Curved vs. Straight

[DuquesneSax85]

Well, the ever-ending saga.... Which do you prefer, Curved or Straight soprano????

[paulwl]

Curved, because I can hear it more easily in loud venues, and because it's easier on my right thumb.

[srcsax]

Curved, because i like the way it sounds up front for me, the way it feels and the way it looks.

[RS]

Curved. Because it works well with a neckstrap so no weight on the right thumb. I like the sound coming back up to me from the upturned bell. And I like the looks.

[awholley]

Curved. It sounds better. It's easier to balance and blend the sound in quartet. It's a nice conversation piece with the audience -they're always curious about such a tiny saxophone.

[Stencilman]

Straight. Because it looks like I'm holding a toy when playing a curvie.

To be honest, I don't prefer a curved soprano because I don't have one :-( The only vintage curved sopranos that I liked, I couldn't afford.

[Morry]

I've had both, and love both. I think they each have their place.

[Dave Dolson]

Both . . I have both and play both, depending upon a number of factors. DAVE

[Bootman]

Saxello style because it has all the advantages of both curved and straight plus increased projection.

[M Exner]

Morry, I have both also and just wondered how you choose the roles for each? Mike

[Morry]

I recently sold my curved model to buy a JK SX90II, but I really liked the sound of the curvy. I like the alto-like, more in your face sound of curved sopranos, and it feels more like a sax in my hands.

However, I'm doing some smooth jazz sort of stuff with a trumpet player friend, and the straight sounds a little more like it is expected to, if you get my drift. Plus, the Keilwerth soprano sound just kills me. I wish they made a curved model.

[Joe Jazz]

Morry-

Soooo sad to hear about your premature death at the hands of your SX....you will be sorely missed! :?

[Hurling Frootmig]

But you have to be impressed that he is communicating with us from the dead. :lol:

[VegasChris]

Straight. Because it looks like I'm holding a toy when playing a curvie.
I have actually pondered that question. Does a curved soprano get less respect from the audience because it looks like a toy, while a straight soprano looks more like a "real" musical instrument? Is a curved soprano just an oddity, not to be taken seriously? Of course I know better, but does your average person on the street? Why don't big-name players like Branford Marsalis or Wayne Shorter use curved?

[Razzy]

I like the feel of the curved better, but I never did like the sound I got on them. Nor do I tend to prefer the sound professionals get on them. I'm not sure exactly how but I've found straight sopranos to be much less "bright"-sounding, and to actually have a more full sound than the curved ones I have heard. It could just be, once again, that I am much more used to the straight soprano, and thus get a better sound on it, and prefer the sound of other players on it. But that is just me. Sometimes I do wish I didn't have to put that kind of stress on my thumb.

And just out of curiosity, does anybody know which types of sopranos the soprano players of these quartets use: Apollo quartet on "Works For Us", Sinta quarted on "Live at Interlochen 1999"? I am pretty sure they are using straights but sometimes it's hard to tell.

Also, as examples of what I mentioned above, I can think of three quartets I have heard in which the soprano players use curved ones, or did on the recordings I have heard: The Rascher quartet, New Century, and a local quartet of students that I know. In all cases, the soprano seemed very bright and also seemed to have trouble centering on the pitch.

[Fred]

I'm more concerned that Morry had a curved model and sold her for a saxophone. :roll: :lol:

[Paul Cohen]

Also, as examples of what I mentioned above, I can think of three quartets I have heard in which the soprano players use curved ones, or did on the recordings I have heard: The Rascher quartet, New Century, and a local quartet of students that I know. In all cases, the soprano seemed very bright and also seemed to have trouble centering on the pitch.


You are invited to add to this comparison the CD "The American Muse" of the New Hudson Saxophone Quartet. The curved soprano is a Buescher, with a Caravan mouthpiece. Works of Torke, Copland, Wilder, Florio, Steve Cohen and others.
Paul Cohen
PaulC135@aol.com

[gege]

the soprano player of the apollo quartett is tim redpath, i`v heard (and seen) him some times. last time was in summer 03, the apollo quartett played a concerto for sax qoartett and orchestra written by michael nyman for the asq. redpath played a selmer mark 6 with a soloist mp.
gege

[kloos]

How about a Yani with a bent neck? I find that the crooked neck makes it slightly easier to hold and keeps it in tune better in both registers.

[Morry]

I see people commenting on the straight sopranos huring their right thumb. I use a neckstrap for straight AND curved. It's more comfortable, and it is much safer. I'm not going to risk dropping a $3000 soprano because I got careless while playing C#.

[Joe Jazz]

AMEN BROTHER! :shock:

[Razzy]

Soprano sax is the only one I can get at the most comfortable angle for my embouchure, and that is because there is no strap involved. I've also been getting better with the thumb. And the angle of straight soprano with neckstrap is particularly restricting.

[Paul Coats]

Here is my article about this subject:

http://www.saxontheweb.net/Coats/Soprano.html

I have done tests... now it would not be fair to compare a Yanagisawa curved with a Buescher straight soprano. Or a vintage Buescher curved with any modern soprano. They have quite different tones.

But I have compared the tone of my own curved and straight sopranos (of current mfg), with the same mouthpiece, reed, and player. I have done this with me playing, and other listeners, and another player, with me as a listener.

Up close there IS a considerable differnece in tone, such as a teacher standing in front of the player... or to other members of a sax quartet. My own quartet likes it when I play my curved soprano, they can hear me better.

To the player, the curved sounds much brighter due to the bell firing the sound up into his face.

But, put the player on stage in a typical auditorium, and go back about 10 rows and take a seat. 90% of the difference in tone between the two instruments vanishes, and the other 10% is a case of "so what?" So one is slightly brighter or darker... does that make it better or worse? No, not at all.

There are other advantages to playing a curved soprano. One mentioned above, being able to use a neckstrap. For a person with neck, shoulder, or wrist problems a curved soprano with neckstrap just might be a huge difference in comfort. But this is also true of a straight soprano with curved neck.

Playing into a microphone in an R&B or R&R band, the curved soprano wins hands down. A straight is much more difficult to mic.

[M Exner]

I agree with most of what comparisons were mentioned. I have both of these. I actually prefer playing the curved for those same reasons stated above.

The only thing I don't like is the "toy-like" response people give the curved sax. It doesn't seem to get the legitmate respect as the straight soprano would. A typical comment might be "You picked that one just a bit early didn't you Mike?" All in good fun but still there.

It also makes the player seem out of scale with the already percieved size of a typical alto sized saxophone (making the player appear to be larger). No big deal, but the illusion IS there.

For these reasons I choose to play the curved while I am sitting in with the orchestra but will choose the straight while I am standing on a solo.

Gotta have a reason to play both of them, so that is my criteria. Mike

[Paul Coats]

But at least with a curved, people know it is a sax, and not a "gold clarinet".

[chitownjazz]

Why don't big-name players like Branford Marsalis or Wayne Shorter use curved?

I've got a CD at home where Wayne Shorter and Dave Leibman play Coltrane tunes, it's called "Tribute to John Coltrane: Live Under the Sky" or something like that. The concert photo on the cover does indeed show Shorter playing a curved soprano. Don't know when he might have switched. Looks like there's now a DVD out of this live concert from 1987 in Japan.

Glenn

[xuanvu]

Dave Koz play mostly with his curved sop. (Conn vintage).

[water baby]

chitownjazz...

I have that CD & DVD as well, (shorter,liebman) and I dont see any pictures of Wayne playing a curved soprano...

as a matter of fact, I have never seen any pics of shorter playing a curvy...

He does however, (as seen in the DVD) play a straight Yamaha with a curved neck...

is this to what you were referring?

Also...Wayne has been playing a curved neck straight sop since Yamaha introduced them in 1981-2 I think...

And Liebman as far as I know has played a straight keilwerth for quite some time...

I also recently watched a documentary that had Branford playing a Yamaha curved neck as well...and I thought he also played Keilwerth Sops exclusively...

[A Greene]

There seems to be a lot of big time players commenting on the curved vs straight soprano. (Although I'm not a big time player here's my 2 cents) I recently tried every soprano I could get my hands on before buying my S-992. I almost purchased a curved version but the "In your face sound" that a lot of people like about the curved horns - was just too much for me. I know it sounds strange but I've be playing a straight or bent neck soprano for 20 years or so (wow that's a long time - where has the time gone) and I'm comfortable with a bent neck straight soprano. I've heard incredible players on both the curved and straight so the choice is most definitely personal. Now if I could only find the right mouthpiece for this new horn.