[bandmommy]

While digging through a box of assorted 'horn stuff' I found a mouthpiece that I'd forgotten that I had.
For poops and giggles I stuck a reed on it and popped it on my Indiana alto. It sounded 'amazing'. Dark and warm, and the intonation is damn near spot on.
After posting a photo on fb it's been tentatively identified as a Buescher C-Melody piece.

Now, Am I a 'Nut Job' for wanting to continue to use it on a regular basis, or should I consider myself 'Creative' for using a non-traditional piece to get the sound I REALLY want from my alto?

Feel free to question my sanity! :mrgreen:

 

[hakukani]

Gene Ammons used an alto clarinet mouthpiece for awhile on his tenor. He was not nut-job!

 

[marton]

If it sounds good, then it is.

 

[Isle of Jazz]

I love those sorts of discoveries. Pay attention to pitch as you get more accustomed to it, though. Sometimes the intonation moves as the embouchure adjusts and if it trends lower you might run out of cork if you push in to compensate. But if you can stay in the zone, well, I'd say you're definitely on the creative end of that particular spectrum.

 

[soybean]

Am I a 'Nut Job' for wanting to continue to use it on a regular basis, or should I consider myself 'Creative'…

You're not crazy. You're just picking the best tool for the job.

 

[Super Action Man]

I was extemely tempted at one point to use a really really old Conn C Melody piece on my alto. It had a beautiful thick dark sound, but it was very quiet and a tadd exhausting to play. Doesn't matter now, I very rarely play alto.

 

[Mike1955]

Years ago I used tenor reeds with an alto sax mouthpiece. I also used a tenor mouthpiece on alto. I liked all sorts of variations.
If there are rules pertaining to equipment I never received them!
I think you're just giddy with elation and so you wanted to share it. You know you want to use it! So? Go ahead and use it!
If you'll be perceived as a nut job by your peers, then proudly accept your newly found eccentrical status.

I'm genuinely happy for you! I think that's great!

 

[saxmusicguy]

Years ago I used tenor reeds with an alto sax mouthpiece.

Jeff Coffin does that.

 

[dtecum]

Creative!!

 

[CooolJazzz]

Being Creative in no way diminishes the possibility that you may also be a Nut Job. :mrgreen:

 

[Matt Otto]

FWIW I've been using a Bari mouthpiece on my Bass sax which, I believe, is a bigger contrast than what you're proposing.

 

[bandmommy]

Being Creative in no way diminishes the possibility that you may also be a Nut Job. :mrgreen:

There is a fine line dividing genius and insanity. I'd better be careful where I step. I sure wouldn't want to be a genius!

The C-Mel piece has about the same overall length as my Rousseau. The only visable difference is the width. It looks like an old fat alto piece.
I've got lots of cork showing so there's room to push in if I find myself playing a little flat, or I can go slightly towards clarinet mode and firm up the corners a hair.
Tomorrow I'll try a few tenor reeds on it, but for now the alto reeds seem to be working ok.

 

[adamk]

You might want to try a bass clarinet reed on your C piece. I have tried old C melody pieces on my Buescher 140 alto with some success. I used a bass clarinet reed. It definitely fattens out the bottom.

 

[saxmusicguy]

It sounded 'amazing'. Dark and warm, and the intonation is damn near spot on.

I would like to hear a sound clip.

 

[bandmommy]

If I had a way to record one and upload it I would post a clip.
As of now I have only my digital camcorder and freakin' slow dial up.
Or I can record a short clip on my phone and 'text' it to you. I've never tried using the web browser on my phone because it eats up too many minutes. (TracFone pre-paid BS)
I'll see what I can do tomorrow. It's after 1 am here and my daughter is sleeping and I don't want to wake her that's for danged sure!

 

[bruce bailey]

+1 on the bass clarinet reed. When using odd reeds on mouthpieces, it is not just the width. The important item is the vamp, the slope of the reed. With a bass Clarinet reed, it is closest to the C melody reed as the cut (the area that is rough and not where the lig goes).

 

[bandmommy]

Out of curiosity I got out my scale and took a rough measurment.
The width inside the window just below the curve of the tip of the Rousseau is ~.55 (inches) The C-Mel is ~.60
The length of the window is ~1.5 for both.

I went on to do the same with an alto and tenor reed. The results were pretty interesting.
Alto reed from lowest point of the 'U' to tip - 1.45in, width just below the curve - .6
Tenor reed - 1.6in from 'U' to tip, .65 below the curve.

I should dig around some more to see if I still have any bass clarinet reeds and measure one of those too.... and maybe my tenor mouthpiece.
I think I'm having fun.

 

[saxmusicguy]

If I had a way to record one and upload it I would post a clip. ... I'll see what I can do tomorrow.

Don't worry about it. We'll take your word for it that the tone is pleasant.

 

[MojoBari]

With its larger-than-alto chamber volume, you will need to push it in some to make the chamber smaller to tune-up the mid range. This may make the high notes sharp and/or the low notes flat compared to regular alto mouthpieces. If this is not an issue for you, enjoy!

 

[bandmommy]

Thanks Mojo. I did notice that it's 'guts' were quite different than my alto pieces.
Right now I'm still in the middle of the 'Poops and Giggles' stage and so far I've been experiencing more 'giggles'.
It sounds so 'lush'.
My Indiana seems to prefer the larger chamber, but it could also be that I'm pretty good at compensating.
I have a few other reeds that I'm going to try on it before I make my final decision on this being my primary piece.
For now I'm liking what I'm hearing.