[craigmultireedguy]

Hi all!

I've been playing tenor sax for about 10 years and over the summer I taught myself altissimo and have been listening to a lot of Brecker (and Dexter)...

I went into jazz ensemble the other day and the professor, after hearing me improvise along to a blues, said he was impressed with my improvisation but I had too much of a Ben Webster-ish big band sound... Whom I've NEVER thought of comparing my tone to. I guess it's because I use too much vibrato? My private teacher, who I just started taking lessons from again after a 5-year break told me the same thing.

I know the vibrato thing is pretty obvious, I gotta lay off it somewhat. But is there anything else I can do to modernize my sound? Maybe brighten it a little bit? Without changing mouthpieces.

By the way my setup is a 141*** Mark VI with a Florida Link. I also have a Guardala Brecker 1 and 1/2 (A modified Brecker II with a little less baffle).

Any help at all would be appreciated... And please, don't tell me to practice, I do enough of that already.

Thanks a lot!

 

[Frank D]

Start playing the Brecker 1 and take more of the mouthpiece in your mouth than you think you should. Practice facing the wall so the sound bounces back at you so you can really hear your tone. You might also want to experiment with softer reeds than you usually use.

 

[bandmommy]

Yup. Try some softer reeds. Maybe even a different cut would help a little.
We might be able to give a few suggestions if you could tell us what brand/cut/strength you are currently using.

 

[craigmultireedguy]

Frank D - Thanks for the tip, I'll give that a try... And hope I don't blow my ears off in the process XD
bandmommy - Okay At the moment I'm using a Vandoren ZZ 3... But I've been sort of on that journey to figure out the best reeds for me, I've gone through Vandoren Java green 3s (which I liked), Vandoren V16 3s (hated), Alexander DC NY 3s (hated more than the V16s). I feel like 3's are the perfect hardness, but I could give 2 1/2's a try I suppose.

 

[craigmultireedguy]

Oh, and I do really like the feel of the ZZ I'm playing now

 

[Phil Barone]

Hi all!

I've been playing tenor sax for about 10 years and over the summer I taught myself altissimo and have been listening to a lot of Brecker (and Dexter)...

I went into jazz ensemble the other day and the professor, after hearing me improvise along to a blues, said he was impressed with my improvisation but I had too much of a Ben Webster-ish big band sound... Whom I've NEVER thought of comparing my tone to. I guess it's because I use too much vibrato? My private teacher, who I just started taking lessons from again after a 5-year break told me the same thing.

I know the vibrato thing is pretty obvious, I gotta lay off it somewhat. But is there anything else I can do to modernize my sound? Maybe brighten it a little bit? Without changing mouthpieces.

By the way my setup is a 141*** Mark VI with a Florida Link. I also have a Guardala Brecker 1 and 1/2 (A modified Brecker II with a little less baffle).

Any help at all would be appreciated... And please, don't tell me to practice, I do enough of that already.

Thanks a lot!

A lot of people, myself included, feel that MB sounded his best on his Links. Anyway, what you want to start doing is PHRASING in a more contemporary way, that's all. It's not really about mouthpieces. So transcribing is always a good idea but 90% of your tone comes from how you phrase and I sell mouthpieces so there's nothing in it for me to be telling you this other than to help you out which is always a good thing. Do you know your blues scales? If you don't I would learn them and play around with them because they can help you. Now, I will say, if you put the Guardala on you might find that it will help open up your ears thus it may help you to phrase differently so it won't hurt to put it on but then you can go back to the Link and as long as you continue to phrase in a contemporary manner you'll get the contemporary sound PLUS a better quality sound. Because let's face it, the Guardala's sound like kazoos. Phil Barone

 

[bandmommy]

Ok. A couple of suggestions that 'might' work...
Hemke 3s', LaVoz M or MH, Rico Royal 2.5 or 3s', and "Just for Poops and Giggles" Rico orange box 2.5 or 3s'.
I like Hemke but my setup is a lot different than yours.

Another thing you could try is sanding the reed on each side of the heart. Just be careful to not get too close to the tip.
Sometimes this will brighten things up a little.

 

[craigmultireedguy]

Thanks Phil, that was really insightful, I'll give it a try
But could you please be a little more specific about the phrasing thing? Like what exactly should I emphasize in my lines, what should I do rhythmically, etc.?

 

[SiB0717]

Ask yourself everyday: man why do I have this Ben, Dexter sound and phrasing? Something will change.
Either you'll find an answer or the question will go away.

 

[Nefertiti]

Play along with all the Brecker recording you can. Pick ones that are more modal so it is easier for you and then just mimic what he is doing. Don't even transcribe it just play and copy. Tone, style, phrasing.........That will do the trick!

 

[craigmultireedguy]

Thanks bandmommy, I'll give that a try, I think I have a few extra reeds lying around somewhere...

 

[craigmultireedguy]

Alright, I've been doing a lot of Brecker transcribing lately haha and it seems like most of what he plays is pretty modal (at least in what he plays over the changes, not the changes themselves)... Is there any specific tune that comes to mind?
I've really been diggin' African Skies (Out of the Loop) and Funky Sea Funky Dew (Heavy Metal Bebop) lately

 

[Woosax]

For a modern sound, Fibracell or Rico Plasticover reeds will likely have a much more dramatic effect than any sanding or switching cane.

 

[craigmultireedguy]

SiB0717 - Haha the thing about that is, I've been working REALLY hard at getting a Dexter Gordon-type sound since pretty much the beginning... I've never thought of his sound as similar to Ben Webster though. Like at all. The vibrato, maybe, but not in terms of the tone itself

 

[craigmultireedguy]

Woosax - Thanks for the input! I've tried Fibracells before (on the Link) and I do agree that they brighten up my sound, but it also seems to make my tone obnoxious... Could be just me, or could be an embouchure issue or something

 

[Nefertiti]

The question is.........what sound do you want? If your going for a Dexter tone, you must dig that tone. Brecker is a light year away from Dexter tone wise. What do you want to sound like? Don't worry about what other people say........what do you want to sound like? What sound is calling to you?

 

[craigmultireedguy]

Oh man, that's kind of a toughy to answer... It's true, I've ALWAYS been a die-hard fan of Dexter's tone... It's just so huge and fat it defies adjectives! But I also dig the brightness and tendency to split in Brecker's tone... So maybe something in the middle. What I REALLY want, is the huge, fat core sound of Dexter but a tad brighter with that splitting tendency there... And I've always felt like when I really warm up and am in the zone I can almost get it...

 

[SiB0717]

SiB0717 - Haha the thing about that is, I've been working REALLY hard at getting a Dexter Gordon-type sound since pretty much the beginning... I've never thought of his sound as similar to Ben Webster though. Like at all. The vibrato, maybe, but not in terms of the tone itself

Maybe the people criticising you don't really know how to tell Dex from Ben. Either way you should treat it as compliment! You should always stick with what you feel like playing!

You could also just use a fibracell when they're around...

 

[craigmultireedguy]

SiB0717 - Hmm, I guess that's true! And I know that the next time the professor busts out an Ellington chart I'll be able to rawk that old-school sound I guess I'm just looking for some versatility in my sound.
And maybe, just maybe...

 

[Rondalo]

you might even need to play the more modern tone on the Ellington chart if the rest of the section isn't versatile enough to play old-school.