antigua 590BC sounds trumpety to me

[hall3]

Hello everyone:


I have a slight concern. I just ordered an antigua 582lq soprano sax fom Dave Kessler. Then I heard a sound clip of the 590BC. It sounded like a trumpet to me. Seems like the instrument is more fit for the traditional type jazz than smooth or contemporarary jazz. The guy who played it used a Morgan pro tone mpc (don't remember what reeds). Mind you the sound wasn't bad at all but not what I am going for. Is it possible that I can achieve the smooth jazz feel on the 582lq using a different mouthpiece and reeds? Yes, I know the same instrument can sound totally different when played by various players. Does anyone use their 582lq for smooth jazz and if they have any clips could they refer me to them please? Also what type mpc and reeds are you using? By the way here's an example of the type of sound I am going for:

http://www.missionhousemusicgroup.com/artists/jamiereid.php

(note: listen especially to crown him with many crowns)


I like the nice smooth and mellow approach. Anyway, thanks for your help.


D'Angelo.

[Russ]

D'Angelo,

First, congrats on your choice of instrument. I think you'll be very surprised.

I have the Silver plated 590 driven by a Yanni metal #7 mouthpiece and Vandoren ZZ reeds and I'm in love with this combo.

This guy has not killed his playing with too much FX but they ARE there, therefore an important considoration. You won't sound remotely like that straight out of the box unless you want to practice in the kitchen or the bathroom for the rest of your life.

Do you use a Reverb / Delay FX module at all ?? If you do, your laughing.

[hall3]

D'Angelo,

First, congrats on your choice of instrument. I think you'll be very surprised.

I have the Silver plated 590 driven by a Yanni metal #7 mouthpiece and Vandoren ZZ reeds and I'm in love with this combo.

This guy has not killed his playing with too much FX but they ARE there, therefore an important considoration. You won't sound remotely like that straight out of the box unless you want to practice in the kitchen or the bathroom for the rest of your life.

Do you use a Reverb / Delay FX module at all ?? If you do, your laughing.

Russ:

Thanks for the timely reply. I guess my concern was not warranted. I forgot about factoring in FX. I do not use a Reverb/Delay FX module. The most I have is what Cakewalk Pro Audio offers. I wanted to be able to achieve the smooth mellow sound without the FX. Is that possible? I will be playing my 582lq in church mostly and my church doesn't have a lot of fancy equipment. In fact most of the other players aren't even miked. I fought for a mic because I played flute. Couldn't be heard above two tenor saxes, an alto sax, and especially that trumpet. All the mics are in the pulpit and choir area. So I sit in the pulpit area which is very congested when we have our televised services. Since I started playing alto sax also, some of the choir people have mentioned to me that I should be sitting with the rest of the players. Anyway, I will also be using the sax for weddings and playing as a soloist in other churches. Maybe I can purchase the equipment you are speaking of. How would I connect and use this Reverb/Delay FX module? By the way, how about a sound clip of you playing the 590? NO FX! :D

thanks,


D'Angelo.

[Russ]

Cakewalk Pro Audio will allow you to add colour after you've recorded your piece, but a large building like a church should carry it's own ambience.

Re me recording a sound clip ? no problem, but it will be recorded in my sound dead soft furnished lounge so I'll record one without FX and one with. Nothing fancy but it'll give you an idea.

I'm actually off to a sunny climate for for a late summer break today but I'll jump to it when I get back.

[hall3]

Thanks Russ! Anybody else out there has an antigua soprano? :D

[Albireo]

Thanks Russ! Anybody else out there has an antigua soprano? :D

Over here... :)

Got mine last month, a BC586. It's a terrific little horn, although it's taking a bit of adjustment on my part to get used to playing soprano-- I've played tenor predominantly, and haven't played much of anything at all for the last ten years. Getting back into the game via soprano has been a bit of a rude awakening as to how sloppy my chops have become.

[hall3]

Albireo:

Thanks for chiming in! You think your chops are bad; I played flute for 17 years and have been playing alto sax for little over a year. Still can't play for much over 1 hour and a half. Then I start biting. But I always liked the sound of the soprano and ordered mine from Dave Kessler a week and a half ago. I know your chops are not back yet. But does the instrument seem capable of producing a smooth jazz sound? What mpc and reeds are you using?

D'Angelo.

[Albireo]

Albireo:

Thanks for chiming in! You think your chops are bad; I played flute for 17 years and have been playing alto sax for little over a year. Still can't play for much over 1 hour and a half. Then I start biting. But I always liked the sound of the soprano and ordered mine from Dave Kessler a week and a half ago. I know your chops are not back yet. But does the instrument seem capable of producing a smooth jazz sound? What mpc and reeds are you using?

D'Angelo.

I got my horn four hours before my first band rehearsal; after two hours, my lower lip felt like I'd sandpapered it with 60 grit. My embouchure-- never great-- is in SOS condition. :) Intonation is a pain; predominantly on middle C/C# and low C (which sometimes seems to come out more C#). My suspicions are that the horn is a fine player and I'm not, at least right now. I got mine from Kessler's as well, and am very impressed with their service.

Smooth jazz? I don't really know. I've got kind of a generic "all-purpose" sound, as far as I can tell, although a couple of the others in the band (a community band at the moment-- average age in the sax section is about 70, it seems :) ) have commented that they really like my tone. (My high-school band director always used to tell me that he hated my tone on tenor.) I'm currently using a Morgan Protone mouthpiece (thanks, Chuck!) and am experimenting with reeds; the main reed at present is a Rico Royal 2-1/2. I have a couple of Vandorens (2-1/2 and 3) and am going to experiment around with them. I'd like to try some of the Alexander Superial and Classique, as well as a Fibracell.

BTW, I have a lot of the folks here to thank for steering me toward the Antigua. My first soprano experience wasn't so good, and when I convinced my wife to let me open the wallet a little more, I wound up with what I think will be a terrific horn once I've gotten myself back in playing shape. Just the experience of being able to let rip on a good sax-- even if the intonation isn't yet spot-on-- is wonderful after a long absence.

[xuanvu]

I'm playing an Antigua too, with either Morgan 1C for a more classical (w/ Fibracell #3 reed) or with a Phil Barone mpc (Rico Royal #2) for the "smooth jazz" sound that you're referring to (or at least that's what I think :) ).

[Ian]

Albireo I found the intonation on my sop when I changed up, with my Morgan Protone, to a #3 Rico Royal reed, way way better, and lots less biting (FWIW) - of course also Antigua straight, I think 590BC

[hall3]

Albireo:

I believe that practice makes progress. You keep tooting away on your horn and soon you'll be able to play for hours on end. When I first started playing the flute I would get dizzy all the time because I wasn't making efficient use of the air. Now I can play forever! :D Well, that's how I feel. I know, sax and flute are different, but I believe the concept is the same. I thought that when I picked up alto sax, I would be able to transfer all my knowledge and expertise from flute to sax. Not entirely true. Since the fingerings were mostly similiar, I could immediately play songs that I knew on flute on the sax, but got into trouble when I hit above third octave D. Thanks to this forum a change in reed strength (to a 2) helped me reach up to third octave F#. Still working out some tonguing issues though. I don't particularly like my alto sax sound. I'm playing on a church-owned Iolite alto sax. Paul Coats recommended I get the Runyon Custom Spoiler #6 mpc. Can't wait till it arrives! I hope that it will improve my sound. If it doesn't, a new alto may be in order. Uh Oh! I'm way off topic! Anyway, keep tooting away!

D'Angelo.

[hall3]

I'm playing an Antigua too, with either Morgan 1C for a more classical (w/ Fibracell #3 reed) or with a Phil Barone mpc (Rico Royal #2) for the "smooth jazz" sound that you're referring to (or at least that's what I think :) ).

xuanvu:

I'd love to hear a sound clip of you playing the antigua! Which antigua do you have? How much are Phil Barone mpcs? I also play Rico Royal #2 reeds. How about that clip?

D'Angelo.

[hall3]

I have read countless posts on this forum about the soprano having bad intonation and being played out of tune. Is it a good idea to have a tuner to check the soprano? Or will a keyboard work just fine?

thanks,



D'Angelo.

[xuanvu]

Hall3,
I'm playing a 590LQ with the straight neck... Unfortunately, I've just sold my Korg digital recorder, so I don't have any equipment to record a clip, at least for awhile... I got my Phil barone mpc from one of Phil Barone's auction on Ebay, I believe I paid $85 for it... It's a great piece, and so does the Morgan 1C.

[Albireo]

Albireo I found the intonation on my sop when I changed up, with my Morgan Protone, to a #3 Rico Royal reed, way way better, and lots less biting (FWIW) - of course also Antigua straight, I think 590BC

I'm going to try some stronger reeds, for certain. I'm used to playing my tenor with an old Brilhart 5* mp and reeds (usually old Vandorens or Hemkes) in the 3-1/2 to 4 range, IIRC, so I should be used to the stronger set-up. (On second thought, maybe it's no wonder the band director hated my tone. :) ) It's funny/pathetic in a way, but my breathing and embouchure have gotten so poor during my hiatus that I get winded quickly on the soprano, even though it's pretty easy-blowing. When I first tried the Morgan Protone, I thought I was going to have an aneurysm trying to play it-- but that was before Chuck Kessler's advice about keeping the mp far down on the cork, which changed almost everything. Now I just have to develop a decent embouchure again so I can get the 586 in tune.

[Dave Dolson]

A tuner is probably the most accurate, but when playing in an ensemble, one must match pitch with others in the ensemble, and often a tuner is impractical; you must depend on your ear. I use my ear to tune my saxophones to the keyboard (at home, my piano, which is tuned regularly). On soprano, I use a Selmer Super Session J mouthpiece (vintage and modern horns, one being an Antigua 590LQ) and have no problems with intonation when matching the keyboard. DAVE

[hall3]

Hi everyone:

I'm still interested in hearing sound clips of the antigua soprano. Is there anyone with sound clips or who knows where I can access some? I have already listened to the sound clips by Lightstorm.


thanks,


D'Angelo

[hall3]

How rude of me! I forgot to thank you guys for your replies. much appreciated! D'Angelo.