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How can I get that really jazzy sound on my alto?

How do I get my alto saxophone upper octave notes to sound good?

  • I recently bought new reeds that supposedly can give me a better jazz tone, and all the notes that don't require an octave key sound nice and crisp. Yet when I press that octave key, my tone sounds like garbage for every note. The first D sounds clogged up like the sound can't get out of the sax, the E and B sound really mushy while the rest of the notes up sound mushy with an extremely annoying buzzing sound. It sounds like spit and/or my teeth vibrating against the reed. This is probably silly but if I were to visualize the tone I want, it would be like a nice professional jazz tone like >-------~. Mines is like ====. That was kind of silly I know lol I have reeds that are good for classical and they sound great and unbuzzy, but when I put on the jazz ones, everything happens. The reeds are Vandoren V12 for classical which sounds good and Vandoren Java which doesn't sound good. Also I'm using an Otto Link Super Tone Master mouthpiece and it still sounds like crap.

  • Answer:

    It might just be the reed it self. the wood the box the reeds were made from might have been bad. also try moving up to a 3 in 1/2 steps if you have not already.

Steve Padilla at Yahoo! Answers Visit the source

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It might just be the reed it self. the wood the box the reeds were made from might have been bad. also try moving up to a 3 in 1/2 steps if you have not already.

James

Try other brand reeds in other sizes. Perhaps the reeds are too wide/narrow for your mouthpiece, or try to change the position of the ligature, closer to give you less vibration, further to give you more vibration. Although I agree that changing the reed can help change your tone, I think changing the mouthpiece will make much more of a difference in the long run. There are some great mouthpieces out there that are very suitable for jazz, others for rock, others for classical. If you can buy them with a return policy online that also makes a difference, or go into a local store and ask to try out several demo pieces and find somethign you like. Hope this helps! Peace Brian S www.cewinds.com

brianseltz

Try other brand reeds in other sizes. Perhaps the reeds are too wide/narrow for your mouthpiece, or try to change the position of the ligature, closer to give you less vibration, further to give you more vibration. Although I agree that changing the reed can help change your tone, I think changing the mouthpiece will make much more of a difference in the long run. There are some great mouthpieces out there that are very suitable for jazz, others for rock, others for classical. If you can buy them with a return policy online that also makes a difference, or go into a local store and ask to try out several demo pieces and find somethign you like. Hope this helps! Peace Brian S www.cewinds.com

brianseltz

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