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BOTM 'You Don't Know What Love Is'

@mrpeebee - i like the slightly faster tempo, also i think you sound best on this '74 EB 8, it has a nice raw edge to it with nice energy in the solo.
 
thesaxman71 said:
@mrpeebee - i like the slightly faster tempo, also i think you sound best on this '74 EB 8, it has a nice raw edge to it with nice energy in the solo.
Click to expand...

Thanks Ian 🙂. This EB 8* was for about 20 years my main piece and I still like it very much. It's pretty loud with a nice dark core, but it doesn't have the (extreme) power my current main piece (Florida no USA 10*) has. On recordings that's not so clear, but in real life it is (especially when I rehearse with a loud Big Band without mic).
 
mrpeebee said:
I recorded another take this evening and made the backing of Chris about 20% faster. Also used another mouthpiece than in the mixed take above, this time a 1974 Otto Link Early Babbitt 8* (for about 20 years my main mouthpiece). Played on the same La Voz medium reed and SBA tenor as the earlier recordings.

- 'You Don't Know What Love Is' (Florida no USA 10* - La Voz medium):
http://soundclick.com/share.cfm?id=12461532

I want to apoligize that I don't comment much on other takes sofar. That is normally not my style, but I'm as moderator for some threads on the other forum already spending more time behind my laptop than is appreciated by my home members 🙁. But I will try to improve 🙂.
Click to expand...

Peter, I really like the sound of this piece, also this tempo seems to good for you as well. Very well played as always.

Chris..

As for having enough time to comment, no-one has enough time these days Peter so don't worry about it..
 
I've heard some nice takes but it was a bit much to listen dig through 13 pages to listen to all of you..

so far:
@Chris: Nice take.. smooth and soft tone, nice balance between sax and backing too, but it was hard to concentrate on your playing because I kept dreaming off ;-) I liked the bit at 3.30 very short but sounded intresting.. I thought the ending was a bit odd, but there's no accounting for tastes..
@Colin: liked your start of the up tempo part... following up with a nice swingy feel. and later on a bit of a raoring low end, liked that a lot..




And here's my version: http://snd.sc/16CB1Z0

I called it I dont know what love is because I dont know you all well enough to say that you dont know what love is ;-)

one little side note which I also stated in soundcloud discription; I have and really out of tune middle D and my tech cant get it fixed it's not mouthpiece dependant and when my tech plays he has the same problem, and it's too much to correct on the fly (for me that is).

I hope you enjoy despite of that.
 
Koen88 said:
And here's my version: http://snd.sc/16CB1Z0

I called it I dont know what love is because I dont know you all well enough to say that you dont know what love is ;-)

one little side note which I also stated in soundcloud discription; I have and really out of tune middle D and my tech cant get it fixed it's not mouthpiece dependant and when my tech plays he has the same problem, and it's too much to correct on the fly (for me that is).

I hope you enjoy despite of that.
Click to expand...

Thanks for commenting Koen 🙂.

Your take sounds good, very sweet playing and swinging solo. Pity about the D tuning. Can't it be fixed by opening/closing some key hights at the sax (I guess your tech knows about those tricks)?
 
MLoosemore said:
... and now for my attempt on Alto. Just one run through of the embellished version, no improv so just a little over 2 minutes this time

http://snd.sc/1bOJ5oZ
Click to expand...
the actual playing is fine but the tuning is really quite out, no offence intended of course i add that as i don't wish to be looked at as over critical and I am merely pointing out something that really needs to be looked at..
 
Last edited by a moderator:
thesaxman71 said:
the actual playing is fine but the tuning is really quite out, no offence intended of course i add that as i don't wish to be looked at as over critical and I am merely pointing out something that really needs to be looked at..
Click to expand...


No need to apologise for your opinion. It is out of tune.

It's a little thing that has a big effect and I don't know what to suggest to address the problem.

I remember playing along to records when I started out and finding later I wasn't even in the right key. It's a problem when starting out on the sax. I think more so if it's your first instrument. It's a loud outdoor instrument being played indoors and there's such a lot to coordinate when you're starting out.

Practice is the key I think. Getting so familiar with the piece and the instrument that you can concentrate solely on sound production.

My tuning suffers with a new piece and when embouchure goes for one note and fingers go for a different one that's when the squeaks and squawks start.

Perhaps this routine would help. First familiarise yourself with the scale of the piece. When you've got that under your fingers and in your ears, have a look at individual notes thoroughout the range with a tuner. Then perhaps check some intervals the same way.

It will come with practice.
 
Thanks Ian and Colin, that is what this Forum is all about for me. Constructive, well-intentioned criticism. Whether I can do anything about it is another thing but I am very grateful to receive it none the less.

I do have a major issue with tuning the sax. At the start of each session I check the tuning and adjust the mpc accordingly. Unfortunately I do not seem to be able to get more than one or two notes actually in tune at the same time no matter where the mpc sits on the neck. I have taken on board Ian's earlier comments about this but no amount of tweaking seems to resolve it.

Anybody have any suggestions as to which two notes it would be best to get right? Perhaps find the two that get used most in the piece and get them right 🙂 and to h*** with the rest... I think this is almost what Colin is implying...

Anyway apart from the negatives, I did enjoy actually managing to get my fingers around the piece and I think alternating practise between tenor and alto is actually improving my intonation and fingering on both, even if I am out of tune...

....... Actually I blame the backing track, it doesn't sound quite so bad SOLO..... Sorry Chris, only kidding 🙂
 
Last edited by a moderator:
MLoosemore said:
Thanks Ian and Colin, that is what this Forum is all about for me. Constructive, well-intentioned criticism. Whether I can do anything about it is another thing but I am very grateful to receive it none the less.

I do have a major issue with tuning the sax. At the start of each session I check the tuning and adjust the mpc accordingly. Unfortunately I do not seem to be able to get more than one or two notes actually in tune at the same time no matter where the mpc sits on the neck. I have taken on board Ian's earlier comments about this but no amount of tweaking seems to resolve it.

Anybody have any suggestions as to which two notes it would be best to get right? Perhaps find the two that get used most in the piece and get them right 🙂 and to h*** with the rest... I think this is almost what Colin is implying...

Anyway apart from the negatives, I did enjoy actually managing to get my fingers around the piece and I think alternating practise between tenor and alto is actually improving my intonation and fingering on both, even if I am out of tune...
Click to expand...


this may be useful to you in or anyone else out there who wants to help with tuning in general.
It is a virtual piano, for tuning the alto and bari play A on the piano then F# on the alto and B on the tenor and sop. You can also use this to check tuning of the whole note range of your saxes.
http://www.virtualpiano.net/
 
Thanks Ian, I'll give that a try. I have been using virtual piano to try and work out what key backing tracks are in when I take them off the web but had not thought of using it to tune. Tried to do that with a tuner on my phone but that never seems to work. Guess I will have to use VP and my ears and hope they match 🙂
 
The saxophone doesn't play in tune by itself unlike many other instruments. You need to adjust each note, orally, through out the range. Some setups play more in tune than others and need less adjustment. You may have noticed in other threads players mentioning mouthpiece, reed and saxophone combinations giving intonation problems. Also the smaller the sax the more sensitive intonation is. The sop is a nightmare.

Until you can hear it, using another instrument to tune up may mislead you. Use a tuner.

When you tune up by adjusting the mouthpiece, against a tuner, check over a range of 2 octaves. If a piece is in D, check low D, middle D and High D against the tuner. You'll see that oral adjustments have to be made to bring it in. You may be sharp at the bottom and flat at the top or visa versa. It may be bang on at the top and bottom but out in the middle. Volume affects the pitch too so try it at loud and soft. Check and adjust the mouthpiece till you can hit the notes comfortably throughout the range and mark that spot. You may have to make small adjustments at other times to accommodate temperature changes but not by much.

Check your tuning every practice session to remind your embouchure to wake up. Playing out of tune trains your ear out of tune. It sounds great to you but not to any one else.

Tuning is the key to sounding good. One note, bang on, can be beautiful.

It will come with practice
 
Koen88 said:
I've heard some nice takes but it was a bit much to listen dig through 13 pages to listen to all of you..

so far:
@Chris: Nice take.. smooth and soft tone, nice balance between sax and backing too, but it was hard to concentrate on your playing because I kept dreaming off ;-) I liked the bit at 3.30 very short but sounded intresting.. I thought the ending was a bit odd, but there's no accounting for tastes..
@Colin: liked your start of the up tempo part... following up with a nice swingy feel. and later on a bit of a raoring low end, liked that a lot..




And here's my version: http://snd.sc/16CB1Z0

I called it I dont know what love is because I dont know you all well enough to say that you dont know what love is ;-)

one little side note which I also stated in soundcloud discription; I have and really out of tune middle D and my tech cant get it fixed it's not mouthpiece dependant and when my tech plays he has the same problem, and it's too much to correct on the fly (for me that is).

I hope you enjoy despite of that.
Click to expand...

I liked it Koen, smooth playing and lovely tone. :thumb:
 
MLoosemore said:
Anyway apart from the negatives, I did enjoy actually managing to get my fingers around the piece and I think alternating practise between tenor and alto is actually improving my intonation and fingering on both, even if I am out of tune...

....... Actually I blame the backing track, it doesn't sound quite so bad SOLO..... Sorry Chris, only kidding 🙂
Click to expand...

Hi Moose. I think your idea of swapping from Tenor to Alto is a good one. I did it a lot when I started out and it really exercises the ears. Colin mentioned scales and he`s right as is Ian about the Tuning. What I`m adding is this.
The most basic improvisation you can perfect is just Nailing the Roots on each change. In theory it should be easy but when you start to factor in the rhythm changes it can be sometimes tricky just to predict what will work and to get them locked in. The reason I`m mentioning it is because again it`s what I used to do when I was making up pieces to play with my Band years and years ago ( all the musicians in the group effectively had to compose their own parts ). For me anyway the Roots and The Bassline were what ultimately determined the choice of notes and I think it`s more or less the same with any musical improvisation. Obviously there are easy and Hard numbers. The good thing for you Moose is that really you are kind of in at the deep end for a Novice which means that when you get the chance to do some easy blues changes in the near future You`ll be Singing:welldone
 

Similar threads... or are they? Maybe not but they could be worth reading anyway 😀

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