[dorlz]

hi all,
i just got myself a nice new mpc: yamaha custom 5c.
i tested it against the 7c and i liked the sound of the 5c better so i went for it
only problem that it squecked when i played. the seller at the shop said that a harder reed would be better with the 5c mpc so i also got the harder reeds.
but now when i play i feel like air is escaping and i need to blow much harder to produce a sound.
i have a bg ligature and the reeds are vandoren number 3.
i'd loke to know if it's because i changed to a different reed strength or if it's something else.

also, i'm looking to get a brighter sound with an edge, so i'd like to know if i made the right choice by selecting this mouthpiece.

 

[Pete Thomas]

You can't go far wrong with a 5C, but it does sound like the reeds are too hard. I would suggest going back to the softer reeds and work on on a squeckless embouchure. When you have more experience is a good time to think about a mouthpiece that has more edge, meanwhile it's best to work on getting a solid tone from waht you have. You can (and should) get more edge by working on your sound rather than getting a mouthpiece to do that work for you at an early stage in your learning.

 

[saxpiece]

hi all,
i just got myself a nice new mpc: yamaha custom 5c.
i tested it against the 7c and i liked the sound of the 5c better so i went for it
only problem that it squecked when i played. the seller at the shop said that a harder reed would be better with the 5c mpc so i also got the harder reeds.
but now when i play i feel like air is escaping and i need to blow much harder to produce a sound.
i have a bg ligature and the reeds are vandoren number 3.
i'd loke to know if it's because i changed to a different reed strength or if it's something else.

also, i'm looking to get a brighter sound with an edge, so i'd like to know if i made the right choice by selecting this mouthpiece.

Reeds can cause squeaking and other problems if they are not sitting properly on the mouthpiece.

A lot of players flatten the back of a reed by using a knife or whatever or by buying something that does it.

Sooner or later players wake up to this and maybe some players end up more obsessive than others about it but players like David Sanborn do flatten the backs of their reeds.

For a beginner, they could easily be blaming their technique or the mouthpiece or the sax when it might just be the reed needing a bit of flattening out.

 

[Pete Thomas]

Sooner or later players wake up to this and maybe some players end up more obsessive than others about it but players like David Sanborn do flatten the backs of their reeds.

He also soaks them in a bottle of water.

One important thing to do when starting out is NOT just buy one reed, it's best to fork out on a whole box and try them all. There are bound to be a few "dud" in each box and so to form an opinion on what is the best reed or reed strength you need to try a good cross section.

Having said that, the "duds" can often be brought to life by a little preparation, flattenening the back as saxpiece mention is a good start.

 

[bakkiemetkoekie]

:faceinpalm:

hi all,
i just got myself a nice new mpc: yamaha custom 5c.
i tested it against the 7c and i liked the sound of the 5c better so i went for it
only problem that it squecked when i played. the seller at the shop said that a harder reed would be better with the 5c mpc so i also got the harder reeds.
but now when i play i feel like air is escaping and i need to blow much harder to produce a sound.
i have a bg ligature and the reeds are vandoren number 3.
i'd loke to know if it's because i changed to a different reed strength or if it's something else.

also, i'm looking to get a brighter sound with an edge, so i'd like to know if i made the right choice by selecting this mouthpiece.

Once in a while people come into my lessons with a mouthpiece recommended by someone from the shop (who knows about keyboards drumkts amplifiers etc as well :faceinpalm: ). I think why not asking me before or take to the lesson and then buy it or change it. If you think you can solve all your problems via this forum then i think you're on the wrong track. Take a teacher! a real one who knows what is good for you. This is just my opinion ofcourse do whatever you like.

 

[Dave Dolson]

Reeds can make a huge difference on how a mouthpiece plays. I agree with the advice to buy boxes of them, not one sample, for the reason of inconsistencies among several reeds of the same strength and brand.

It may require that you try several brands, strengths, and cuts -AND learn to adjust them when they don't respond the way you'd like them to respond. In addition to leveling the backs, you may want to scrape a little bit of wood of the vamps - scrape-rinse-test over and over until a reed conforms. A sharp pocket knife will work just fine for that effort. DAVE

 

[bruce bailey]

It could be the ligature. The reed needs to be exactly centered on the mouthpiece with the ligature holding it tightly so it does not leak off the table or move sideways. Also did you try another 5C? There is a possibility that the mouthpiece is not balanced.

 

[Jazzaferri]

Buy a box of reeds. Soak them in water for 20 minutes. Ones that show a damp arc just under the top of the back end of the reed are seasoned enough to play. Let them dry. Put the unseasoned one's away in a drawer for another 6 months.

All reeds will change shape a bit when first soaked. It is the nature of the material. Really good ones do so very little

Absolutely important to check and flatten the backs as necessary IMO. I have a piece of 320 sandpaper glued to a small piece of glass and I hold the reed between my fingers with the fingers on the heart of the reed so I don't take anything off the working part of the reed. That's for later if needed. Using a knife may get the side to side but unless one is very experienced getting it flat lengthwise could prove challenging.

Using gentle even pressure on the part of the reed on the sandpaper a few angled strokes will show if and how much of the back needs flattening. Take it down a few strokes at a time until all the back shows the angled smoothing marks but no more. If you press to hard you will get it flat side to side but may not take out bow if there is any. If the back isn't flat then when the ligature exerts pressure it may warp the reed in strange and difficult ways.

+1 on Pete's advice about mpces. Get the sound you want from the 5 c and then later with experience make a mpce choice that enhances your sound

Also as Bruce said check the mpce table for flatness or have someone who knows how do so. A warped reed on a warped table can make for a very trying experience even for a pro

My $.02

 

[dorlz]

i think i'm gonna take pete's advise about going back to softer reeds and working on my embouchure, because i play alot better on the 2.5 rico royal reed then on number 3 and i sound better to.
i really should get a teacher, but i don't have the means right now because i just got discharged from the army and opposite to what you mught think, in israel you don't get discharged with alot of money.
but i will make it happen, because i love to play the sax, i rediscovered it after 3 years in the army where it was laying inside the box nice and quite, but until then i'd have to rely on you guys to help, so thank you for all the good advises, i actually learn alot.

pete, i read your explanation about visualizing sound at "tamingthesax.com" and i figured that in order to develop a sound with more edge i should practice long notes and visualize a sound with an edge.
do you have any more advise on how to develop that kind of sound besides that?

 

[Pete Thomas]

pete, i read your explanation about visualizing sound at "tamingthesax.com" and i figured that in order to develop a sound with more edge i should practice long notes and visualize a sound with an edge.
do you have any more advise on how to develop that kind of sound besides that?

Well if you found that page, then there are 11 other pages to go with it:

The 12 Step Tone and Sound Programme.

I would start at the beginning, with the breathing, but the tone control exercise is probably the most important of the actual playing exercises.