[DannyMetalC]

This is the tone I am trying to get out of my Conn! This guy can really play!
Its an Aquilasax--- designed off the Conn, so it gives me renewed hope to find this tone on my Conn.

 

[Captain Beeflat]

Good heavy edgy sound....so it can be done on the "wimpy" Conn.
Difficult to get a glimpse of the mouthpiece but it certainly sounds like something with a large chamber & high baffle....but I have been wrong before.

 

[Captain Beeflat]

Could it be a Link with a non standard lig.
Super cool neck strap & underslung octave rocker, even if he is guilty of flying fingers.

 

[csax]

That's a solid setup - "mouthpiece Lebayle Studio 9, reed Rico Plasticover # 4" if you go to the YouTube source- tenor mouthpiece d'you think, rather than alto Lebayle ?

At the risk of sounding slightly dismissive (which I'm certainly not...), the recording is max'ing out more than a little, so some of the sound is distortion... I say again, as often, a lot of the sound is in the player, the setup just refines it.

 

[DannyMetalC]

Yeah I noticed that it maxes out also, but listening through that I can hear (as I'm sure you can) that it is a really nice tone to begin with. I posted a comment on his video asking if he has any vintage C Melodies to try this piece on with the Lebayle and Rico Plasticovers. If he could play it like this on a Conn then my journey is set. I would probably get the same mpc. and pursue this sound... I really like it

 

[DannyMetalC]

even if he is guilty of flying fingers.

Lol Captain Beeflat... I just watched again and yes he is guilty. It doesn't matter to me though while I am listening to that playing.....

Good heavy edgy sound....so it can be done on the "wimpy" Conn.

Yay!

 

[csax]

He is a good strong player, if you search for Michael Ausserbauer Quartet on Youtube, you'll find examples.

Here he is on soprano, there's also another video on tenor, probably more.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nS-_lw-Stqw&feature=related

Danny - great sound concept to pursue - just confirm he uses a tenor Lebayle mouthpiece on the Aquilasax (probably, as he also plays tenor and sop) and off you go, maybe a little softer reed than a '4' Plasticover to start with ?

Only other thing you may need is an Aquilsax replacement neck, as I doubt a tenor Lebayle will go on far enough onto the 'microtuner' neck to be in pitch. Shame to take a hacksaw to such a good mouthpiece...

 

[Captain Beeflat]

Yeah I noticed that it maxes out also, but listening through that I can hear (as I'm sure you can) that it is a really nice tone to begin with. I posted a comment on his video asking if he has any vintage C Melodies to try this piece on with the Lebayle and Rico Plasticovers. If he could play it like this on a Conn then my journey is set. I would probably get the same mpc. and pursue this sound... I really like it

What please is the meaning of "max out"?
Also, listen to what cmelodysax often says...."most of the sound comes from within the player". He is right. It is estimated that some 85% of the sound is in the player & in my experience, reeds have about the same bearing upon sound as the mouthpiece.
Before you spend vast sums on an expensive mouthpiece just remember what Hayes can do with virtually an original set-up.
To play a rig with a 0.120" tip & No. 4 reeds spells seriously practised chops....although I strongly suspect that this chap is using baritone reeds on his tenor mouthpiece. That could be something for you to try...as a general rule, for the same resistance, buy baritone reeds one strength heavier than your usual tenor strength.

 

[csax]

Beeflat - sorry, bit of juvenile slang (been around teenagers too much...) "max out" - means taking to the limit, e.g. often credit cards are 'maxed out' by big spenders. In this instance means 'recording into the red/maximum'.

Strange that bit about "buy baritone reeds one strength heavier than your usual tenor strength" - if trying bass clarinet reeds on C's, or even tenor sax, I find they are stiffer (obviously the cut) so I always drop down a strength from tenor reeds, certainly with the Rico variations...

 

[Captain Beeflat]

The thing about baritone reeds is that the vibrating part extends further....they are thinner for longer if that makes sense.
Thanks for the definition of "max out" & sorry to learn that you have to suffer teenagers...the expression did not exist when I was of that age, so mercifully I escaped being a "teenager".

 

[csax]

Aaahh I understand - and bass clarinet reeds (well the one's I've used) have a shorter 'vibrating part' :lick: than tenor reeds, so get thicker quicker, hence the need to drop down a strength from tenor...

Troublesome teenagers are only a passing phase, they soon become unemployable graduates with 'maxed out' student loans and credit cards - not so cocky then :mrgreen:

 

[DannyMetalC]

Indeed... I will need many more years of practice before I am trying such a large tip opening as .120 and 4 reeds. Right now my plastic tenor mpc. has .069-ish and I use Vandoren 2 1/2 Cane reeds. I believe that I will need a transitional mouthpiece before I go to this final level... what say you to some sort of upgrade from plastic to a "cheaper" hard rubber mpc. with a tip opening of say... .08-.09 and go to Vandoren #3's for my next step?

I agree with you Alan to get a replacement straight neck for my Conn, but remember I have a 1919 curved neck with no 'microtuner' as well that would work with any tenor mpc. that actually sounds quite nice on my 1920 straight neck body. (The 1919 Sax body has no keys on it now... I've been meticulously polishing it... and getting its keywork ready for some nice kangaroo pads with large resonators.) There will be no expensive mouthpiece chopping here... perhaps a modern custom neck could enhance the tone a little as well. This video represents my tone goal... hope that the Conn can have that edge!

I will soon be in that graduate phase... although hopefully not unemployable . My loans are quite minimal thanks to scholarships and cheap tuition at my university... but my 'maxed out' credit card is due to a first snowboarding season owning all of my own equipment but no season pass :O, so one lift ticket at a time I maxed that out. It was worth it!

 

[bluemike]

Hi,

just found out my video is posted here. Thanks a lot for all your positive comments. Makes me feel real good. :sunny:
Just to answer a few of the questions:

The Lebayle is in fact a tenor mouthpiece and the reeds are Rico tenor reeds. Had to recork the neck to make it fit properly. The Lebayle hasn't too big a chamber - perhaps that is what makes it work real fine for me. The more open Berg Larsen I normally use on tenor wouldn't work so well for what reason ever. Sounded a bit stuffy.

I noticed the distortion in the sound. But I'm not quite sure, where it comes from as the original video is almost free (though not totally) from it. The other C-Mel samples are better soundwise.

@Danny: The Lebayle isn't so hard to blow. But maybe a step between will be reasonable. I got a Runyon Custom which I tried on the Aquila and it gives a good sound. Bionix from Runyon could work too. Cheapest possibility would perhaps be to try a Rico metalite 7 or 9 for Tenor. It has a baffle and produces quite a nice sound when blown with the right reeds. And it's just some 20 or so $.
Btw: Thanks again for your appreciation. I'll try to post a vid with C-Mel and some other mouthpieces if I find the time.

Michael

 

[DannyMetalC]

@ Michael - Good suggestions... I took a look at the Rico Metalites and they are right on the money. My Conn neck is already corked for tenor mouthpieces so I am set. I am gonna pick up one of those Metalites, probably a #7 and check it out on the Conn. I am also gonna practice with your video for a while and see if some of that tone can "rub off" into my playing :joker:. On some of those great edgy high note riffs were you at all using flutter tongue or back of the throat growling techniques?

 

[SaxTMan]

it has a lot of reverb.. so you may not accomplish that sound with the same setup....
but you are right his sound his clearly great in the first two seconds

 

[bluemike]

Hi,

@Danny: No growling on the falsetto notes. They come out this way if you adjust your embouchure a little.

 

[DannyMetalC]

@ Michael, Ok thankyou... will keep practicing. Playing along with your recording is really helping my intonation, tone, and I am picking up a few licks too! (The ones I can figure out )

 

[bluemike]

Hi,

just let me know if I can help you. BTW: there are two other videos in youtube with me playing C-Mel.

 

[DannyMetalC]

I have seen the others but my favorite one is Send in the Clowns, followed by Thunder. Great set showing what C-Melody is all about... Sounds ready to take to a gig!

And thank you, you have already helped a ton! Given me my sound concept goal to work towards... I think I just need more practice... gotta find a nice bridge and take a few weeks off work...:joker:

 

[AMASAX]

I'd like to hear what he really sounds like, if he hadn't twiddled so many knobs on the sound board.

Over the top on reverb and sounds like the mike is dialed wayyy down.