Saxophones Re: Saxophone Technique Replication.

[Smoky Progg]

Hello, I was wondering about replicating a tenor sax player's sound, Makoto Aoyagi specifically his appearance on "Believin'" by Naniwa Express (his part starts at 1:24) I am relatively new to the tenor sax and this sounded cool so I started trying to replicate it... but I could never get it right. Any help would be appreciated! Thanks in advance!


BELIEVIN' (1).mp3

 

[wakyct]

If I were you I wouldn't tackle the whole solo. Have a go on eight or so bars, give it your best shot for a week, make a recording for posterity and move on. Whoever played on that didn't start the saxophone yesterday, and it's not realistic IMO to transcribe without a lot of time put in developing your sound.

 

[Tuppertn]

Practice, practice, practice. 😉 This is a journey, not a quick fix. Read this: Tone And Sound

TLDR (as the kids say): There are player elements, gear elements and studio elements all at play there.

Producing a bright tone like that requires a fast airstream and really good breath support. You generally reduce the volume of your oral cavity with your tongue and jaw position--i.e.: lots of air moving through a narrower space makes the airstream faster. Really focus the airstream into a laser beam. 80% of this is going to be you.

Gear elements include the mouthpiece, reed and horn selection. A sound like that is aided by a high baffle, medium to small chamber, duck-bill piece like a Guardala MB1 or Dukoff D (there are many others). The thin beak helps raise the jaw to reduce oral volume. The high baffle focuses the air into a narrower stream and helps create the overtones. A softer reed on a wider tip will also generally help produce more overtones. The horn...well, some horns are just brighter than others due to inherent design characteristics. I found some older videos of him playing but I can't tell for sure what he's playing. Looking at the bell brace, keywork and (albeit fuzzy) bell engraving it actually looks like a MkVII.

Studio elements like EQ and reverb are helping in there too.

 

[Pete Thomas]

A sound like that is aided by a high baffle, medium to small chamber, duck-bill piece like a Guardala MB1 or Dukoff D (there are many others).

I agree. But is not worth chasing the sound via the exact same set up, just that type of mouthpiece in general. But the other thing I like to try is introducing as slight hint of growl which can give the sound brightness, edge, grit whatever. Just enough to do that without it being an actual growl.

A softer reed on a wider tip will also generally help produce more overtones

Agreed, soft reed is good.

 

[mizmar]

In terms of practicing technique (given Kit issues above).
I'd put the track into a replay app that supports markers and loops and speed changing. Put a marker every couple of phrases. Pick a phrase and work on it; slow it down if necessary - Indeed in this case, I'd target the whole thing slower. As much as you can stand. Then the next phrase, then the two together. And so on... If you've managed a good chunk, slowly; then speed it up a click etc.
If there are specific effects you don't "get", maybe ask here.
You may or may not get it down... But you'll learn piles.

I do this for flute...

 

[Dr G]

I hear a tenor player with good embouchure, airstream, and air support. They play with intensity and the confidence that comes from years on the horn.

I enjoyed hearing this player. Thank you.

 

[Tuppertn]

As an aside, if you like that sound and style there's a local Colorado group called Dotsero that's been playing since about 1990.

Their second album, Jubilee, is the soundtrack to the memory of my high school summer trip to Telluride in 1991.

 

[Colin the Bear]

You might like Weather Report, Spyrogira, and Mezzoforte. Similar funky sounds.

Trying to recreate a studio sound on a naked saxophone may be impossible. You need the same studio using the same effects, the same mic, the same sound engineer, the same post production etc.

Practice 4 hours a day for a decade or two and your musicality, tone, intonation and dexterity will begin to appear. The annoying thing is, that try as you might, you'll always sound like you. 😉