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Sound, Getting back into the sax

2K views 6 replies 2 participants last post by  LazarroAlto 
#1 ·
I'm getting back into the sax after over 5 years of not playing. The last time I played there was no youtube. Hopefully posting videos will help me out.

Here are my first efforts. Please help lead me down the path of improving my sound.

It's a Lazarro alto saxophone (It only cost $250) with the stock mouthpiece and reed.

Video 1: Soft reed that came on original mouthpiece:


Video 2: Stronger new Random 2 1/2 Lazarro reed (one of 12 that came with horn):


Thanks in advance to anyone kind enough to leave advice.
 
#2 ·
I like the sound with the harder reed better. You have a nice breathy subtone - obviously your past playing took you further than a beginner level. Most of what you need, I think, is to rediscover what you had going on before. It'll come back.

Specifically, I'd start with long tones, bending pitch down slightly and back into tune again. find the note with the most resonant tone, and really work it. then recreate that tone on neighboring notes, eventually populating the whole horn with that same resonance.

Keep at it man, you're starting back up from a good place.
 
#3 ·
Hi Dan! Thanks so much for taking a look and offering up your help. You play really great and I loved the A train sound clip.

Regarding the long tones, How long did you practice them for? ie- How long do you hold the notes? I think I remember hearing you should hold them as long as you can..What exactly do you recommend as the steps one should take to bend the pitch down?

I'd really like to get more expressive with my sound!! I've seen an Essentially Ellington youtube video where the gentleman says to be more vocal, one can do scoops, falls, and vibrato. However, I'm not sure what steps physically to take to do scoops or falls. I have noticed since starting again that good support from the belly helps to push the notes and that that creates a type of bend in the tone.

Also I notice since I tend to have and aloof personality my tone is kind of aloof, not as vibrant as I want. I'm thinking I need to take more breaths to better support the notes...

Well, thanks again for commenting and congrats on the level you've reached so far. I hope we can keep in touch!
 
#4 ·
The thing with long tones, I find, is to play them long enough to establish "settled openness". It sounds more academic than it actually is - the tone should rest at ease, with no tension, wavering, harshness etc. The goal is more than just to establish a steady pitch, because we're using this as a tone development exercise.

The pitch bend is an exercise to work tension out of the sound by relaxing the embouchure. It's particularly helpful for those who are biting their lower teeth into their lip, which I'm pretty sure you're NOT doing based on the quality of your sound. Nonetheless, it'll still help open your sound up though, and create room for expression. Start working on this with just your mouthpiece alone, off the horn - explore what kind of range you have with it - from as tight as you can flex your lip to as loose as you can still seal air, you should be able to play about an octave, give or take. If you have trouble changing the pitch as you blow into your mpce, try physically opening your jaw as you blow (like biting an apple, but keeping lips sealed). You'll notice the pitch go down, and the farther it goes down, the more air you will have to move to keep the support the tone and keep it steady.

Lower mouthpiece pitch loosely translates into better tone when you put it back on the horn, so the pitch bend with long tones naturally will help you establish where your best core tone is on your horn.

Hopefully this makes sense and will be useful. I'm happy to clarify if need be, just let me know.

And thanks for the feedback on my playing - That A Train track was an encore number after 2 long sets with solos in almost every tune. My face was fried (as was the lead trumpet), which forced me to use lots of space in the solo, and I was quite pleased with the result, which is unusual for me when I listen back to myself. I'm a slow learner, but that was a good lesson about space, and I grew from hearing that recording.

I hope this helps. I'm sure we'll be talking again.
 
#5 ·
Thanks Dan! I look forward to trying this tomorrow. Regarding A train- Have you heard Gene Ammon's Satin Doll? One of my fav's (w/organ). Well that was the first thing that popped into my head on your solo. Well you don't sound tired. Funny how we learn things though, sometimes in a round about manner.

Funny back in the day of audio galaxy I found dexter gordon's version of A train. Can't seem to find youtube or spotify....That was an amazing solo. Would love to find that transcription....

Wrt the softer reed, I heard Lou Donaldson play Laura, again on youtube. I read he used only a #2 reed. Love his version (would love this transcription), though some people say he is not focused. I do kinda like that sound. But I'm inspired to continue with the harder reeds and cooler sound.

Take care,
Oscar
 
#6 ·
After about one week of practice I think I can hear some improvement. Still not very musical but sound is coming along. I need to get a tuner and metronome.

Still on $250 Lazarro Alto and stock mp. I Thought I liked the harder reed while playing (Feels closer to Getz) but maybe the 2 1/2 sounds better on recording (All iphone 5 recordings done in small practice room). Still mostly bad, but a few nice parts.
1. #3 Vandroen Blue Box

2. #2 1/2 Stock Lazarro Reed
 
#7 ·
My recording today. I was surprised I like it as I'm going for a desmond / getz sound with a harder reed. slapped on this really old weak read at the end of practice and tried playing take 5. My first attempt at a playing along. I realized it has been more like 9 years since I last was playing. Where does the time go dear lord.

I'm so excited about the all the information on youtube about the psychology of playing (something I never fathomed), tone production, exercises and improv. I feel like a whole new world is going to open up to me. I'm still super rusty and my fingers get all jumbled but I hear aspects of my playing in this video that I never could accomplish on alto. (Maybe thats why I switched to tenor). Specifically, I feel there are some great expressive moments here.

What I'm realizing that I never knew before, thanks to youtube:
1. Total relaxation of the embouchure AND VOICE BOX is key. No tension. Support from the gut. Breath in like yawn.
2. Psychology- Nerves made me tense in public performance, one has to counter tension because it destroys sound/vibration. Playing high notes - I used to get nervous about playing the palm keys or higher - that would contribute to a thin sharp sound up there. Now I can practice relaxing and thinking low and get a better sound up on the palm keys. It surprising to me how much of it is pyschology. (I failed to do it in the video though).
3. Overtones- My voice feels like its changing I've been doing so many overtones that past week.

Again I really am looking for friends to keep in touch with and share progress etc. Please PM me if you want to work together.
 
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