Saxophones Me on my baritone. After a couple of weeks 🫣

[Punchysax]

Well here is me playing the Bari Iv been asking questions about, it’s taken me a few weeks to get a bit of confidence with it . It’s a work in progress , using an unbranded MP that come with it probably the original piece and a la,voz reed.
Any tips or advice please tell me..
It’s great fun I’m having a ball.

 

[Punchysax]

View: https://youtu.be/TTDp_B_y7j8

 

[mark_addy]

That sounds nice. On my baritone, I find the tuning around middle C is *very 'lip-able', whereas lower down it tends to be a bit more inflexible. So - if you are OK with a critical comment aiming to help - I wonder if you might try tuning it a bit lower down (where I think you might be a bit flat at the moment) and then stopping it going correspondingly sharp further up, by slackening your lip. That's what I have to do on mine, anyway. I think that would put your mouthpiece in quite a way (from your video) so it might be your backing track is a bit sharp, or it might not - some messing with a cheapo tuner might be worth a go. I have a clip-on guitar tuner which works on anything, and it was about 4 quid delivered (!) - they can be handy to work out where you are compared to 440Hz. Anyway - well done so far! cheers, Mark

 

[Punchysax]

Thank you yes I’m struggling with the low down notes not sure if I’m running out of air or not blowing hard enough as I mainly play alto.
That back track is in eflat for,my alto I assume as both eflat horns can use the alto backing track?
Thanks again

 

[mark_addy]

Yes, you can use the same music for both (I play alto as well). I meant that if you were to push your mouthpiece in on the cork, it would (from what I can see on your video) be a *long way in - and that might mean that your backing track is a bit sharp compared to concert pitch. It happens occasionally with some recordings - so some kind of electronic tuner (or even a good old tuning fork) to check is sometimes worthwhile. If you push the mouthpiece on too far, it'll be really hard to keep in tune - the flexibility given us with the neck cork only stretches so far, after which our lip is insufficient to deal with the fact that all the holes on the instrument are now in the wrong place!

 

[Punchysax]

Oh ok I thought pushing it on not enough did that , I will try and have a fiddle, it’s great fun though the Bari lov the deep tone also like starting out again which adds to the fun. It’s a old horn so maybe out of tune , just serviced the tech reckons could be anywhere between 30, to the 40,s think it’s a Borgani stencil from my previous posts and questions , it’s a lovely old thing though.

 

[mark_addy]

Mine is from 1918. I am rather jealous of your ability to go above top Eb 🙂

 

[Punchysax]

.

Mine is from 1918. I am rather jealous of your ability to go above top Eb 🙂

☺️☺️☺️☺️☺️

 

[Colin the Bear]

The thing with baritone is to blow more volume of air through the horn, not harder.

To tune match long tube overtones to short tube fingerings.

A decent mouthpiece will make things easier. No need to go mad. A Yamaha C5 won't break the bank.

Having said that, your clip got better as it progressed. Nice vibrato in places.

Practice and it will come. Baritone is Boss.

 

[lydian]

Love you tone. Just follow Mark's advice on intonation, and you'll be on your way.

 

[Digger2054]

The thing with baritone is to blow more volume of air through the horn, not harder.

^^ This ^^

It sounds like an oxymoron but isn't! more volume, rather than faster/harder. Squeeze out right from the belly.

For low notes, think of 'huh', nice open throat, lots of air pressure, and rejoice at the beautiful bass booming from the horn... it's very addictive.

Thanks for sharing your recording

 

[Pete Thomas]

Any tips or advice please tell me..
It’s great fun I’m having a ball.

Basically a very good tone, please forgive me for not following exactly what stage you are at. My critique would be similar to much of the above - more air for the big Bari beast.

In places it sounds like you are taking a breath where it might be better to let the phrase flow.

Ideally develop your breathing physically with exercises (both breathing and physical such as swimming or running if that’s possible)

Once you have a bit more breath you’ll be able to play longer phrases.

 

[Punchysax]

Thank you all for the comments yes the Bari is very very addictive , to be honest I’m really enjoying the horn. The tenor and alto are now sulking as the Baritone will be getting the majority of the play time as I love the tone , feel and also the learning . I have been playing for about 10 years now mainly self taught on alto and tenor then getting the Bari I felt like a fish out of water. I was debating getting modern Bari but glad I got an old dented one as it’s quite charming and growing on me everyday .☺️☺️

 

[JayeNM]

Horn sounds nice, leak-free.

Bari can be addictive. It was the sax voice which spoke to me immediately first time I played one. Granted I came from low brass and bass, so maybe that was inevitable.

You are doing a good job for early experience with it. I concur with other comments here, intonation on some notes can be improved probably, and keep practicing breath support to get an even volume and sound to the notes.

 

[Pete Effamy]

Another one here for liking your tone and vibrato. Sounds like you are choking (biting the reed against the mouthpiece closed) at times - but I think that's an easy fix as I think you're only doing it to counter being flat. Generally flat. So push on a fair bit and then you can relax that embouchure again (even more) and gain an even better, more open sound.
+1 for 15 - 20% more air.