Diary : Me and My Soprano (Part 4)

It’s been a week, and here’s my progress, taken from my tweets :

Missed practicing soprano sax yesterday….1:23 AM Sep 8th via web

just finished recording some ii-V-I, practicing licks & testing (again) clip-on mic positions.12:55 AM Sep 10th via web

far better intonation on a soprano in a week,& very surprised whn I play alto again:I feel better too!now lightly practicing them bfr dinner6:56 PM Sep 11th via web

kalo tangan kanan lg pegel,coba pake mouse komputer di sebelah kiri.. trnyata ga sulit, tp blm gw coba sh di app grafis…8:21 PM Sep 11th via web

The last one is in Indonesian; in English I said : “when your right arm is tired, try using the computer mouse with your left-hand.. It’s not too difficult, but I haven’t tried it for graphic apps.” My right hand is tired after practicing soprano sax for hours… But it’s okay, now I’m getting more familiar with it, in fingerings, the tone-producing concept (the pitch too), and the more comfortable way to hold it (for the curved neck).

In the new week after “that Sunday”, actually I missed a day (not practicing soprano), but manage to practice harder the rest of the week, it’s 2 hours per day in about 3 x 40 mins (breaks are important 🙂 ).

Not giving up, I decided to play it again last Sunday. I served in 4 services, playing soprano and additional keyboard (strings & synths). It sounds far better, although when the monitor wasn’t “enough”, I still tend to overblow/overbite. With alto, although it’s still not a good habit, the tone wasn’t degraded as much as with soprano.

Another point : watch those speedy licks. It’s true that it’s easier to blow a soprano, and its keys are lighter too. It’s like a car with better acceleration. Always remember that speeding up would sacrifice the tone quality; it’s one of the reasons why we need to keep developing our tone : so it won’t be too bad when we’re speeding up 😛 .

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About the miking, for now I choose to point my clip-on to the inside of the bell, pulled it out a bit. I found that given the shorter mic’s neck, the sax’s sound would be darker, but lacked “punch” that I’d need in live playing.

Diary : Me and My Soprano (Part 2)

2 September 2010

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The second day on my soprano, I’m still striving for better tuning, doing some major scale like yesterday. This time I also used a sine-wave track from the Berklee book (the book covers both tenor and soprano saxophone), it plays a continuous Bb (again, all the notes and pitches I’m talking about are in concert pitch, not the saxophone’s pitch). Quite helpful, the process didn’t take as long as yesterday.

Now, I’m getting more familiar with the Vandoren Java reeds, but for now maybe better stick to the Rico Jazz Select first. My goals are improving my tone, getting used to the fingerings (not really new and it’s the same on all kind of saxopones but when I finger a C on alto, it would sound a G on soprano), getting more comfortable with various necks (& strap adjustments) and experiment with various mic placement. By the way, I forgot to include the September 1st’s recording, here it is :

“Don’t Get Around Much Anymore” (right-click and save as)

Like I said yesterday, this was recorded with a Shure SM58 pointed down to the bell (body, not the hole). Note that it’s my first day; mistakes may apparent 😛

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The main challenge for today (besides the day’s goals) is to sound more “modern”, “catchy”,…. whatever. More explicit, everyone in the home wants me to sound like Kenny G. I accept this “Trial of Kenny G” challenge and am hoping to gain 10000 EXP from this quest (like we’re on computer games LOL). This is also a warning for those who decide to learn soprano saxophone these days : to be more “accepted” (in most cases) you have to try to produce Kenny G-ish tone (they don’t care about your setups). I’m not sure your friends or family would be happy if you’re aiming at legends like Steve Lacy, Wayne Shorter, David Liebman, or Bennie Maupin first. And they may get mad when you’re listening to some of Sidney Bechet’s. Sad but true.

On the other hand, Kenny G is not all that bad. I’m not talking about the sales here, but there are some (or maybe more?) things I think I can learn from him, like simple and sweet phrases (but I’m trying hard not to be too repetitive).

I practiced about 2 hours (in 3 x 40 minutes, a more effective way than straight 2 hours – for me), not including the recording I made in the night. this time I used my current live setup : Samson HM40 clip-on and Behringer Tube Ultragain Mic100. First, I’m trying to clip it on the side of the bell, pointed to the inside. Snake charmer style. Then I clip it to the upper side of the bell and point it toward the upper body. I got the quite close sound like yesterday.

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So, for this recording, I choose to clip it the first way, but I pull it a bit further from the inside. Sounds better (and closer to Kenny G or smooth jazz style), here it is :

Nothing’s Gonna change My Love For You (right-click and save as)

Surprised? I do, even more! This proves those sayings that “on soprano, what the audience heard may be different than what you play”.. I mean, okay I need to improve the fingerings, but I almost can’t believe that I would sound like that (by the way, the reverb is slightly more than yesterday’s recording).

At the end of the day, I also feel much comfortable with the curved neck & the neck strap…. Way to go, two days before Sunday!

Diary : Me and My Soprano (Part 1)

1 September 2010

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My soprano saxophone arrived! Very excited since it’s my first date with it 😀 . Ordered it about 3 weeks ago along with some accessories, here’s the list (and photos) :

– Antigua SS3286BQ soprano saxophone

– Selmer Super Session F mouthpiece

– Vandoren Java #2 1/2 reed, a box of 10

– Rico Jazz Select #2M filed reed, a box of 10

– Rovner Light L3 ligature

 

the hardcase, with keylocks

the horn (with 2 necks option) & other accessories

the horn, assembled with the straight neck (to the left is my Yamaha’s case, not the Antigua’s)

The shop where I ordered the horn (not the accessories)

A warm greeting on the back : “Inspected & play tested 8/14/10 by Chuck Kessler  – Enjoy!”

All costs me about IDR (Indonesian Rupiah) 13 million – that would be around USD 1400 – such a nice price for a soprano sax.

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The 3286BQ is a special model which is not included on Antigua’s website & sounds GREAT for the price (of course, looks beautiful too in black nickel & gold body). In 2006 it’s said that they only made 12 of it (by the special request of this shop), but I believe that to this day they already made more. Still, it’s not included on their site. After reading lots of reviews of Antiguas on SOTW (SaxOnTheWeb) forum, I choose this one.

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I’m trying to write some day-by-day notes, for perhaps a week or more, about my experiences practicing & performing with this horn. A blog post may contain more than one day. Let’s begin… Another story of an alto player trying to make  some good deals with a soprano. Before we get further, I need to inform you that every note, every pitch I’m going to talk is in concert pitch (A = 440), not the saxophone’s pitch.

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1 September 2010

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My soprano saxophone arrived! *oh, wait… why it’s like I’m going back to the top?? 😛 * okay, you may read the top again and then proceed…

So, I start preparing my Vandoren Java reeds & Selmer mouthpiece after trying to play the standard given setup, a 4C (not Yamaha) mouthpiece and a Rico 2 1/2 reed. Sounds good, not yet check the tunings.

Ok, blow… and the Vandoren’s just didn’t go well. “Maybe it’s too hard for me now,” And then I sub it with a Rico Jazz Select, my favourite reed on alto. It speaks well… Now for (one of) the  biggest challenge on soprano : to tune it. I’ve heard that it’s hard to do even for some well experienced altoist.

First step, I push the mouthpiece about 3/4 of (space on) the neck. Then I recorded a D Major scale (up and down) on my digital piano, trying to tune myself to that passage. Oh, am I too sharp? I pull it back a little. After several times pulling it… “Am I too flat now?” and push it again. This took almost an hour until I think it’s good and would check it again later. I recorded a piano accompaniment for the song “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen” (in D minor) and start playing. Ok, cut! Did I tell you that’s just for the first neck (the straight one)? Then I’m out for dinner.

A thing about tuning: sometimes I would listen to the passage, paused, and sing it to keep those notes on my mind, then start playing the sax along with it. This build a better pitch awareness; on a soprano I’m not looking for a 100% perfect, as Steve Lacy said that some of the flatness or sharpness are truly false, don’t try to correct it. Instead, I’m trying to be as acceptable as can be.

After dinner and brushed my teeth, I’m coming back and try the curved neck this time. Didn’t took so much time as the previous neck; I already got the big picture, and actually the tuning didn’t differ a lot. I just downloaded some backing tracks from the net few days ago, so I choose “Don’t Get Around Much Anymore” in C. Play along, and then record it (with Shure SM58 pointed down to the bell). Well, in the end I realized there are still a lot of homework to do 😛 including trying to get used to hold it (comfortably). Neck strap and curved neck won’t guarantee it. Trying to adjust this homemade (from an unused bag’s shoulder strap; it has a nice hook & lock – I wore it on alto)  neck strap……

I really hope  I can use it on this Sunday’s church services.

It’s Between Those Gears and Me

Roland recently released two new synths : the GAIA SH-01 and Lucina AX-09. Both of it shared some interesting things for me, so I’m digging through Roland websites, Youtube, blogs, and forums to gather as much information as possible.

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In the end, see what I’ve got : GAIA’s guide book about creating synth sounds on it (reminded me about how they promoted SH-201), Lucina’s user guide, and a bunch of videos of GAIA and Lucina, including the goofy official Lucina vids (I bet their marketing team actually could make some better promotional materials – but on the good side, they show what they think… clearly).

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Then, I conclude that GAIA is a good improvement of SH-201, though those who’ve already owned SH-201 would be better dig their synth deeper. For Lucina, I think it would be a revelation for kids and teenagers to start playing synthesizers early and easy (As Roland vids might trying to say). Semi-pros / pros maybe want to use it as a fancy controller rather than relying on the onboard sounds, since they lacked user presets (only 12), some crucial editing features to be called a ‘synthesizer'(only volume, portamento, ASDR, & cutoff-resonance for tone editing), and a software for editing sounds. Such a big blow, isn’t it? But maybe the price will knock you too… about half of its bigger brother, AX-Synth. Now that’s really tempting.

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Still, my next target on the cart will be “wind”-related, whether it would be a soprano/tenor sax, an upgrade for my alto, or a wind controller. I’m saving now for it, and wouldn’t trade my Juno-G for GAIA or Lucina.

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That’s the intro. Now to the point : when I show almost about everything I’ve got from internet, including some vids, someone said, “So what? It’s JUST a synthesizer, and when will you use it?”

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Ok, keyboard and synth players, hold your rock, fists, gun, knife, or any other things you want to throw at this person. In some kind of bad mood I may think like you too (maybe with Wolverine’s claws? LOL).

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Instead, try to think the other way. Now I’m gigging on keyboard, piano, saxophone, or sax & keys settings. More keyboards in church services, more saxophones in other gigs. I’m not quite decisive about taking just one path since I think both of the worlds would compliment each other.

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Well, I love synths and still learning about synthesizing sounds and the use of VSTi. But, since I consider that my gigs are not yet somehow specialized, which means I have to meet many styles of music along the road. That’s why few years ago I choose Juno-G instead of SH-201, since I’m not yet sure I could take an analog synth to every gigs where I play keyboards. Besides of I think whether it would be suitable or not, I also tried to be aware about what people have in mind . I mean, try to imagine this scene: you just watched Jordan Rudess and ELP videos and love synth on the first sight. You straight away buy an analog synth and explore it enthusiastically. You love it so much that you bring it to tomorrow church’s services, where (for example) the music would require more natural sounds like strings, orchestra, rotary organ, brass sections.. how would you survive?

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Everyone may define their own characteristics, but once again, you have to be aware about expectations around you. Especially, the competition is getting harder and harder nowadays, and left juat a little room for “third-world” musician. The general rule, I think, is to follow those expectations first and then add your style gradually. Other option is to form your own preferred band and have it your way. Keep in mind that there would be expectations too.

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Keep these things in mind, and hopefully we will be wiser about choosing the right gears. Even what you thought at first maybe won’t be 100% correct/happened e.g. someone buy a soprano sax cause he want to play smooth jazz the Kenny G way but it turned out that he’s getting more rock n roll and blues gigs, it’s better to start it with a plan.

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I would participate in a quiz/lucky draws that include any/both of two synths I’ve mentioned earlier as prize, though… 😛

Konitz Meets Mulligan

Here in Indonesia it’s quite hard to find various jazz recordings, especially the unique one like this.

The group is Lee Konitz (alto sax), Gerry Mulligan (baritone sax), Chet Baker (trumpet), Carson Smith (bass, track 1-9), Joe Mondragon (bass, track 10-12), Larry Bunker (drums). With those luminaries, something big could be expected before you hit “play” on your player. Yet, something seems to be missing. Yes, there’s no piano and/or guitar to give chordal guidance. It’s a three-piece horn format with bass and drums. Another point : this album is quite short (12 tracks in about 38 minutes) that it finished playing before I finished this post. We want more, LOL …

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…But it’s very  inspiring to realize  lots of things you could learn from this short album. You name it – horn arrangements, harmonies, improvising without chordal frame, and so on. In other words, while listening, imagine yourself as one of the horn players : Konitz, Gerry, or Chet. Each of them holds such an important role, and they have to keep the form themselves (& that’s not easy).

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When you’ve listen & learn that from this album, I’m sure you’ll become a better horn player & improviser.

This post will be updated later….