My first attempt on tenor...

3007 Views 25 Replies 17 Participants Last post by Wilbur Weltklang, Sep 3, 2007

crazydaisydoo

Discussion Starter · Jul 31, 2007 (Edited)

Hi,

Here is a clip; note the tenor starts at about 2min 40 secs, by all means listen to the alto as well, its just the same ol' stuff though

(except I have moved up to a Vandoren V16 3 reed on the Alto, and loving it)

I have had this cheap tenor for about a week now, and I am finding the transition ok. I tend to play for 10 minutes or so after I have practiced the Alto. If I do it the other way around my mouth cannot adjust back to the tighter embouchure! (It feels awful, all numb and loose)

How is my tone? I have no idea what it sounds like to others, I guess it is soft, like my alto tone. I am using the following equipment tenor-wise:

1) Walstein Chinese Tenor (£299!!) Thanks to Pete Thomas for the suggestion
2) Otto Link HR Tone Edge 5* with standard lig
3) Rico Royal 2.5 reed

That is my maximum spend on this, so I will have to live with it all for a while**. I am quite pleased with it though, although I have very few reference points as I dont listen to many tenor players.

All comments welcome as usual, I would'nt mind toughening up the tone a bit, but it is very early days yet

** Might be able to buy another reed, if I can smuggle it in past my wife...........

1 - 20 of 26 Posts

bluesaxgirl

· #2 · Jul 31, 2007

You sound good on both horns.

saxymanzach

· #3 · Jul 31, 2007

I remember reading that you stated playing sax like last October or something, correct.

If this is true than I would have to say that your playing is pretty darn nice. Its funny because after less than a year of playing you play better than 80% of the people here.

The Only advice I have fore you is to avoid that efect at 4:37. Instead of doing that kind of annoying "wah-wah" thing, just use a grace note. More or less the same effect, just more pleasing to the ear.

As for your tone, I'm not sure what you were going for but it wasn't unpleasant. With more playing, your sound will be allowed to come out more. Check out Lester Young, I think you two would get along great

.

Keep on practicing! You have made fantastic progress so far!

Good luck!

bluesaxgirl

· #4 · Jul 31, 2007

What equipment are using to record?

bluesaxgirl

· #5 · Jul 31, 2007

And, I was listening to your, "Somewhere Over the Rainbow,"....Wow! What a tone! I wish I had such a nice sound as you do.

Canadiain

· #6 · Jul 31, 2007

Wow, that sounds pretty darn good to me, and I like the "wah wah" thing myself!

crazydaisydoo

Discussion Starter · #7 · Jul 31, 2007

bluesaxgirl said:
What equipment are using to record?

Nothing too flash, just a Zoom MRS802CD multitrack, a Rode NT2A condensor microphone, and I just add a little of the Zoom's reverb after recording (not a great quality reverb to be honest). The real star of the show is the Rode Microphone, everything else could be reproduced by a computer interface with a mic pre-amp, and suitable software.

I prefer this push-button appoach because I spend too long on my PC as it is (all day)

I dont adjust any eq's after recording, but maybe I should

I think the microphone is a bit like a mouthpiece, spend more time choosing here. Digital Recording is Digital Recording, as long as the pre-amp is OK, its the mic that makes the difference.

Good Luck, if you decide to go a similar route, PM me and I will give some more info.

BigChas

· #8 · Jul 31, 2007

Nice stuff, Matt. I really enjoyed it. You're playing is really good. I was actually impressed more with the extreme pro job you did with the production on this piece though.

Great up front sound on the horns, but not to the point where they're "in your face." I would really be interested in what effects you used in post production. Obviously a tasty bit of reverb on the horns. Any compression? What mic did you use?

Oops, nm. Somebody beat me to the question.

crazydaisydoo

Discussion Starter · #9 · Jul 31, 2007

BigChas said:
Nice stuff, Matt. I really enjoyed it. You're playing is really good. I was actually impressed more with the extreme pro job you did with the production on this piece though.

Great up front sound on the horns, but not to the point where they're "in your face." I would really be interested in what effects you used in post production. Obviously a tasty bit of reverb on the horns. Any compression? What mic did you use?

Oops, nm. Somebody beat me to the question.

Thanks for the compliment!

No compression, sounds too hissy, and the quality of the Zoom's built in compression is poor. I did use a fair amount of reverb on this one, but hopefully not too much

For slower ballads I use a bit, much less on the faster songs. I tend to apply as much as I think sits well in the mix, then back it off a little. To much reverb kills tone and impact, IMHO.

One day I'll get a good compressor and have a go. I was reading an article about how classical and jazz musicians hate the idea of compression, but it nearly always applied by pro-engineers, often without telling the artists

. (for those not familiar, a compressor evens out the volume of your recording, raising the volume of the quiet bits, and reducing/limiting the volume of the loud bits, it kind of squeezes the sound)

I have been home recording (on guitar and in various bands) for 17 years now, having bought my first 4 track tape machine in about 1990. It cost £400 and was rubbish. I now use it as a doorstop.

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silvin

· #10 · Jul 31, 2007

Waouh Matt I'm really impressed by how you sound good after only one week on tenor and also by how this tenor seems to sound good for that price! :shock: What's the use then to pay 1500 or 2000 € in a pro horn ...
Congratulations, really, what a talent you have!
Do you have the impressions that your mic make the sound a bit round, I mean less edgy (in a positiv way) or is your sound in real so? I think I should try some HR Link these days ...

bfoster64

· #11 · Jul 31, 2007

You sound like Stan Getz on that tenor. Very nice tone. It also complements your approach to the alto.

But I'm curious as to what type of music you ultimately want to play. If you intend to stick with light jazz, bebop, bossa nova, and stuff like that, then you won't need to change your tone, but if you want to play more contemporary music you may need to develop a bigger sound with more edge.

crazydaisydoo

Discussion Starter · #12 · Jul 31, 2007

silvin said:
Waouh Matt I'm really impressed by how you sound good after only one week on tenor and also by how this tenor seems to sound good for that price! :shock: What's the use then to pay 1500 or 2000 € in a pro horn ...
Congratulations, really, what a talent you have!
Do you have the impressions that your mic make the sound a bit round, I mean less edgy (in a positiv way) or is your sound in real so? I think I should try some HR Link these days ...

Thanks silvin! Reverb (that is added digital reverberation or room simulation) helps the sound feel more distant, as if playing in a larger space. I don't alter the tone at all though, and the Rode mic is very faithful, so what you hear is accurate, just as if I were playing in a small hall.

I could get a better sound by using a very "dead" room and not micing so close. I get a fair amount of "proximity effect" (that is the volume reduces and bass is affected by me moving away from the mic) In a perfect world I would have the mic further away, to get a more even sound. As it stands this would pick up a lot of nasty room echo though, and the noise of my recording gear, guinea pigs and children who tend to wander in while I am recording.

This Walstein tenor is fantastic value, it is just perfect really. Highly recommended.

http://www.woodwindandbrass.co.uk/a...or_saxophone_selmer_tenor_saxophone.html#a975

They only charged £1.50 postage, and it arrived the day after ordering. It is not very often I write to thank companies for their service, but I did here.

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ianhart

· #13 · Jul 31, 2007

I like your sound on both, and I think that maybe your perceived "thinness" on alto is because you are going to the horn, and not the other way around. Great sound for playing for less than a year!

crazydaisydoo

Discussion Starter · #14 · Jul 31, 2007

bfoster64 said:
But I'm curious as to what type of music you ultimately want to play. If you intend to stick with light jazz, bebop, bossa nova, and stuff like that, then you won't need to change your tone, but if you want to play more contemporary music you may need to develop a bigger sound with more edge.

Very good point, I am a big Art Pepper fan, and would love to play with even 10% of his tone. He could play softly, but on faster harder numbers he could toughen his sound up a little. I guess that is what I would like to develop, a more muscular tone when required. Not a harsh "edge" exactly, just more attitude. I supoose this is achieved by a mixture of tone and articulation, and I am sure it will come with time. My problem is that I pretty much subtone all of the time, so it requires a fundamental change in technique!

Thanks for the kind words re Getz, I have while to go yet, but I must admit I had his tone in my head when playing.

hgiles

· #15 · Aug 1, 2007

E-gads, I cannot stand my own recordings! You sound good. Back to the woodshed for me....(or retirement!)

crazydaisydoo

Discussion Starter · #16 · Aug 1, 2007

hgiles said:
E-gads, I cannot stand my own recordings! You sound good. Back to the woodshed for me....(or retirement!)

Dont EVER retire!! I am sure you sound great. I am always very self critical too. It is what keeps us sane.

HornForHire

· #17 · Aug 1, 2007

Not bad, not bad at all...

I also hear references of Lester Young and Stan Getz.
Nice playing!

BTW, I also use a Rode mic, an NT1A. Great mics, reasonable price.

Cheers,
Wim

coolsax2k7

· #18 · Aug 10, 2007

nice crazy, and also if I might comment you've progressed a lot since your recording of Summertime on alto from before (but I liked that too!) I know you like Art Pepper, but you know Art Pepper was influenced by Zoot Sims (and Zoot Sims was sort of a rival to Getz?) I agree your tenor sound gets Getzy, that is nice.

All very 'West Coast.' Thanks for posting that, and I think the recording quality is very good as well. Good work!

Zvanen

· #19 · Aug 21, 2007

very nice played! I love that song btw.. The tenor sound is really nice, and as everyone else says, reminds me of getz

Keep it up!!

Rick Adams

· #20 · Aug 24, 2007

Amazing! Simply stunning Matthew, I am currently throwing my sax against the wall in pure jealousy

You have a talent, go out and find some other muscians to play with and an audience to play to. Do it!

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