[Chunsoo]

Does my STM sound good? I like my STM, I didn't realize it until recently, after trying out a crappier mouthpiece lol.

Oh yeah other than that, I don't know how to improvise haha.
I got lost towards the end.

 

[SHOZZA]

Great, just sounds like jazz.

 

[mrpeebee]

You sound good on that STM. Improvisation also not bad . You could try to hold the last note of a phrase a bit longer, give it a bit more air support. Keep up the hard work .

 

[GT]

You're doing great, my friend! Sounds really good, but also sounds like you might benefit from some serious, boring, long tone work.

 

[saxmusicguy]

Sounding good. Keep it up. Happy Holidays!

 

[ratracer]

Sounds pretty good on this end of a laptop with its built-in speakers!

Btw, what's your tip opening size, reed/lig setup & what are you recording with? I ask for comparison purposes cause you sound very similar to my 6* STM with 2.5 Rico Royals and Rovner Star Series lig!

 

[Buck Laughlin]

Find the groove, Chunsoo. Feel it.

I think the STM sounds great. Stick with it.

 

[swperry1]

Sounds good! Keep working on long tones and breath support. It might be the way your mic is picking it up, but it sounds like you are very heavy on the tonguing (nearly every note?).

 

[Chunsoo]

Sounds pretty good on this end of a laptop with its built-in speakers!

Btw, what's your tip opening size, reed/lig setup & what are you recording with? I ask for comparison purposes cause you sound very similar to my 6* STM with 2.5 Rico Royals and Rovner Star Series lig!

I'm using a 6*, stock lig, and LaVoz reeds.

 

[ratracer]

I'm using a 6*, stock lig, and LaVoz reeds.

Thanks!

 

[gary]

Chunsoo, you've gotten a lot of compliments and few suggestions, I guess to encourage you to keep on a positive path, so let me add, then, some constructive criticism.

Your phrasing is too stiff. It is way too constricted. You need to free up the feel and rhythms. Also, you need to decide where the phrases are and make sure that you outline them to the listeners (and to yourself) by the way you use your dynamics, articulations and where and how you breathe.

If I'm not mistaking, this is a common problem you have in your classical etudes too, so that tells me that you are still not taking enough care before you play (or reflecting on what you've played, after you've played something) that you should be doing. You seem to be doing the playing part but you still don't seem to be doing the thinking part as much as you should.

I suggest you listen to the composer of that song (Mel Torme) singing it - many, many times - and sing along with him until the two of you are one.

At first you'll be able to feel and hear immediately the conflict between how you are hearing it and how he is feeling it. Do this until he and you are one. Then and only then, play along with his singing, again with the aim of being a saxophone version of him. Once you've got that down, then try it alone with the play-along.

This will probably be fairly frustrating, but if you can stick with it, stay relaxed, you will definitely be gaining style and aesthetics you can use for the rest of your life and in other ballads you will play.

Here are a couple of sax versions to give you something to think about:

Mr. Laid-Back. Dexter Gordon, My Man:

Pharoah Sanders:

- (don't miss the last minute)

 

[saxmusicguy]

Here are a couple of sax versions to give you something to think about:
Pharoah Sanders:

I could do without the synthesizer in this recording. It was worth a listen, though.

 

[Raphyel]

Sounds good...The only thing to me was I wish the playalong had been a little slower. I really like that song as more of a ballad and less swingy. Not your fault. Very nice tone.

 

[Dr G]

+1 on the call for attention to the phrasing. Whenever I hear this song, I hear the words in my head and that, in turn, makes it all the more apparent when I listen to an instrumental version when the phrasing is off. If you are not aware of the lyrics, it is hard to make lyrical choices in phrasing. Have you ever sung this song, perhaps with your backing track?

Hang in there, Chunsoo. One has to appreciate your diligence to taking on the tenor. It can take a lot of work to do it well.

Happy holidays!

 

[Chunsoo]

Thanks Gary, I feel like its harder to apply an advice than to listen to it, usually it takes me a while to get it.

+1 on the call for attention to the phrasing. Whenever I hear this song, I hear the words in my head and that, in turn, makes it all the more apparent when I listen to an instrumental version when the phrasing is off. If you are not aware of the lyrics, it is hard to make lyrical choices in phrasing. Have you ever sung this song, perhaps with your backing track?

Hang in there, Chunsoo. One has to appreciate your diligence to taking on the tenor. It can take a lot of work to do it well.

Happy holidays!

Thanks Dr. G,
I sang the song a couple of times. I'm assuming that you play more musically when you know the song's lyrics?

I got lost in the recording because I wasn't thinking, I tend to do that a lot haha.

 

[jlima]

I hear you making a lot of progress, Chunsoo. But you do have to work your tone harder. Maybe it was the way it was recorded, but contrary to other opinions here I thought that it sounded too "classical", I mean, too rounded and "clean" for jazz, I'd like to hear more harmonics and the sound breathing more. As I said, your hard work is paying off, so keep at it, I'm sure you'll get there.

 

[Buck Laughlin]

I agree with everything Gary said (Post #11). That's what I was getting at with "find the groove" and "feel it." Gary said it all much more articulately than I ever could. Take Gary's advice, Chunsoo. It will make all the difference in the world.