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Using a Tenor reed on an Alto mpc

38K views 43 replies 39 participants last post by  sopsax 
#1 ·
I've been playing Alto for 2 years and have never played Tenor.
I normally use an ALTO Rico Royal 3 1/2 strength reed.

For no particular reason I put a TENOR 3 1/2 Rico Royal reed on the Alto Yamaha mpc and found it easier to blow. I'm not sure if it due to the slightly larger footprint of the tenor reed but I could control it better, for example, vibrato was easier.

Have I just been lucky with a couple of good tenor reeds ?
Any feedback on using a Tenor reed on an Alto mpc would be appreciated ?
 
#4 ·
My instructor, who has played for many big bands and was a high school band teacher, recommended I try a tenor reed on my alto. I tried it and didn't find it a compelling setup. Maybe if I had tried longer I would have found it interesting. I can't remember now why he wanted me to try it but I am an intonation freak so maybe that is what it is about. Maybe one of the pros could weigh in on this.
 
#8 ·
sam, I have used a tenor reed on alto and a baritone reed on tenor for years with pop music. I first heard about the bari reed on tenor in the late 50s when I met a "blues" tenor player who used a lot of gliss's and lip bends. He told me that it also allowed for a fuller subtone. He liked the flexibility.

As knighttrain indicates;

If you suffer, it will likely be in the higher octave ranges.
If you want to play a lot of altissimo notes, I am not sure that I would use this setup because the heart of the reed will not support it as well. You can use a harder reed for the upper range but that can defeat the purpose to a degree. Also, I would not suggest this setup for classical music or concert band performance but others may disagree. Just a matter of choice.

Be careful that your reed is not too weak because you will end up with thin high notes. Also, with 2 years behind you be careful about the intonation in the upper register because the oversized reed will not be as stable and centered as a normal size reed.

Subtones and low notes in general will be fuller and your overall volume throughout all registers will increase. I also find that if I play a gig using a lot of force that the reeds will not last as long as a regular sized reed.

Give it a try but always keep in mind that what you gain in one area, you might loose a little in another.
 
#9 ·
Great response John! Just wanted to add that the reason you may find it easier to play is because the wider tenor reed covers the side rails better and prevents squeaks. I tried this as well and found the novelty factor rather appealing but soon stopped when I realised that for many reeds, the tone quality had a tendency to shift - it's difficult to explain but I had a difficult time in producing a consistent timbre. I don't know why.
 
#11 ·
Hmmm this might be something to try when I get my alto... As I have a perfectly good Tenor reed on hand.
 
#12 ·
After reading about it a few months ago, I tried an alto reed #2 1/2 on my soprano and it works well, gave a more full bodied tone. Tenor same strength reed on alto, the effects were not as compelling, it was quite difficult to play - maybe softer would have helped.

Here's one for you - in their advertising spiel, Reeds Australia said that Branford Marsalis had done a classical concert on soprano but used a clarinet reed, which apparently he does quite a lot. Luckily around this time, I had received the latest issue of Clarinet and Saxophone magazine and it came with two free #2 reeds from a new manufacturer (Rillion), one for alto sax and one for clarinet. So I tried the clarinet reed on my soprano but squeaked like crazy!
 
#15 ·
I borrowed a friend's horn one night and he uses tenor reeds on alto. I'll never go back. I alto tone tends to be rather shrill and this setup keeps it in check. I have not had the same luck with alto reeds on soprano. One thing I do sometimes do is play a bari plasticover on tenor for outdoor gigs. In general, you get a more lush tone.
 
#17 ·
Let me get this straight. A TS reed on an Alto mouthpiece? Well, understandable to try if your local music store was out of AS reeds and you needed a new reed immediately. If you really need another reed that is not made for AS may I suggest you try a Eb Alto Clarinet reed instead of a TS reed. I have done just that in an emergency and know that works. Have a good one. :)
 
#18 ·
miles osland, professor at university of kentucky, uses tenor reeds on alto for jazz. he moderates the selmer message boards.

milesosland.com

great player
 
#20 ·
Intrigued...so I haven't played tenor in years, but I still had a mouthpiece and fibracell reed in my dresser drawer. I just held the reed on a old Yamaha 4c for alto (another mouthpiece I found in my drawer) with my fingers and the response was amazing... I will have to look into this further very soon. The reed seems to fit fine just longer than a normal alto reed. Come to think of it I used a plastic tenor reed for my alto in high school marching band for about a year...that I don't recommend.
 
#21 ·
I tried a worn in fibracell 2.5 Tenor reed on my Runyon Custom Alto last night and checked it on a tuner. My notes were pretty flat, and had to push the MPC all the way to the end of the cork to get it tuned, and my palm keys were non existent. Perhaps I should try a harder reed. but my first experience is that the tone was full , strong and sounded great (for the notes that would play), but ultimately out of tune.....
 
#22 ·
i play tested a saprano a few days ago and i used one of my clarinet reeds, and i had no trouble.
im assuming that whether or not this will work for you is something you just have to try
 
#24 ·
I just read this and am going to try bari on tenor, tenor on alto, alto on soprano, clarinet on soprano, and clarinet on bari right now! (Jk about the last one) :)
 
#25 · (Edited)
I am embarrassed to admit it, but I purchased a new mouthpiece I tried in the store (after falling in love with it) I got home and realised the shopowner had given me a tenor reed to try it with by mistake.

It is just a little bit longer than an alto reed, and yes, way more flexible.

I didn't persevere with this though, because the upper register was very flat and thin. The lower register......wow!!
 
#26 ·
John Laughter said:
sam, I have used a tenor reed on alto and a baritone reed on tenor for years with pop music. I first heard about the bari reed on tenor in the late 50s when I met a "blues" tenor player who used a lot of gliss's and lip bends. He told me that it also allowed for a fuller subtone. He liked the flexibility. .
I don't normally play baritone but have borrowed one in the past for the odd theatre dep. So I've got a pretty full box of Rico Royal 3s in my drawer. I ran out of tenor reeds the other day and used one of my ancient bari reeds as an emergency measure. It worked fine. Didn't blow it for any length of time, though. Was suprised it worked at all! Won't be making a habit of it - too expensive for one thing!
 
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