stuffy sound at low dynamics

[Markus]

Help!
I like my sound very much playing from medium up to very loud.
The sound is full, centered and clear (in my opinion).
But if i reduce loudness, my sound becomes stuffy. The more I reduce, the more stuffy it goes.
I am playing a Keilwerth SX90R Alto, nickel plated, goldlacquered, using a Lebayle wooden Jazz 7* with RJS 2H.
Where is my mistake, what exercises help me to open up my sound at low dynamics?
Please help me.
Thank you.

Markus

[Grantibibitus]

A former teacher of mine once mentioned two exercises that he created he called the Great Crescendo and the Great Decrescendo. He only mentioned them and never got around to explaining them to me. This may seem like useless information but in the past few months I have begun wondering about this mysterious exercise. Because of my wondering I've begun working on playing loooooong decrescendos. Basically I play long tones that decay. I make an effort to get a hair softer every four beats at about MM=60. The trick is to get down to where the reed is almost not moving at all but you can still hear a hint of the note. I swear this teacher I had could play so soft that you would have to nearly hold your breath to hear the note being played. Almost like the hum of an air conditioner in a large building. It's so quiet you don't notice it until it stops.

Anyhow, your gut will feel it after three or four decrescendos so take some small breaks to rest as you work on this. Once you've done a few minutes a day on decrescendos you'll begin to have a much stronger tone at low volumes that doesn't waver and the capability to blast the rest of the band off the stand when you get loud.

Good luck with it.
-Grant

[AJL]

Grantibibitus-

Excellent!!! Grant knows what he's sayin

It works wonders.. and about blowing the rest of the band off stage ..

True story there too!

[Markus]

That sounds good.
I'll try the exercise.
Thank you.

Markus