Over the summer I bought a Selmer Soloist-style tenor in an E facing (marked on top of the piece, not on the table). Despite playing larger openings for years I was surprised how easily the E played for me, and I like the overall sound in both classical (even though I'm a "Rascher Guy") and jazz playing, but the one area where I'm having trouble is low end response, and especially subtones. This is where I get the impression that this is really meant to be a "classical" mouthpiece -- not a lot of subtoning in legit music. The only way I can get anything even remotely close to a subtone is by taking in a lot LESS mouthpiece than I typically would, and even that is, maybe, vaguely peach-fuzzy, not even enough to be called "scruffy," and galaxies away from anything resembling a Ben Webster-type fluff.
I can find a decent amount of info on Soloists, and even soloist copies/tributes/clones, but info on "Soloist-Style" pieces is a little harder to find, other than often being called "tubby" (I can relate. :evil: ) Do Soloist-style pieces tend to have shorter facings? Trouble subtoning? Would a longer facing and/or a larger tip opening give me the response I'm looking for, and how would such alterations affect response and character over the rest of the horn?
Thank you!
I can find a decent amount of info on Soloists, and even soloist copies/tributes/clones, but info on "Soloist-Style" pieces is a little harder to find, other than often being called "tubby" (I can relate. :evil: ) Do Soloist-style pieces tend to have shorter facings? Trouble subtoning? Would a longer facing and/or a larger tip opening give me the response I'm looking for, and how would such alterations affect response and character over the rest of the horn?
Thank you!