Controlling Your Saxophone Tone; Do you really need a metal mouthpiece to sound great?
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- Опубликовано: 22 окт 2016
- Do you really need a metal mouthpiece to sound great on the saxophone? Find out here...
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I remember my trumpet days. I was playing on a plastic 1C last. Effortless screamer!
Extremely helpful in understanding some of the dynamics I'm dealing with as a (re)beginner. Thank you!
Donna, you really know your stuff and are totally unselfish and open with all topics. That is really cool. I am just now experimenting with metal after fifteen years of playing. As you said, the differences are often very subtle. Everything you say always makes sense and is valuable stuff for sax players. I just got a JJ Chi (7*) yesterday, so can't say much about it, but after one practice with it, I am very happy and amazed at how consistent it is across the full range, but I will have to blow it a couple of weeks before I decide whether to go back to my JJ Giant (7*) for big band. I also fell in love with synthetic reeds (Fibracell 3's), mainly because I am a little lazy about reeds, but also the sound is good for me. Anyway, I like your being "talkative", because you give more information that way on each vid!
Its true everyone wants to short cut the learning process and when we see the good players on Selmers and so on with metal MPs it makes you think well if they are using that gear it must be the best, its hard to be patient and go through the process
Spot on - thanks James!
I took your advice and got a Rico Royal mouthpiece B5. My reeds are Rico Royals 2.5, but I am going to try 2's. I chose a Rovner ligature. The combination seems to suit me. I am a complete novice, so finding my way. I understand from guitar, what suits me will take a while to discover. I also understand that with experience what I previously did not got for turned out to have its' place. I got two other mouthpieces with my horn, which I bought used. One is metal, but no brand on it. I will keep them for later. Thanks for all your tips.
Hello Donna, How's it going? I enjoy watching your videos. I find it informative and interesting. I would say I am a beginner.When I was young Iplayed the Alto saxophone for over a year. Honestly I don't remember why I stopped, I think the music program was cancelled. Ten years later (2012) I decide to buy a saxophone, I did not know know the saxophone I bought was malfunctioned. I thought it was me and I was discouraged and did not play. It was not till April 2016 I told myself you know what your going to play.. so I took the horn out of the closet and practice a bit. Although I knew something was wrong with the horn, I continued anyway. I thought it was Leakey. I took it to a shop and I found out the keys were bent. I bought a new horn and played with the stock mouth piece from the previous horn lol ( the stock mouth piece had bite marks. I was not hungry lol,a dog I had at the time got jealous of the saxophone and attacked it when I was not home). so I used the mouth piece for a few months.I practiced everyday and I notice after a while I couldn't hit certain notes, it would crack .. I upgraded the mouth piece ( I went to the shop where I bought the sax. I had a long conversation with the guy he helped me out it was cool) it was interesting and challenging...I did not know much about mp but I believed it would turn out alright. .it took a month to understand the mouth piece. The first two weeks was hard because it was a learning period. I had figure out the mouth piece and I had to learn my embouchure. it's like what ypu mentioned, young saxophone players do not have a strong embouchure. that is true and it was hard for me at first. Now I'm learning more about myself and the saxophone along with the mouth piece.It still is challenging.I'm growing with the mouth piece, each day I feel the progress. Im glad I did upgrade. I like the experience. It's fun. . Now I need work on not to play fast when I get excited. I do not know how long this comment is. I am typing from my phone lol. I came across your videos two-three months ago I'm glad I did. Thank you. Happy Holidays!
Learning an instrument should be fun, and a great learning experience! how is it going?
Hi Donna, this is really great. I moved from clarinet to tenor sax and could only work with a Dukof 8. This was really great and me teacher was fine with this as I managed it fine. Eventually I moved to plastic Yam 4C and over-blowed it. Now I'm finally back to metal but still use plastic based on the situation. Importantly though, the reed strength make a lot of difference for me, how about you? do you ever put a blade on yours to make it slightly thinner?
Thanks for all the fantastic vids though.
Berg Larsen 105 SMS and Rico Royal #2.0 or #2.50 on my tenor sax
Hello Donna, I want to say that I've been watching your videos for the last couple weeks and I think all of your information is on point and I have a concern. I have just returned back to saxophone playing and I was a tenor and baritone saxophonist for well over 22 years. When my tenor sax and baritone sax was stolen I haven't gotten back into it playing saxophone for almost 7 years. Now I'm back into playing the horn and my embouchure has gotten a little bit stronger within a couple weeks. Right now I'm playing on cane reads and I'm using a Yamaha 6c mouthpiece for my alto and soprano sax that I just bought. Now, the question is if I was a beginner should I start looking for a much stronger mouthpiece because my only issue has always been upper register and so far I can play up to the high D but when I tried to play high E, F, or F sharp it comes out really squeaky LOL. Is this due to my embouchure and does it needs to get a little bit stronger to be able to play the first half of the upper register notes on the saxophone? I want to thank you in advance for your input and you sound really really great on that tenor sax too.
I'll create a video in the next few weeks to answer that...
Does mr Joe Swartz have a website? I've been looking to get back into saxophone and a good selmer knockoff doesn't' sound bad.
I'm not sure who you are talking about - did you mean Joe Sax? He's based in New Jersey, you can Google him. His horn brand is called Sirrus II. It really is a decent horn, not on the level of a Selmer or Yamaha, but good quality. I use it on outdoor gigs mostly.
Donna Schwartz Wow my hearing is bad. Thanks for the information though. I'll be sure to check the Sirrus II out
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You say it doesn't make much difference what kinda saxophone you play cause they all sound some what the same. way do you play a Selmer Mark VI you could just have a inexpensive student horn right?... I also play both alto and tenor saxophone and to me there's a big difference in the tone of a good pro horn then a student horn, I've been playing saxophone since 1982 I started with a student horn and love it, but as time went on and my ear got better I tried a friends pro horn and was hooked.
You will sound like you regardless of your equipment, however, a better quality horn, and more importantly a high quality mouthpiece will make your playing more efficient.
And yes, I do have student model horns that I do gig on, especially for outdoor gigs...
How do you feel about synthetic reeds? and would you be willing to review any?
I've used Legere and Fiberreed -both are great..
so you play alto?
Tenor and alto