Saxophone Forum


by Karlton
(2 posts)
15 years ago

Upper tone quality of the Yahama Custom Z Tenor

I play a Yahama Custom Z tenor with the G1 neck, the vandorn java T75 or the Jody Jazz NY #7 mp's w/ Rovner lig #2 1/2 java reeds. The problem I am having is that when I go to the octive high "C" and above the tone quality seems to go a little off, it is still in tune but the quility change. Any suggestions?

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  1. by saxandbassplayer
    (42 posts)

    15 years ago

    Re: Upper tone quality of the Yahama Custom Z Tenor

    Have you done anything as far as changing voicing is concerned? I'm assuming that the sound is just thinning out, but correct me if I'm wrong. Try opening up your throat. Changing the airstream will do different things to your sound. And really... between octaves, the sound quality does change. Be more specific on how it's "off" and we can probably get closer to pinpointing it for you.

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    1. by Karlton
      (2 posts)

      15 years ago

      Re: Upper tone quality of the Yahama Custom Z Tenor

      The tone using a meter is right on, but it sound thin and hollow.

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      1. by saxandbassplayer
        (42 posts)

        15 years ago

        Re: Upper tone quality of the Yahama Custom Z Tenor

        That can be a tricky thing to fix. Honestly you can do several things. Like I said before, try some messing around with voicings (height of your tongue when you play... thing vowel sounds), and definitely how open your throat is. Other than that, it really just takes time. Yamaha's can really have that thin hollow sound (at least at first), but in the end it just takes building up a sound inside your horn. I've heard some great players sound fantastic on Yamahas (both in the "legit" and jazz sides of playing), and I've heard people who's sound was paper thin. Try some stuff with voicings and throat shapes. It might not be a drastic change, and it most likely won't be an immediate fix. Just takes growing with the horn.

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        1. by cuber
          (653 posts)

          15 years ago

          Re: Upper tone quality of the Yahama Custom Z Tenor

          do all the stuff previously suggested, and change ligatures. roveners, because they apply pressure to the sides of the mouthpiece and not directly to the reed, muffles sound like no other. get a lig with a metal plate touching the reed

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      2. by LC
        (25 posts)

        14 years ago

        Re: Upper tone quality of the Yahama Custom Z Tenor

        I apologize for the advice you hve received on this post. First of all, I think the mouthpieces you are using suck. If they work for you that is fine. The fact that you play a Yamaha Custom Z with a G1 neck and whatever mouthpiece you use has nothing to do with your issue. You say that your high C is in tune but it is a little "off". How easy is it for you to slur between the high C you speak of and the C an octave below? Can you trill between them with the register key? What about your low C? Is it in tune? Can you easily do a two octave jump betweem the two? I know that it is not easy but if you can it will help. The other thing you might try is recording yourself. Just because the note sounds a liitle "off" to you does not mean it is "off" to the listener sitting ten feet away. The high C (concert Bb on tenor and concert Eb on alto) is a difficult note. However, I have found that if it is in tune, the perception of it being "off" is in the ear of the player. Remeber, the way you hear your saxophone is not the way the audience hears it.

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