[Sfhansen]

I've just purchased a retro revival New Yorker small chamber mpc (Meyer brothers NY replica), I would like to have one like that for a Borgani soprano. It seems like just the right mixture of chamber and baffle, and it gives a lot of flexibility - and a brightness which I don't get with the a bigger chamber. Though I've heard that the small chamber Meyer brothers NY is in fact more baffle and not a smaller chamber

can you recommend one?

 

[turf3]

Ummmmm...

a Meyer soprano mouthpiece might be similar to a Meyer alto mouthpiece, no?

 

[Sigmund451]

I think trying to match a different kind of horn to another is the wrong direction to begin.

Sop is so much brighter than alto...just a different animal.

It would make more sense to tell us what you have played on sop...what worked..what did not...and why.

Saying you like your meyer on alt really says nothing...no more than saying i like links on tenor.
I may love links on sop or i may hate them.

Talk more about sound.

 

[turf3]

I think trying to match a different kind of horn to another is the wrong direction to begin.

Sop is so much brighter than alto...just a different animal.

It would make more sense to tell us what you have played on sop...what worked..what did not...and why.

Saying you like your meyer on alt really says nothing...no more than saying i like links on tenor.
I may love links on sop or i may hate them.

Talk more about sound.

Well, of course, you're totally right that a person may or may not get the same kind of results on different members of the sax family. Nevertheless, there are certain characteristics that can carry over from one to the next, especially for mouthpieces that have a strong character and that are designed largely the same over all sizes. I play Meyer on alto tenor and baritone and there are a lot of similarities amongst the three. I haven't played a Meyer on soprano in decades so I can't comment from direct experience about Meyer soprano MPs (I have hardly played soprano at all since college). The point being, that a Meyer soprano MP might be a reasonable starting point for soprano for someone who's been well pleased with it on alto.

 

[Sebastian]

I've just purchased a retro revival New Yorker small chamber mpc (Meyer brothers NY replica), I would like to have one like that for a Borgani soprano. It seems like just the right mixture of chamber and baffle, and it gives a lot of flexibility - and a brightness which I don't get with the a bigger chamber. Though I've heard that the small chamber Meyer brothers NY is in fact more baffle and not a smaller chamber

can you recommend one?

Selmer Super Session is a good comparison as it is a very tight squeeze throat that offers a lot of compression. I've seen a lot of players going smaller, chamber wise for the stability that it offers them.

 

[Dave Dolson]

I think there are too many factors at work in trying to assess one characteristic in isolation. I've had soprano mouthpieces in small, medium, and large chambers and I was never able to determine what effect the chamber-size alone had on how a mouthpiece played for me. Keep in mind, that most of us have different results when we play the same mouthpieces.

I agree with Phil about trying to equate alto mouthpiece designs with sopranos' designs. Further, I'm not one to think that a soprano brand means much when considering mouthpieces. I know, others disagree. But I've owned too many different sopranos to think otherwise. When I find a mouthpiece/reed combination I like, it plays about the same regardless of which horn I put it on.

So, if I had that Borgani, I'm betting that my current set-ups will play nicely on it. DAVE

 

[Sfhansen]

Ummmmm...

a Meyer soprano mouthpiece might be similar to a Meyer alto mouthpiece, no?

No it is dark and seem to be favored by classical players

 

[turf3]

No it is dark and seem to be favored by classical players

Well, I think you would not find many who would agree with either half of that statement, but so be it.

 

[Sfhansen]

I think trying to match a different kind of horn to another is the wrong direction to begin.

Sop is so much brighter than alto...just a different animal.

It would make more sense to tell us what you have played on sop...what worked..what did not...and why.

Saying you like your meyer on alt really says nothing...no more than saying i like links on tenor.
I may love links on sop or i may hate them.

Talk more about sound.

I think one that is playing a small chamber Retro Revival New Yorker replica, and maybe one that plays a similar Meyer would understand what I mean. Which made me wonder if it was better to post in the alto section

I purchased The retro revival New Yorker small chamber 6 without having heard it on the alto model I've got. I did a lot of listening on you tube mostly selmer. I had a feeling that the small chamber would fit the Conn ladyface, which is on the dark side. And I was right it is a perfect lead alto, which works well with both jazz, pop, r'nb we play in the big band

My soprano is a Borgani even more on the dark side. I play a Rafael Navarro Maestra 6* on it. With a Marc Jean ligature it is flexible. it is on the big and dark side, even though I can brighten it up

I 'm looking for a brighter lead soprano sound, but not with a pea shooter chamber, I find it doesn't fit The Borgani Vintage and it gives a audible saliva problem. I've tried both Selmer classic, Missing Link, Bari, dukoff, they where not up my alley

 

[Sfhansen]

Selmer Super Session is a good comparison as it is a very tight squeeze throat that offers a lot of compression. I've seen a lot of players going smaller, chamber wise for the stability that it offers them.

Thank you for the advice I'll look into the super session

The Rafael Navarro is quite big chamber and demands a lot of practise time to control. it is not something you just pick up occassionally and play 16 bars and then live it for another 20 minutes before you play it again. as I do in the big band

What I like about the retro revival NY small chamber, it is bright but not more bright than it is still possible to play with a spread sound and fairly dark sound. Control yes but also flexibility, from scream to whisper in an instant, thin and rich, lots of colours

 

[Scotssax]

Maybe try the Retro Revival soprano piece?

 

[Sfhansen]

Maybe try the Retro Revival soprano piece?

I'm very tempted it is a great sound, but somehow, I have a feeling that it is a little too smoth for what I'm looking for,

except from the one made for David Liebman tip size J, but I'm not shure I can control these horse powers

 

[Sfhansen]

I think there are too many factors at work in trying to assess one characteristic in isolation. I've had soprano mouthpieces in small, medium, and large chambers and I was never able to determine what effect the chamber-size alone had on how a mouthpiece played for me. Keep in mind, that most of us have different results when we play the same mouthpieces.

I agree with Phil about trying to equate alto mouthpiece designs with sopranos' designs. Further, I'm not one to think that a soprano brand means much when considering mouthpieces. I know, others disagree. But I've owned too many different sopranos to think otherwise. When I find a mouthpiece/reed combination I like, it plays about the same regardless of which horn I put it on.

So, if I had that Borgani, I'm betting that my current set-ups will play nicely on it. DAVE

A bright mpc will sound different on a dark sop or a bright sop. Maybe they both will sound awesome - but that is not the point. the idea is that it shall sound well as lead voice in a saxohone section, and then it shall suit my own style off playing

 

[Dr G]

I am using a Phil—Tone Sapphire on my Borgani Jubilee bent neck sop (previously a gold pearl Jubilee, now a UL Jubilee (OB series) with silver power bell). I used to favor a smaller chambered Lamberson Fmaj7, but it just doesn’t fit on the Borgani Jubilee - you may have similar problems with other smaller chambered mouthpieces.

 

[turf3]

.... I had a feeling that the small chamber would fit the Conn ladyface, which is on the dark side. ...

This just goes to show how different people will get different results. I play a Meyer on a Conn 6M and find it's almost too bright. To me the 6M is one of the most projecting altos ever. I have been known to play lead alto on a Selmer C* in a big band with that 6M.

 

[Sfhansen]

I am using a Phil—Tone Sapphire on my Borgani Jubilee bent neck sop (previously a gold pearl Jubilee, now a UL Jubilee (OB series) with silver power bell). I used to favor a smaller chambered Lamberson Fmaj7, but it just doesn’t fit on the Borgani Jubilee - you may have similar problems with other smaller chambered mouthpieces.

Your Borgani trail is getting longer for each day!

Yes! imo too, small chambers does not fit the The Borgani sop. It's like hunting in the jungle with with a pea shooter gun! It does not get in to the rich texture of the Borg. I like a sound like this one

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r918mBW9sI4&index=5&list=PLSH9PU_veLpMVPFIW3GWKy40ecTrwfykH

but it's not the sound to lead a saxophone section. But I want as much of that richness I can get, and still get a bright articulate focused lead sound. That's what I've found on alto, with the small chamber RR New yorker replica.

I'll look into the Saphire, well it's a good indication that you are playing a Borgani too! Though it didn't sound like the sound I was looking for, when I was listening to it on the Phil-tone homepage

 

[Sfhansen]

This just goes to show how different people will get different results. I play a Meyer on a Conn 6M and find it's almost too bright. To me the 6M is one of the most projecting altos ever. I have been known to play lead alto on a Selmer C* in a big band with that 6M.

yes now I can get too bright now, but before I couldn't get bright enough, so me attitude was to play bright all the time, I'll have to stop that, that is not needed for.

When I got my alto I mainly played tenor, alto was for for fun and I choose what ever mpc I liked. And guess what, somehow I choose the ones the reminded me most of a tenor But since I became 1'st alto player, I'm being kicked to play louder a be in front of the section - and I didn't really get it, because when I played tenor, i was getting kicked for playing to loud! now I've just changed to a brighter sound with the mpc I talked about, and actually have a feeling that the bandleader smiles to me once in a while.

 

[turf3]

Are you seriously considering substituting soprano for lead alto in a big band? You don't need a lot of cut if so, as the soprano penetrates so much more. I have on occasion filled in for a lead trumpet player on soprano and it's too loud unless I keep to mezzo-forte or softer; I'm playing a Buescher True Tone with a Selmer C* mouthpiece - definitely not a setup that would generally be considered a loud or penetrating setup.

Honestly, the lead alto (or maybe I should say "lead sax" if you are considering using soprano) position is much more about phrasing and playing with intensity, than it is about just pure loudness.

I think it is an interesting idea to use soprano lead in a big band; it's only rarely been done, usually on one or two charts out of a band's whole book. But it would be interesting to make the sax section a soprano-lead section for everything. Kind of like the characteristic Miller clarinet lead (or Herman, sometimes), or the Herman three tenor section, or Lombardo switching to flute lead with clarinets and bass clarinet for inside choruses. Try it out and report back.

 

[Sfhansen]

Are you seriously considering substituting soprano for lead alto in a big band? You don't need a lot of cut if so, as the soprano penetrates so much more. I have on occasion filled in for a lead trumpet player on soprano and it's too loud unless I keep to mezzo-forte or softer; I'm playing a Buescher True Tone with a Selmer C* mouthpiece - definitely not a setup that would generally be considered a loud or penetrating setup.

Honestly, the lead alto (or maybe I should say "lead sax" if you are considering using soprano) position is much more about phrasing and playing with intensity, than it is about just pure loudness.

I think it is an interesting idea to use soprano lead in a big band; it's only rarely been done, usually on one or two charts out of a band's whole book. But it would be interesting to make the sax section a soprano-lead section for everything. Kind of like the characteristic Miller clarinet lead (or Herman, sometimes), or the Herman three tenor section, or Lombardo switching to flute lead with clarinets and bass clarinet for inside choruses. Try it out and report back.

I only use the soprano when the lead voice it's written for soprano, fx Thad Jones uses soprano regularly. we are only using sop also as a substitute for clarinet.

I'm tying to say as far as my limited english/american languish allows me, that it is not that much a question of volume as it is of tone, and that a Borgani is a very rich soprano. So my feeling is that I should be able to brighten and focus the sound up. If you have not played a Borgani, that it is probably some of the heaviest, richest, darkest sop on the marked. So the fine delicate sound of fx a yanigisawa is not available.

 

[Grumps]

Thank you for the advice I'll look into the super session

I too would recommend a Selmer Super Session for soprano. Not because it might be like a Meyer alto, but because it could fit for what you're looking for in an overall sense. For me personally, I found the soprano Super Sessions to play better the more open they are, having first bought an I tip opening, then trying an H before settling on a J. I don't think they make those extreme openings anymore, but you often see them on the second hand market. And that's what I'd advise when seeking any mouthpiece. Look for a used, but unaltered model. That way if it doesn't work, you can pass it on for the value paid or traded for.