pressure plates

[Anonymous]

Here’s an unusual accident.

I play Alto sax and one day i experimented by putting a pressure plate inside the bell of my sax

https://www.imuso.co.uk/itm/vandoren-optimum-pressure-plates-alto

believe it or not there is is a difference in sound coming from the alto sax, the pitch sounds a lot better.

i don’t understand the physics behind sound waves, but i do know the plate will vibrate inside the bell at the same frequency of the pitch sound wave just like how microphones vibrate when sound waves hit them.

either two things are occurring – the plate is absorbing the excess waves bouncing around inside the bell and letting a purer sound come out from the strongest sound wave or the vibrating pressure plate is steadying out the strongest sound wave.

i got a Pro sax player to check this out and with his selmer alto and he noticed an improvement as well. i haven’t got a tenor sax so i don’t know if there is a noticeable difference.

i’ve only tried it with metal pressure plates .

[Anonymous]

Tried it out again today, and the sax sound is a lot better with three pressure plates in the bell – big difference in pitch

[john]

so do you mean you purchased the ligature pressure plates and used them in your bell?

[Anonymous]

I used the ligature pressure plates from two old theowanne mouth pieces that i don’t use any more.

It sounds crazy but, 3 of those pressure plates placed inside the alto bell and it cleans up the tone.It must somehow trap all the extra faint partials present in a pitch from coming out the bell.

[Anonymous]

https://www.oberton.org/en/overtone-singing/harmonic-series/

[RockinRobin]

I put three pressure plates in the bell of my tenor and the sax sounded more in tune as my yamaha tuner indicated. Overall sound was richer. Thanks for the tip SXPOET
William

[Anonymous]

Thanks William! Sharing tips helps everyone play better instead of holding them back.

[Author]

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