Mouthpieces Which mouthpiece now?

[ArtyLady]

Hi all, On my TJ Rev II Tenor, I've gone from a Yam 4c to 5c (great low notes, rubbish high notes) to a Rico Royal Graftonite B5 which after a few months started squeaking so I got myself a Rico Royal Graftonite B7 for wider tip opening which solved the squeak and is easy to play with a soft reed, great for volume and gives a tone which I like; I'm even having some success with altissimo notes ........but my problem is now low notes from E downwards are taking a moment too long to speak for my liking and the sound on them isn't as stable as I'd like it to be, what should I be thinking of next that will give me a similar sound without the instability of the lower notes? I don't have a lot of money to spend but I do need to sort it out!

Any ideas or advice would be gratefully received

 

[Nick Wyver]

🙂))🙂))🙂))🙂))🙂))

Oh, sorry.


More practice.


GAS never cured anything.


Trust me. I've been there.

 

[ArtyLady]

🙂))🙂))🙂))🙂))🙂))

Oh, sorry.


More practice.


GAS never cured anything.


Trust me. I've been there.

Really? thats good!🙂 if it is just a case of persevering then I'm happier to do that rather than spend money!

Mind you I do play for 2 hours a day and it hasn't improved yet (first 10 minutes on long tones) do I just keep at it?

 

[BigMartin]

Long tones are good. Have you tried playing some overtones on the bottom notes? Sounds a bit paradoxical but learning to produce the overtones when you want them can also help you not produce them when you don't want. Also trying to match the sound you get when playing the overtone (usually a nice, rich sound as your using nearly the full length of the instrument) when you use the normal fingering for the same note can help with tone production generally. Works for me, anyway.

PS I have a graftonite B7 tenor and really like it.

 

[Nick Wyver]

do I just keep at it?

Silly question. Yes, of course. ;}




Mind you, spending money's nice.

 

[ArtyLady]

Long tones are good. Have you tried playing some overtones on the bottom notes? Sounds a bit paradoxical but learning to produce the overtones when you want them can also help you not produce them when you don't want. Also trying to match the sound you get when playing the overtone (usually a nice, rich sound as your using nearly the full length of the instrument) when you use the normal fingering for the same note can help with tone production generally. Works for me, anyway.

PS I have a graftonite B7 tenor and really like it.

Hi BigMartin, yes I can play overtones up to the high Bb (I should do more of them though!) and can also get a nice subtone but can't easily hold it - it breaks into the full note very easily, and as I say I can't always get the notes from E down to speak immediately, Sax is fine as recently serviced

What sax do you have? Could it be that the B7 just might not be compatible with mine?

 

[ArtyLady]

Silly question. Yes, of course. ;}




Mind you, spending money's nice.

I'm good at silly questions! Spending money would be nice if I had some! 🙂))

 

[Nick Wyver]

Oh gawd, perhaps I'll try and be intelligent for a minute (it's a struggle).

It's a trade off. You want good solid high notes? Easy to get a mouthpiece that'll do that. Downside is: your low notes will be harder. Want nice easy low notes? Easy to get a mouthpiece that'll do that. Downside is: your high notes will be somewhat lacking in oomph and overall volume will be down.

When you're relatively inexperienced this is the scenario you are faced with with. Which way to go? Well, Grasshopper, there is no easy way. The only way is enlightenment.

Whoops. Got carried away there.

In my vast years of (in)experience the one truth I have discovered is, "When in doubt, practise."

No mouthpiece does everything perfectly but any mouthpiece can be used to play anything.

Thus speaks a chap who owns at least £4000 worth of mouthpieces.

 

[BigMartin]

Hi BigMartin, yes I can play overtones up to the high Bb (I should do more of them though!) and can also get a nice subtone but can't easily hold it - it breaks into the full note very easily, and as I say I can't always get the notes from E down to speak immediately, Sax is fine as recently serviced

Hope I wasn't trying to teach you to suck eggs (I've only been playing for a year). Oh dear, now it sounds like I'm comparing you with my grandmother. I'll stop digging now.

What sax do you have? Could it be that the B7 just might not be compatible with mine?

A Rosedale (Gear4music's second-cheapest range). It's the only tenor I've spent serious time with so i couldn't compare.

 

[ArtyLady]

Oh gawd, perhaps I'll try and be intelligent for a minute (it's a struggle).

I know that feeling ;}

It's a trade off. You want good solid high notes? Easy to get a mouthpiece that'll do that. Downside is: your low notes will be harder. Want nice easy low notes? Easy to get a mouthpiece that'll do that. Downside is: your high notes will be somewhat lacking in oomph and overall volume will be down.

Yep I've heard that before......and it's great to have the high notes when gigging for maximum high up squealy stuff that impresses everyone 🙂))

When you're relatively inexperienced this is the scenario you are faced with with. Which way to go? Well, Grasshopper, there is no easy way. The only way is enlightenment.

Whoops. Got carried away there.

In my vast years of (in)experience the one truth I have discovered is, "When in doubt, practise."

Yes I suppose deep down I knew this, but it's good to hear someone with a lot of experience confirm it - I'll plod on patiently!

No mouthpiece does everything perfectly but any mouthpiece can be used to play anything.

Thus speaks a chap who owns at least £4000 worth of mouthpieces.

Do you use them all though?! ;}

 

[Andante cantabile]

Your practice schedule is commendable. There is no doubt that you will get there, no matter where "there" is. But it would be surprising if after one year of learning you did not still have problems with some of the notes. On the contrary, the more you practice, the more you can hear problem areas.

The advice given by the earlier posters should help you a great deal.

In another thread baritonesax more or less offered this advice: choose the mouthpiece that you like best, and stick with it.

 

[kevgermany]

Lots of good advice above.

I didn't go as far as a B7 on tenor with the graftonite, but did on alto. Great value for money and good pieces.

If the low notes aren't speaking cleanly, get the sax checked for leaks. A small leak can really mess up the low notes.

I found that reeds were important - and it was a trade-off between low and high notes. So I used the hardest I could and still get the low notes, then worked on the higher ones. I was amazed last week when I found out my teacher uses Roci Royal 1s on his Soloist E on alto. I couldn't get anything softer than a 2 to work, and then the high notes were junk, so there's a long way to go on embouchure for me.

On tenor a PPT came up on the forum, which i bought. It works beautifully, and subtones are a delight. It's as easy to play as the Rico. Clean on the top end as well.. Only drawback is it's a touch easy to squeal if the lig doesn't fit properly or your embouchure doesn't give the side support needed. I've also got (again from the forum) one of Morgan Fry's floridated links. It plays wonderfully from top to bottom, sounds like a link should. Subtones are a breeze. But I can't stand the metal, so I don't play it. Both are a long way better than the graftonite, with easier subtones, but you get what you pay for... With both I'm using RJS filed.

So I'm not saying change, but if you do.... Consider the PPT & one of Morgan's links. For me the PPT is a better all rounder, but if you want the Link sound, go that way instead.

 

[baritonesax]

I don't have any idea what kind of facing tenor Graftonite mouthpieces have - I did try one on my bari a few years ago and it didn't work on the low notes that well, so I'm guessing not a particularly long facing. But I'm going to suggest that you try a Vandoren V16 T6 or T7 -they have long facings and a rollover baffle so they should a) open up the bottom end and b), still have a bit of "bite." Oh, and they're well made and not particularly expensive, particularly if you order from Thomann.

Although, it was only a day or so ago that I was saying in another thread that you shouldn't change mouthpieces all the time, it should be said that as you're a rapidly developing player maybe the rules are slightly different. A stuffy and difficult low end is something that most tenor players have experienced (I think some I've heard have even resigned themselves to it) but it is curable. Foremost by practice, as Nick says, but also by retail therapy as, er, Nick says too.

 

[johnboy]

Hi everyone,
Here I go again ;} - Tune the reed to the mouthpiece!!!!!!!!!!!!! Lows will not then be a problem, HONEST
The cost? The price of an emery board.

John.

 

[Nick Wyver]

Hi everyone,
Here I go again ;} - Tune the reed to the mouthpiece!!!!!!!!!!!!! Lows will not then be a problem, HONEST
The cost? The price of an emery board.

John.

Or buy the right ones in the first place. ;}

 

[johnboy]

Or buy the right ones in the first place. ;}

I wish I could ;};}

John.

 

[baritonesax]

I wish I could ;};}

John.

There's no such thing as the right reed;}

 

[teebones]

Hi all, On my TJ Rev II Tenor, I've gone from a Yam 4c to 5c (great low notes, rubbish high notes) to a Rico Royal Graftonite B5 which after a few months started squeaking so I got myself a Rico Royal Graftonite B7 for wider tip opening which solved the squeak and is easy to play with a soft reed, great for volume and gives a tone which I like; I'm even having some success with altissimo notes ........but my problem is now low notes from E downwards are taking a moment too long to speak for my liking and the sound on them isn't as stable as I'd like it to be, what should I be thinking of next that will give me a similar sound without the instability of the lower notes? I don't have a lot of money to spend but I do need to sort it out!

Any ideas or advice would be gratefully received

Hi ArtyLady I would stick with the mouthpiece you used for this post below

Reporting in with good news!

Hi all, long time no post, just couldn't keep it to myself and no one here to tell!.....

I've passed my Grade 6 TG Jazz Sax (on Tenor) (onwards to grade 8 now! )

very happy Arty


Teebones

 

[ArtyLady]

Your practice schedule is commendable. There is no doubt that you will get there, no matter where "there" is. But it would be surprising if after one year of learning you did not still have problems with some of the notes. On the contrary, the more you practice, the more you can hear problem areas.

The advice given by the earlier posters should help you a great deal.

In another thread baritonesax more or less offered this advice: choose the mouthpiece that you like best, and stick with it.

I've been playing Sax for 3.5 years now (before that flautist) 🙂

Lots of good advice above.

I didn't go as far as a B7 on tenor with the graftonite, but did on alto. Great value for money and good pieces.

If the low notes aren't speaking cleanly, get the sax checked for leaks. A small leak can really mess up the low notes.

I found that reeds were important - and it was a trade-off between low and high notes. So I used the hardest I could and still get the low notes, then worked on the higher ones. I was amazed last week when I found out my teacher uses Roci Royal 1s on his Soloist E on alto. I couldn't get anything softer than a 2 to work, and then the high notes were junk, so there's a long way to go on embouchure for me.

On tenor a PPT came up on the forum, which i bought. It works beautifully, and subtones are a delight. It's as easy to play as the Rico. Clean on the top end as well.. Only drawback is it's a touch easy to squeal if the lig doesn't fit properly or your embouchure doesn't give the side support needed. I've also got (again from the forum) one of Morgan Fry's floridated links. It plays wonderfully from top to bottom, sounds like a link should. Subtones are a breeze. But I can't stand the metal, so I don't play it. Both are a long way better than the graftonite, with easier subtones, but you get what you pay for... With both I'm using RJS filed.

So I'm not saying change, but if you do.... Consider the PPT & one of Morgan's links. For me the PPT is a better all rounder, but if you want the Link sound, go that way instead.

Sax has been recently checked and tweaked, I can only use very soft reeds - tried just can't do it - not for long gigs anyway, mouth tires very quickly (health condition 🙁)

Or buy the right ones in the first place. ;}

yes I've tried filing and tweaking reeds but I can never get two to sound the same - would rather stick with out the box for continuity.

Hi ArtyLady I would stick with the mouthpiece you used for this post below

Reporting in with good news!

Hi all, long time no post, just couldn't keep it to myself and no one here to tell!.....

I've passed my Grade 6 TG Jazz Sax (on Tenor) (onwards to grade 8 now! )

very happy Arty


Teebones

Ha yes!! I was using my B5 which start squealing a week before the exam, I was beside myself (tension I think!) the only cure was to bung on a harder reed which was fine for the exam, but that was only 25 or so minutes of playing so I could sustain it

 

[johnboy]

Sanding the reed is your only salvation (IMO). It takes time to perfect this, and you have to remove material from the right parts of the reed. I hope you didn't take a file to them
When you have tuned a reed properly, the lows should come in with little more than a breath of air. That's how to achieve that nice rich, low register, tenor sound ;}
The Rico 'B' mouthpieces are excellent for the job.

John.