younger kids. Probably had a future in it, even if just as a music teacher. Then one day, after taking perfect care of the multi-generational horn perfectly for over a decade, it fell far and hard, beyond repair. I gave up because back then (late 90s) there were no decent cheap options. Now, almost two decades later I am going to play again and I can't wait.
You play beautifully. In my opinion the sound of the classical piece with the jazz mouth piece was more pleasurable than the sound of the jazz piece with the classical mouthpiece. I experienced completely different emotional reactions from the two sounds. It would be interesting to do a controlled experiment with listeners designed to measure the differences. I wish you had played both pieces with both mouthpieces. Every morning I'm going to watch and learn from one of your videos.
Thanks Jay. You always help me get excited to play music. I love putting on your videos while i'm wetting my reed and setting up for practice. You are a cool dude.
Great video! I dig the nice new studio, too. I couldn't agree more with your commentary on sound concept. I heard Branford Marsalis say this a few years ago in a masterclass on RUclips. I didn't believe him until I bought a new "jazz" mouthpiece and started practicing some Klosé etudes. After a half hour I sounded exactly the same as I did on my classical mouthpiece. It blew my mind. To test it out, I put my classical mouthpiece back on the horn and got just as much sound out of it as my lead alto jazz mouthpiece. Oh well, mind over matter, I guess.
I think I’m the only person in middle school who cleans my saxophone. Oh and also... I JUST WENT ALTISSIMO FOR THE FIRST TIME ON MY TENOR AND ALTO! I’m soooo happy.
That's awesome dude! I played alto and tenor all through middle and high school in the concert, jazz and marching band at my school. Looking back 15ish years later it was one of the best experiences I had in school and provided a ton of opportunities to do really memorable things. Keep practicing, keep experimenting and enjoy! Nailing a difficult piece in a performance, or ripping a solo that surprises even you, are experiences well worth all the hard work. Best of luck, and lots of encouragement! o/
Great video as always Jay. Love your courses and your approach. Like your comments on listening to the sounds you want to emulate. I was lucky, 2 years ago as a real beginner, I found a teacher whose sound I love. Not only have I got great tuition every week but I am now starting to have a sound similar to my teacher. Looking forward to more of your straight talking, personable approach on your videos.
Yes Jay, you're roght. One frind of mine told me when he was to Cuba, he saw people playing with trombones with holes on it and they have the best sound that he never heard...amazing!!! It's what you've said, the important thing is how you play 😊👍👍👍 thabk you for your videos!!!🇦🇷
Hello! Ive been watching your vids for the past 5 months and many other saxophone vids.. just got my YAS 280 for a week now. And im doing all the long tones, overtones, intervals, embouchure etc.. im always inspired by your videos. Thank you so much
I can confirm what Jay said about taking care of the instrument.. I've had a cheap Chinese Baritone for 6 years as well as the Alto he showed in this video. Both still work like new
Thank you so much for such straitforward advice. I get discouraged by all the sax equipment talk but this really inspires me to jump in and get going on my saxophone journey.
I knew a great tenor player in Burlington Vermont. Of course my first question for him was " what's your mouthpiece set up?" His answer...." I dunno, Man....it came with the horn."
I agree with all the points you make about the spitty mouthpiece but I’d also like to add that some people “lean back somewhat“ when they play and that seems to increase the moisture sitting on the read Also the mouthpiece is about 6 inches away from your ear or closer however take comfort that people listening about 6 feet away might not hear it at all!
thanks Jay. I'm a pianist dabbling in woodwinds, and your videos have convinced me my cheap old YTS doesn't need replacing. However I found that mouthpiece matters a lot - even if i still sound 'like me', some mothpieces feel limiting and 'uncooperative', while the right mouthpiece just makes everything feel natural and intuitive.
@@bettersax But, being a qualified sax repairman, you never mentioned if or how hard/easy the Ammoon would be to fix...I'm personally disturbed by that. :) Tell you why: ALL instruments, no matter what they cost, have SOME downsides. I've had 4 drum kits. On the high side, Roland V-drums and Ludwig "John Bonham/Moonie/Karen Carpenter" Vistalites. Plus side +wonderful sound +pretty much tunes itself +powerful to cut through the band. Downsides: -not at all cheap ($3,200+ "shell" kit, meaning no stands-aka hardware, no pedals and no cymbals). Those things could be another 1,000+. -floor tom legs need locks you have to buy (about 5.00) so they don't fall over (still a 3,200 drum kit, mind you...lol). I've gotten angry at Ludwig and told them flat-out how stupid it is for a 3,200 kit (to not have that fixed). -huge. Heavy, unwieldly and no fun to move. -Obviously not appropriate for small coffeehouse gig. The owner will probably shoot you if you show up with a 26 inch kick drum. -can sound very flat compared to smaller, higher tuned studio drums (think The Police) Overall, you can't go wrong with these. Perfect for a large rock show. Also perfect if you hate all your neighbors (extremely loud kit :) Perfect for a Led Zeppelin tribute band. Oh and... -plastic/acrylic can sound "cold." It also - doesn't record well in a studio setting (Bonham used this kit in maple for that, i think it was). They ALL have SOME downsides. As I've said cheaper instruments (ie drums) can be harder to tune or to get to stay tuned. God help you if it rains (they'll go badly out of tune) All stock drum heads get donated to Mr. Holland's Opus foundation or some music school. All stock heads suck. There goes another...100.00 to buy just new batter heads on a new kit?
I actually bought that ammoon saxophone from your review after watching that video, despite every forum post I read cautioning against buying anything that was made in China. I've never played the sax before, but I've been a flutist for over 12 years, so I'm not a complete novice when it comes to music and instruments. I spent an extra $30 on a decent Yamaha mouthpiece and some new reeds, and I couldn't be happier with this saxophone. I was making decent sounds with it right out of the case, despite never having touched a sax before. As someone who's just getting into this instrument and didn't want to invest a ton of money into something that I wasn't sure I would be good at or stick with, I'm grateful that cheaper Chinese instruments have increased in quality and have become something that's actually worth buying. I wouldn't have been able to afford to try the sax if the only ones worth buying were $1,000 or more, and I imagine that the parents of a lot of the kids who are interested in getting started in music feel the same way.
Glad yo hear you say the mouthpiece doesn't matter, but keeping on the fundamentals is more important. I stopped taking lessons with a teacher because he wanted me to have a more jazz tone, when I was comfortable with my tone as it was.
Thanks Jay... really interessting videos and straight to the point. I started almost 3 years ago playing alto saxophone from scratch. I more and more understand and notice where the quality of sound comes from and how individual the sound is.
Thanks, great points as always! Best teacher ... I have been a “gear head “ and wasted thousands of dollars buying equipment instead of practicing, listening, disciplining myself like you said! I don’t do that anymore, but great point!!! Rocket 🚀
It’s like that with everything. Learning languages is my thing so instead of wasting money on some new workbooks i ended up using free stuff I can find online that is better quality than what I can buy in the market.
Great stuff with showing how your sound depends on how you practice and listen. You can see you do a lot of embouchure work with the jazz inflections, just look at your face it's all there. And as someone who plays, I know a lot of that comes from concept and idea more than "I need to do this and that"... It's been conditioned, just like anything else you practice. Same reason most artists who've spent years sketching draw a lot better than me :)
Yes. Love it. I bought a Chinese copy of Reference 54. Looks and sounds great, but came with a damaged key guard. No package fillers, just the saxophone case in a cardboard box. No wonder it got damaged.
Great video! I was quite amused by the comments I read about the "cheap" saxophone lol. All it takes is proper maintenance to keep it in working condition.
Great video, Jay. Really helpful for a novice older player. At 64, and having started learning to play at 60, I don’t have the years ahead of me to achieve greatness. So my goal is good enoughness. I like your pragmatism about the. Ammoon sax. My view is, in the same way a Ferrari won’t make you a better driver, a Selmer mark anything won’t make me a better player. But it might influence how you feel playing your instrument. I’ve never driven a Ferrari so I don’t know how it feels, but I switched from a Yamaha student sax to a vintage English sax, a Hawkes & Son before they merged with Boosey. It’s about 90 years old and nobody is interested. But I love it. It’s harder to play than the Yamaha, no high F# key, but I love the feel. And it cost less than I got selling the Yamaha. I’m thinking the Ammoon will be be a great backup. Thanks for all your advice. By the way, the lady who bought my Yamaha sits next to me in band and she bought it because, get this, her Selmer was getting too difficult to play. Now she prefers the sound of the Yamaha. Different strokes for different folks.
I'm so happy to hear someone else give the explanation that what you're hearing in your head creates the sound that you make .. because well, it's something very important to me, and I agree with it. :P I often have trouble explaining to people that I play classical sax because it's not something they know the sound of, so when they hear I play sax they get a very different image in their head than reality. And honestly, I feel very alone. I don't see many classical saxophonists (and chill ones that love their sound but aren't creepily elitist, at that). I'm glad that the instrument is getting more properly affordable. When I gave my first sax to my little brother years ago, he was the only saxophonist in his class, and the teacher (haha, the same one I had 14 years prior!!!) said it was because they were too expensive and the school hadn't had any available in a long time!
Its been a month now with my Chinese Lade(yes it is Lade, the musical S is strangely not a letter), and I have had no problems with it falling apart or anything but then again I treat it like any other expensive sax so... (EDIT: using the mouthpiece and reed it came with too, somehow I got over the cheap MP and hard reed thing and learned how to make a pretty alright sound regardless.)
Same, I use a Jupiter mouthpiece with my ammoon and Rico reeds, size 3, and I’m not upset with the sound of it. I’m known for not being able to play high notes and the ammoon I bought can’t really play high notes so it doesn’t bother me and the low notes sound amazing on it for me. I kinda like it a little bit bolster than my Jupiter
I got a Lade for myself for Christmas to get into the sax. One of the key pearls fell off which I wasn't too worried about as I just stuck it back on, but one of the bars over the pads on the bell has come unstuck from the bell and needs to be soldered back on. I will probably get it fixed and keep playing, but will be saving up for a sax that isn't just going to fall apart on me...
Great advice. I have seen the same sort of questions on guitar forums. We are all unique after all. I am at the stage of trying some different mouthpieces to see what I like as well as reed strengths. Right now I play a Yamaha YTS-26 alto with a Selmer C* mouthpiece, Vandoren ligature and Legere synthetic 2.5 reed. n tenor I have an Antiqua Winds with the same mouthpiece / red set up. I found low register o my tenor easier with synthetic reed than natural ones. I always clean my instrument after playing. Makes sense really. A lot of people don't seem to bother but if you have acidic sweat, you will soon regret not wiping down your sax. It will just not last.
the lower quality horns being less "bendy" means it has a harder heat treat on the metal. this also means with normal repairs (bends the keys a little for adjustments) they will snap sooner than keys that have a more appropriate hardness to them. it's not a huge deal in many cases, but it does take away from the longevity of the horn. my 20's conn still has the original keys and still plays very nice and I know those keys have been adjusted over the years.
👏👍 Hi Better Sax - I learned to play the sax so I can play those smooth jazzy tunes of yesteryear. "Harlem Nocturne " has become my signature tune on the alto sax. 😎 🎷 🎶
I love your videos, I got a Yamaha Tenor sax at a local pawn shop for an amazing $350. I also want to learn to be a repair technician. My first project is fixing the only missing pad on that sax. I am finally pursuing my passion of music! Thanks for your videos
Great video thanks. I am a South African working and living in Beijing China for 4 years now. It is true what you are saying about these Chinese saxophones. They are not bad at all. I have bought a soprano, alto, tenor and baritone. All Chinese. I have never had so much fun in my life. Still working out my recording setup then I will be able to share a better quality video of how all these instruments sound like. You don't need to spend a fortune to be able to play. I bought my Baritone Saxophone for 5400 rmb that is 804 US dollars!! Cheapest I could find and it sounds great!!
I'm a trumpet player and everything you mentioned here is everything my college lecturer told me in my first lesson with him. He's a jazz saxophonist and he told me, the gear doesn't matter as long as it doesn't hinder you or demotivate you. If you sound good on a cheap instrument or mouthpiece and you enjoy it then that's all that matters. And listening constantly is part of getting a good sound. It's all true. Although I do have the gear bug, we all do. We all want that shiny new mouthpiece with the cool features, but we're all probably just fine with what we have right now if it's not hurting us physically or hurting our morale in trying to be the best players we can be..
I ordered one of these Altos to get myself back into playing after taking a 2 years hiatus. I will have to see if I can find my Omnibook as well. FYI you have a great Charlie Parker tone going on there, Charlie and Adderley have been the two favorites for me when it comes to the Alto tone.
Thanks for the tips! Even though it doesn't usually bother me, I was wondering how to avoid that "spitty" sound. Also regarding new gear: recently I was having some problems with my sound and thought I needed a new mouthpiece or needed to change reed strengths or brands, but then discovered I had 2 serious air-leaks, which I was able to fix. It was a big relief.
I'm on my sax journey trying to find and improve my sound -- though it's not a revelation to hear about the most important part of a sax is the player, I can't hear it enough. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Now to stop looking into which $700 theo wanne mouthpiece best suits my needs and get on my long tones!
I bought the Amoon/Slade Saxophon 11 months ago and have been using it on a regular basis since then. It still sounds good and plays well. The one thing I noticed really is that there are some spots where the rose-brass lacquer is coming off and the yellow metal beneath starts shining through. Not even necessarily in places where your fingers are rubbing on the metal. All things considered, that's a minor issue to me and the important bits of it are in fine working order and far from falling apart.
Great video Jay. Classical and Jazz sounds as you say are concepts. But what makes up the concept? What makes up the sound? IMO there are two main aspects, the actual tone, and the way it is played. You played the two examples using very different techniques. To a casual listener it would seem that only the sound is different, but actually the sound was similar but the technique was different. The use of vibrato, and the way notes start and stop, attack, scoops and other nuances jazz players tend to do without thinking because its absorbed into their style. Classical 'legit' technique tends to eliminate these, or more likely never allow them to develop in case it 'spoils' the sound. As you say, unless you listen, really listen, you will never start to develop these aspects of playing. It isn't a brighter sound you need for jazz, it is access to the various subtle (and not so subtle) things jazz players do automatically. Similarly if you never listen to legit players and treat a classical study with the attack, scoops and vibrato that is the norm for jazz style it is not going to work very well.
Hearing you play from the classical book confirms…. You are a jazz player through and through. Such a jazz tone when playing classical. I’ll take this opportunity to ask a question. As a sax player I have recently picked up the clarinet again. I get an awful pain in my right shoulder after only a few minutes of playing. Almost like I am dislocating my shoulder. Doesn’t happen when I play soprano, only clarinet. Need to figure out what I am doing wrong before I can accept any gigs.
You're cool. I like a lot of what you say. I play on a seller c star, too. I use it for it's versatility . I am learning a lot from you and want to say thanks.
While I completely agree with you regarding sound, that was NOT a classical sound, and the s80 is more of a general purpose mp in my opinion... otherwise, great video!
I agree that it wasn't the purest classical sound, but he is probably more of a jazz guy in general. It still serves its purpose showing that the player controls the sound more than equipment.
Clayton Kwater while I do agree with you somewhat, he did say in the video it depends what you want your sound to sound like. You can sound good in jazz on a classical mouthpiece, but there are some qualities that a good jazz mouthpiece has that a classical mouthpiece doesn’t. I think what I’m trying to say, if you’re fine with having a pretty dark sound for jazz, then use a classical. If you want a much brighter sound for jazz, then you can’t use a classical mouthpiece for it, because it’s not what it was made for.
@@dylanmallari8741 Yeah you won't sound like Sanborn or Brecker. That said a lot of what goes into a classical or jazz sound is the player. Even his mouthpiece the Scroll shank C* was intended to be a classical mouthpiece originally.
You have that jazz sound with a SELMER C Star! That's a pure classical mouth piece! I can only imagine what a Myers, or link will sound like with your tone.
I work as a photographer and soo many people think that a new camera will change their photography, it isn't true (same with music). I blame marketing by companies tellin people that 'X' will make there image (or sound) better. PS loving your videos and learning loads
Jay, on the condensation issue ("spitty" sound), a metal mouthpiece will be more prone to condensation that plastic because the metal transfers heat - or cold - to the moist air flow much faster than plastic, thus accelerating the condensation inside the mouthpiece .
I did remember that, even though jazz can be played with a Selmer C* mpc, it's not really going to push you in the direction of a jazz sound, whereas my Meyer 6 does that really well. I've been playing everything with it from Mazeo Parker to Charlie Parker and John Coltrane, thing's amazing. I got during the start of Februari 2020, and it's been a fantastic mpc for jazz. I still play in a fanfare band, where we sometimes play stuff for memorial day (lots of Bach), which requires a more classical sound. This is easily achieveable, however it's definitely a little harder with a Meyer 6 than with a Selmer C*. This is just my experience though.
Rub a bit of cork grease on the baffle and farther down inside your mouthpiece (but not on the rails). I find this makes it very rare for me to get the spitty sound. It apparently acts like resh wax on your car in the rain and the water just moves on down instead of coating the inside where the reed is vibrating. Got the tip from Sax-On-The-Web.
Hi Jai , I fully agree with Ismail in appreciating that you are the honest musician . I have listened to so many but you explain each & everything with such an ease . Its all because of your years of hands on practical experience with this amazing instrument. I have one question Jay , I understand Kessler , Las Vegas are making Saxophones of various types. What's your experience with their products. What's the difference between an Intermediate level & Professional level saxophones in terms of tonal quality & intonation. Please let me know . Thank you .
I have been playing for about 2 years and 3 months and I have noticed that my spitty sound used to be quite bad but its gotten a lot less. It did happen to me a couple of times on soprano sax but doesn't happen that often. It only happened to me on it when I was playing a reed that was slightly too resistant for me. On my alto it was the main issue. I think I figured out why. I noticed for me it was either one of these things or a combination of things: 1) Not having a relaxed embouchure. 2) Too much resistance in the mouthpiece setup meaning I have to push air harder and can't relax my embouchure as much as I need to. 3) Shallow breathing. If I don't fill up my lungs with air fully and take deep breaths when playing I found shallow breathing can cause the moisture sound. 4) My mouth is too dry or too moist. Too moist and the excess moisture causes it, too dry and I tend to salivate more and that causes it. 5) Reed is going soft. When It does that I tend to get more of a spitty sound. 6) Reed is slightly too hard. Not too hard that I get a mostly airy sound, but just slightly harder than I normally play causes low notes to have a spitty sound especially. 7) Tonguing too much, especially hitting the reed tip with my tongue can cause it. 8) Some synthetic reeds cause it more. I play on Legere reeds and they don't absorb moisture like cane so the moisture sits on the reed until its wiped off and that can cause the sound and even dull the sound after a while, until the reed is wiped clean. Overall I can avoid it mostly by having the right mouthpiece/reed/ligature setup with the right amount of resistance that isn't too much or too little. I stay relaxed when playing, have a relaxed embouchure and a steady air from deep breaths. After playing and I take a break before playing again, I usually clean out and dry the mouthpiece and neck and my Legere reed and swap one reed for another.
12:50 (GASP) Is that a synthetic reed?? I thought you hated the feel of the legeres. (Lol I'm just picking, I know what it's like to have leftover items I don't use for clarinet and/or sax)
Because its a cool instrument nobody can afford at the $4,000 "nice" level? Can't think of another instrument i can barely look at for under 1,200. Tho drums can very quickly and easily go that way, you CAN get a beat-up Ludwig or Tama whatever for about 4 or 5. Might get some beat-up, raggedy cymbals and pedals, too, lol.
The main difference between the way I play in concert band and jazz band is the way I read dynamics aka I stfu in a 50 piece band. But really, I find that crossing over elements that I’ve learnt makes me a better player. In jazz band recently we were asked to hold 4 bars at a rather slow tempo without breathing and I was the only one in the section who could do it with ease. That’s how I always play in concert band.
I played for about 10 years all through middle school and high school and a bit beyond that. It was always my opinion that my sound wasn’t as beautiful as the recordings I would listen to of great players. I only ever upgraded one piece of equipment and that was my mouthpiece. Sadly, soon after upgrading I stopped playing all together. So I never was able to figure out of my upgrade would have truly helped any.
![BLACK BAG - Official Trailer [HD] - Only in Theaters March 14](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Du0Xp8WX_7I/mqdefault.jpg)
You are the most honest and humble musician that i ever seen.....My friend....
His courses are really great
Frank but tactful as well.
Exactly what i was going to say. I totally agree. He is also entertaining.
He isn’t honest when he talks about spit
I don't even play sax and I like watching you
Same lol
You should try it out, I just started playing saxophone today and it's really fun
@@willygmusic7860 same
I played in high school school and hadn't touched one in four years when a video of his on a Jean Paul sax popped up. Was inspired and said fuck it and bought one. I forgot how fun it was and the memories it brings back are priceless.
I like that you're not being a snob regarding the use of cheap Chinese instruments. The usual professional wouldn't put themselves in such a position, rather they would encourage right from the get go to have a top notch instrument ( whatever that is ). I have a lot of respect for you doing such an amazing review on the Chinese instrument. I recently bought a clarinet and I honestly can't understand how this instrument could be made for such little money. Thanks for being so realistic and down to earth.
Thanks for the comment.
Jay, I watched most if not all of Your clips. They are practical, clean, honest and pleasant probably like the person You are :) I I could also appreciated Your elegant qualities as a saxophonist: Really all well done!
Thank you Giusseppe.
Hey Jay, greetings from far away!
I’m a 73 year old Ophthalmologist who’s been an aficionado woodwind player since 1958. I still enjoy playing and own a small collection of saxes ranging from sopranino to bass. Since I still practice my profession full time, I have to stay within my comfort zone in terms of instrumental technique. Hence, I cannot but extract the useful “pearls” you always throw in in your videos. Thanks for sharing your knowledge and artistry!
Of all the sax videos, blogs, podcasts, sites...you are #1 hands down. Honest, informative, real. Look forward to every video!
Thanks John
I bought the amazon sax with the vintage laquer and I can’t wait for it to arrive because I haven’t played alto in years and your videos inspire me to get better at sax, great work!👍
Great, let us know how you like the horn.
Better Sax my alto just came in today 13 days ahead of schedule and I was amazingly surprised by how it played and looked I can play all the notes and I was never able to play altissimo all my life and then I tried it today on alto and I was able to hit double altissimo g and it is 1000000% worth it especially for the money and everything you mentioned was right and better, Amazing job👍
I will be receiving mine Wednesday. I absolutely can not wait. I was always decent in school, even tutored the younger kids. Probably had a future in it, even if just as a music teacher. Then one day, after taking perfect care of the multi-generational horn perfectly for over a decade, it fell far and hard, beyond repair. I gave up because back then (late 90s) there were no decent cheap options. Now, almost two decades later I am going to play again and I can't wait.
Do you still play your Amazon sax, do you still like it after 4 months how it it holding up?
@@gabrielhammond5325 you haven't played alto in years and now you can play double altissimo g, lol...ok buddy if you say so lol
Thank you so much for this video. I needed it! 1. Not spit, condensation, 2. Deep listening and tone exercises, 3. Work with what you have! Got it!
Work with what you have and listen to other saxplayers. That is the greatest lesson of them all. Thanks Good lesson.
Thanks Benny.
You hit the nail on the head. I put an Otto Link on my Bundy II when I was younger. The sound was night and day.
You play beautifully. In my opinion the sound of the classical piece with the jazz mouth piece was more pleasurable than the sound of the jazz piece with the classical mouthpiece. I experienced completely different emotional reactions from the two sounds. It would be interesting to do a controlled experiment with listeners designed to measure the differences. I wish you had played both pieces with both mouthpieces. Every morning I'm going to watch and learn from one of your videos.
I also have the spitty sound issue, so glad someone asked that. Thanks for the advice Jay!
Oh man, that Omnibook of Bird, I got that too, that's the Bible of Bebop.
If your Omnibook still has it’s cover - you ain’t been using it ! ;-)
Yeah, that book was not bound to last...
love your videos new to your channel so glad I found it.
rofl
refreshing to hear the honesty about the gear.
The gear is supposed to help us produce our tone and music without getting in the way!
Thanks Jay. You always help me get excited to play music. I love putting on your videos while
i'm wetting my reed and setting up for practice. You are a cool dude.
Great video! I dig the nice new studio, too. I couldn't agree more with your commentary on sound concept. I heard Branford Marsalis say this a few years ago in a masterclass on RUclips. I didn't believe him until I bought a new "jazz" mouthpiece and started practicing some Klosé etudes. After a half hour I sounded exactly the same as I did on my classical mouthpiece. It blew my mind. To test it out, I put my classical mouthpiece back on the horn and got just as much sound out of it as my lead alto jazz mouthpiece. Oh well, mind over matter, I guess.
Thanks. I'm loving working in the newly improved space. Making videos here is a lot easier now.
I think I’m the only person in middle school who cleans my saxophone. Oh and also...
I JUST WENT ALTISSIMO FOR THE FIRST TIME ON MY TENOR AND ALTO! I’m soooo happy.
That's awesome dude! I played alto and tenor all through middle and high school in the concert, jazz and marching band at my school. Looking back 15ish years later it was one of the best experiences I had in school and provided a ton of opportunities to do really memorable things. Keep practicing, keep experimenting and enjoy! Nailing a difficult piece in a performance, or ripping a solo that surprises even you, are experiences well worth all the hard work. Best of luck, and lots of encouragement! o/
I’ve been playing sax as a hobby since 1960 and I never even go close to altissimo!
Congratulations!
Great video as always Jay. Love your courses and your approach.
Like your comments on listening to the sounds you want to emulate.
I was lucky, 2 years ago as a real beginner, I found a teacher whose sound I love.
Not only have I got great tuition every week but I am now starting to have a sound similar to my teacher.
Looking forward to more of your straight talking, personable approach on your videos.
Thanks Paul.
Yes Jay, you're roght. One frind of mine told me when he was to Cuba, he saw people playing with trombones with holes on it and they have the best sound that he never heard...amazing!!! It's what you've said, the important thing is how you play 😊👍👍👍 thabk you for your videos!!!🇦🇷
Hello! Ive been watching your vids for the past 5 months and many other saxophone vids.. just got my YAS 280 for a week now. And im doing all the long tones, overtones, intervals, embouchure etc.. im always inspired by your videos. Thank you so much
Thanks for the comment!
I can confirm what Jay said about taking care of the instrument.. I've had a cheap Chinese Baritone for 6 years as well as the Alto he showed in this video. Both still work like new
Love your take on all that you share Jay. You destroy all the myth about equipment !🎶🎶🎶🎶🎷😎👍🏾
Thanks Leo! I love equipment as much as anyone else but have to keep it real...
Thank you so much for such straitforward advice. I get discouraged by all the sax equipment talk but this really inspires me to jump in and get going on my saxophone journey.
Great follow up to the first cheap Sax video...sounds good...guess if I can learn it and stick with it..then I will go from there..Thanks !
I knew a great tenor player in Burlington Vermont. Of course my first question for him was " what's your mouthpiece set up?" His answer...." I dunno, Man....it came with the horn."
haha
Hey Jay, your the best on RUclips. Your information, they are superb. I have been getting better and better each day.
Thanks!
I agree with all the points you make about the spitty mouthpiece but I’d also like to add that some people “lean back somewhat“ when they play and that seems to increase the moisture sitting on the read
Also the mouthpiece is about 6 inches away from your ear or closer however take comfort that people listening about 6 feet away might not hear it at all!
thanks Jay. I'm a pianist dabbling in woodwinds, and your videos have convinced me my cheap old YTS doesn't need replacing. However I found that mouthpiece matters a lot - even if i still sound 'like me', some mothpieces feel limiting and 'uncooperative', while the right mouthpiece just makes everything feel natural and intuitive.
Absolutely. It's important to find a mouthpiece and reed combination that works for you.
The more you play the Chinese alto the better it sounds especially during the end of the video!
Definitely. There's nothing wrong with that horn.
@@bettersax But, being a qualified sax repairman, you never mentioned if or how hard/easy the Ammoon would be to fix...I'm personally disturbed by that. :)
Tell you why: ALL instruments, no matter what they cost, have SOME downsides. I've had 4 drum kits. On the high side, Roland V-drums and Ludwig "John Bonham/Moonie/Karen Carpenter" Vistalites.
Plus side
+wonderful sound
+pretty much tunes itself
+powerful to cut through the band.
Downsides:
-not at all cheap ($3,200+ "shell" kit, meaning no stands-aka hardware, no pedals and no cymbals). Those things could be another 1,000+.
-floor tom legs need locks you have to buy (about 5.00) so they don't fall over (still a 3,200 drum kit, mind you...lol). I've gotten angry at Ludwig and told them flat-out how stupid it is for a 3,200 kit (to not have that fixed).
-huge. Heavy, unwieldly and no fun to move.
-Obviously not appropriate for small coffeehouse gig. The owner will probably shoot you if you show up with a 26 inch kick drum.
-can sound very flat compared to smaller, higher tuned studio drums (think The Police)
Overall, you can't go wrong with these. Perfect for a large rock show. Also perfect if you hate all your neighbors (extremely loud kit :) Perfect for a Led Zeppelin tribute band.
Oh and...
-plastic/acrylic can sound "cold." It also
- doesn't record well in a studio setting (Bonham used this kit in maple for that, i think it was).
They ALL have SOME downsides.
As I've said cheaper instruments (ie drums) can be harder to tune or to get to stay tuned. God help you if it rains (they'll go badly out of tune)
All stock drum heads get donated to Mr. Holland's Opus foundation or some music school. All stock heads suck. There goes another...100.00 to buy just new batter heads on a new kit?
I actually bought that ammoon saxophone from your review after watching that video, despite every forum post I read cautioning against buying anything that was made in China. I've never played the sax before, but I've been a flutist for over 12 years, so I'm not a complete novice when it comes to music and instruments. I spent an extra $30 on a decent Yamaha mouthpiece and some new reeds, and I couldn't be happier with this saxophone. I was making decent sounds with it right out of the case, despite never having touched a sax before. As someone who's just getting into this instrument and didn't want to invest a ton of money into something that I wasn't sure I would be good at or stick with, I'm grateful that cheaper Chinese instruments have increased in quality and have become something that's actually worth buying. I wouldn't have been able to afford to try the sax if the only ones worth buying were $1,000 or more, and I imagine that the parents of a lot of the kids who are interested in getting started in music feel the same way.
Solid advice once again! Thanks Jay and all the best from Germany.
Me being a tuba I have no idea why I binge watch your sax videos. Great job
You are a superb teacher. What a great resource you are for saxophone players of all levels.. This is why Al invented the internet.
A great video - such wise words. Might also be worth mentioning that a VERY fine split in the reed will give a "spitty" sound as well.
Glad yo hear you say the mouthpiece doesn't matter, but keeping on the fundamentals is more important. I stopped taking lessons with a teacher because he wanted me to have a more jazz tone, when I was comfortable with my tone as it was.
really glad i found your videos.
thank you
Jay, always good videos. Your'e the best instructor on RUclips with out question. Thanks.
thanks Jim
Thanks Jay... really interessting videos and straight to the point. I started almost 3 years ago playing alto saxophone from scratch. I more and more understand and notice where the quality of sound comes from and how individual the sound is.
Thanks, great points as always! Best teacher ... I have been a “gear head “ and wasted thousands of dollars buying equipment instead of practicing, listening, disciplining myself like you said! I don’t do that anymore, but great point!!! Rocket 🚀
Yeah, gear is fun and all, but it's always second to practicing...
It’s like that with everything. Learning languages is my thing so instead of wasting money on some new workbooks i ended up using free stuff I can find online that is better quality than what I can buy in the market.
Great stuff with showing how your sound depends on how you practice and listen. You can see you do a lot of embouchure work with the jazz inflections, just look at your face it's all there. And as someone who plays, I know a lot of that comes from concept and idea more than "I need to do this and that"... It's been conditioned, just like anything else you practice. Same reason most artists who've spent years sketching draw a lot better than me :)
Yes. Love it. I bought a Chinese copy of Reference 54. Looks and sounds great, but came with a damaged key guard. No package fillers, just the saxophone case in a cardboard box. No wonder it got damaged.
Great video! I was quite amused by the comments I read about the "cheap" saxophone lol. All it takes is proper maintenance to keep it in working condition.
that's right Ebony.
Great video, Jay. Really helpful for a novice older player. At 64, and having started learning to play at 60, I don’t have the years ahead of me to achieve greatness. So my goal is good enoughness. I like your pragmatism about the. Ammoon sax. My view is, in the same way a Ferrari won’t make you a better driver, a Selmer mark anything won’t make me a better player. But it might influence how you feel playing your instrument. I’ve never driven a Ferrari so I don’t know how it feels, but I switched from a Yamaha student sax to a vintage English sax, a Hawkes & Son before they merged with Boosey. It’s about 90 years old and nobody is interested. But I love it. It’s harder to play than the Yamaha, no high F# key, but I love the feel. And it cost less than I got selling the Yamaha. I’m thinking the Ammoon will be be a great backup. Thanks for all your advice. By the way, the lady who bought my Yamaha sits next to me in band and she bought it because, get this, her Selmer was getting too difficult to play. Now she prefers the sound of the Yamaha. Different strokes for different folks.
I'm so happy to hear someone else give the explanation that what you're hearing in your head creates the sound that you make .. because well, it's something very important to me, and I agree with it. :P I often have trouble explaining to people that I play classical sax because it's not something they know the sound of, so when they hear I play sax they get a very different image in their head than reality. And honestly, I feel very alone. I don't see many classical saxophonists (and chill ones that love their sound but aren't creepily elitist, at that). I'm glad that the instrument is getting more properly affordable. When I gave my first sax to my little brother years ago, he was the only saxophonist in his class, and the teacher (haha, the same one I had 14 years prior!!!) said it was because they were too expensive and the school hadn't had any available in a long time!
Its been a month now with my Chinese Lade(yes it is Lade, the musical S is strangely not a letter), and I have had no problems with it falling apart or anything but then again I treat it like any other expensive sax so...
(EDIT: using the mouthpiece and reed it came with too, somehow I got over the cheap MP and hard reed thing and learned how to make a pretty alright sound regardless.)
Same, I use a Jupiter mouthpiece with my ammoon and Rico reeds, size 3, and I’m not upset with the sound of it. I’m known for not being able to play high notes and the ammoon I bought can’t really play high notes so it doesn’t bother me and the low notes sound amazing on it for me. I kinda like it a little bit bolster than my Jupiter
I got a Lade for myself for Christmas to get into the sax. One of the key pearls fell off which I wasn't too worried about as I just stuck it back on, but one of the bars over the pads on the bell has come unstuck from the bell and needs to be soldered back on. I will probably get it fixed and keep playing, but will be saving up for a sax that isn't just going to fall apart on me...
could you do a comparison between the four types of saxes
Could you do a video on some of your most recommended sax books for Begginer-Intermediate-Advanced players?
I'll put it on the list. But to be honest, I don't use or recommend very many books
Got to his website he has awesome information that you can purchase.
Great advice. I have seen the same sort of questions on guitar forums. We are all unique after all. I am at the stage of trying some different mouthpieces to see what I like as well as reed strengths. Right now I play a Yamaha YTS-26 alto with a Selmer C* mouthpiece, Vandoren ligature and Legere synthetic 2.5 reed. n tenor I have an Antiqua Winds with the same mouthpiece / red set up. I found low register o my tenor easier with synthetic reed than natural ones. I always clean my instrument after playing. Makes sense really. A lot of people don't seem to bother but if you have acidic sweat, you will soon regret not wiping down your sax. It will just not last.
I always enjoy your Q&As! Thank you!
the lower quality horns being less "bendy" means it has a harder heat treat on the metal. this also means with normal repairs (bends the keys a little for adjustments) they will snap sooner than keys that have a more appropriate hardness to them. it's not a huge deal in many cases, but it does take away from the longevity of the horn. my 20's conn still has the original keys and still plays very nice and I know those keys have been adjusted over the years.
👏👍 Hi Better Sax - I learned to play the sax so I can play those smooth jazzy tunes of yesteryear. "Harlem Nocturne " has become my signature tune on the alto sax. 😎 🎷 🎶
Thanks for another great video. I love the way you cover all levels of experience with the same great attitude and "teaching approach".
Great lesson Jay, thanks
thank you.
I love your videos, I got a Yamaha Tenor sax at a local pawn shop for an amazing $350. I also want to learn to be a repair technician. My first project is fixing the only missing pad on that sax. I am finally pursuing my passion of music! Thanks for your videos
Your Parker playing sounded jazzy. Your Ferling etude sounded bright and pretty jazzy. Can you demonstrate some more classical on your C*, Jay?
Brilliant, that's all that needs to be said, well done Jay
Great video thanks. I am a South African working and living in Beijing China for 4 years now. It is true what you are saying about these Chinese saxophones. They are not bad at all. I have bought a soprano, alto, tenor and baritone. All Chinese. I have never had so much fun in my life. Still working out my recording setup then I will be able to share a better quality video of how all these instruments sound like. You don't need to spend a fortune to be able to play. I bought my Baritone Saxophone for 5400 rmb that is 804 US dollars!! Cheapest I could find and it sounds great!!
Thanks for that, really appreciate the effort you put into ALL your vids
Thanks Brian.
I'm a trumpet player and everything you mentioned here is everything my college lecturer told me in my first lesson with him. He's a jazz saxophonist and he told me, the gear doesn't matter as long as it doesn't hinder you or demotivate you. If you sound good on a cheap instrument or mouthpiece and you enjoy it then that's all that matters. And listening constantly is part of getting a good sound. It's all true. Although I do have the gear bug, we all do. We all want that shiny new mouthpiece with the cool features, but we're all probably just fine with what we have right now if it's not hurting us physically or hurting our morale in trying to be the best players we can be..
I ordered one of these Altos to get myself back into playing after taking a 2 years hiatus. I will have to see if I can find my Omnibook as well. FYI you have a great Charlie Parker tone going on there, Charlie and Adderley have been the two favorites for me when it comes to the Alto tone.
Thanks Brian.
Thanks for the tips! Even though it doesn't usually bother me, I was wondering how to avoid that "spitty" sound. Also regarding new gear: recently I was having some problems with my sound and thought I needed a new mouthpiece or needed to change reed strengths or brands, but then discovered I had 2 serious air-leaks, which I was able to fix. It was a big relief.
I'm on my sax journey trying to find and improve my sound -- though it's not a revelation to hear about the most important part of a sax is the player, I can't hear it enough. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Now to stop looking into which $700 theo wanne mouthpiece best suits my needs and get on my long tones!
Great Vid Jay!!!
Great advice!
Thanks Jarold
I bought the Amoon/Slade Saxophon 11 months ago and have been using it on a regular basis since then. It still sounds good and plays well. The one thing I noticed really is that there are some spots where the rose-brass lacquer is coming off and the yellow metal beneath starts shining through. Not even necessarily in places where your fingers are rubbing on the metal. All things considered, that's a minor issue to me and the important bits of it are in fine working order and far from falling apart.
So, a good ligature/reed, some 2nd seat talent, 20 years rusty, a fresh Chinese Amazon special sax, will work?
QuasiTraction yeah I’d say so
Great video my guy
Thanks Brett.
Great video Jay. Classical and Jazz sounds as you say are concepts. But what makes up the concept? What makes up the sound? IMO there are two main aspects, the actual tone, and the way it is played. You played the two examples using very different techniques. To a casual listener it would seem that only the sound is different, but actually the sound was similar but the technique was different. The use of vibrato, and the way notes start and stop, attack, scoops and other nuances jazz players tend to do without thinking because its absorbed into their style. Classical 'legit' technique tends to eliminate these, or more likely never allow them to develop in case it 'spoils' the sound. As you say, unless you listen, really listen, you will never start to develop these aspects of playing. It isn't a brighter sound you need for jazz, it is access to the various subtle (and not so subtle) things jazz players do automatically. Similarly if you never listen to legit players and treat a classical study with the attack, scoops and vibrato that is the norm for jazz style it is not going to work very well.
Hearing you play from the classical book confirms…. You are a jazz player through and through. Such a jazz tone when playing classical.
I’ll take this opportunity to ask a question.
As a sax player I have recently picked up the clarinet again. I get an awful pain in my right shoulder after only a few minutes of playing. Almost like I am dislocating my shoulder.
Doesn’t happen when I play soprano, only clarinet.
Need to figure out what I am doing wrong before I can accept any gigs.
You're cool. I like a lot of what you say. I play on a seller c star, too. I use it for it's versatility . I am learning a lot from you and want to say thanks.
Excellent recommendations as always!
While I completely agree with you regarding sound, that was NOT a classical sound, and the s80 is more of a general purpose mp in my opinion... otherwise, great video!
The C* is absolutely a classical mouthpiece. I’d never think about using it for anything but
You can play jazz on almost any mouthpiece, and sound good. Might not be as loud as some, but you can get by just fine on an S80 C* if you had to.
I agree that it wasn't the purest classical sound, but he is probably more of a jazz guy in general. It still serves its purpose showing that the player controls the sound more than equipment.
Clayton Kwater while I do agree with you somewhat, he did say in the video it depends what you want your sound to sound like. You can sound good in jazz on a classical mouthpiece, but there are some qualities that a good jazz mouthpiece has that a classical mouthpiece doesn’t. I think what I’m trying to say, if you’re fine with having a pretty dark sound for jazz, then use a classical. If you want a much brighter sound for jazz, then you can’t use a classical mouthpiece for it, because it’s not what it was made for.
@@dylanmallari8741 Yeah you won't sound like Sanborn or Brecker. That said a lot of what goes into a classical or jazz sound is the player. Even his mouthpiece the Scroll shank C* was intended to be a classical mouthpiece originally.
You have that jazz sound with a SELMER C Star! That's a pure classical mouth piece! I can only imagine what a Myers, or link will sound like with your tone.
Awesome I was taught this lesson in 1978, you did a great job explaining the theory I hope people will understand
Tuba player checking in... Love your tone & videos!
Thanks!
I work as a photographer and soo many people think that a new camera will change their photography, it isn't true (same with music). I blame marketing by companies tellin people that 'X' will make there image (or sound) better.
PS loving your videos and learning loads
Jay, on the condensation issue ("spitty" sound), a metal mouthpiece will be more prone to condensation that plastic because the metal transfers heat - or cold - to the moist air flow much faster than plastic, thus accelerating the condensation inside the mouthpiece .
I just love your videos man, great stuff.
thanks Hugo
Ah, just what I needed some great advice from a great saxophone player, thanks for the tips.
Another great video. Cheers Jay. So anyway, which mouthpiece do you think I should get?? ;)
What is your opinion on Jupiter saxophones? I play on one and I just want to know if what I have will play good and last a long time.
Jay, what Alto sax players who play jazz would you recommend listening to? Thanks!🙏🏻🎷
I did remember that, even though jazz can be played with a Selmer C* mpc, it's not really going to push you in the direction of a jazz sound, whereas my Meyer 6 does that really well. I've been playing everything with it from Mazeo Parker to Charlie Parker and John Coltrane, thing's amazing. I got during the start of Februari 2020, and it's been a fantastic mpc for jazz. I still play in a fanfare band, where we sometimes play stuff for memorial day (lots of Bach), which requires a more classical sound. This is easily achieveable, however it's definitely a little harder with a Meyer 6 than with a Selmer C*. This is just my experience though.
Rub a bit of cork grease on the baffle and farther down inside your mouthpiece (but not on the rails). I find this makes it very rare for me to get the spitty sound. It apparently acts like resh wax on your car in the rain and the water just moves on down instead of coating the inside where the reed is vibrating. Got the tip from Sax-On-The-Web.
I love your videos!! I watch them all the time, and I am not even a Saxophone player. I play the trumpet hahah. Keep up the great work!
haha, thanks for watching...
Hi Jai , I fully agree with Ismail in appreciating that you are the honest musician . I have listened to so many but you explain each & everything with such an ease . Its all because of your years of hands on practical experience with this amazing instrument. I have one question Jay , I understand Kessler , Las Vegas are making Saxophones of various types. What's your experience with their products. What's the difference between an Intermediate level & Professional level saxophones in terms of tonal quality & intonation. Please let me know . Thank you .
Can you teach how to do a saxophone alignment at home
I'm planning some videos about this soon.
I have been playing for about 2 years and 3 months and I have noticed that my spitty sound used to be quite bad but its gotten a lot less. It did happen to me a couple of times on soprano sax but doesn't happen that often. It only happened to me on it when I was playing a reed that was slightly too resistant for me. On my alto it was the main issue. I think I figured out why. I noticed for me it was either one of these things or a combination of things:
1) Not having a relaxed embouchure.
2) Too much resistance in the mouthpiece setup meaning I have to push air harder and can't relax my embouchure as much as I need to.
3) Shallow breathing. If I don't fill up my lungs with air fully and take deep breaths when playing I found shallow breathing can cause the moisture sound.
4) My mouth is too dry or too moist. Too moist and the excess moisture causes it, too dry and I tend to salivate more and that causes it.
5) Reed is going soft. When It does that I tend to get more of a spitty sound.
6) Reed is slightly too hard. Not too hard that I get a mostly airy sound, but just slightly harder than I normally play causes low notes to have a spitty sound especially.
7) Tonguing too much, especially hitting the reed tip with my tongue can cause it.
8) Some synthetic reeds cause it more. I play on Legere reeds and they don't absorb moisture like cane so the moisture sits on the reed until its wiped off and that can cause the sound and even dull the sound after a while, until the reed is wiped clean.
Overall I can avoid it mostly by having the right mouthpiece/reed/ligature setup with the right amount of resistance that isn't too much or too little. I stay relaxed when playing, have a relaxed embouchure and a steady air from deep breaths. After playing and I take a break before playing again, I usually clean out and dry the mouthpiece and neck and my Legere reed and swap one reed for another.
Thanks for that demonstration! I will admit I'm a gear head. Just need to spend more time on the horn. Back to the shed I go.
I had no idea Agent Coulson was such a great music educator! Awesome video as always!
100% solid advice - I’m sending all my pupils here to confirm what I’ve said for the past 25 years ! Kept ‘em coming a,
Thanks...
12:50 (GASP) Is that a synthetic reed?? I thought you hated the feel of the legeres. (Lol I'm just picking, I know what it's like to have leftover items I don't use for clarinet and/or sax)
Great vid as usual, lot of tips, and honesty ! ... (More than 3k comments on the test video of the amazon sax ? that's crazy :D )
Yeah, I don't know what that means for the world. Why is everyone so interested in that video??? Not complaining though.
Because its a cool instrument nobody can afford at the $4,000 "nice" level? Can't think of another instrument i can barely look at for under 1,200. Tho drums can very quickly and easily go that way, you CAN get a beat-up Ludwig or Tama whatever for about 4 or 5. Might get some beat-up, raggedy cymbals and pedals, too, lol.
Inspired!
The main difference between the way I play in concert band and jazz band is the way I read dynamics aka I stfu in a 50 piece band. But really, I find that crossing over elements that I’ve learnt makes me a better player. In jazz band recently we were asked to hold 4 bars at a rather slow tempo without breathing and I was the only one in the section who could do it with ease. That’s how I always play in concert band.
I played for about 10 years all through middle school and high school and a bit beyond that. It was always my opinion that my sound wasn’t as beautiful as the recordings I would listen to of great players. I only ever upgraded one piece of equipment and that was my mouthpiece. Sadly, soon after upgrading I stopped playing all together. So I never was able to figure out of my upgrade would have truly helped any.
Very useful thank you
@Better Sax , Moisture problem... To reduce condens water you need to warm the mouthpiece (warmer than your breath, ideally)