Dark tone Alto
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Brand does not matter. It's the attributes that help facilitate sound. Flat or rollover baffle and large chamber will help produce a darker sound. The rest is up to you.
https://new.theowanne.com/knowledge/baffle-shapes/
https://new.theowanne.com/knowledge/chamber-sizes/
https://new.theowanne.com/knowledge/baffle-shapes/
https://new.theowanne.com/knowledge/chamber-sizes/
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So...You’re shopping for a mouthpiece to get you closer to a sound you don’t even have a reference point for? Play what you have, listen to as many players as you can, and try to cop the ones you like. When you get an idea of what kind of sound concept you want to work on developing, play what you have until you can pick out what’s “missing” in the gear you have.
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Players with a dark tone:
Johnny Hodges;
Paul Desmond;
Johnny Hodges;
Paul Desmond;
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you will find hundreds of combinations but how a person plays depends more from his way of playing than on his equipment which is only a facilitator of what he thinks that his should should be.
Anyway for what is worth, Benjamin Herman ( Selmer and Otto link STM , yes the mouthpiece that almost anyone says is no good on alto) plays very dark ( and plays bright when he wants to!).
If anyone can steer the sound in every direction he wants this means that the sound is not " contained" in the equipment.
Anyway for what is worth, Benjamin Herman ( Selmer and Otto link STM , yes the mouthpiece that almost anyone says is no good on alto) plays very dark ( and plays bright when he wants to!).
If anyone can steer the sound in every direction he wants this means that the sound is not " contained" in the equipment.
In my experience these attributes create quite a bit of resistance. I bought a Morgan classical alto which gives me a beautiful dark sound, but is very resistant for me to play.
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14,450 Posts
I make a couple of darker models. You are correct...compared to a small chamber higher baffle and floor piece you will have more resistance. That, however, does not mean it has to be stuffy. One simply needs to order the right size given the mpc design and use the reed that provides the best overall tone given what one is after.
...but its sure not gonna play like a high a baffle piece.
...but its sure not gonna play like a high a baffle piece.
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1,587 Posts
Mayer 5M mouthpiece, round medium chamber.
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14,450 Posts
Or a Meyer large chamber
Alto players are insistent on their need for medium or small chambers. When they actually venture beyond this locked in norm many find that larger chambers were what they were looking for all along.
Think outside the box guys
Alto players are insistent on their need for medium or small chambers. When they actually venture beyond this locked in norm many find that larger chambers were what they were looking for all along.
Think outside the box guys
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2,011 Posts
Ok thanks guys....I know it's mostly up to the player...but that is mostly ...in my experience the mpc does make a difference...it really makes me wonder what people hear when they say the mpc makes no difference..just practice practice practice...sure that is the basis of playing however the equipment makes a difference in my experience...that said I have been a tenor player for 20 yrs and have always had a love hate relationship with the Alto...I was just giving a 1959 Alto The Martin and I really find it the nicest sounding alto that I have played and yes I have played many including a MK VI...being a tenor player I like the sound of tenor but also feel that I bring that sound to the alto somewhat...
With this alto I can see myself playing it more as for some strange reason I am enjoying it..I think alot has to do with the fact I am now 60 and it is lighter and for me seems easier to play? As far as darker alto players I guess it is all in perspective for example I dont here Pail Desmond as a dark player...anyhow I was just making conversation and thanks for you all participating...
Peace
Steve
With this alto I can see myself playing it more as for some strange reason I am enjoying it..I think alot has to do with the fact I am now 60 and it is lighter and for me seems easier to play? As far as darker alto players I guess it is all in perspective for example I dont here Pail Desmond as a dark player...anyhow I was just making conversation and thanks for you all participating...
Peace
Steve
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I'm normally a tenor player, but I just went through my alto pieces in preparation for an upcoming gig. My V16 medium chamber ended up being the one I'm going to go with. It has a nice combination of dark with power. I remember when I bought it that I was trying to get closer to a tenor sound on alto.
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I really like this players sound
Thanks for sharing
Buffet Clarinet, Conn Soprano Sax, Buescher Alto Sax, 2 Bundy One Tenor Saxes, Conn C Melody Sax,
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3,117 Posts
The first example, Benjamin Herman, does it for me. The whole set up, room, band, (if you can call string players a band
), is a perfect setting for this alto player's "dark" sound. The slow, almost writhing treatment accentuates his sound, (gives us a chance to really hear the "darkness"), and the decor of the large of the room contributes somehow. The camera operator has done a great job.
Thanks again, milandro! :treble::bass:
), is a perfect setting for this alto player's "dark" sound. The slow, almost writhing treatment accentuates his sound, (gives us a chance to really hear the "darkness"), and the decor of the large of the room contributes somehow. The camera operator has done a great job. Thanks again, milandro! :treble::bass:
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Well, first off what is quite a bit of resistance? Depending on the person, any amount of resistance may be too much. I have a Morgan large chamber #7 jazz alto MP and it has a little resistance as well. I use a 2.5 strength reed with it. You don't specify what your tip opening or what reed you use either. If you use a hard reed you will likely experience more resistance. I also have a Wanne Gaia #7 that is extremely free blowing with no resistance whatsoever, which sometimes will cause my sound to be thin in the upper register. My main MP these days is a Brilhart Tonalin #5. I wouldn't say it has any resistance but neither is it free blowing like the Gaia. For ME it's the best MP I've ever played on.
To me resistance within this context means a feeling of having to blow harder to get the reed vibrating effectively. Perhaps I can describe the feeling as being the opposite of free blowing. "Quite a bit" is in reference to other alto mouthpieces that I've played (a small sample size to be sure), on the same instrument, again purely my subjective experience.
The mouthpiece tip of my Morgan classical is an 8, not far off from some of the other mouthpieces that I have, and recognizing that the facing curves likely differ between them.
Your point about too hard a reed is a good one relative to the feel of resistance; I used 2s, then 1.5 and went down to a 1 (as low as I could get), and still felt more resistance compared to my other mouthpieces (that I find more free-blowing).
As you point out, it is a subjective feeling and I meant to qualify my experience specifically with a mouthpiece described as:
https://www.morganmouthpieces.com/products/morgan-classical-alto-saxophone-mouthpiece
Large round chamber (no baffle)
Rich, dark classical tone
agreeing with and in reference to the prior post, "It's the attributes that help facilitate sound. Flat or rollover baffle and large chamber will help produce a darker sound."
In no way do I mean to criticize the Morgan classical nor dissuade anyone from it or any other large chamber and small or no baffle mouthpiece.
Buffet Clarinet, Conn Soprano Sax, Buescher Alto Sax, 2 Bundy One Tenor Saxes, Conn C Melody Sax,
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I’ve been listening to myself on alto from a recording of a recent concert and I don’t like the bright sound I’m getting. I use a Meyer Small Chamber mouthpiece. I don’t see a number on it. I’d like to experiment on a cheap piece. I see a Rico Graftonite in 3 and 5 which are quite cheap, ($30+). Any advice would be appreciated. If necessary, I’ll buy a more expensive piece.
Thanks.
Thanks.
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