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Baritone subtone. How low can you go?

3K views 3 replies 3 participants last post by  csax 
#1 ·
I just recently started a lot of work on the baritone, I tend to neglect it usually and only pick it up when I need it.

One thing I noticed is I can't subtone as low as I should, ie low A.

Before I check for uncheckable leaks, I wonder if this is normal, or at least normal for those of us for whom the bari is more of a double than a main instrument.

I can subtone down to C if I prepare it from the not above, or I can hit a subtone D dead on from cold.

However with tenor I can get the bottom Bb dead on from cold, as I feel should be the norm.

Anyway please let me know your lowest subtone on baritone. I mean starting the note from scratch, not leading down into it.

Thanks.
 
#2 ·
Hello Pete - Almost a year on I know, but I recently acquired a battered old bari called 'Weltie' (there's a clue there...) to use with a local big band, and seems to subtone - straight in - down to Low B. Bloody gorgeous, 'hairs on the back of the neck' and 'feel the vibes through the fingers' stuff.

Low Bb just refuses point blank, but I'm not too impressed with it as a normal note either - think the low A slightly strangles it, might try raising the pad heights a tad...

Using an hr Berg 110/2/M + Rico Royal #2 (well, I'm getting on a bit, the lungs aren't what they used to be :bluewink: )

Being very subjective, I do know the difference between a 'coaxed' soft note and a subtone, but, as the bari is a recent aquisition I might just be being seduced by the sheer width of the low notes, so I'll enjoy investigating further...:mrgreen:
 
#3 ·
Subtoning is difficult on baritone. It's even more difficult on one with a low A key in my experience. I recently moved to a larger tip opening which makes things much easier as well.

I think it also requires a bit more voicing than the other saxes for some reason (might have something to do with more overtones on baritone?).

Once I'm warmed up a bit, I can usually hit a low A subtone about 90ish percent of the time. Baritone is just a naturally quirky instrument in this field.

But definitelyget your horn checked for leaks. Any leaking could cause the note to crack and jump an octave.

Also, I've noticed different horns have different tendencies (as with any sax). For me, at least, Yamahas are harder to subtone on than Yanagisawas or Selmers. Again, this is just my experience and for others it may be completely different.

Anyways, hope this helps!
 
#4 ·
Green T, yes, I was just thinking (while walking the dog, the canine one, not the old soul tune :bluewink: ) that I was a little struck by how the bari subtones weren't quite as pronounced as on tenor.

With the wider/thicker bari tone I'd have expected more presence on subtones, maybe it's something that'll come with more work on it. As you say, maybe more voicing needed, still (re)developing the muscle memory - it's faded since I last played bari in the 70's. But, like riding a bike, it's amazing how quickly it all comes back.

No octave jumping, just that the 'normal' Bb feels a little constrained on this (Weltklang) low A bari, the one I had before was a lovely old Buescher Truetone - coincidentally the same mouthpiece setup - to Bb, hope someone out there is still getting enjoyment from it, 40 years on...
 
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