As a clarinetist trying the soprano sax, this actually helped a lot in helping me realize my embouchure was too tight and maybe had too little mouthpiece. Thank you so much for the video, your expertise was much much appreciated!
This 6 minute video is already a thousand times more helpful than the hour paid session I had almost a decade ago. Thank you! I may buy another soprano sax after all
I’m a Bari Sax main who’s mastered the Embouchure for my sax, but i wanna be able to go throughout the 4 main saxes (SATB) easily without much difference in my tone or tuning, your videos help so much! ill definitely be checking out more in the future! I love how you get straight to the point and make everything so easy to understand 👍👍👍
This was extremely helpful. I have been playing the soprano for about a year and the upper register has always been way out of tune. Having played the alto for over 20 years, I did not realize the necessary adjustments I needed to have the correct embouchure. After viewing this video, I went back and took your advice. Placing just a bit more mouthpiece in made all the difference. Thanks for making this video!
Hey I'm a bass/bari player, and I play soprano sax too, as well as tenor and alto, but I need to play soprano sax in my pit soon, and I didn't realize it was a he sound, I've always been told o sound on Bari/ tenor/ bass and I didn't really know about alto/ soprano, so thanks a ton!
Im a senior in highschool alto player originally and Ive been playing soprano sax since freshman year, it's been a long journey with it and I love it so much.
Thanks for the great video bro... the people that gave you a thumbs down are probably saxophone teachers that are pissed off they are not going to charge $40 an hour for that lesson...!!!! Respect ...
Hi! I'm an alto player, and I'm playing a classical soprano piece as a soloist in my band. My problem is not high notes, it's actually the opposite. Low notes are my problem, every time I get to a low f, I squawk and it either goes up the octave or it just sounds terrible. Please help! Is my embouchure wrong? My band director told me I could "cheat" by putting my lip over my teeth on the top of the mouth piece. It does help, but it ends up destroying my lip and basically cuts it.
Well, sounds like your embouchure might be a bit tight. Try checking with a tuner that just the mouthpiece alone is playing a concert D pitch. Then if/when it does, try making sure you're "voicing" the note in your throat, as if you were going to sing it, without actually singing it. That helps create the correct oral cavity shape to get the right air to support that. Good luck! :)
I'm late to the party but in my experience thicker reeds give you more control in the low range, so you could experiment with that if you still have this problem.
I had the same problem with my Series III soprano -- I ended up finding some forums online where people suggested pushing the mouthpiece in further and pulling out the neck. After experimenting a bit, I found that my cork was a little too loose so I wrapped it with paper and those lower notes would come out just fine. Hope this helps
Johanna McGuire maybe instead of biting on your lip, try inserting either more mouthpiece into your mouth or putting more of your lip part into your mouth so it’s the part of your mouth that’s the middle in between your gum line and lip
Just got my first soprano after more than 30 years on tenor. I assumed the transition would be pretty easy. SO VERY MISTAKEN. My intonation is so bad I actually burst out laughing. This I gna take some work!!!
Thanks for that beautiful lesson I’m a beginner and have changed teachers over the last few years due to busy schedules from them I feel really inspired it looks as though lately my embouture was a bit poor making squeaky sounds thank you for touching on the positioning of the mouth over the mouthpiece I started out with a 1.5 strength reed but have been advised to go for a 2 strength one to improve the sound but my biggest problem is getting the right embouture and you touched on a few things that helped like not getting enough mouthpiece thank you 🙏🏾
Clarinet switching to Soprano Saxophone , this vid really helped ! Low notes would go up an octave , it kinda freaked me out at first but reading your comments I've found the solution !
I’m renting a soprano sax this Monday. Today I got some Vandoren reads. Super exited. I played clarinet for a semester. I was actually very good for my experience level. Then I played oboe for a semester. I wasn’t as good at that. I was still not bad. I was fairly good, you could say. This summer I want to try soprano sax. If I like it I’ll do it for the full school year.
maybe im doing something right, but the first day i played soprano (about a week and a half ago) i was able to go to high F, second day i was able to go to altissimo G, and now im able to go to altissimo A, but still incredibly helpful video. i havent been able to play soprano recently (been in the shop) but when i do i will definitely be keeping in mind what you said
Thanks teacher! Totally what I was looking for, bought a soprano last month (a child dream) to complete with my tenor and alto. :) I'm finishing my last cover, then I'll try a new one with the whole family (no bari although). :p
Excellent!! I did it!! Took (significantly) more mouthpiece and went all the way to high F#! Thanks for this simple and easy “trick”! You’re also right that it gave me a much bigger and fuller sound going back down to the low notes. Now I can back to practising my scales - now in full length. Was it the Selmer S80 C* mouth piece you’re playing for your classical setup? Which saxophone are you playing?
I'm starting the soprano sax as a clarinet player. And it works the other way around for me XD. I found the upper register a bit easier. Thanks for the nice video though.
Hello Pedro!! Big fan :D You have such a wonderful sound! I was wondering, what saxophone brand would you recommend for a soprano? I've played Tenor Sax for quite a while and want to move up, but i also don't have any crazy money. I'm willing to sacrifice quality a bit to save money, but I still want something nice enough to sound good and learn on. What would you recommend? I've tried doing research on my own but have yet to find something right.
Hey buddy. If you're looking to get a soprano, then I'd recommend buying a P Mauriat System 76 Soprano. They are some of the best sopranos I've ever played. I instantly fell in love with one I played and I'm waiting for it to come in (video coming out soon!). Let me know what you decide or if you have any questions.
Thank U so much--What do you think of the Selmer Concept mouthpiece vs the Selmer Supersession E - I looking to purchase a better mouthpiece than the C* D & the info is difficult to decide on. Thank you for the excellent video!!
Hey Pedro do you have walkthrough lessons on different songs for soprano? I'm not trained in music theory so I do not know how to read music. so many soprano songs that I want to learn how to play but you can't really find the easy step by step videos or for that matter any song breakdowns for soprano.
Which soprano sax should I buy? which make & model will last through my playing as I improve.. I already play alto-- but am a little beyond beginner level. I wnt to buy a soprano that will last & not need to buy another.
Hi Pedro, thank you for the video. Do you also find yourself having the mouthpiece to one side in your mouth? I always feel my tenor and alto mouthpieces are centered in my mouth but when I play soprano I usually have it to the right.
Yeah, you can find a lot of players holding soprano like that. I am playing clarinet and saxophone, and only soprano sax and clarinet I have the mouthpiece a bit to the right. Tenor and alto are fine centered. I haven't that figured out until I saw myself in the mirror. :D
Yo Pedro! I’m having the opposite problem. Long time tenor player recently got a soprano after many years on break from saxophone altogether. I can get real solid high notes but it’s super difficult to get anything lower register. Current setup Yamaha 4C daddario Jazz select 3 or Hemke 2 & 3 reeds. Please help!
There are 2 big ones: The angle of the mouthpiece is more sharp on a clarinet rather than the straight saxophone one. The amount of lower lip you roll over your bottom teeth.
I normally play alto however I’m playing soprano in a quartet and instead of getting that nice clean sound you get on an alto it sounds more like an oboe than a saxophone. Playing with 3.5 reeds mitigates this problem to some extent but I still get that oboe sound is there something I’m doing wrong or is it just a matter of getting harder reeds.
Hey Pedro, what's your opinion on curved sopanos? I'm currently looking at a Yanigasawa SC992 or a P Mauriat system 76 curved soprano, which would better in your opinion?
Hi there, I’m normally play alto but I have a very long solo on soprano this year. On of the parts has several whole notes on the highest f#. Unfortunately I’m having a lot of trouble getting notes past the highest E to come out. When I try them most of what comes out is an out of tune low note of a separate pitch. How can I get the palm key notes out?
since Yamaha has released Venova & it does using soprano sax mouthpiece so does the embouchure just exactly the same or there`s difference? thanks in advance!
So my problem with soprano saxophone versus literally any of the other lower sexes is that my middle range is super flat. Like if I play C below the staff, it's perfectly in tune, but C on the staff is flat, and then C above the staff is in tune again. Everything from like G until C# on the staff is flat, and the interval between C# and D sounds like a whole step, not a half step
Just realized ive been playing the wrong way all my life (biting my lips), Ive been placing my upper teeth on top of my upper lip now i see why peoples mouthpieces always have teeth marks.Glad i saw this video
Honestly that’s not a wrong way of playing (I think you are describing a double lip embouchure, correct me if I’m wrong) it has pros and cons vs the normal way of playing but it’s not necessarily wrong. I can’t be 100% sure but John Coltrane has been noted to have used this way of playing because of dental issues.
Hi Pedro, Awesome videos I must say. I picked up a Selmer Soprano, I have been trying to enter the high registers and run scale altissimos, its been hard, and there isnt any clever and simply practical video on Soprano Altissimo , at least not as what I will enjoy like yours, please do you have any video on that? I really need help. Secondl, that noodlingat 5:35, OMG, that was heavenly, how do I get that good? What does it take?
+Godwin Martey hey. Thanks for your comment. Soprano altissimo is not an easy subject. There's so much back pressure as it is and it can be nearly impossible to get. That being said, your experience will have a lot to do with it. Altissimo is going to be the same on any sax and on some it will be incredibly challenging. My alto altissimo covers the basics of altissimo. Good luck and hope that helps.
Hello, I am deeply grateful for the reply. Since you who have been plying for some 20 years admit that Soprano altissimos is incredibly difficult, maybe I will just leave that for now and grow. But the noodling, how do i get that good? My fingering are also not that fast on the pads, what is th remedy to this? Are there some progressions or chromatics lines I can adapt when I am playing a melody or soloing?
Ok Pedro, once again thank you. I have been awake eagerly waiting for your reply, its 01:39am in Ghana and I am actually currently playing this midnight. I have understood your explanation so how do I create those scales and appergios? Or I can simply adapt already existing ones? like for example i can pick up that noodling of yours and slow the speed down on RUclips and practise the chromatic scales slowly and then when I master it I can then use it either during soloing or playing an interlude and anywhere that stuff can fit. Is that how it isn learnt and gathered? Once again thanks for replying and helping me.
Hey Pedro, I was wondering if this video would apply to a C soprano saxophone as well. I have one of the old ones that York used to make and I've been trying to get it to have the best sound possible. My setup is the mouthpiece that came from the York factory and a Legere signature size 3 soprano saxophone reed.
Here's question which I was also thinking of asking 'Brian Hayes. Have you ever seen a soprano saxophone which was shaped like an alto? I've seen them twice, once on the screen during The Last Waltz, being played by Garth Hudson and the other time in the flash when used by a former bandmate. I couldn't hear much of a difference in the sound quality, but I wanted to know if the unorthodoxy of a soprano sax which isn't straight impacts its quality.
The fully curved soprano sax is common among manufacturers, however, some people don't like them because they are difficult to carry around, and there's almost no stand for them. That being said, I've played them before and the first noticeable difference is that the shape of the bell allow you to hear yourself much easier. The major downside is that, due to limited spacing because of the curved bell, the Bb spatula is flipped, meaning where you normally press to open the low C# key now opens the low B. Thanks for watching and let me know if you have any questions!
+ShreadTheWeapon well the amenity is the sound, right. But having to switch your fingering for one horn is not an amenity plus the cosmetic problem of finding cases is a pain. I'd stick with a straight soprano any day.
Hello i just got a soprano today and my low notes sound like im growling but I am not do i have to change my embrochure or is there a problem with my instrument?
I couldnt afford a 3k or 6k C-Soprano so I I bought in Amazon an Eastrock C-Soprano and I loved, jajaja!!! I can only imagine how sweet would be to play a Yanagisawa, a Buffet Crampon perhaps a P.Mauriat, Selmer, Yamaha. Ufffff!!!! okay, okay, back to reality, jajaja, I just went to dream land for a second. jajaja. I have come to realize that I do better with small instruments than with larger. Guitars I do better with the minis or babies and Ukulele than a regular guitar, same with the Clarinet, I do better with the Sopanino Eb than with the Regular Bb I love the Tenor but, yup you guess it right I get lost jajaja, No so much with the Alto but When I play the C-Soprano BINGO!!!! .... and then it comes the embouchure issue which you presented here in this video. I appreciate your explanations and demonstration. Thank you so much and sorry for going out of my way with so much bla, bla, bla..... jajajaja Bye now!!!!
HI. So the big difference is the horn angle. The curved neck brings the angle of the horn closer to the ground which makes it feel a bit more like the other saxophones (alto, tenor, etc.). The straight neck brings the angle way out in a straight position and can be additional weight on your hands, and sometimes your left hand will rub up against the neckstrap and can be distracting. That being said, most 2 piece sopranos come with both necks so experiment with them until you feel comfortable. Good luck! :)
I have tried to experiment with them but with the curved neck, I cannot seem to get the normal range. I can hit all the higher notes after mid D but cannot hit anything below mid D. But with the straight neck, I can hit everything
I still have a question, like since the mouthpiece is so small, it's hard to tell how much to take in and I have been playing for 4 years just picked up a soprano today and started playing it I can reach up to high E natural but I don't know for sure what to do to reach those upper high notes. I also play Tenor and Alto.
The best way to tell if you've taken enough is that the sound doesn't sound pinched. The best way to see if you've taken in too much is when you can't play soft, and everything you play is loud. All mouthpieces so its tough to give an exact measurement.
Hey Pedro I've been reading about mouthpiece and for beginners people are recommends a size 3 or 4 to start with , my used sax soprano came with size 5, should I be trying to get a smaller size , I also read that the lower the size that brighter it sounds the bigger the size darker it sounds, (but do any of the sizes help with Dynamics?)
Hi. So a size 5 is fine for a beginner, anything less is even better. I recommend you try the 5 and see if you can get a sound out. I do believe the bigger the tip opening (higher number) the brighter the sound. For example a JodyJazz HR 5 is a bit darker than a 7, but do keep in mind everyone is different and they true test to figure out what works for you is to test the mouthpieces. Mouthpiece sizes do not affect dynamics. Good luck!
Hillo boss I'm trying to learn soprano sax I saw same video call tone by ex.D But my tuner called it C And when iam try to check the sound from video and try my tuner with video sound it calld C not D So .... which one i have to believe ?!
Hi, I'm a bass clarinet player and switched to tenor 6 months ago. I'm having problems playing a low D loud without it squawking and any other note lower than that just squawks until I get it right. any tips?
As a clarinetist trying the soprano sax, this actually helped a lot in helping me realize my embouchure was too tight and maybe had too little mouthpiece. Thank you so much for the video, your expertise was much much appreciated!
This 6 minute video is already a thousand times more helpful than the hour paid session I had almost a decade ago. Thank you! I may buy another soprano sax after all
I’m a Bari Sax main who’s mastered the Embouchure for my sax, but i wanna be able to go throughout the 4 main saxes (SATB) easily without much difference in my tone or tuning, your videos help so much! ill definitely be checking out more in the future! I love how you get straight to the point and make everything so easy to understand 👍👍👍
ayy, my buddy. That's awesome.
This was extremely helpful. I have been playing the soprano for about a year and the upper register has always been way out of tune. Having played the alto for over 20 years, I did not realize the necessary adjustments I needed to have the correct embouchure. After viewing this video, I went back and took your advice. Placing just a bit more mouthpiece in made all the difference. Thanks for making this video!
Anytime. Glad I could help!
Hey I'm a bass/bari player, and I play soprano sax too, as well as tenor and alto, but I need to play soprano sax in my pit soon, and I didn't realize it was a he sound, I've always been told o sound on Bari/ tenor/ bass and I didn't really know about alto/ soprano, so thanks a ton!
Your're welcome! :)
The_Great_Benzoni you play the bass sax, awesome 😀 you dont see those much
Im a senior in highschool alto player originally and Ive been playing soprano sax since freshman year, it's been a long journey with it and I love it so much.
Thanks for the great video bro... the people that gave you a thumbs down are probably saxophone teachers that are pissed off they are not going to charge $40 an hour for that lesson...!!!!
Respect ...
Hi! I'm an alto player, and I'm playing a classical soprano piece as a soloist in my band. My problem is not high notes, it's actually the opposite. Low notes are my problem, every time I get to a low f, I squawk and it either goes up the octave or it just sounds terrible. Please help! Is my embouchure wrong? My band director told me I could "cheat" by putting my lip over my teeth on the top of the mouth piece. It does help, but it ends up destroying my lip and basically cuts it.
Well, sounds like your embouchure might be a bit tight. Try checking with a tuner that just the mouthpiece alone is playing a concert D pitch. Then if/when it does, try making sure you're "voicing" the note in your throat, as if you were going to sing it, without actually singing it. That helps create the correct oral cavity shape to get the right air to support that. Good luck! :)
I'm late to the party but in my experience thicker reeds give you more control in the low range, so you could experiment with that if you still have this problem.
Johanna McGuire, drop your jaw.
I had the same problem with my Series III soprano -- I ended up finding some forums online where people suggested pushing the mouthpiece in further and pulling out the neck. After experimenting a bit, I found that my cork was a little too loose so I wrapped it with paper and those lower notes would come out just fine. Hope this helps
Johanna McGuire maybe instead of biting on your lip, try inserting either more mouthpiece into your mouth or putting more of your lip part into your mouth so it’s the part of your mouth that’s the middle in between your gum line and lip
I know I’m late to reply, but this really helps! I recently got a soprano, and it’s super different then what I usually play(Alto/Bari) Thanks!
Just got my first soprano after more than 30 years on tenor. I assumed the transition would be pretty easy. SO VERY MISTAKEN. My intonation is so bad I actually burst out laughing. This I gna take some work!!!
@@MrBoybergs - Me too man lol
Thanks for that beautiful lesson I’m a beginner and have changed teachers over the last few years due to busy schedules from them I feel really inspired it looks as though lately my embouture was a bit poor making squeaky sounds thank you for touching on the positioning of the mouth over the mouthpiece I started out with a 1.5 strength reed but have been advised to go for a 2 strength one to improve the sound but my biggest problem is getting the right embouture and you touched on a few things that helped like not getting enough mouthpiece thank you 🙏🏾
Clarinet switching to Soprano Saxophone , this vid really helped ! Low notes would go up an octave , it kinda freaked me out at first but reading your comments I've found the solution !
Awesome. Glad I could help! :)
This is exactly what I needed to get the low notes and get in tune. Thanks so much!
I’m primarily a tenor player and I bought a soprano last week and I’ve got my work cut out for me. But this was super helpful!
Dee Moore me too !
EXCELLENT lesson. 👍
Thanks buddy! Glad it helped! :)
I’m renting a soprano sax this Monday. Today I got some Vandoren reads. Super exited. I played clarinet for a semester. I was actually very good for my experience level. Then I played oboe for a semester. I wasn’t as good at that. I was still not bad. I was fairly good, you could say. This summer I want to try soprano sax. If I like it I’ll do it for the full school year.
Great video, great tone. Beckenstein is a fave; I noted recently how very much mouthpiece he takes in. His lips are about touching the lig.
I see this the day after I get a soprano. great timing, and I love vids- keeo up the good work!
Great tips, immediately helped by bottom range
maybe im doing something right, but the first day i played soprano (about a week and a half ago) i was able to go to high F, second day i was able to go to altissimo G, and now im able to go to altissimo A, but still incredibly helpful video. i havent been able to play soprano recently (been in the shop) but when i do i will definitely be keeping in mind what you said
Great lesson 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽And great tone and playing 🎬🎬🎷🎷🎷
I’m an alto player of about 6 years and picked up a soprano for the first time yesterday. I was actually able to get altissimo g out first try lol.
Thanks teacher! Totally what I was looking for, bought a soprano last month (a child dream) to complete with my tenor and alto. :)
I'm finishing my last cover, then I'll try a new one with the whole family (no bari although). :p
5:31 sooooo nice
How have you learn playing so fast?
I've been playing saxophone for over 19 years.
WOW, 19 years??? This is amazing dude.
Thanks buddy! Your video was so helpful, I just bought my always dreamed Black Soprano Sax and I'm loving it *-*
awesome! :)
Thank you for this! It really helped.
Thanks Pedro, I just got my soprano and this vid really helped thx ^_^
FABULOUS coaching. Short and completely to the point. Thank you Pedro !!
Would you advise anything more for sopranino embouchure ?
This is great as long as I have been playing I learned something else
Excellent!! I did it!! Took (significantly) more mouthpiece and went all the way to high F#! Thanks for this simple and easy “trick”! You’re also right that it gave me a much bigger and fuller sound going back down to the low notes. Now I can back to practising my scales - now in full length. Was it the Selmer S80 C* mouth piece you’re playing for your classical setup? Which saxophone are you playing?
sounds great
Thank you, Pedro.
+leonardo lopes anytime!!
Thank you so much! Very helpful!
MNDude anytime!
do you have any tips for getting low notes out on soparno, I've been having some trouble especially with the lower octave E and D
Thank you Sir this will definitely help me get there,🙏 what a lovely lesson really appreciate it ❤🙏
you are a very good teacher. Thank you!!
+EMPIRE ENTERTAINMENT & EVENTS anytime!!
Thanks so much for this! I really needed this!
TheLoneSaxophonist cool! :)
Thankyou great lesson
What is a good mouthpiece for soprano beginners? Thank you
when u said ''even a bari going to a soprano'' i related
great! :)
Thanks for the info.
Thx cool bruh just got a soprano really needed this
Thank you so much for doing this it as helped me a lot.
Awesome! :)
I'm starting the soprano sax as a clarinet player. And it works the other way around for me XD. I found the upper register a bit easier. Thanks for the nice video though.
Anytime :)
Hello! This video is awesome! Thank you for this video, helped much. The mouthpiece you use in the end of video was a jody jazz hr*?
Yep!
Hi Pedro,have you got any tips as far as beginner mouthpieces and reeds? I presently am using a Yamaha 4C and Rico Hemke 2.5
Switching from clarinet to soprano soon, any tips?
This helped so much thank you
Anytime! :)
Hello Pedro!! Big fan :D You have such a wonderful sound! I was wondering, what saxophone brand would you recommend for a soprano? I've played Tenor Sax for quite a while and want to move up, but i also don't have any crazy money. I'm willing to sacrifice quality a bit to save money, but I still want something nice enough to sound good and learn on. What would you recommend? I've tried doing research on my own but have yet to find something right.
Hey buddy. If you're looking to get a soprano, then I'd recommend buying a P Mauriat System 76 Soprano. They are some of the best sopranos I've ever played. I instantly fell in love with one I played and I'm waiting for it to come in (video coming out soon!). Let me know what you decide or if you have any questions.
Thank U so much--What do you think of the Selmer Concept mouthpiece vs the Selmer Supersession E - I looking to purchase a better mouthpiece than the C* D & the info is difficult to decide on. Thank you for the excellent video!!
Hey Pedro do you have walkthrough lessons on different songs for soprano? I'm not trained in music theory so I do not know how to read music. so many soprano songs that I want to learn how to play but you can't really find the easy step by step videos or for that matter any song breakdowns for soprano.
Do you still do “hee” when you play in the low register?
Which soprano sax should I buy? which make & model will last through my playing as I improve.. I already play alto-- but am a little beyond beginner level. I wnt to buy a soprano that will last & not need to buy another.
Hey Pedro, what's your set up for the jazz piece and reed as well? Thanks. D.
Hey. Dude. Could you make a Venova Embouchure tutorial.?
Hi Pedro, thank you for the video. Do you also find yourself having the mouthpiece to one side in your mouth? I always feel my tenor and alto mouthpieces are centered in my mouth but when I play soprano I usually have it to the right.
Yeah, you can find a lot of players holding soprano like that. I am playing clarinet and saxophone, and only soprano sax and clarinet I have the mouthpiece a bit to the right. Tenor and alto are fine centered. I haven't that figured out until I saw myself in the mirror. :D
I am also an alto sax player and I have the same problem I would like to know how to fix this but this video was very very helpful
Grazie, molto utile
When i started on soprano i was able to get all the higher notes out fine, but i wasnt able to get out anything below a low g
Great vidéo but do you actually use the palm keys or the alternate fingering? And if not why not use the palm keys?
Yo Pedro! I’m having the opposite problem. Long time tenor player recently got a soprano after many years on break from saxophone altogether. I can get real solid high notes but it’s super difficult to get anything lower register. Current setup Yamaha 4C daddario Jazz select 3 or Hemke 2 & 3 reeds. Please help!
True
Bravo
Hey Pedro what are the big differences between a soprano sax embouchure and a clarinet embouchure?
There are 2 big ones:
The angle of the mouthpiece is more sharp on a clarinet rather than the straight saxophone one.
The amount of lower lip you roll over your bottom teeth.
I normally play alto however I’m playing soprano in a quartet and instead of getting that nice clean sound you get on an alto it sounds more like an oboe than a saxophone. Playing with 3.5 reeds mitigates this problem to some extent but I still get that oboe sound is there something I’m doing wrong or is it just a matter of getting harder reeds.
I have problem with tonguing on soprano. Please help
Hey Pedro, what's your opinion on curved sopanos? I'm currently looking at a Yanigasawa SC992 or a P Mauriat system 76 curved soprano, which would better in your opinion?
Hi there, I’m normally play alto but I have a very long solo on soprano this year. On of the parts has several whole notes on the highest f#. Unfortunately I’m having a lot of trouble getting notes past the highest E to come out. When I try them most of what comes out is an out of tune low note of a separate pitch. How can I get the palm key notes out?
since Yamaha has released Venova & it does using soprano sax mouthpiece so does the embouchure just exactly the same or there`s difference? thanks in advance!
excelent
hi can be valid also for clarinet?
So my problem with soprano saxophone versus literally any of the other lower sexes is that my middle range is super flat. Like if I play C below the staff, it's perfectly in tune, but C on the staff is flat, and then C above the staff is in tune again. Everything from like G until C# on the staff is flat, and the interval between C# and D sounds like a whole step, not a half step
Hey Pedro what's the problem of my saxophone?Your B key in my Soprano Saxophone sounded A key in Mine
Hi what reed do you use on a soprano?
Just realized ive been playing the wrong way all my life (biting my lips), Ive been placing my upper teeth on top of my upper lip now i see why peoples mouthpieces always have teeth marks.Glad i saw this video
Natz Efx glad I could help!!
Honestly that’s not a wrong way of playing (I think you are describing a double lip embouchure, correct me if I’m wrong) it has pros and cons vs the normal way of playing but it’s not necessarily wrong. I can’t be 100% sure but John Coltrane has been noted to have used this way of playing because of dental issues.
What causes warbling or gurgling from low F on down on the Soprano?
Hi, when i play soprano, i found my sound at high node range is too bright, how i can make soprano sound warmer ? Please advise.
If you're high notes are too bright, then you should consider getting a stronger reed. Sounds like you're currently playing on a reed thats too soft!
Music By Pedro Thanks a lot. Now I'm using Vendoran traditional no. 3 and going to try switching to no. 2
Stronger reed means a higher strength reed, perhaps a 3.5?
Yes, thank for reminding.
Hi Pedro, Awesome videos I must say. I picked up a Selmer Soprano, I have been trying to enter the high registers and run scale altissimos, its been hard, and there isnt any clever and simply practical video on Soprano Altissimo , at least not as what I will enjoy like yours, please do you have any video on that? I really need help.
Secondl, that noodlingat 5:35, OMG, that was heavenly, how do I get that good? What does it take?
+Godwin Martey hey. Thanks for your comment. Soprano altissimo is not an easy subject. There's so much back pressure as it is and it can be nearly impossible to get. That being said, your experience will have a lot to do with it. Altissimo is going to be the same on any sax and on some it will be incredibly challenging.
My alto altissimo covers the basics of altissimo.
Good luck and hope that helps.
Hello, I am deeply grateful for the reply. Since you who have been plying for some 20 years admit that Soprano altissimos is incredibly difficult, maybe I will just leave that for now and grow. But the noodling, how do i get that good? My fingering are also not that fast on the pads, what is th remedy to this? Are there some progressions or chromatics lines I can adapt when I am playing a melody or soloing?
+Godwin Martey scales and arpeggio exercises practiced really slow are the best way to improve speed. Lots of time spent slowly speeding it up.
Ok Pedro, once again thank you. I have been awake eagerly waiting for your reply, its 01:39am in Ghana and I am actually currently playing this midnight. I have understood your explanation so how do I create those scales and appergios? Or I can simply adapt already existing ones? like for example i can pick up that noodling of yours and slow the speed down on RUclips and practise the chromatic scales slowly and then when I master it I can then use it either during soloing or playing an interlude and anywhere that stuff can fit. Is that how it isn
learnt and gathered? Once again thanks for replying and helping me.
I'm finna be a baritone to soprano
Hey Pedro, I was wondering if this video would apply to a C soprano saxophone as well. I have one of the old ones that York used to make and I've been trying to get it to have the best sound possible. My setup is the mouthpiece that came from the York factory and a Legere signature size 3 soprano saxophone reed.
+Frederick Stinglin yeah. Same concept. Play around with how much mouthpiece you need to take in order to get the best sound possible.
Music By Pedro Thanks! I'll try my best!
Here's question which I was also thinking of asking 'Brian Hayes. Have you ever seen a soprano saxophone which was shaped like an alto? I've seen them twice, once on the screen during The Last Waltz, being played by Garth Hudson and the other time in the flash when used by a former bandmate. I couldn't hear much of a difference in the sound quality, but I wanted to know if the unorthodoxy of a soprano sax which isn't straight impacts its quality.
The fully curved soprano sax is common among manufacturers, however, some people don't like them because they are difficult to carry around, and there's almost no stand for them. That being said, I've played them before and the first noticeable difference is that the shape of the bell allow you to hear yourself much easier. The major downside is that, due to limited spacing because of the curved bell, the Bb spatula is flipped, meaning where you normally press to open the low C# key now opens the low B.
Thanks for watching and let me know if you have any questions!
Thank you Music By Pedro. So, it is a question of give-and-take, losing one amenity for the sake of another, much more than a sacrifice of quality?
+ShreadTheWeapon well the amenity is the sound, right. But having to switch your fingering for one horn is not an amenity plus the cosmetic problem of finding cases is a pain. I'd stick with a straight soprano any day.
Likewise, Pedro. Keeps it unique. If I want an alto sax, I'll get an alto sax.
Exactly!
Hello i just got a soprano today and my low notes sound like im growling but I am not do i have to change my embrochure or is there a problem with my instrument?
+Tanner Jasper tough to say. It could be one or both. I'd have to listen to it and check out the horn.
Cool
What model soprano are you using here?
I couldnt afford a 3k or 6k C-Soprano so I I bought in Amazon an Eastrock C-Soprano and I loved, jajaja!!! I can only imagine how sweet would be to play a Yanagisawa, a Buffet Crampon perhaps a P.Mauriat, Selmer, Yamaha. Ufffff!!!! okay, okay, back to reality, jajaja, I just went to dream land for a second. jajaja. I have come to realize that I do better with small instruments than with larger. Guitars I do better with the minis or babies and Ukulele than a regular guitar, same with the Clarinet, I do better with the Sopanino Eb than with the Regular Bb I love the Tenor but, yup you guess it right I get lost jajaja, No so much with the Alto but When I play the C-Soprano BINGO!!!! .... and then it comes the embouchure issue which you presented here in this video. I appreciate your explanations and demonstration. Thank you so much and sorry for going out of my way with so much bla, bla, bla..... jajajaja Bye now!!!!
Hi Pedro I am an alto player switching to soprano. I was wondering what the difference is between the straight and curved necks for the soprano?
HI. So the big difference is the horn angle. The curved neck brings the angle of the horn closer to the ground which makes it feel a bit more like the other saxophones (alto, tenor, etc.). The straight neck brings the angle way out in a straight position and can be additional weight on your hands, and sometimes your left hand will rub up against the neckstrap and can be distracting.
That being said, most 2 piece sopranos come with both necks so experiment with them until you feel comfortable.
Good luck! :)
I have tried to experiment with them but with the curved neck, I cannot seem to get the normal range. I can hit all the higher notes after mid D but cannot hit anything below mid D. But with the straight neck, I can hit everything
I still have a question, like since the mouthpiece is so small, it's hard to tell how much to take in and I have been playing for 4 years just picked up a soprano today and started playing it I can reach up to high E natural but I don't know for sure what to do to reach those upper high notes. I also play Tenor and Alto.
The best way to tell if you've taken enough is that the sound doesn't sound pinched. The best way to see if you've taken in too much is when you can't play soft, and everything you play is loud. All mouthpieces so its tough to give an exact measurement.
Please can you teach me how to improvise
Hey Pedro I've been reading about mouthpiece and for beginners people are recommends a size 3 or 4 to start with , my used sax soprano came with size 5, should I be trying to get a smaller size , I also read that the lower the size that brighter it sounds the bigger the size darker it sounds, (but do any of the sizes help with Dynamics?)
Hi. So a size 5 is fine for a beginner, anything less is even better. I recommend you try the 5 and see if you can get a sound out.
I do believe the bigger the tip opening (higher number) the brighter the sound. For example a JodyJazz HR 5 is a bit darker than a 7, but do keep in mind everyone is different and they true test to figure out what works for you is to test the mouthpieces. Mouthpiece sizes do not affect dynamics.
Good luck!
Does the same apply to currved soprano?
what do you think is a good hard rubber jazz mouthpiece for tenor saxophone? I'm thinking of upgrading my mouthpiece.
I'd try the JodyJazz HR series, or the JodyJazz Giant Series.
MeisterMusic Rousseau SJ_ hard rubber. I've been playing an SJ 5 for the past year on alto and I love it.
Hillo boss
I'm trying to learn soprano sax
I saw same video call tone by ex.D
But my tuner called it C
And when iam try to check the sound from video and try my tuner with video sound it calld C not D
So .... which one i have to believe ?!
Ahmed Hesham it's because the Sop Sax is in the key of Bb. When you play C on it, it comes out as Bb.
what type of sop is that
I have the opposite problem. I cannot play low notes...please help
What kind of soprano do you have and the average price for one?
+Ayden Perez in selling my Soprano so if you're interested send me an email to pedro@musicbypedroproductions.com
Hi i have just recived a soprano sax, what note shold it be when i press no keys?
i assumed its Bb, but i get a B when i blow with no keys pressed, am i blowing too hard.
c sharp
Hi, I'm a bass clarinet player and switched to tenor 6 months ago. I'm having problems playing a low D loud without it squawking and any other note lower than that just squawks until I get it right. any tips?
Make sure you're taking enough mouthpiece, and that your embouchure is more relaxed.
Music By Pedro I will definitely try this. Thank you for responding so quickly!
No problem. Best of luck. I do offer skype lessons, if you're interested. Email me at pedro@musicbypedroproductions.com for more info!
So I just got a new soprano and for some reason when I play any note it’s always a note lower so c would come out as b and I don’t know y
does anyone know where i can buy a 1000-1500 dollar curved soprano?
I find www.wwbw.com/Soprano-Saxophones.wwbw a pretty good source for instruments
What model is that?
Ive always wanted to play saxophone but i got pushed into brass and i hate it