Kevin
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March 20, 2017 at 12:23 pm #50981
Jeff, a bit off subject, but just curious if you had come across Sam Levines gospel sax arrangements (many of which are hymns)?
Great sax playing and arrangements IMO. An inspiring addition to my music collection…
February 25, 2017 at 2:49 pm #49406Ken, Always enjoy your videos, thanks for uploading! Your tone development and sax equipment/setup are working well for you. You had some passages where the technical runs may have got all the notes in, but just lacked some musicality/expression or some smoothness to make those passages wow your audience. For me the overall performance has a fairly middle of the road range for the dynamics. My meaning is that for the passages that need to rip need some convincingly more rip to contrast against the more subtle passages. Giving that extra effort for those passages will also show in your visual performance. These are of course points that all of us aspiring to become musicians of this instrument are striving to progress in…
February 21, 2017 at 3:12 pm #49186my 2 cents-
In my observation when I put a reed on a mouthpiece at the start of a practice session (it was stored in the plastic protective case which it came with, and that also let’s it dry in as true a “flat” position as the plastic case is flat), it visibly starts out very straight, but 20min later if you remove the reed and site down it’s edge it will have a bend to it which naturally would be caused by where the face curve of the MP starts. It has “warmed” up and plays well with that “set” that it has taken on.
Now if I take that warmed up reed directly to another MP, and know that the face curve is measurably a different design, the reed will (to my sensibilities) play with “issues”. Now if I forcefully played long enough so that the reed can take on the “set” of the new curvature? I think perhaps, but my initial impression is that it is not a good choice to be trying on the 2nd MP.
If I were to put a new reed on or one that was previously played but stored a day or two in it’s flat case onto the 2nd MP, then I hear a noticably different result, which is more favorable. If the face curves of both MP’s are similar in length and curve, then there seems to be nothing of concern.
I don’t consider myself a veteran player, but being an engineer I have applied myself to learning about the face curve and measurable features of a MP, and have machined a few of my own in the learning process(using a precision 3-axis CNC mill). Hope to have more time as I segway into retirement age to do some more in that respect…February 16, 2017 at 9:07 am #48854Michael, I also got the SaxLab SaxHolder. It is an awesome product. Would highly recommend. Any discomfort from having the sax suspended for playing is a thing of the past. The adjuster they use to set the length locks solid.
January 26, 2017 at 9:51 am #46983Jeff, I’ve been out of the loop for a while so not sure if I’ve missed any of your uploads or not.
One comment is perhaps more of a personal taste for me but when performing without any backing music I get distracted when the timing gets lost or goes all over the map.
Some notes that are intended to be held for a duration, or a specific pause for a rest count are often not done precisely, etc. if you get my meaning.
For me it would be a preferred upload to at least have a metronome faintly in the background so that you are performing to a good precise rhythm. When the notes being played are correct, in tune, and played to the intended duration and dynamics, then the song comes alive, the listener gets drawn into the groove.Last comment- The wavering of the pitch as some of the notes trail off to be ended has a pretty fast frequency, so I’m inclined to think it isn’t an attempt at vibrato but a breath support deficiency. Vibrato is a very intentional lower lip/jaw press-release pressure against the reed, and it would be very hard to quiver one’s jaw or lip that fast, unless of course you were very cold and shivering or very nervous…
Your playing is overall clean and in tune. Perhaps just a bit more “assertive” volume and body(from the diaphragm) to fill out the notes, but as James said “keep unploading”!
January 16, 2017 at 4:52 pm #46558I once had a teacher that commented about my tapping my foot to the beat, and I wasn’t even aware that I was doing it until I looked down. What resulted was that for me it was more of a mental distraction for me to have to think to stop the motion of my foot or any other part of my body that may be expressively moving to the timing or dynamics of the music. I agree that your mind has to sync to the beat but any second nature body movements help to reinforce the “groove” and could even help one such as myself to not look frozen stiff for a performance…
January 16, 2017 at 9:03 am #46531Really cool song. Good choice for practicing along to to work on timing. I’m hearing the 2 & 4 rim shot by the drummer to be the best “metronome” reference to tap your foot to. The Bass part (bars 1 to 8, 17 to 24) is also a good down beat reference, but his 2nd note is on the “and” of beat 2, not “on” 3, so not a reference you can put “on the beat”.
The chord changes are perhaps the most sold down beat reference…July 3, 2016 at 6:33 am #38623Jonathan, The particulars of making a mouthpiece regarding it’s tip opening, face curve, baffle design, and chamber size can get pretty involved and will take much more than just a weekend or two to first learn the basics. Then trying to make one by hand with only basic hand tools though not impossible (I’m sure someone has forged this path before) is also giving yourself a very difficult challenge. Choosing to use wood as the material would not be my first choice as well, due to it’s characteristic of changing shape due to moisture and/or cracking etc.. I would hate to have put numerous hours into making MP only to result in seeing one of the thin tip rails split on a grain line at some later date.
If you are just wanting to do this for a quick fun endeavor that will at least result in something that will make noise with no more precision than a duck call, then you should be able to achieve that with basic hand tools.
If you want to achieve results that are at least comparable to entry level MP’s, then you likely won’t achieve that with hand tools, and will need some basic calipers and means to accurately measure the face curve (and baffle). You can purchase a glass scale and feeler gauges for this. (google on the internet)
I have personally experienced and read that on the face curve surface, you can make a 0.001″ change somewhere along that curve, and our ability to perceive a difference with our emborochure, feel, etc. can sense that small change. To me that is incredible, because that is approx. 1/3 the width of a human hair. Now that is the other end of the spectrum and you will get something playable and will have learned something about the art/design of MP’s well before approaching the “end of the spectrum”.
Hope these comments help…June 21, 2016 at 9:17 am #38311Michael, You now need to start a new topic- “My sax playing days are back for LIFE!”
(the power of Positive thinking is often times as much of the source of recovery and healing as medical and rehab solutions…)June 8, 2016 at 10:07 pm #38020Good riffs, good note stabs, and liked the backing track selection. Wish it would have been more than a minute!!
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