Tone or Sound Phew! Finally…. 10 years later

[MarkSax]

Oh joy!! 😀 Finally after 10 years of daily practice I’ve been able to hold throughout the past week a tone that I like, that sounds good all round, and that I can reproduce day after day. Was it that I found the right mpc/reed combo for my saxes? Was it that I delacquered my black lacquered tenor and found myself with an ugly sax but a nice tone? Dunno. All I know is 10 years, 4 lessons from a pro (still need to see a pro in my area that I can’t find time for) and 6 or 7 saxes later, I found my…peace. Will it last?
Noobs! Keep practicing. It does pay off, eventually.

 

[Ivan]

Was it that I found the right mpc/reed combo for my saxes? Was it that I delacquered my black lacquered tenor and found myself with an ugly sax but a nice tone?

Was it that you had your ears syringed?

 

[MarkSax]

Was it that you had your ears syringed?

Could use the wax on the sax for a nice patina, SC RAW style!

 

[cappers]

Noobs! Keep practicing. It does pay off, eventually.

Well done @MarkSax

As an old noob I doubt I've got another 10 years left to perfect my sound!
I practice a couple of hours per day plus two hours extra per week with band practice but that's not enough.

Enjoy your peace

 

[Pete Thomas]

Was it that I found the right mpc/reed combo for my saxes?

Was it that I delacquered my black lacquered tenor and found myself with an ugly sax but a nice tone?

Both possible but unlikely, especially #2

I would like to think its the hard work and dedication that pays off

 

[MarkSax]

Both possible but unlikely, especially #2

I would like to think its the hard work and dedication that pays off

I definitely went through all the stages of elation when I got it right and total frustration when that tone I wanted was so elusive. Tried a lot of things, Cafe members’ advice was crucial.

 

[Jimmymack]

It could have been the mouthpiece all along.

 

[Colin the Bear]

Happy with your tone?
I'm never happy with my tone. I'm always looking for some little improvement. It's usually the best I can make it at the time.

Some venues are acoustically awful, some surprisingly good. Some ensembles are easier to blend with than others.

I think that if I'm ever satisfied, I'll go for a hearing test.

 

[MarkSax]

It could have been the mouthpiece all along.

The mpc/reed combo maybe. I’m using a Link STM NY, first with Rico Royal, VanD blue and V16s, and several others including plastic ones, varying strengths, never got a good enough tone. The tone I like now is with a VanD Java Green 2 1/2.

 

[MarkSax]

Happy with your tone?
I'm never happy with my tone. I'm always looking for some little improvement. It's usually the best I can make it at the time.

Some venues are acoustically awful, some surprisingly good. Some ensembles are easier to blend with than others.

I think that if I'm ever satisfied, I'll go for a hearing test.

I agree. I probably should have said ‘good enough’ tone. In the past 10 years I’ve had “playable” tones but never anything deep or fat or a decent subtone over the range of the tenor. I can now, more or less.

 

[MarkSax]

Well done @MarkSax

As an old noob I doubt I've got another 10 years left to perfect my sound!
I practice a couple of hours per day plus two hours extra per week with band practice but that's not enough.

Enjoy your peace

Keep at it. Great idea playing with others. I wish I’d done it sooner than I have. IMO it will give you feedback and you’ll avoid some of the downsides of practicing on your own all the time.

 

[atwl77]

That's just great... looks like I've still got at least another 8 more years to go...