Oh! – My! – Goodness!

I just tried my new MP position on the Alto. It was like I was blowing through a rubber hose whilst standing on it, and now I’ve stepped off the hose.

To describe the new position is to play and raise your chin as high as possible. This means bringing the bottom end of the sax as close to the body as possible to achieve the tilted down MP angle. I found that when seated, putting the sax on the right hip (as if playing a bass guitar) with the hands close to the body, left hand in front and right hand on hip is most comfortable, as I can tilt the sax back more and then my head is in the normal position. To play in this position the sax neck has to be turned to the right a little and the MP rotated clockwise, so the reed is back in the level horizontal position again.

This may be an exaggerated position but it works for me to begin with. I can’t believe the difference in sound, it is amazing!

Hi Sxpoet, I hope you are feeling much better.

Thanks for the encouragement, the sound file was recorded a day before I discovered the new MP position. I still can’t believe the difference in tone, I was considering selling the Tenor, but now it isn’t going anywhere. When I get the MP into that new position the whole sax resonates with the sound, its like it comes alive and sings. If this is the difference between an intermediate and professional instrument, then professional is the only way to go.

Hi William

Thanks, that confirms what I discovered (the hard way – LOL). Living in a small town in South Africa has its disadvantages as there aren’t any Sax teachers here locally. There were probably a few people slapping their foreheads on this forum and saying, “Didn’t he know that?”

When I can play a bit quicker on the Tenor, I’ll record another tune with the new improved tone.

I had some problems posting on the forum recently, but it may be because I included the http:// with my link. Otherwise it looks much the same to me.