http://forum.saxontheweb.net Sax on the Web - saxophone discussion forum. For sax on the Web main site go to http://saxontheweb.net en Sun, 22 Nov 2009 01:24:39 GMT vBulletin 60 http://forum.saxontheweb.net/images/misc/rss.jpg http://forum.saxontheweb.net http://forum.saxontheweb.net/showthread.php?t=125739&goto=newpost Sun, 22 Nov 2009 01:11:50 GMT After I play a new reed for about a minute or two, I start noticing that the tip of the reed appears to have closed down just a bit, so it makes the opening of my mouthpiece look slightly smaller then when I just put the reed on and observed what it looked like before playing. Is this supposed to... After I play a new reed for about a minute or two, I start noticing that the tip of the reed appears to have closed down just a bit, so it makes the opening of my mouthpiece look slightly smaller then when I just put the reed on and observed what it looked like before playing. Is this supposed to happen? ]]> Reeds bartonsax http://forum.saxontheweb.net/showthread.php?t=125739 http://forum.saxontheweb.net/showthread.php?t=125738&goto=newpost Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:37:44 GMT so it's been a few years, and i hate that i'm still having trouble hearing changes.
like most people can hear the piano comping and bass walking and be able to pick out sweet notes to play...
but i still have no idea.

Been practicing patterns, drilling chords, and transcribing solos. But I'm still having trouble playing anything that makes sense when there's no music in front of me.

I wonder if it has anything to do with being classically trained on violin growing up. Maybe there's something about classical training that inhibits a certain type of musicality?

I hope it's not something like, either you're born with it or you're not. it's been frustrating since i can't really play the music i'm passionate about well.

Are there any exercizes for training the ear? ]]> Practicing lovesthesax http://forum.saxontheweb.net/showthread.php?t=125738 http://forum.saxontheweb.net/showthread.php?t=125737&goto=newpost Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:26:02 GMT I don't know how many SOTW saxophonists are interested in electronic music and compositions, but I have some up on Myspace for anyone curious.

Here they are.

They don't have any saxophone on them yet, but I'm planning to play them (with pedals and electronics) with at least one of my groups in the near future. Incidentally, anyone know how to make a tenor sound like a sine wave? :) ]]> HeavyWeather77 http://forum.saxontheweb.net/showthread.php?t=125737 http://forum.saxontheweb.net/showthread.php?t=125736&goto=newpost Sat, 21 Nov 2009 23:58:47 GMT Despite original pads and certainly some leaks, it plays surprisingly well. With no resonators at all. Giant warm sound. The opposite direction hinging of the left hand table is no big deal Just press more on the far side of G#, more leverage more movement, and life is good. The silver neck... Despite original pads and certainly some leaks, it plays surprisingly well. With no resonators at all. Giant warm sound.

The opposite direction hinging of the left hand table is no big deal
Just press more on the far side of G#, more leverage more movement, and life is good. The silver neck has a different serial number (293xxx) than the horn with no explanation. No dents or damage. Darkened original lacquer at least 90% present. Someone replaced the 3 ring hook at some point. Not mint perfect condition, but very nice all around.

When it's overhauled, what reasons should be considered for Noyeks, brass oversize or other resonators? ]]> King (HN White) Pgraves http://forum.saxontheweb.net/showthread.php?t=125736 http://forum.saxontheweb.net/showthread.php?t=125734&goto=newpost Sat, 21 Nov 2009 23:29:40 GMT Anyone try these? Are they as consistant as they say? http://www.saxquest.com/productDetails.asp?productcode=FLouisExcel Anyone try these? Are they as consistant as they say?

http://www.saxquest.com/productDetai...de=FLouisExcel ]]> Reeds bartonsax http://forum.saxontheweb.net/showthread.php?t=125734 http://forum.saxontheweb.net/showthread.php?t=125733&goto=newpost Sat, 21 Nov 2009 23:28:25 GMT Any way to have a quicker response in low notes without changing setups? Like at a fast speed. Any way to have a quicker response in low notes without changing setups? Like at a fast speed. ]]> Tone Producing Chunsoo http://forum.saxontheweb.net/showthread.php?t=125733 http://forum.saxontheweb.net/showthread.php?t=125732&goto=newpost Sat, 21 Nov 2009 23:22:43 GMT I bought this beautiful alto Buescher Aristocrat I from Gayle Fredenburgh as my first comeback horn. This was about 2 years ago. It's just the most beautiful horn I've ever seen. (Satin silver, art deco.) And a monster player, as you Buescher guys will attest. ;)

Now for my dilemma. I started playing tenor and I haven't picked up an alto in about a year. Plus I have another alto (SML). I've been debating whether to sell the Buescher or to keep it. :?

The horn has new everything as per any rebuild by Gayle. It needs nothing. It's like going back in time to 1939. I would guess I played the horn for maybe 20 hours before putting it away in it's case with 3M anti-tarnish strips.

This is an instrument that needs to be played. On the other hand, it's too gorgeous to let go. (Damn, this is starting to sound like I'm talking about a woman.) Should I keep her or let her go??? :(

I've got some pics of her if anyone cares to have a look. I just need to figure out how to post them.

As always, thanks for your advice. ]]> Advice on Buying or Selling a Saxophone DaddyRabbit http://forum.saxontheweb.net/showthread.php?t=125732 http://forum.saxontheweb.net/showthread.php?t=125731&goto=newpost Sat, 21 Nov 2009 22:50:29 GMT Hi all- just to say I caught the first gig of this tour last night and I would recommend it unreservedly to all UK members who can get to any of the gigs. The trio is US legends Henry Grimes on bass and violin, Andrew Cyrille on drums and our own Paul Dunmall on tenor soprano and clarinet. The... Hi all- just to say I caught the first gig of this tour last night and I would recommend it unreservedly to all UK members who can get to any of the gigs. The trio is US legends Henry Grimes on bass and violin, Andrew Cyrille on drums and our own Paul Dunmall on tenor soprano and clarinet. The energy and level of playing last night was just amazing. I think they're covering all the major cities
http://www.birminghamjazz.co.uk/?tag...und-sound-trio ]]> Announcements and Bulletin Board rolltrane http://forum.saxontheweb.net/showthread.php?t=125731 http://forum.saxontheweb.net/showthread.php?t=125730&goto=newpost Sat, 21 Nov 2009 22:37:13 GMT Hi, I am going to take a Selmer 402 (http://shop.weinermusic.com/SELMER-ALTO-SAX-SILVER-PLATED-LIGATURE-MODEL-M402LIG/productinfo/LSAM00/) lig for my *Guardala tenor mpc*. I know you need an alto lig for this mpc as it is so slim, but..... * What cap must I take, the tenor or the alto... Hi,

I am going to take a Selmer 402 lig for my Guardala tenor mpc.

I know you need an alto lig for this mpc as it is so slim, but.....

What cap must I take, the tenor or the alto one?????

Thanks in advance ]]> Ligatures Anselmo http://forum.saxontheweb.net/showthread.php?t=125730 http://forum.saxontheweb.net/showthread.php?t=125729&goto=newpost Sat, 21 Nov 2009 22:06:16 GMT I'm trying out this Meyer tenor piece and even though it's a bit too closed for me, I might still buy it so I can trade for something more open.
I would like to know it's value for this purpose.

Description:

Hard rubber.

"Made in USA" inscribed on top of the shank.

"Medium Chamber" (and not just "medium") inscribed on bottom of the shank.

Diamond shaped inscription on table, inside it's written " 8-meyer lapped facing-M"

If this were an alto piece it would be very sought after, but I don't know the value of a Meyer tenor.

Thanks in advance. ]]> Tenor mpc daigle65 http://forum.saxontheweb.net/showthread.php?t=125729 http://forum.saxontheweb.net/showthread.php?t=125728&goto=newpost Sat, 21 Nov 2009 21:49:25 GMT I have played tenor for about 5 years now for my middle/high school band. I've always had a problem with tone quality and ability to play the lower notes. It hasnt been bad until we recieved a piece had has a tenor solo that is piano and goes from Eflat to C. I was just wondering if I could get some advice on how to play those notes quietly. thanks! ]]> Tone Producing acrist1 http://forum.saxontheweb.net/showthread.php?t=125728 http://forum.saxontheweb.net/showthread.php?t=125727&goto=newpost Sat, 21 Nov 2009 21:42:09 GMT Hi! I have been playing with my Vandoren V16 metall T55 piece for about two years and I have always thought that this piece was the perfect piece and it has been the perfect piece until a few months ago. I felt that my palmkeynotes became thinner and the lower notes become harder to hold out for... Hi!
I have been playing with my Vandoren V16 metall T55 piece for about two years and I have always thought that this piece was the perfect piece and it has been the perfect piece until a few months ago.
I felt that my palmkeynotes became thinner and the lower notes become harder to hold out for a long time. My horn doesn't have a leek and last week when I was doing a recording with a band I'm playing with I felt that it sounded thin on the top and later at home I tried some different reeds and some harder reeds but it sounded not very good.
And after that I tried my STM NY 8 that I bought pretty cheap to try last summer. When I bought it it felt to big for me (It's around 110 and the Vandoren T55 is around 98) but when I put it on my sax my sound was more big sounding and more open than ever. The STM sounded extremely good over the whole sax.
It has some edge if I puch it and has a very nice subtone and a very nice tone overall and is easy to play. My lip felt better when the tipopening was bigger. It feels wonderful to play with the link it's really fun and I'm smiling when I'm playing it:D. Maybe I have grown away from the V16. I have never liked links very much before (but I haven't tried that many) and have always thought whats the thing with them that everyone likes but I understand now. I have been playing it every day for a week now and I have found my new perfect piece!:D ]]> Tenor mpc limpan2 http://forum.saxontheweb.net/showthread.php?t=125727 http://forum.saxontheweb.net/showthread.php?t=125726&goto=newpost Sat, 21 Nov 2009 21:38:30 GMT Being inspired by the thread on the popularity of the dark sound, just for the heck of it last night I used a 4* plastic Brilhart Ebolin (Selmer issue- $25.00) tenor mouthpiece with a hard plastic Bari brand reed on my '49 Aristocrat. Great tone- dark ,full, sounds great in the mike-we played some 50's rock and roll such as The Wanderer and Tuff by Ace Cannon. It filled up the bar nicely and really sounded good and very 50's R&B.
Now why have I spent so much on expensive mouthpieces?:? ]]> General Mouthpiece Discussion Honeyboy http://forum.saxontheweb.net/showthread.php?t=125726 http://forum.saxontheweb.net/showthread.php?t=125725&goto=newpost Sat, 21 Nov 2009 21:35:39 GMT Good week before Thankgiving to everyone I'm sure. To start straight to the point, I popped on ebay for some Vandoren reeds after a mold incident with my La Voz reeds (:(). I noticed an ebay seller who had a massive store of reeds and he would always have a list of about 5 boxes of reeds (each sold separately) and he'd been selling really cheap reeds for a very long time. I got lucky and placed a bid of $5 on two boxes of Alexander Superial Classique reeds of hardness 4. I lost one auction and won the other. Funny thing is that those were the last reeds he sold. Period. (I would guess it was a music store that went out of business and needed to liquidize the whole stock) But to the point, I received them today and wanted to talk about them vs other reeds.

Aesthetics:
The boxes are beautiful! It makes me want to buy more just because of how good they look. They are made of metal so they can be used as a flattening table for warped reeds unlike the paper box Vandoren or Rico reeds. The boxes look MUCH better in person. As I opened the box I saw 5 reeds, all individually set into different holders made of cardstock and covered with a strip of tape that said "Alexander Superial". It was a beauty but I really wish the holders were the same kind as the Rico or Vandoren ones. Once you take a reed out of the holder, you really can't use the holder again so you'll need a reed case or guard. Even then, the box came with directions on how to make reeds play well as well as the well known reed stroke trick. I was very impressed. I give it a(n) 9/10

Impression:
The box the reeds came in as well as how they look beat all of the competition. The reeds had a mahogany tinge to them and had many very visible fibers that show signs of a good reed. There was only 1 reed that didn't have these thick fibers. On the other side, there was one that was PACKED with them. I didn't know cane could have so many! Vandoren and Rico usually have reeds without the fibers or with very light fibers (and not that many) that only appear when dipped in water. 9.5/10

Playing/Response:
I usually use a 3 and find its slightly too soft or use a 3.5 and find its a little too hard (strength in Vandoren Traditional terms). This box was a four and I played the reed right then and there after following the reed warm up directions. The reed was too hard but has a buzz I sort of liked. I followed up with a little 400 grit sandpaper and a dull pocket knife and got a reed that was about a 3.5 in strength. When I played it I noticed the low end was AMAZING. Nothing like it ever. I've played reeds that pop in the low end as much as this one, but I've need had such a smooth, warm, lush sound in the lower end. In the high end, there was a huge amount of highs in the sound and it was also great, I then moved to the middle and was a little disappointed. The mid range was the warmest but was stuffy to me. Don't get me wrong, I did love the sound, but I don't want a reed that is ultra- responsive in the extreme ends and sound totally different down the center. I like my reeds to sound like the same reed all over. All in all, very nice dark, rich sound. The response was pretty medium. 8/10

Comparison to La Voz, Hemke, and Vandoren Traditional:
This is probably the biggest part for me. The "Is it worth it? Is it better?" sort of question. I tried La Voz, Hemke, and Vandoren Traditionals that were all the perfect strength for me (altered by me) and we the best of the bunch in whole boxes of reeds. They had a huge advantage but I didn't want to write this review in 3 weeks so let's duke it out.

La Voz: Always been a favorite and was introduced by my former saxophone teacher. La Voz reeds play straight out of the box and really don't need to be played on for awhile before peaking in quality. If you have a concert and your reed just broke. I'd personally go straight to La Voz that second. The reeds sound good right there. La Voz reeds have a wonderful clarity and color to them. They are very responsive and feel great to play. I really like these reeds.

Hemke: I've only tried 1 Hemke reed and I hated it at first. The heart was nice in size shape and it was dark but it really didn't do anything for me. Well at least not until the second week. I'm here with a 2-3 week old Hemke and its one of my top favorites. It substitutes some of the clarity and color that the La Voz has for a darker and richer sound. The response is very good. Not great though.

Vandoren Traditional: These reeds are two sided swords. I get a box to find 1-3 play DECENT and rarely have ones that play great. This one is an exception and I used it in an audition a year ago. This reed hasn't been used since then but plays as I remembered it did. This reed has a medium response but it is almost as dark and rich as the Hemke. A very nice reed with even highs lows and mediums. If you can get a good Vandoren Trad, you're a happy customer.


The final results: None are my favorite! Usually if I have something to say about ligatures or mouthpiece I'll say that none are the best but I prefer ___. The thing is that with these reeds, well, they are very different and have an equaled quality. It really has to do with what you are looking for. If you search for the richest, dark, and most warm reed, try the Alexander reeds. If you want to take a tiny bit of the darkness, richness, and warmth and substitute it for more response and evenness in the registers, try the Vandoren. If you want a darkness, richness, and warmth that is greater than the Vandoren, and not as strong as with the Alexanders I say go for Hemke. Lastly, if you want freedom, a reed that plays straight out of the box and can be used just as well for jazz and classical go La Voz. Now I'm going to have to give off which reed I prefer for most of the classical styles of playing I do and I say I'd have to say Hemke. The La Voz isn't rich and dark enough and the Hemke still has the good response the Vandoren and Alexander lack. Because these reeds match different situations, I'd always have a La Voz in my case for songs like the Pequena Czarda where I want to sound lively and play quick. I'd have the Hemke or Vandoren Trad for things like the Glazunov Sax Concerto for the richness because I don't play very quickly through the whole song and the characteristics of the sound are more important to me when I'm playing slowly. The Alexander's would be my choice for very smooth pieces with a desired fullness and great sound like Liebesfreud by Kiesler.

Lastly...

I'll keep posted on how the Alexander's play over time. I hated the Hemke at first and I'm not in love with the Alexander right now. I want to see how it goes. ]]> Reeds Michael http://forum.saxontheweb.net/showthread.php?t=125725 http://forum.saxontheweb.net/showthread.php?t=125724&goto=newpost Sat, 21 Nov 2009 21:33:47 GMT SR Tech Pro Bari piece
Has a couple spots on the top where their is some plating wear from my teeth, other than that it's in great condition
Has original ligature and cap
$260 shipped ]]> Mouthpieces Wanted/For Sale SaxPlayer1004 http://forum.saxontheweb.net/showthread.php?t=125724