Accessories Saxophone Warmer

MandyH · Oct 19, 2012

OK, so some lateral thinking going on here.....
Tomorrow, I will be playing in a concert with Worcestershire Saxophone Ensemble (Bosbury Church, 7.30pm) and I will be playing all 3 of my saxophones.
I play Alto in the first set, but then Tenor and Bari in the second set.
Since it's in a church, there is a risk that my Bari will be horribly flat compared to everyone else, who will already have played their instruments for the whole session.
I got to thinking about ways to pre-heat my Bari, and came up with two possibilities - 1) employ my daughter (who plays clarinet, and therefore I trust her with my Bari) to blow down the Bari while I play the Tenor, or 2) create some sort of sax warmer.

Unfortunately number 1 option is scuppered by the fact that said daughter is performing in the last night of a 7 night run of The Boyfriend (Ledbury Market Theatre).

So number 2 option is formulating in my mind...
If I made on of those microwaveable bean-bag style warmes to put in the full length of the bell of my Bari, then close the whole thing inside the Bari case for as long as possible, do you think it would work?

I can see this as being an advantage in future no matter where I play, as invariably, the Bari is colder and flatter than any other instrument.

Do you think it would work?
I could knock one up this afternoon to try it.

MellowD · Oct 19, 2012

I think it would work. My dearly departed mother in law made me some, and then she made up some small pocket sized ones for me to give to my police friends to have in their pockets when walking the beat. Amazingly they can retain the heat for quite some time. Perhaps if you keep them in a thermal bag of some kind while travelling? Thinking you may not actually have access to a microwave where-ever you are performing?

Frankly, I think this is a cheap and easy thing to try out and I'd be amazed if it doesn't work wonders.

The other alternative is that you warm them up during the interval before the second set, but then you personally don't get the break :-((

BigMartin · Oct 19, 2012

Ignore me if I'm just stating the obvious, but...

Trouble with saxes, of course is they're made of metal and lose heat rather easily. So I'm not convinced your bean-bag would make much difference. By the time you set up the sax it would be cold again. (Unless you got it quite hot to start with, and I don't think you want to do that.) Of course, the good news is that they also gain heat easily. I've had good results in cold rooms by just fingering a low Bb (or A) and blowing gently through the horn, being careful not to produce a note or a squeak. Do this every time you've not been playing for a couple of minutes. Can't do it if you have to make quick changes, of course, but then the bean bag wouldn't help either.

kevgermany · Oct 19, 2012

I don't think it'll work too well either - the heat's needed in the body tube and pigtail/neck as well. Maybe there's room in the case for something along/over the body tube...

Merryfisher · Oct 19, 2012

sympathasize with this one, if you find a solution would be good to know

i do 4 tunes with a Pink Floyd tribute band, the first one being @ the end of the first set...in the larger venues the horn can be warmed up back stage in the dressing room prior to stepping on stage to do the solo. however, smaller venues where there is no where to hide (except the gents room) not so good... after all, you want the horn @ it's best from word go

but not sure there is solution other then to 'man up' and get on with it i guess :w00t:

aldevis · Oct 19, 2012

Tune it sharp. At the end of the first tune you should be able to put it back on the correct position.

QWales · Oct 19, 2012

A pocket warmer from your local camping shop?

BigMartin · Oct 19, 2012

QWales said:
A pocket warmer from your local camping shop?

Very useful for your fingers if it's really cold.

MandyH · Oct 19, 2012

BigMartin said:
Ignore me if I'm just stating the obvious, but...

Trouble with saxes, of course is they're made of metal and lose heat rather easily. So I'm not convinced your bean-bag would make much difference. By the time you set up the sax it would be cold again. (Unless you got it quite hot to start with, and I don't think you want to do that.) Of course, the good news is that they also gain heat easily. I've had good results in cold rooms by just fingering a low Bb (or A) and blowing gently through the horn, being careful not to produce a note or a squeak. Do this every time you've not been playing for a couple of minutes. Can't do it if you have to make quick changes, of course, but then the bean bag wouldn't help either.

I was thinking of leaving the bean bag in the sax once set up, until I need to pick up said sax, but I take on board what you are saying.

I can blow down the tenor during the interval, as it is used first in the 2nd half, but the Bari will just have to be played from pretty cold, unless, I can stand it under the gas heater on the ceiling of the church!

jbtsax · Oct 19, 2012

If you have access to an electrical outlet, why not take an extension cord and an electric blanket to wrap the bari in. An electric heating pad inside the case might work as well. Be careful not to have the setting at its highest level as you might open the case and find some pads have fallen out of the cups. If you leave your Buffet R13 clarinet in its black case on the back seat of a car on a hot sunny day for several hours, the glue holding the pads will turn to liquid and make an unbelievable mess of the case and the clarinet.

Don't ask me how I know this. ;}

gladsaxisme · Oct 20, 2012

Tell them to turn the heat up in the church

jazzdoh · Oct 20, 2012

aldevis said:
Tune it sharp. At the end of the first tune you should be able to put it back on the correct position.

This is what i do if the sax is cold and standing about,just push the mpc on a bit more then back it off when its warmed up.

Brian

AndyWhiteford · Oct 22, 2012

I'd pour a little lighter fluid down the bell, then throw in a match 30 seconds before you start playing it,
should be a quite spectacular way of warming it up. >:)

Stand well clear as the flames gush briefly from the bell and out the mouthpiece, of course.😱

aldevis · Oct 22, 2012

AndyWhiteford said:
I'd pour a little lighter fluid down the bell, then throw in a match 30 seconds before you start playing it,
should be a quite spectacular way of warming it up.
Stand well clear as the flames gush briefly from the bell and out the mouthpiece, of course.😱

Here is the flute version

MandyH · Oct 22, 2012

Which reminds me....somewhere I have a video that I took near Soho in the summer of a man playing a flaming euphonium (or similar shaped brass instrument, I'm not good on my brass).....must up load it and share it sometime!