Beginner A funny thing happened last night....

lennieh · Mar 14, 2014

So I got my new (old) tenor ( Yani T800) on Tuesday, it came without a mouthpiece so I bought a new Yani metal 8 (101) - I thought I was getting a 7 but the guy had made a mistake with his stock, and I bought a s/h Yani metal 6 (85) on ebay as well in case I couldn't blow the bigger mpc.

So I've been alternating between the two each night, trying out different reeds etc. What's weird is that no matter which one I play first, the other one is squeaky as hell when I switch, but this is probably my embouchure getting worn out....

Yesterday I got another ebay mouthpiece, a Berg Larsen for my Alto, so I spent an hour or so playing with that, much better than the Selmer S80 C I was using.

I then switched to tenor, carefully assembling it using the new Yani mpc, I hate the ligature btw it's a real tight fit, incredibly fiddly to get it on & get the reed straight. Anyway, I finally got everything hooked up and thought I'd just blow a nice easy G, nothing, total silence. I tried blowing harder, softer, everything in between, moved the mpc further in and out again, I couldn't believe that playing alto for an hour had messed me up so much for playing tenor....

Close to tears, I was just about to try the other mpc or go back to the alto, when a light bulb clicked on in my head. I removed the neck and pulled out the lovely furry blue pad saver.....

The moral of the story is that sometimes you can blame your equipment 🙂

ProfJames · Mar 14, 2014

Jeanette · Mar 14, 2014

Thanks for sharing

Jx

MandyH · Mar 14, 2014

Always good to learn such lessons early on - I was playing in a concert when, during the first large ensemble piece I realised that none of the bell notes were sounding on my Bari. Since we were about to play a smaller ensemble piece, where I had loads of bottom notes, followed by a quartet piece, where I started with a solo, in the bell-notes region, I decided that I must have a problem with my reed, and duly changed it.

Still struggling to get any bell notes, I called over the ensemble conductor (also my teacher) and as she approached to a look at my sax, I realised that I had left the quilted bag that I put my spectacles, a pencil, spare reeds etc down the bell.
So in front of the whole audience I had to pull out a green floral quilted bag!

The Sax sounded beautiful after that :rofl:

Jamesmac · Mar 14, 2014

On a serious note, some of us tend to blame ourselves for an inadequate technique, or something not quite working out, but sometimes if we take a step back, we find it is equipment related. I think it is the need to feel we have to suffer to progress, and if something comes to easy, we think we are cheating.🙂

saxyman · Mar 14, 2014

You are not the first, and probably not the last to do exactly that.
Good to hear you owning up to it.
:clapping:

U CAN CALL ME AL · Mar 14, 2014

Reading Mandy's post I was reminded of a dificult practice session with the big band. It wasn't 'til the interval that I noticed that I'd replaced the empty neck sack in the bell after setting up. Whoops!

Colin the Bear · Mar 14, 2014

1st check equipment. 2nd Check self 3rd Blame drummer

Taz · Mar 14, 2014

After playing one of my first ever gigs, I tipped the moisture out of my sax only to see a packet of reeds, a pull through and a stick of cork grease tumble onto the floor in front of the guitarist who was a real perfectionist!

Don't beat yourself up about making silly mistakes, just laugh about it and prepare yourself for the next one :rofl:

Tenor Viol · Mar 14, 2014

Been there - wind band, grotty sound - at interval check instrument, ah the pull-through and a duster stuffed into the bell...

old git · Mar 15, 2014

Hanson ST8 sitting there in all its silver and gold glory. Thought I'd better see if I can get a sound out of it now I've blown all that loot on it.. Nowt, nix, booger all.

Mouthpiece on upside down.😳😳😳

stefank · Mar 15, 2014

A dry reed will do it. Last Sunday (hot, outdoor gig) I picked up the tenor after the first after the first song (flute) and nothing came out. Not a note, and it was working perfectly well 10 minutes before. So I told the other half of the horn section (trumpet) "keep going", quickly got the reed off, sucked on it a bit and had it working for the end of the song when it was really needed. Stuff (and the like) happens.

kevgermany · Mar 15, 2014

stefank said:
A dry reed will do it. Last Sunday (hot, outdoor gig) I picked up the tenor after the first after the first song (flute) and nothing came out. Not a note, and it was working perfectly well 10 minutes before. So I told the other half of the horn section (trumpet) "keep going", quickly got the reed off, sucked on it a bit and had it working for the end of the song when it was really needed. Stuff (and the like) happens.

Cue endorsements for plastic reeds...

stefank · Mar 15, 2014

kevgermany said:
Cue endorsements for plastic reeds...

I've never tried any except fibracells (of which I've got eight or nine) but I've never taken to them.

Pyrografix · Mar 15, 2014

Yep, I've done something similar in more than one lesson (some people take longer to learn from their mistakes!) - sounds a bit stuffy, struggle with lower notes and then nothing below D - Hey Presto, remove stand/pullthrough from bell! Laugh it off then do it again a few months later.