[liggy]

The real question is - what did Phil have for dinner last night?

Duh... Chinese! j/k

 

[Tryptykon]

Trane was obsessed with mouthpieces, so was Stitt, Schildkraut, Bird (Schildkraut told me all about this; more if you want to hear) ).

I'm interested ! More.. let's here it . PM if you'd rather . Either way, I'm interested !

 

[StefGrani]

I'm interested ! More.. let's here it . PM if you'd rather . Either way, I'm interested !

Me too!! Very much so!

 

[StefGrani]

Sorry for repeating myself, but I want to touch a little bit the reed issue and how it potentially affects ones mouthpiece experience. As I said somewhere else, I’m not sure at all anymore that you should play mouthpieces with the same reed when you compare them. I say this regardless of their tip opening, which can be exactly the same in inch/mm, but the playability is significantly different. We see it called reed friendliness (don’t know how that is measured) or something on those lines. However, the very different baffle and chamber geometrics require very variable types of reeds. I have noticed this especially with my high/medium baffle mouthpieces. I’m too lazy to measure their facing curves, but just based on the baffle, my feeling is that a high baffle mp is easier to play with harder reeds than the low baffle ones. Correct me if I’m wrong. On the other hand their sound quality decreases much more with softer reeds. I’m actually reluctant to use the word (soft/hard), because e.g. Rico Jazz Select comes with soft, medium or hard option for each number. So the number obviously does not mean hard/soft. How should I then interpret the Rico graftonite/ metalite recommendations (soft/medium/hard) for their tip openings. Is 4S reed soft for the mouthpiece and what is the difference between 3.5H and 4.0S? I’m trying to exaggerate in order to show how difficult it can be.

What I’m trying to say is that it is probably our own fault that we don’t require more accurate data for the reeds that we buy. Fortunately, you can buy many of the reeds as singles (not all tough), which makes your testing process a tiny bit less expensive. At least Legere provides some sort of parallel comparison chart for reeds (thanks for that!), but I haven’t been able to fully utilize it.

Have you tried Jody Espina’s 6 questions? I ended up buying my JJ alto piece based on his recommendation based on the answers to those questions. However, that recommendation is only for tip opening, not any particular reed. I’m super curious to know how that algorithm works. I would love to have something like that for my general use.

 

[Nefertiti]

AN IMPORTANT MESSAGE FROM ME:

this seems much ado about very little - personally, as a technically challenged human being (poor motor skills, damaged hands) I need every advantage I can get when it comes to horn, mouthpiece, reeds, et al. The solution? Do what works best for you. Spend the money, don't spend the money. Trane was obsessed with mouthpieces, so was Stitt, Schildkraut, Bird (Schildkraut told me all about this; more if you want to hear); Rollins I am sure was always experimenting. Dolphy, always. McLean in pics has a lot of different pieces. What - me worry?

(and one of the very reasons my playing improved radically from my 30s into my 50s was my discovery of mouthpiece improvements. So what? Listen to the recordings, it's all there).

.....and to bring it into the current age, Dave Liebman, Jerry Bergonzi, Joel Frahm, Bob Mintzer, Chad LB (although he plays SYOS, every time I see a video he has a different colored mouthpiece.......), MIchael Brecker and all his mouthpieces......, Joshua Redman, Melissa Aldana, Mark Turner, Seamus Blake........

All these players, have switched mouthpieces. Some more than others. If it doesn't matter........ then why do they search? Why did they switch? These are some of the best of the best. If they are searching and switching at times, might there be something involved here of importance.......... Just a thought.........

As I have said before, when you have a passion that motivates you, you are obsessed with the pursuit of becoming better........Yes, I would say it is overkill for a player who is in his first 1-3 years of playing to be buying countless Florida Links, Guardalas, Freddie Gregory's etc........ Just play a Yamaha student mouthpiece and learn the tar out of the fundamentals. After 3 years, try a bunch of pieces and pick one that does it for you. After that many years you can play a bit and you know what you like. BUT! then stay on that piece for another 2 years at least continuing to practice and mature. After two years, you have been playing 5 years, do whatever you want.......

 

[Nefertiti]

.....and to bring it into the current age, Dave Liebman, Jerry Bergonzi, Joel Frahm, Bob Mintzer, Chad LB (although he plays SYOS, every time I see a video he has a different colored mouthpiece.......), MIchael Brecker and all his mouthpieces......, Joshua Redman, Melissa Aldana, Mark Turner, Seamus Blake........

All these players, have switched mouthpieces. Some more than others. If it doesn't matter........ then why do they search? Why did they switch? These are some of the best of the best. If they are searching and switching at times, might there be something involved here of importance.......... Just a thought.........

As I have said before, when you have a passion that motivates you, you are obsessed with the pursuit of becoming better........Yes, I would say it is overkill for a player who is in his first 1-3 years of playing to be buying countless Florida Links, Guardalas, Freddie Gregory's etc........ Just play a Yamaha student mouthpiece and learn the tar out of the fundamentals. After 3 years, try a bunch of pieces and pick one that does it for you. After that many years you can play a bit and you know what you like. BUT! then stay on that piece for another 2 years at least continuing to practice and mature. After two years, you have been playing 5 years, do whatever you want.......

.....or do whatever you want from the beginning. It's your decision as an adult. The problem with beginners switching within 3 years is that it is so hard to develop consistency with the tools you are using. You are trying to develop a consistent tone, air flow, altissimo, articulation, evenness of tone throughout the range, etc........It is hard enough to develop those on one mouthpiece over three years. If you are switching all the time then the tools you are using are always different. The articulation is slightly different, the response is different, the air support is different, the tone is different, the air support needed is different, etc....... All the constant changes fight against you in the learning process. It would be like learning to be an expert marksman and everyday that you go to the gun range they hand you a different gun with different calibrations. It will work against you. The process requires that you are one with your gun. You know how it feels, how it shoots, what it's tendencies are, etc......

Mouthpieces are the same! Over time you learn and are one with the mouthpiece. You know what to do to get high G, you know what notes are flat or sharp, you know the pressure required to tongue lightly or hard, you know what to do to get a low Bb at pp. You have worked with the tools enough to know and you are one with them.

This is just another thought. I give this speech to most 1-3 year students who start talking about switching mouthpieces.......some listen, some don't.......

 

[TheYankeeIrregular]

I would love to hear about all the ins and outs of mouthpiece design, as well as what reed works best with which mp? It is all new to me and I am quite frankly overwhelmed at available saxophone selections, not to mention the myriad choices for mouthpiece and reed...

 

[Rogerrr]

Yes it would be fascinating. I do a little metal casting every now and then....sometimes I’m tempted to try casting one but that would probably turn into a huge project since I don’t have the right equipment to finish it

 

[allenlowe]

edited

 

[allenlowe]

Me too!! Very much so!

I am a little under the weather right now, but will start a little thread when I am feeling better -

 

[StefGrani]

I am a little under the weather right now, but will start a little thread when I am feeling better -

Be well and take your time. Very much looking forward...

 

[wanderso]

Gotta get the latest glass, right?

Analogous to physical tools are your mental tools.

But the professor in more than one Berklee Online jazz performance course stated,

"It's not how much you know, it's how you use what you do know."

 

[click]

.....or do whatever you want from the beginning. It's your decision as an adult. The problem with beginners switching within 3 years is that it is so hard to develop consistency with the tools you are using. You are trying to develop a consistent tone, air flow, altissimo, articulation, evenness of tone throughout the range, etc........It is hard enough to develop those on one mouthpiece over three years. If you are switching all the time then the tools you are using are always different. The articulation is slightly different, the response is different, the air support is different, the tone is different, the air support needed is different, etc....... All the constant changes fight against you in the learning process. It would be like learning to be an expert marksman and everyday that you go to the gun range they hand you a different gun with different calibrations. It will work against you. The process requires that you are one with your gun. You know how it feels, how it shoots, what it's tendencies are, etc......

Mouthpieces are the same! Over time you learn and are one with the mouthpiece. You know what to do to get high G, you know what notes are flat or sharp, you know the pressure required to tongue lightly or hard, you know what to do to get a low Bb at pp. You have worked with the tools enough to know and you are one with them.

This is just another thought. I give this speech to most 1-3 year students who start talking about switching mouthpieces.......some listen, some don't.......

" Berg: Many people have mentioned your influence on 'Trane. Did you know 'TVane?

Gordon: Not really. I knew him, but not well. He was from Philly. He was younger, of course, but I had met him here and there. Philly Joe reminded me recently, a few months ago when we were on tour together in Europe, of the time that Miles' band came out to Hollywood. 'Trane was playing his ****, but it wasn't projecting, he didn't have the sound. So one day we were talking and I said, "Man, you play fantas*tic, but you have to develop that sound, get that projection." I gave him a mouthpiece I had that I wasn't using. I laid that on him and that was it. That made the difference.

Berg: That's incredible because there are many things in 'Trane's sound that are reminiscent of your sound.

Gordon: He was playing my mouth*piece, man! ...".

https://jazzprofiles.blogspot.com/2018/03/dexter-gordon-chuck-berg-interview.html

 

[Phil Barone]

As I clearly stated, my text might not apply to you, it requires a suspense of disbelief and is not cut and dry but I believe people with insight got my point. You have to be able to see beyond yourself to understand it. On the other hand, It looks like the people contradicting me all seem to have personal motives or agendas whether greed or otherwise such as not willing to admit they are stuck where they are musically or in other areas of their life. I find, especially these days that people just want to be right at any cost and get a high off of anger. Anger is a very powerful addiction.

As for hobbyists, I never did hobby or mediocre. I believe if you’re going to do something than go for it but that’s just me. I’ve always felt that the hobby mentality is a kind of apathy or depression or brain fog. Maybe I’m wrong in thinking like this, I don’t know but to be honest, it’s not easy being me but I wouldn’t want to be any other way either.

I believe some of us have a war going on in our heads that struggle with making the right choices in our daily lives and have a problem making good choices such as whether or not to practice or get a new teacher? Fast food or healthful food? An energy efficient car or a gas guzzler? I could go on. I personally have a war going on. I fight against anger, injustice, struggle with finances and numerous other things everyday but I’ve found that I can control my mind with practice and patience. With some effort you can REFOCUS these distractions to your music or whatever you want. I meditate and use an application called Muse to gain control over my mind and I attend protests against causes I believe in and write emails. Ask yourself, what am I doing to further my music really? What am I doing to further my happiness and the happiness of the people around me? That’s what will flow out of your instrument, not switching a piece of equipment. When was the last time you took your car out of drive and put it in neural? Probably decades.

I further assert my position on equipment and believe many people are victims of insecurity, industry hype, desire for that special sound and chasing something that will never materialize by switching gear. And it’s not just in music, its in all sports activities and hobbies, careers, the white picket fence syndrome, ad infinitum. It permeates every aspect of our minds and this obsession with things outside of ourselves is what dominates your music and actions.

I recently bought a Steinway grand to replace my upright Yamaha at a tremendous expense but I justified it with my turning sixty years old this year and I miss the Yamaha. It was bold and dynamic and complex but I’m not sweating it because I know I still have to learn to play the grand and I’m more interested in excelling my playing and I knew it wouldn’t improve my music.

Don’t be satisfied with where you are in this life or you will repeat it. Just simple advice from an old mouth maker. Peace everyone.

Phil

 

[BariMelt]

As an educator of 22 years, I am reminded of the "mean girl" syndrome. You know the one who appears nice to all the teachers, but the stirs up the other girls so that they end up fighting one another? All the while said mean girl stands in the corner and watches it all unfold.

 

[jman1977]

My main takeaways:

1) either I agree with Phil, or I am a greedy, insecure, self-serving and/or angry wretch;
2) either I quit my job and pursue music (or tennis, or basketball, etc.) full-time; otherwise I need to schedule sessions with a shrink because I'm clearly a depressed wretch;
3) some random babbling about some things; and
4) Phil has a new, very expensive Steinway.

 

[saxcop]

My main takeaways:

1) Phil is bitter because others succeed in the mouthpiece and he is jealous.
2) Phil is selling chinese made saxophones and his thread about chinese stufff is to distract from that.

 

[Sacks Of Phones]

My main takeaways:

1) Nothing really - he has been on my "ignore" list for a long time. What's this thread about?

 

[germanwatches]

I find, especially these days that people just want to be right at any cost and get high off of anger. Anger is a very powerful addiction.
Phil

All of my life, I have been a servant to the people and musicians are the biggest AHoles that I've ever met. This forum is full of musicians that continuously force their point of view and need to be right.

 

[Jerry K.]

“As for hobbyists, I never did hobby or mediocre. I believe if you’re going to do something than go for it but that’s just me. I’ve always felt that the hobby mentality is a kind of apathy or depression or brain fog. Maybe I’m wrong in thinking like this, I don’t know but to be honest, it’s not easy being me but I wouldn’t want to be any other way either.”

Ok Phil, saw your point of view in the first post and now you’ve gone off the rails! Not necessarily depression but brain fog is a possibility! Come on man, shake yourself! You’re doing damage to your reputation at this point that could have fallout for your horn business since I’m guessing a lot of your customers are those lame hobbyists. Sheesh...