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CafeSaxophone Forum
Cafe Moderator
Commercial
Miscellaneous Social Media "Influencers" - Love them or hate them.
Call them what you like (reviewers, shills etc).
Are you influenced by influencers?
Are you influenced by influencers?
83 Replies
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1765 views
Tech/maintenance Abalone key pearls
Needed to order from Amazon so I added a set of these to see what they're like: Bnineteenteam Key Buttons for Alto Sax, 9pcs Sax Abalone Shell Key Buttons Saxophone Key Button for soprano, alto and tenor saxophones : Amazon.co.uk: Books
Not expecting much. Most of the "real shell" pearls I've looked at seem to be covered in acrylic which means they're no different than a plastic key surely?
Anyway... for a fiver it's worth a go. Let you know what they're like once they arrive.
Not expecting much. Most of the "real shell" pearls I've looked at seem to be covered in acrylic which means they're no different than a plastic key surely?
Anyway... for a fiver it's worth a go. Let you know what they're like once they arrive.
133 Replies
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8414 views
Saxophones Pork Tales: Saxophone Repair DIY Adventures.
Tales from a pig that likes to stick his nose into everything.
Paint that S. How difficult could it be ?
1) Search the net.
2) Find the color.
3) Order color.
4) Study task on University of YouTube, aka; For destruction by DYI presented by pro tech.
Do the cleaning & prep.
Paint and cleanup / detail the edges with hard cotton swabs. Sounds easy……
Yeah tha guy Matt makes it look easy.
Anyone remember your first experience cooking bacon crispy while still in the frying pan !
Paint that S. How difficult could it be ?
1) Search the net.
2) Find the color.
3) Order color.
4) Study task on University of YouTube, aka; For destruction by DYI presented by pro tech.
Do the cleaning & prep.
Paint and cleanup / detail the edges with hard cotton swabs. Sounds easy……
Yeah tha guy Matt makes it look easy.
Anyone remember your first experience cooking bacon crispy while still in the frying pan !
1114 Replies
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63532 views
I can't even suss out what the benefit might be.
It's outside the box - will give them that. 😀
Not a P. Mauriat hater - one of my backup altos is their Black Pearl and it's a really great looking horn but not really sure what they are going for here.
R&C beats them for efficiency. They are claiming Two Voices from only one bell lol...
It's outside the box - will give them that. 😀
Not a P. Mauriat hater - one of my backup altos is their Black Pearl and it's a really great looking horn but not really sure what they are going for here.
R&C beats them for efficiency. They are claiming Two Voices from only one bell lol...
7 Replies
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80 views
Beginner Saxes Arbiter pro sound... Taiwan.
just got myself a Arbiter pro sound sax, it stamped Taiwan and s/n 481296, someone said it was from about 1988 as it not stamped London... plays really well and I really like it a lot just wanting to know more about it as information seems very scarce...
30 Replies
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5196 views
R & B, Blues, Soul Recommended Blues Listening
My teacher has suggested trying to improvise over a blues progression.
For various reasons I've barely touched my saxes since, I'm after some listening recommendations to give me a little bit of inspiration.
So what should I be listening to?
For various reasons I've barely touched my saxes since, I'm after some listening recommendations to give me a little bit of inspiration.
So what should I be listening to?
15 Replies
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265 views
Miscellaneous Foroverse - what's all that about?
As an amateur standup comic would ask.
Just a forum feed consolidation place?
Like a better RSS reader?
Or
Some kinda VerticalScope Inc without the rapacious capitalism?
A new land-grab that'll turn the screws later?
A community led collective utopia?
Or
A multiverse for fora where threads can be confused and make sense at the same time?
Just a forum feed consolidation place?
Like a better RSS reader?
Or
Some kinda VerticalScope Inc without the rapacious capitalism?
A new land-grab that'll turn the screws later?
A community led collective utopia?
Or
A multiverse for fora where threads can be confused and make sense at the same time?
13 Replies
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153 views
Saxophones Selmer no longer supreme!
Okay so I was saddened when I saw this video today and a little shocked but not all that surprised.
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9PYOU5SgysM
One of my favourite players Eric Alexander has moved to a Chinese brand saxophone. Can I blame him? No as I have done the same and most of my playing buddies have cashed out of the high end French and Japanese horns. They cannot justify the investment on return and these are gigging musicians who say it just doesn't matter!
I just booked a friend and a killer alto player for a gig this past weekend. He now sells insurance, he gave up gigging a few years ago but jumped at the offer of $400.00 for an hour wedding gig. Insurance sales are not paying the bills. He has sold off all his expensive Yamahas and now has Eastern music horns.
How many young players are on Chinese or Taiwan horns these days?
The times they are a changing - sell your VI's because the up and comers won' be lusting after them. 😎
Introducing our newest BetterSax artist, Eric Alexander!
One of my favourite players Eric Alexander has moved to a Chinese brand saxophone. Can I blame him? No as I have done the same and most of my playing buddies have cashed out of the high end French and Japanese horns. They cannot justify the investment on return and these are gigging musicians who say it just doesn't matter!
I just booked a friend and a killer alto player for a gig this past weekend. He now sells insurance, he gave up gigging a few years ago but jumped at the offer of $400.00 for an hour wedding gig. Insurance sales are not paying the bills. He has sold off all his expensive Yamahas and now has Eastern music horns.
How many young players are on Chinese or Taiwan horns these days?
The times they are a changing - sell your VI's because the up and comers won' be lusting after them. 😎
15 Replies
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515 views
Dear Forum Members,
I’m very glad to host my first SOTM here in the café. I choose „The Chicken“ from Pee Wee Ellis. I’m shure, most of you know the song from Jaco Pastorius, but there are several other recordings out there.
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TgntkGc5iBo&list=RDTgntkGc5iBo&start_radio=1
Here are lead sheets in C, Bb and Eb (one document) and some backing tracks (many more on youtube).
Dropbox
For soloing and scale decisions, I found this guitar video helpful, but I personaly think blues most of the time and try to play groovy and in time instead of overthinking the notes too much.
Hoping for many funky contributions!
All the best
Dirk
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQZbsadHm2A&t=17s
I’m very glad to host my first SOTM here in the café. I choose „The Chicken“ from Pee Wee Ellis. I’m shure, most of you know the song from Jaco Pastorius, but there are several other recordings out there.
Here are lead sheets in C, Bb and Eb (one document) and some backing tracks (many more on youtube).
Dropbox
For soloing and scale decisions, I found this guitar video helpful, but I personaly think blues most of the time and try to play groovy and in time instead of overthinking the notes too much.
Hoping for many funky contributions!
All the best
Dirk
8 Replies
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576 views
Saxophones Playing at Old people’s home
Evening,
I have been asked to play at a local old people’s home for a coffee morning for a hour. It’s for ages 65 up. The question is how many songs should I aim for and how long ie a hour straight of 2 , 25 minute sets with a short break.
I will be playing old Jazz ballads.
Thank you Paul
I have been asked to play at a local old people’s home for a coffee morning for a hour. It’s for ages 65 up. The question is how many songs should I aim for and how long ie a hour straight of 2 , 25 minute sets with a short break.
I will be playing old Jazz ballads.
Thank you Paul
79 Replies
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5668 views
TV/film/books Do you read books?
Do you read books in any form, hardcover, paperback, on an e-book reader, online, on a tablet or phone?
I just ordered a hardcover book to try to get back into reading, because I read one novel in the past year. I also have saxophone and music books, but I didn't read any of them all the way through in any given time. An author friend gives me books, none of which I have gotten far into. It's a little like giving a musician music. It doesn't always work out.
- Fiction, non-fiction, saxophone or music only, cheap detective novels, sci-fi, romance, western, mystery, self-help, cooking?
- Novels, anthologies, essay collections, tech manuals (like books about Photoshop and such)?
I just ordered a hardcover book to try to get back into reading, because I read one novel in the past year. I also have saxophone and music books, but I didn't read any of them all the way through in any given time. An author friend gives me books, none of which I have gotten far into. It's a little like giving a musician music. It doesn't always work out.
Do you read books?
40 votes total
146 Replies
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6913 views
Cafe Moderator
Commercial
Playing the saxophone What are the most common problems. Either for yourself or students if you teach?
I know what mine are (or were) what about yours?
Originally I think it was tuning but I probably wasn’t aware - which is another problem in itself.
Another one was finding my playing was inconsistent so it was difficult sometimes to pin down issues.
Originally I think it was tuning but I probably wasn’t aware - which is another problem in itself.
Another one was finding my playing was inconsistent so it was difficult sometimes to pin down issues.
choose up to 4 common problems you have experienced, either you or your students?
16 votes total
24 Replies
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440 views
Tone or Sound subtone
is subtone supposed to be achieved by moving the bottom lip lower on the reed to dampen the sound? or is it achieved by just lowering/widening the airstream and keeping the embrochure the same?
found you can achieve a subtone by doing both but am not sure if one or the other is better, or if they can both be done interchangably. also i find doing the former (dampening the reed by moving the bottom of the lip lower on the reed) makes the sound slightly more thin and muffled than doing the latter variation of subtone.
found you can achieve a subtone by doing both but am not sure if one or the other is better, or if they can both be done interchangably. also i find doing the former (dampening the reed by moving the bottom of the lip lower on the reed) makes the sound slightly more thin and muffled than doing the latter variation of subtone.
16 Replies
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381 views
So given September marks the start of Autumn, let’s have a tune that amazingly hasn’t been done yet: Autumn Leaves!
It’s a great standard for learning to improvise, with a beautiful melody demonstrating great voice leading and relatively easy harmony to understand.
Some classic recordings:
View: https://youtu.be/tguu4m38U78?is=6zKX4L-i3egwzieu
View: https://youtu.be/by4Cr3kPNPg?is=7mN5sI0y4w-9HHm5
View: https://youtu.be/a-I1jHokbl8?is=9k6tPG-7yT_3UwdP
View: https://youtu.be/Gsz3mrnIBd0?is=Aeu-S8IXURB0I9Xf
And Eva Cassidy also did an amazing interpretation of the song, showing just where you can take it:
View: https://youtu.be/xXBNlApwh0c?is=HPckcaa_NhYsKS4l
I’ll post lead sheets and so on shortly; tons of backing tracks available on YouTube etc.
It’s a great standard for learning to improvise, with a beautiful melody demonstrating great voice leading and relatively easy harmony to understand.
Some classic recordings:
And Eva Cassidy also did an amazing interpretation of the song, showing just where you can take it:
I’ll post lead sheets and so on shortly; tons of backing tracks available on YouTube etc.
27 Replies
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2289 views
Tech/maintenance Lacquer polish
I have been using Meguiars Cleaner/Wax for what seems like decades. I first learned of it from guitar builders that used it for final touches on boutique guitars with nitro finishes. I have not yet tried the next-gen ceramic-based automotive products. What do you use on your concours cars and fine guitars? @PigSquealer @Phil
35 Replies
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631 views
Miscellaneous watches
Before I subscribe a forum about watches, where I will realize that only expensive pieces made in 1962-63 are worth wearing,
is anyone knowledgeable about automatic watches and straps?
is anyone knowledgeable about automatic watches and straps?
885 Replies
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29651 views
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