Beginner's first attempt!
The recent thread on using recordings to get some idea of your progress inspired me to try and record myself. Here is the result! This is me playing a bit of "I get a kick out of you" on a Walstein Tenor five days after getting it. I suspect I'm being a bit pub-singery in the way I slide up to and down to notes and generally beginnerish - hesitant, some of the note lengths decidely wrong etc. - fun though!
Hints and tips gratefully accepted (even 'do some more practice')...
cheers,
Bob
EDIT - link is now to an mp3 instead of a wav - thanks Pete!
Re: Beginner's first attempt!
Obviously a beginner playing, but not as bad I thought it would be from your description!
Having just been listening to Lester Young, Sonny Stitt and Sonny Rollins in the car, the BIGGEST difference (in my opinion) is the sound - you haven't developed your tone enough yet. And the answer is (oh yes) - long tones.
That should also stabilise your embouchure so that your pitch is more controlled. As for timing and note lengths, it's good enough for jazz!
Re: Beginner's first attempt!
Do some more practice.
Seriously though, very very good. I wouldn't worry about being pub singerish, that's much better than no expression and in fact it doesn't come over like that anyway.("I get no kick from champagne-ah!")
Try to find a way of converting wav to mp3 though, much quicker to play online.
Re: Beginner's first attempt!
very good,
yes you know what needs improving, which is good.
practice playing the rhythm of the tune on one note so you can concentrate on attack and length of the notes. then play the tune again..
Re: Beginner's first attempt!
I tell you what, there were loads of great points, I heard controlled vibrato in places, pitch bends up to notes. and the note endings were great throughout. I often find most beginners trail off in tone and pitch and everything towards the end of a phrase.
You're doing very well in my opinion.
How are you finding the Walstein? I'm finding it to project really well and have a very big presence, which I love. But I'm also finding it to be very mellow too which is almost exactly what I've got in my head sound wise. I love mine! I've found it responds very differently to small changes, i.e a ligature change has a larger effect than normal and mouthpieces make a huge difference.
I'm using my Ottolink STM and just from changing too a rovner dark lig the sound mellows out incredibly and is a bit more husky. The standard metal lig that comes with is brighter and great for un-miked use.
_________________ Started December 2005
Soprano: Borgani (1950's), Yam 4C, Rico Royal 3
Alto: Hanson SA-8/Martin Handcraft 1925, Link Tone Edge 6, RJS 2H
Tenor: Walstein Phosphor Bronze (prototype), Link STM 6*, ZZ 2.5
Officially an addict.
Re: Beginner's first attempt!
doing great bob - didn't miss a note, noticed the little touches mentioned by linky, well under control, - for rhythm think about the words they'll give you the clue, you've obviously got the tune in your head just keep playing with confidence and authority. great, gruss - spike
Re: Beginner's first attempt!
Good stuff Bobk, I think you're getting the hang of it I can only speak from the viewpoint of someone self-taught for three years, but that sounds good to me for five days in on a tenor - the basic tone of the Walstein sounds pretty good.
Re: Beginner's first attempt!
Thanks all of you - such compliments!
Compared to the alto I have to concentrate quite hard to maintain a tone (that means any tone at all, as opposed to skwarks and squeeks) on the tenor, but if I do then the tone seems fuller. All the talk I'd heard about 'controlling the reed' makes much more sense to me on the tenor - is this just because it's longer?
Linky - I'm very impressed with the Walstein. It does seem capable of producing very good tone - my teacher got a really wonderful sound out of it and I like what I'm capable of getting from it. Mechanically it is very very slick - great feel. Mouthpieces and reeds did, indeed make a big difference. I've tried the one supplied with the sax, a Yamaha 5C and a Selmer S80 C* - they get better in that order but the S80 is way way better both for tone and playability than the others (a jolly good second hand buy- thanks Rico!). I also noticed a big difference between Van Doren trad 2.5s and Rico Royal 2's *the only two types I've tried) - much preferred the Van Doren which seemed much happier to produce a note in the octave I was aiming for!
Re: Beginner's first attempt!
Sounds pretty good to me, Bob. Especially liked the tone and phrasing on the high "it would bore me incredibly too" bit near the end - it really sings.
bobk wrote:
The recent thread on using recordings to get some idea of your progress inspired me to try and record myself. Here is the result! This is me playing a bit of "I get a kick out of you" on a Walstein Tenor five days after getting it. I suspect I'm being a bit pub-singery in the way I slide up to and down to notes and generally beginnerish - hesitant, some of the note lengths decidely wrong etc. - fun though!
Hints and tips gratefully accepted (even 'do some more practice')...
cheers,
Bob
EDIT - link is now to an mp3 instead of a wav - thanks Pete!
Hi all just put a clip on you tube first go at doing this its www.youtbe.com/romeo011 please let me know your thoughts cheers Tom.
I can only speak from the viewpoint of someone self-taught for three years, but that sounds good to me for five days in on a tenor - the basic tone of the Walstein sounds pretty good.
