I am just about to get my first saxophone. The music shop has a Trevor James curved body soprano coming in. What are the advantages or disadvantages compared to the straight body, or just general opinions? Would be grateful for any advice as it's an expensive mistake if you get the wrong thing ! Jayne
Soprano sax - curved or straight body?
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You'll hear yourself more easily with a curvy.
Take along a tuner when you play test any new horn but especially a sop.
Whether there are any more effects (tone, resistance) of the sop's curviness is a contentious topic.
Take along a tuner when you play test any new horn but especially a sop.
Whether there are any more effects (tone, resistance) of the sop's curviness is a contentious topic.
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As well as the better hearing scenario, straight sops get heavy to hold, even with a strap. Unusual to go to soprano for your first sax, they are a bit more of a challenge in terms of intonation than their bigger relatives. The only drawback of a curvy in my opinion is that it feels like playing a christmas tree ornament.
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Jayne: I agree that curved sopranos can be heard better by the player, especially in a loud ensemble. And, they carry more easily on airplanes. But other than that, I find absolutely NO differences. To me they weigh the same (having the same length of tube and the same keywork (assuming a horn keyed to hi-F and above). Oh, there IS the bell brace - so add less than an ounce.
Tonally? You'd be hard-pressed to identify my curved soprano on a recording - of course a guess could be right 50% of the time.
I've had curved sopranos with terrible intonation (Chinese and Taiwanese, mostly, although a vintage Conn was poor, too). But I've also had straight sopranos with poor intonation . . . the major-brand instruments of today (straight or curved) should play well. I think the Trevor James is Asian-made, and a few years ago there were some favorable postings about it. Before you buy, have a trusted friend try it or at least have a player at the the store show you it has a good scale from top to bottom. Yes, a good player can blow past those issues but at some point you gotta rely on someone other than yourself if you don't play. DAVE
Tonally? You'd be hard-pressed to identify my curved soprano on a recording - of course a guess could be right 50% of the time.
I've had curved sopranos with terrible intonation (Chinese and Taiwanese, mostly, although a vintage Conn was poor, too). But I've also had straight sopranos with poor intonation . . . the major-brand instruments of today (straight or curved) should play well. I think the Trevor James is Asian-made, and a few years ago there were some favorable postings about it. Before you buy, have a trusted friend try it or at least have a player at the the store show you it has a good scale from top to bottom. Yes, a good player can blow past those issues but at some point you gotta rely on someone other than yourself if you don't play. DAVE
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I just leave my SC-992 hanging from the neck strap instead of wearing some garish bolo tie (I'm 6'4").
There are a few reasons that I was going for soprano; I love the sound; I'm short and have small hands (thought an alto might be too much of a stretch for me); I have a lot of music for Bb due to playing the clarinet. I didn't know about the curved body until the shop mentioned it, but I might get on better with it being a little more like the holding position of the clarinet?
Your advice is good Dave. Because I don't play I would not be able to test it properly. I was going to ask my music teacher to test it for me. I honestly would not know where to start with a tuner. I thought the Trevor James was British.
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Then the marketing plan works!
P.S. P. Mauriat is not French nor is Cannonball made in North America.
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I've played both, and currently have a curvie which I love. I found the curvie easier to hold for long sessions, but the sound seems to blow back into my face much louder than with the straight. I am a bit sensitive to that as I have tinnitus in my left ear; that may not be a problem for most folks.
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Female clarinetist advice.... Go with the curvy if it has acceptable intonation.
It is easier to play for 'extended' periods. Straight sops are held higher than a clarinet, are heavier and as a result cause fatigue in the right arm and sometimes thumb pain.
They look like a saxophone and will serve as a visual reminder that you are playing a saxophone and not a clarinet.
The last reason for going with a curvy is the cute factor. Come on, who can resist playing something that looks like a baby alto sax.
It is easier to play for 'extended' periods. Straight sops are held higher than a clarinet, are heavier and as a result cause fatigue in the right arm and sometimes thumb pain.
They look like a saxophone and will serve as a visual reminder that you are playing a saxophone and not a clarinet.
The last reason for going with a curvy is the cute factor. Come on, who can resist playing something that looks like a baby alto sax.
Straight is probably better for doubling as you can place it on a peg on an alto or tenor stand. Curvy is probably going to require a separate stand. But if you're just playing sop the stand shouldn't be an issue. As for playing, I prefer the curvy. My Yani SC-992 feels alot like my altos. Very comfortable. Straight sop feels uncomfortable to me and is hard on the thumb.
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My daughter (16) has played both and likes both the sound and feel of the curved sax better. She also plays other woodwinds frequently in pit orchestras and has no trouble putting the curved soprano on a stand/peg. Her teachers tend to prefer the straight soprano--but she has yet to hear a straight soprano sound she likes better than her own. Everyone has different preferences.
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Do you mean that her teachers tend to PLAY straight sops or have they expressed that they would prefer that your daughter play a straight sop? If the latter, it would be interesting to ask "Why?".
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Her teachers/prior teachers, who produce CDs pretty regularly, play straight sopranos and prefer the straight soprano sound to the curved soprano sound. None of them have told her she should play a straight soprano--sorry if I wasn't clear (and I'm not in a position to run out and buy her a new soprano anyway--she bought hers with her own money). One of the teachers says the curved soprano sounds "old school". My daughter has tried the school sopranos, their sopranos, and every soprano on display at the Navy sax symposium. She hears a clear difference and prefers the Yanigasawa curved soprano (but doesn't have one yet; hers is a Taiwan-made Selmer knock off that plays surprisingly well) not only for the sound but also because it fits her smaller hands better. She also plays clarinet and oboe, so she is used to holding an instrument in that position too.
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They haven't recorded the two to compare them then. Compare an S-991 and SC-991 and you'll find the same tone and the SC is more microphone friendly.
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