[piwikiwi]

This thread is a follow up from my "losing motivation thread". I found out that my set up was too heavy(playing was really uncomfortable, need too much air to play). Now I switched back to rico jazz select 3H(stan getz 6* mouthpiece) but now my question is:

How do I get a full sound with softer reeds? I need a lot less pressure to play but I sound rather weak. Is it possible to get it as warm etc as with the harder reed? Do I just practice a lot of long tones?

 

[dexdex]

I went to a bit softer and rather harsh sounding reads some time ago (Fiberreed Carbon) on a Link STM 8. Long tones will always help. I try to bite less (which softer reeds obviously make easier), and apply more lower lip, by pushing it out along the reed, instead of curling it over the lower teath, like I (unfortunately) learned from my early clarinet practice. I assume this tends towards a so-called relaxed embouchure. You might also have to find a new position of how much mp you take.
Remember that guy ?

Look how his lower lip is curled around the reed. AFAIK he played moderately hard reeds.
Who else plays Rythm changes like this ?

 

[Sivari]

On the 6* SG for me Lavoz MH and Orange Rico 3 1/2 work really well. The Rico's are a bit softer than the LaVoz and give a big broader darker sound, the Lavoz have more punch and projection.

 

[piwikiwi]

On the 6* SG for me Lavoz MH and Orange Rico 3 1/2 work really well. The Rico's are a bit softer than the LaVoz and give a big broader darker sound, the Lavoz have more punch and projection.

Thank you for the advice! How do they compare to rico jazz select in strenght?

I went to a bit softer and rather harsh sounding reads some time ago (Fiberreed Carbon) on a Link STM 8. Long tones will always help. I try to bite less (which softer reeds obviously make easier), and apply more lower lip, by pushing it out along the reed, instead of curling it over the lower teath, like I (unfortunately) learned from my early clarinet practice. I assume this tends towards a so-called relaxed embouchure. You might also have to find a new position of how much mp you take.
Remember that guy ?

Look how his lower lip is curled around the reed. AFAIK he played moderately hard reeds.
Who else plays Rythm changes like this ?

I appreciate your help and I noticed that when I cushioned my reed more I sound better. no disrespect to Michael Brecker but I don't want to sound like him.

 

[Sivari]

Orange Rico 3 1/2 is more or less a Rico Select 3M and Lavoz more or less a 3H....

 

[jazzcat58]

I appreciate your help and I noticed that when I cushioned my reed more I sound better. no disrespect to Michael Brecker but I don't want to sound like him.

dont worry you wont!!

 

[rleitch]

Ray Reed argues--very convincingly IMHO--that embouchure fatigue can be caused by reeds that are warping away from the table. Do you do anything to finish your reeds...scraping etc.?

 

[piwikiwi]

Ray Reed argues--very convincingly IMHO--that embouchure fatigue can be caused by reeds that are warping away from the table. Do you do anything to finish your reeds...scraping etc.?

Nope but it's not embouchure fatigue.

 

[DTExpress]

dont worry you wont!!

LOL!!!! I love it hee hee!!

 

[JohnGalt]

I second that.

 

[magical pig]

To use more air pressure you need young Jedi.

 

[piwikiwi]

To use more air pressure you need young Jedi.

Then i just sound more reedy

 

[magical pig]

Then i just sound more reedy

Does reedy mean thin and buzzy?

 

[milandro]

I normally play on my Super 20 tenor a Ponzol M1 105 and Gonzales 3 shaved down a little (a need an edge that I don't get from a normal 2,5 reed).I've sent out my horn to be repadded and I have sent my mouthpiece with it too. I have a V16 t77 Vandoren that I am using on a YTS61 , if I use the same Gonzales I am reedy and have a " blunt" sound , the edge is totally gone. So I took my Vandoren Blue box 2 that I have for in case something plays too difficult or I don't play for some time and , voilà, I am back in business.

The sound is full and dark on and that comes from putting a bit more of lip to cushion the reed and putting my abdominal muscles ( not really a six-pack........ more a beer belly) to some use.

I can do the same also on relatively soft artificial reeds.

 

[piwikiwi]

Does reedy mean thin and buzzy?

yes

 

[saxphil]

Send Pete Thomas a pm.
I believe he uses softer reeds.

 

[milandro]

reedy, for mee, sound resistant and wet.....

 

[Matt Otto]

I've gotten a lot from this long tone routine Garzone showed me in the 80's:

http://mattotto.org/?cat=168

 

[magical pig]

yes

Then you're using too much (unfocused) air and possibly biting. It's not about how much air using but how pressurized it is.

A great exercise for developing the right approach is too blow as much air as possible while keeping the volume as quiet as possible. This should give you a huge and rich tone at low volume and make you aware of what you need to do. Then you can move on to applying this to normal volume playing.

To check if you're biting, you can use a double lip embouchure (no teeth on the mpc) as part of your warm up. Overtone exercises are also great for this and the air pressure thing. Check this awesome post for ideas on how to practice them : http://everythingsaxophone.blogspot.com/2011/06/altissimo-crash-course-beginner-through.html

There are many more tone exercises you can do but without hearing and seeing you play, and trying a few things live with you, it's at best a shot in the dark.

 

[paulwl]

I've never understood something.
When you roll out your lower lip, what keeps your teeth off the reed? Just holding your jaw in position? I would think you'd have a really tense jaw.