Sounds good to me.

So you want to get a little more edge and brightness a la Kenny Garrett? Are you in the process of learning any Kenny Garrett Solos? That would be the place to start if you want a sound closer to his. Learn to play along. Match his inflections.

You aren't far off now. You just have to push the horn a little more to get that sound. I'm sure in Uni you'll have projects to lift solos from records. I hope at least...

 

We do a lot of transcribing at uni and I have done a lot of Kenny Garrett transcriptions in the past. Although I've focused mainly on getting the notes and copying his time rather than copying his phrasing/time/articulation etc. which in my head is more important but defiantly more difficult.

 

Your sound in the clip is fine, but the playing is too basic to give any real advice. It's mostly slow stuff in lower registers. If you really want some good advice just post a clip where you're playing a tune.

 

Hey, thanks for responding warp x. I was playing slowly on purpose because I'm more interested in people analysing my quality of sound than anything else. I was actually almost going to record myself just playing long tones initially. I don't think just because someone is play fairly diatonic and slowly means you can't critique their sound...in fact I think it makes it easier. Also the majority of my notes were centered around the middle D on alto. And I ventured pretty evenly across the range in my own opinion. Thanks for your opinion anyway. Hopefully if I have time tomorrow I'll record myself playing over a tune and upload it.

Cheers.

 

I don't think just because someone is play fairly diatonic and slowly means you can't critique their sound...in fact I think it makes it easier.

Not quite. I'd also like to hear how you use the sound you're producing in context, your phrasing, articulation etc. All that is an integral part of your sound IMHO.

 

I can imagine KG sounding something like this if he were playing what you played. But the true test would be playing as aggressivly as KG does and playing the "quarter tones" (not sure that is exactly what they would be called) - those intemediate/indeterminate tones he integrates into his sound. I do think you are in the ballpark of KG's sound.

 

Yeah, I know what you mean. My sound is very mellow because I have a lot of trouble with projection, I find it hard to be aggressive.
And I'm glad you could hear some KG in my sound. Thanks

 

First of all love the sound you are producing. You are going in the right direction. Secondly, get a couple of your favorite Kenny Garrett tunes loaded on your ipod or your digital playback device, and attempt to match his playing. You'll find that repetition of this exercise will get you really close to the sound that you desire. Here is a Youtube link to Kenny Garrett videos which you should find helpful.

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Keep up the great work.

 

Thanks Huesax for postive vibs and advice. And I love that album. Great Song!

 

Sounds to me as though you're "holding back" and trying to produce a mellow tone. Nothing wrong with that, but try experimenting with using more breath support and putting more air through the horn, even when sub-toning.

 

Has a Cannonball Adderley quality to it.

 

I think it sounds great. I love the slow vibrato at the end of the held notes, it gives a nice melancholic touch which could be put to use in a ballad very tastefully.
But I agree with warp x that it would be helpful to hear you play a tune so we can hear how you put this sound to use.

 

I'd like to hear some articulation. Almost everything in that clip was played with a breath attack, rather than tongued.

 

Agreed.