Re: Is there anybody out there who knows what I mean by an instrumen'st feeling alive
I've played a Selmer VI that you couldn't even feel under your fingers. The action was so light and responsive it played as if it wasn't there.
I've blown a Yanni that the sound just seemed to ooze out of with the least bit of effort.
I've blown a Hanson that as soon as I blew it wanted to give it Bill Hayley rocking round the clock with the first note.
The Cannonball I tried had the richest, fullest, heartbreaking, blue moan I've ever felt from a saxophone.
The Yamaha felt like a magic flute. It could do anything I could and wanted me to carry on playing faster and faster like some charm was on me, skipping down the bebop road to madness.
I hear my old Lafleur calling from the cupboard on rainy days. I take it out to find it battered, scuffed and tired with a simple lumpy slow action. I find this strange as I always think of it as shiney and brand new like when I bought it. It still plays a good romantic ballad. My first love.
The old Apollo from East Germany will clunk out a good tune with rich low tones and fruity highs. There's so many bits of cork and felt missing these days it sounds like it has its own percussion section playing along.
I tried a Carmichael in a second hand shop I'd ducked into to get out of the rain. Interesting but no sale.
I tried a Startone in another second hand shop. Lovely action but completely out of tune. Purple it was too.
I don't think what you're looking for exists to be bought. It may be earned with diligence, patience and hard long practice, but even then it might turn out to be a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow.
I haven't stopped looking though and nor should you.
Meanwhile,
I play a Gear4music alto. Good enough and for real.
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