Saxophones Is it still gas if you...

[Lorraine]

buy another sax? Or is that something else??
Either way I'd like to introduce the latest edition to my sax family.

I know very little about it - its a Beaugnier Seriel No: J6588 1930s? - weighty horn for an alto so nice warm tone again. Not a patch on the Weltklang for tone and sound but a much easier instrument for for me to play and a bit quieter so can play when the neighbours are in! I need a different mouthpiece though. I have a Selmer C* with a 2.5 Rico reed at the mo but the air feels restricted, I would prefer a mouthpiece with a wider tip and which is going to create a brighter sound. I find the alto mouthpiece a bit small for my gob!
So any suggestions on a brighter and wider mouthpiece appreciated.
Thanks
Lorraine

 

[Nick Wyver]

weighty horn for an alto so nice warm tone again.

The heavier the sax the warmer the tone? How does that work then?

 

[BUMNOTE]

Hi Lorraine,the mouthpiece you have in your foto does look on the large size...is it strawberry or vanilla,nice loking sax,enjoy.Bumnote.

 

[dexdex]

The common mouthpiece reference on alto would be Meyer, or one of it's many "emulations". Vandoren's V16 series are very nice moderately bright alto mouthpieces, reasonably priced, consistent manufacturing, good availability. They come in 2 chamber sizes and usual tip openings. You could also give Selmer's alto mps a try. The Super Session model is quite punchy.

 

[Jules]

The common mouthpiece reference on alto would be Meyer, or one of it's many "emulations". Vandoren's V16 series are very nice moderately bright alto mouthpieces, reasonably priced, consistent manufacturing, good availability. They come in 2 chamber sizes and usual tip openings. You could also give Selmer's alto mps a try. The Super Session model is quite punchy.

I agree with our Swiss collegue....

 

[Nick Wyver]

I'm sure I've seen that before. Is it one of Rupert's?

 

[Jules]

Is it one of Rupert's?

'S got to be.....

 

[Lorraine]

The heavier the sax the warmer the tone? How does that work then?

Hi Nick,

I didn't mean that. I like a warm thick (some say dull) sound and my tenor and alto are both heavier than most other saxes and they both have a thick warm tone which I like. I haven't tried many tenors/altos but those I have are much lighter(thinner metal) and have a harsher (to me) piercing tone. Maybe its specious reasoning, maybe the saxes I tried weren't that good quality (new and around £1000 mark for tenors), dunno - still learning.
Anyway - the alto does have warm tone to it not the harsh sound I got from my first alto which sounded so bad that it put me off them.

My playing isn't brill but I will put something up soon so people can hear them (if anyones' interested)!

Yes Meyer mouthpiece was recommended to me as well, thanks dexdex. I have got a Berg Larsen and a Jody Jazz to try out for the weekend.
One of Ruperts, yes - he said he'd only had it in a few weeks tho.

Cheers
L

 

[Justin Chune]

You could try playing a Rico#2 reed instead of the 2.5 as it could be the reed that's restricting the air for you.

Writing in the CASS magazine some time ago Michelle Gringras then Professor of Clarinet and Saxophone Studies at Miami University observed that most of her saxophone students changed from Yamaha to Selmer to get the darker sound. The reason for the darker sound was put down to the heavier gauge brass used by Selmer, and not some magic. Her students also thought the Selmers were harder to play.

Jim.

 

[Lorraine]

You could try playing a Rico#2 reed instead of the 2.5 as it could be the reed that's restricting the air for you.

Jim.

Oh - that's interesting because I moved up from because the 2 seemed too soft and I kept squishing it against the mouthpiece.

 

[jonf]

That's a nice loking sax.

I'd move away from the Selmer C*. I always find they're like blowing through a sock. My favourite mainstream (ie, findable) alto piece is a Yani metal 7. Very versatile. My mouthpiece of choice is a metal Oleg Maestro, but they're as rare as rocking horse poo.

 

[kevgermany]

Hen's teeth Jon, Hen's teeth - remember you're talking to a lady!

 

[kevgermany]

Enjoy. I agree on the wider tip. Soloists are nice as well, but a lot of resistance. Love my Morgan.

 

[Nick Wyver]

The reason for the darker sound was put down to the heavier gauge brass used by Selmer, and not some magic.

Not the fact that they're completely different saxophones then?

 

[jonf]

Hen's teeth Jon, Hen's teeth - remember you're talking to a lady!

It could have been worse........

 

[kevgermany]

It could have been worse........

I was expecting this to be a lot worse;}

 

[Tobes]

You could try playing a Rico#2 reed instead of the 2.5 as it could be the reed that's restricting the air for you.

Writing in the CASS magazine some time ago Michelle Gringras then Professor of Clarinet and Saxophone Studies at Miami University observed that most of her saxophone students changed from Yamaha to Selmer to get the darker sound. The reason for the darker sound was put down to the heavier gauge brass used by Selmer, and not some magic. Her students also thought the Selmers were harder to play.

Jim.

Interesting...I find the Yani's a tad darker than the Yamahas - compared a Custom Tenor Z to a top level Yani tenor, and a YAS62 to equivalent similar level Yani alto. I found the Yani tenor darker than my Mauriat also. Great horns

 

[aldevis]

The heavier the sax the warmer the tone? How does that work then?

It also depends on the finish and on the resonators' weight

Enjoy. I agree on the wider tip. Soloists are nice as well, but a lot of resistance. Love my Morgan.

Morgan is agood alternative to meyer, keeping its style. Maybe you could annoy Rupert trying some pieces (he might even still have a JJ HR of mine for sale)

buy another sax? Or is that something else??

Yes. it is a wonderful gas attack.

 

[TomMapfumo]

If you are looking for a brighter sounding mouthpiece with a wider tip then possibly a 6 or 6* would be a good size and perhaps a 2 reed would be fine with that.

The Vandoren V16, Meyer and Jody Jazz will be brighter, certainly, and I've played the Vandoren, which I liked best of the 3. There are other Meyer type mouthpieces out there which are generally better made - Morgan Vintage, Ponzol Vintage, Ed Pillinger and many custom pieces esp in the US. Phil-Tone Aurora and Mouthpiece Cafe NYC are superb. Howarths has a Lomax NY and LA at reduced prices, as well as the Ponzol & Morgan Vintage mouthpieces too.

I rate the Ponzol Vintage above the Vandoren V16, having had 2 of both over the years. Now I would probably choose the Morgan Vintage.

Hope this helps
Tom

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[Lorraine]

Hen's teeth Jon, Hen's teeth - remember you're talking to a lady!

Lady? Ha! ))))