Frnic
Senior Member
- Messages
- 32
- Locality
- Florida
I started playing saxophone 60 years ago, and then after about 10 years I took a little break for about 50 years...
I started up again a couple days ago when I brandy new Jean Paul AS400 arrived. My embouchure is none existent, my lungs aren't happy about 45 years of smoking. But, what the heck, might as well give it a shot, I really enjoyed playing the sax.
At this point (two days in) I am just playing long tones and doing embouchure exercises until I can come close to hitting the note I am aiming at.
I have been having a bit of fun trying to get low Bb and C to start smoothly/cleanly. I am using a Yamaha 4c mouth piece and rico 2.5 reeds. They are not bad, considering my bottom lip resembles whipped cream trying to put "firm" pressure on the reed.
Today I received a new reed I thought I would try - the "“FiberCarbon Onyx” Fiberreed" (link below). Hmm, how should I characterize it? ... hmm, how about WOW!
It is an expensive reed for sure - with shipping it was $28 - for one reed! But, man oh man, if you are a beginner like me, this reed is amazing. Extremely easy to blow. Running down the C major scale - all the notes sang out clean and smooth - all the way to low Bb and it even didn't hesitate. I was shocked. Seriously, I tied it Bb and C a few more times and it was smooth as silk every time.
On the top end, the last couple notes were a little tight, it played, but they were trying to screech!. Through out the rest of the registers it was a pleasure to play.
I am still too new (again) to talk about tone yet. For me it was acceptable - clear and smooth, but who knows what it will sound like when I embouchure firms up.
From the reviews I have read this reed should last a year or more. If that is true, then while it may be expensive up front, over a year it could easily pay for itself.
I will try to post a video comparing it to my Rico's in the next few days if I can figure out how to get my condenser mic running.
I started up again a couple days ago when I brandy new Jean Paul AS400 arrived. My embouchure is none existent, my lungs aren't happy about 45 years of smoking. But, what the heck, might as well give it a shot, I really enjoyed playing the sax.
At this point (two days in) I am just playing long tones and doing embouchure exercises until I can come close to hitting the note I am aiming at.
I have been having a bit of fun trying to get low Bb and C to start smoothly/cleanly. I am using a Yamaha 4c mouth piece and rico 2.5 reeds. They are not bad, considering my bottom lip resembles whipped cream trying to put "firm" pressure on the reed.
Today I received a new reed I thought I would try - the "“FiberCarbon Onyx” Fiberreed" (link below). Hmm, how should I characterize it? ... hmm, how about WOW!
It is an expensive reed for sure - with shipping it was $28 - for one reed! But, man oh man, if you are a beginner like me, this reed is amazing. Extremely easy to blow. Running down the C major scale - all the notes sang out clean and smooth - all the way to low Bb and it even didn't hesitate. I was shocked. Seriously, I tied it Bb and C a few more times and it was smooth as silk every time.
On the top end, the last couple notes were a little tight, it played, but they were trying to screech!. Through out the rest of the registers it was a pleasure to play.
I am still too new (again) to talk about tone yet. For me it was acceptable - clear and smooth, but who knows what it will sound like when I embouchure firms up.
From the reviews I have read this reed should last a year or more. If that is true, then while it may be expensive up front, over a year it could easily pay for itself.
I will try to post a video comparing it to my Rico's in the next few days if I can figure out how to get my condenser mic running.
Fiberreed Synthetic Saxophone Reeds
Here is the Fiberreed saxophone reeds line-up of all the dofferent models, including the Carbon Onyx and the Copper Carbon synthetic reeds
www.howtoplaysaxophone.org