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Sax on the Web Forum Archive / Baritone Saxophone / Tenor to bari problems

Carter
User ID: 8994583 Sep 3rd 3:49 PM
Anyone else have this problem?

I haven't played my tenor in 3 or 4 months. Broke it out to sit in at a backyard party gig, and sounded pretty terrible. Adjusted about halfway through and finished up o.k.

The next night, took the bari to a local Sunday night blues jam. I've played there many times before, and the set-up is such that the horn players are able to play as a section of sorts, all night if they want. After about 30 minutes, I noticed that the bari was playing sharp, sharp, sharp. I even rolled a cocktail napkin around the end of the neck to see if the mouthpiece would hang just a little farther, to no avail. I'm assuming this happened because of the change in embouschure the night before? Or what? And is there a cure besides (gulp) practice?

Matt K
User ID: 1648184 Sep 3rd 7:56 PM
Yep, sounds like you're biting alright. I've had that problem before. Especially at loud gigs.
Think about it-you were uncomfortable on the tenor and probably chompin' on it to make it play for you and then took that short term muscle memory with you to the blues jam and broke out the bari and chomped on it. Just a theory...
And yes, practice does help-a lot!
I was wondering, have you been playing the bari regularly? And if so, has it been sharp?
Regards, MattK

Saxfiend
User ID: 8130203 Sep 3rd 10:59 PM
I don't seem to have this difficulty, though I do switch off fairly frequently between the different horns (I mainly play bari and tenor, but also soprano with some regularity and alto much less frequently). The main problem I experience is not as much with tone as with endurance -- mostly playing bari as I am now, my chops don't last as long on the smaller horns.

Last night I was at a party hosted by a fellow sax player. Not knowing there might be some jamming, I didn't bring a horn, but sure enough, the host got some tunes going with a piano player, a guitarist and a trumpet. He invited me to play his alto, so I was more than happy to join in. For playing a strange horn and mouthpiece/reed setup, and that after being away from alto for months, I was pleasantly surprised with what I could pull off!

I think MattK's advice is good -- keep up the practice. If you get zeroed in on your long tones on one horn, it will carry over to your other horns.

JL

Carter
User ID: 8994583 Sep 4th 9:49 AM
Matt K- I have been playing the bari nearly exclusively since I got it, and usually find time to practice a couple of times per week. I have never found it to play sharp before. And yes, the jam is a very loud environment!

Saxfiend- I agree, my chops were blown pretty quickly on the tenor due to bari overuse synrome, but a side effect was that I was putting an incredible volume of air through the tenor. It (eventually) sounded loud and nasty, which was good since I was not amplified.

Thanks.

izzybob
User ID: 1731514 Sep 12th 4:07 PM
i have been playing tenor and bari in 2 seperate groups for about 2 years now. The difference in embencher is a problem, but just try to relax it and play the bari like its should be. play strong and loose, you should be fine. And i'll ad this just to make thing different, m bari tunes so sharp i split a mouthpiece trying to tune once

izzybob
User ID: 1731514 Sep 12th 4:17 PM
i have been playing tenor and bari in 2 seperate groups for about 2 years now. The difference in embencher is a problem, but just try to relax it and play the bari like its should be. play strong and loose, you should be fine. And i'll ad this just to make thing different, m bari tunes so sharp i split a mouthpiece trying to tune once

Carter User ID: 8994583	Sep 3rd 3:49 PM Anyone else have this problem? I haven't played my tenor in 3 or 4 months. Broke it out to sit in at a backyard party gig, and sounded pretty terrible. Adjusted about halfway through and finished up o.k. The next night, took the bari to a local Sunday night blues jam. I've played there many times before, and the set-up is such that the horn players are able to play as a section of sorts, all night if they want. After about 30 minutes, I noticed that the bari was playing sharp, sharp, sharp. I even rolled a cocktail napkin around the end of the neck to see if the mouthpiece would hang just a little farther, to no avail. I'm assuming this happened because of the change in embouschure the night before? Or what? And is there a cure besides (gulp) practice?
Matt K User ID: 1648184	Sep 3rd 7:56 PM Yep, sounds like you're biting alright. I've had that problem before. Especially at loud gigs. Think about it-you were uncomfortable on the tenor and probably chompin' on it to make it play for you and then took that short term muscle memory with you to the blues jam and broke out the bari and chomped on it. Just a theory... And yes, practice does help-a lot! I was wondering, have you been playing the bari regularly? And if so, has it been sharp? Regards, MattK
Saxfiend User ID: 8130203	Sep 3rd 10:59 PM I don't seem to have this difficulty, though I do switch off fairly frequently between the different horns (I mainly play bari and tenor, but also soprano with some regularity and alto much less frequently). The main problem I experience is not as much with tone as with endurance -- mostly playing bari as I am now, my chops don't last as long on the smaller horns. Last night I was at a party hosted by a fellow sax player. Not knowing there might be some jamming, I didn't bring a horn, but sure enough, the host got some tunes going with a piano player, a guitarist and a trumpet. He invited me to play his alto, so I was more than happy to join in. For playing a strange horn and mouthpiece/reed setup, and that after being away from alto for months, I was pleasantly surprised with what I could pull off! I think MattK's advice is good -- keep up the practice. If you get zeroed in on your long tones on one horn, it will carry over to your other horns. JL
Carter User ID: 8994583	Sep 4th 9:49 AM Matt K- I have been playing the bari nearly exclusively since I got it, and usually find time to practice a couple of times per week. I have never found it to play sharp before. And yes, the jam is a very loud environment! Saxfiend- I agree, my chops were blown pretty quickly on the tenor due to bari overuse synrome, but a side effect was that I was putting an incredible volume of air through the tenor. It (eventually) sounded loud and nasty, which was good since I was not amplified. Thanks.
izzybob User ID: 1731514	Sep 12th 4:07 PM i have been playing tenor and bari in 2 seperate groups for about 2 years now. The difference in embencher is a problem, but just try to relax it and play the bari like its should be. play strong and loose, you should be fine. And i'll ad this just to make thing different, m bari tunes so sharp i split a mouthpiece trying to tune once
izzybob User ID: 1731514	Sep 12th 4:17 PM i have been playing tenor and bari in 2 seperate groups for about 2 years now. The difference in embencher is a problem, but just try to relax it and play the bari like its should be. play strong and loose, you should be fine. And i'll ad this just to make thing different, m bari tunes so sharp i split a mouthpiece trying to tune once