Saxophones Soprano - curiosity.....

[LisaP2026]

Currently learning alto but thinking about hiring a sop just to see what it's like but have a couple of questions.....

1) is sop more difficult to play than an alto?

2) have heard that they are more prone to going out of tune - is this the case?

3) would you recommend a straight or a curvie to try?

Or would you suggest sticking with the alto until more competent......?

 

[LostCircuits]

Thanks @LostCircuits - I already have an alto (G4M), wanting to try a sop as well hence looking at a G4M sop at sub-£200...

I know but you were looking for info on Vinal saxophones and my point was that if somebody has to hi-light the fact that it can play down to Bb, it reflects on the instrument and the make, just not in a good way. If the sop even slightly similar, it'll be money out the window.

 

[LisaP2026]

I know but you were looking for info on Vinal saxophones and my point was that if somebody has to hi-light the fact that it can play down to Bb, it reflects on the instrument and the make, just not in a good way. If the sop even slightly similar, it'll be money out the window.

Ah, OK - I misunderstood your post....think I will give this one a miss and look more seriously at the G4M instead (or perhaps this one: https://www.ukmusicgear.com/product/sakkusu-curved-soprano-saxophone-deluxe/ ?)

 

[LostCircuits]

The same vendor sells an authentic Italian Rampone & Cazzani at an almost 95% discounted price. I think I'll buy half a dozen.

 

[dexdex]

Sorry to live so far away. You’d be welcome to try both a straight YSS-475 and a curved SC-880, and even borrow either, as I currently play another soprano. Or rent it for some peppermint Aero bars, exact amount to be defined. We’re an hour drive from Geneva airport, Switzerland.

 

[Wonko]

Ah, OK - I misunderstood your post....think I will give this one a miss and look more seriously at the G4M instead (or perhaps this one: https://www.ukmusicgear.com/product/sakkusu-curved-soprano-saxophone-deluxe/ ?)

If you want to buy a Sakkusu sax, you'd better go to this shop (it's their house brand, meaning they "own" the brand)
If you look at the curved sop, it's £649.00 on their site......

Sakkusu - Curved Soprano Saxophone - Deluxe

Following the success of our premium range ‘Sakkusu Deluxe’ instruments, we have answered the calls of our customers and extended the range to curved and straight sopranos. These models are incredible value for money with solid construction, comfortable key layout, constant intonation and a...

sax.co.uk

I got myself a 2nd-hand Rampone & Cazzani “R1 Jazz Curved Soprano Saxophone – Gold Plated” a little over a year ago. It was a steal at a little over € 2000
The site you mention has the same sax at Less than 300!
At that price, I think that the Rampone factory should buy them over there rather than producing the saxes themselves….
........
In other words, somebody should report that site to the proper authorities, it’s a scam!

 

[LisaP2026]

When I saw they are also advertising a sakkusu straight sop for about £80, even with my limited knowledge, I thought it was too good to be true!! How are they allowed to get away with this.....??

 

[Wonko]

When I saw they are also advertising a sakkusu straight sop for about £80, even with my limited knowledge, I thought it was too good to be true!! How are they allowed to get away with this.....??

They are not "allowed to get away with this", they are outside the law.
It's clearly aimed at the UK market, but if you look it up, the domain name is registered to a company in Iceland: ukmusicgear.com WHOIS Domain Name Lookup - Who.is
I just tried to see if I can report this as a scam website, but on the Iclandic site, I have to log on using an Icelandic ID-card. And I can't find any other sites to report this kind of scam.
Is there anybody here who has some experience in reporting this kind of stuff?

 

[progger]

That's also something I'm considering - who is the best to rent from?

If you're listing prices in GBP, I promise I won't be any help there... I'm halfway around the world from you. 🙂 Well, a third of the way, anyway.

 

[cappers]

The ukmusicgear.com site is a scam.
A few weeks ago I posted about woodwindandbrass.com which looks very similar and has the same IP registration (Kalkofnsvegur 2 Iceland) with same email bar the final identifier.

Yanagisawa SWO10 Straight Soprano Sax​

£214.64 (Original price was: £3,284.10.)

 

[LisaP2026]

Thanks for all the comments and suggestions so far - one more thing I need to take into account is carpal tunnel. As sops are (generally) lighter than altos and I have been diagnosed with moderate CTS in both wrists (from too much computer work over the years;- thanks work!!), I am thinking that a sop would be worth a go so as not to exacerbate the problem? Have others found this to be a better option?

 

[Dr G]

Thanks for all the comments and suggestions so far - one more thing I need to take into account is carpal tunnel. As sops are (generally) lighter than altos and I have been diagnosed with moderate CTS in both wrists (from too much computer work over the years;- thanks work!!), I am thinking that a sop would be worth a go so as not to exacerbate the problem? Have others found this to be a better option?

Talk to your physical therapist regarding holding your saxophone. Injuries such as yours need attention to position of hands and wrists so as to not exacerbate the injury and promote healing. The weight of your alto is of little consequence if you use a neck strap properly. I find that hand/wrist position is more relaxed on alto, even moreso on tenor. Soprano usually adds an extra rotation of the wrists, but that depends on how you choose to play it.

All in all, I suggest you learn to play what you have.

 

[Pete Thomas]

I find that hand/wrist position is more relaxed on alto, even moreso on tenor. Soprano usually adds an extra rotation of the wrists, but that depends on how you choose to play it.

(Straight) Soprano is generally harder on the wrists as it is usually payed without a strap so more weight is on your arms. Theoretically you could use a strap but that would result in the soprano pointing downwards out of your mouth which is not ideal for embouchure as it should be held more horizontally than vertically IMO.

 

[thomsax]

Thanks for all the comments and suggestions so far - one more thing I need to take into account is carpal tunnel. As sops are (generally) lighter than altos and I have been diagnosed with moderate CTS in both wrists (from too much computer work over the years;- thanks work!!), I am thinking that a sop would be worth a go so as not to exacerbate the problem? Have others found this to be a better option?

I guess you are playing for fun? In other words you don't play on stages in front of an audience. To play the saxophone is, more or less, a strain for you? Straight or curved soprano, alto, alto ..... .

Maybe a practice stand can help you? A friend is running "Saxofonskolan" up in Stockholm.

"Övningsstativ för saxofon". The bell of the sax is taking the weight.

Saxofonskolan – Du kan börja spela redan imorgon.

saxofonskolan.se

 

[turf3]

If you're concerned about the weight of an alto and its effect on your hands, you need to hike up on the strap so you're not trying to lift the thing up with your thumbs.

If you're concerned about the weight of a soprano and its effect on your hands (and you probably should be; straight sopranos are hell on the right thumb), you should be considering a curved soprano, which you play with a strap and the strap takes all the weight.

 

[LisaP2026]

If you're concerned about the weight of an alto and its effect on your hands, you need to hike up on the strap so you're not trying to lift the thing up with your thumbs.

If you're concerned about the weight of a soprano and its effect on your hands (and you probably should be; straight sopranos are hell on the right thumb), you should be considering a curved soprano, which you play with a strap and the strap takes all the weight.

I'm currently using a jazzlab sax holder pro with the alto and the adjustable part is as short as it will go which is just about the right length - this doesn't stop me getting achy hands/wrists though....?

I'm now torn between a straight (easier for maintenance according to Stephen Howard) or a curved (able to use a strap to take the weight)........hmm, what to do....?

 

[turf3]

I'm currently using a jazzlab sax holder pro with the alto and the adjustable part is as short as it will go which is just about the right length - this doesn't stop me getting achy hands/wrists though....?

I'm now torn between a straight (easier for maintenance according to Stephen Howard) or a curved (able to use a strap to take the weight)........hmm, what to do....?

Well, I don't know about the specific piece of kit you're using, I have always used neck straps.

But the horn is designed to hang from the strap. You adjust the angular position of the sax neck and the mouthpiece on the neck, and the height at which it hangs, so that when you are standing erect and comfortable, the mouthpiece enters your mouth at the right height, needing only light steering forces from the two thumbs.

Now if the horn's full of leaks and you're having to close the keys with a gorilla grip to eke out the notes, then that's what needs to be addressed. But the saxophone when fixtured as designed is one of the most ergonomically sound musical instruments there is, requiring very little in the way of contortions.

I would NOT take the fact that a curved soprano is slightly more fiddly to work on, as a reason not to pursue it. Anyone who regularly works on piccolos and oboes is experienced in working in far more confined spaces than a curved soprano. Just ignore that aspect of it.

I will say that on the few occasions I"ve played a curved soprano, my long arms feel somewhat confined - I know I'd have to spend some time to adapt and get comfortable. (I'm 5'9" tall, but 6' fingertip to fingertip). But that will be an individual thing, and one would need to spend sufficient time with the horn before deciding whether or not it's an actual issue. Ten minutes isn't sufficient.

 

[Dr G]

Be aware that straight sops (to appease Stephen - does he work on your horns?) exist with curved necks (for ease of ergos and to use a neck strap).

I'm 6'4" and prefer a one-piece bent-neck sop for many reasons.

I question whether that JazzLab is working properly for you.

 

[LostCircuits]

I'm currently using a jazzlab sax holder pro with the alto and the adjustable part is as short as it will go which is just about the right length - this doesn't stop me getting achy hands/wrists though....?

I'm now torn between a straight (easier for maintenance according to Stephen Howard) or a curved (able to use a strap to take the weight)........hmm, what to do....?

Sorry to correct you, @Stephen Howard clarified that it is not so much maintenance but repairs, especially body work that is easier on a straight. With respect to ergonomics and stress on your hands and arms, the best solution is a one piece, straight sop with a curved neck, saxello style or tipped bell, as mentioned earlier and also brought up by @Dr G .

Saxholder on soprano? Or in general, if you are getting achy hands and arms, try to adjust your posture in a way that minimizes the stress. There are countless Youtube videos or a good teacher may be able to give you pointers. And if the saxholder does not allow you to assume a comfortable position, get a regular strap or a harness to find out what works best for you. And once you have found that spot, you can see whether you can get the same "arrangement" with the saxholder.

I am getting a little bit the impression that you are caught up on certain words or expressions, which may or may not relate to what you are trying to accomplish.
- you want to learn how to play saxophone
- you are curious about sopranos and maybe you fell in love with them
- your experience with saxophones is overshaded by physical pain related to your daytime job but exacerbated by playing alto.

Take a step back, concentrate or focus on solving one problem first before adding a second one. I get it, you are very enthusiastic and I applaud you for that. But, not meaning to be rude, Athlete's foot does not qualify for the 100 m dash.

 

[Stephen Howard]

Sorry to correct you, @Stephen Howard clarified that it is not so much maintenance but repairs, especially body work that is easier on a straight. With respect to ergonomics and stress on your hands and arms, the best solution is a one piece, straight sop with a curved neck, saxello style or tipped bell, as mentioned earlier and also brought up by @Dr G .

Let's clarify this. What I actually said was "Straight sops are easier/cheaper to fix when they go wrong or get damaged."
Someone else paraphrased this and left out the 'damaged' bit. No probs, because I find that curvies are slightly faffier to service.
This was rather adeptly confirmed by JayNM who said:

"Way I figure it, servicing 10 straightforward Conns, Bundys, Yamahas, Jupes lickety-split makes up for me having to spend an extra hour or so on a curvy."

So there you go - looks like a curvy takes an extra hour or so to service. Which will cost more, obviously - unless you can find someone who isn't busy enough to give you an hour of so of their time for free. With that said, I feel an extra hour is taking the mickey somewhat - they aren't THAT difficult, just fiddly.

To the OP: If you have any sort of tendonitis or wrist issues at all, get a curvy. If you get a straight and it hurts your joints (which it very probably will) it'll end up stuffed in a forgotten corner.
You can test your tolerance with a simple 1.5 litre bottle of water. These weigh in at around 1.5kg...which is pretty much what a soprano weighs (give or take a couple of hundred grams). Find the balance point of the bottle and place your thumb under it...then hold the bottle about a foot away from your mouth - keeping the neck of the bottle pointed at your mouth. See how long it feels comfortable for. If you get muscle aches - that's fine, you can get used to that over time. If you get pain - it's a curvy for you. Try it over a week or so.

​

 

[Dr G]

To the OP: If you have any sort of tendonitis or wrist issues at all, get a curvy. If you get a straight and it hurts your joints (which it very probably will) it'll end up stuffed in a forgotten corner.
You can test your tolerance with a simple 1.5 litre bottle of water. These weigh in at around 1.5kg...which is pretty much what a soprano weighs (give or take a couple of hundred grams). Find the balance point of the bottle and place your thumb under it...then hold the bottle about a foot away from your mouth - keeping the neck of the bottle pointed at your mouth. See how long it feels comfortable for. If you get muscle aches - that's fine, you can get used to that over time. If you get pain - it's a curvy for you. Try it over a week or so.

Now put a neck strap on the water bottle. Adjust it so you can drink without spilling water down your front or feeling pain in your hands or wrists. 😎

If you find that a straw is beneficial, get a bent-neck sop or a two-piece straight sop (use the bent neck).