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by mkprkr
(2 posts)
20 years ago

Struggling With Doubling

Hi, I'm MIke, a High School musician as well as a new member to this great site. I am mainly a Tenor player and have recently taken up flut, clarinet, and alto. I am struggling with my emboucher. I had a good Tenor sound playing a mk vi with a N.Y link 7*, an olegature, and Vandoran Java 3.5 or A. Superial D.C 3 reeds. I play a King Super 20 alto that belongs to my school ( I've tried to buy it numerous times without success), with a vintage selmer soloist, a standard selmer lig and Java 3 reeds. It seems that the switch between Alto and Tenor is giving me the most trouble. Especially between classical Alto and jazz Tenor. I have a tendancy to slightly fold my lower lip out on tenor for better reed to mpc. seeling and had to change this putting all my lip in for classical Alto. Now After a brief period of five days of no Tenor I can't get the sound or control I used to. I've attributed my problems to the mpc. size difference. I do remeber working harder for my tenor sound and am sure my muscles are slightly weeker, but I've been playing tenor for three years and my teachertold me I was at a point were I wouldn't forget my tenor emboucher, but it seems that I have. Any help or suggestions on this subject would be most helpful. Plaese forgive me for such a long post. I just wanted to make sure that I was clear and didn't leave any one guessing. Thanks, Mike Parker

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  2. by chiamac
    (586 posts)
    20 years ago

    Re: Struggling With Doubling

    pratice, pratice, pratice... I palyed tenor from 8th grade though my fresh in college, I also dabbled with alto durning that time... although my alto sound wasn't great, I wasn't shabby either. anyway, I took 3-4 years off from playing and only picked it up last spring. Now i don't play a lot, but once or twice a week is a of a lot more than I did. It only took me a few weeks to get back to where I was, shit I think my tone is even better now. (on alto and tenor) my trick? It's all muscle memory. I can do all of the scales with little problem (maybe I'm shaky somedays) and I can control my fla link 8* just fine. (I have a 41 10M) in fact I think my sound is more mellow now then before. I think the break let me froget what I was doing wrong, then start again (with the help of this site) to do it well. I'm still having problems on alto, but that's just because it's a little harder (more effort) to play than my tenor. But I wouldn't worry about your problems. Just keep at it and put a little work into it. Also... you have only been playing for what? 10 years at the most now... well music is something to do over a life time, so you're (we all are) still learning.=) dont' worry about any problems you may have in the short term, just focus on being a little better week after week, and year after year. k, I'm done playing parent... now time to go clubbing!

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    1. by SaxMan
      (559 posts)
      20 years ago

      Re: Struggling With Doubling

      on that super 20, they cant sell it legally. my boss got a low A mark VI from a school through trade. Ask the school what kind of trade deal they would give ti up for. The new selmer student line saxes are excellent.

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  3. by golferguy675
    (600 posts)
    20 years ago

    Re: Struggling With Doubling

    You're on the right track knowing the difference between a jazz and classical emboucher, a lot of highschool and even college players dont. How long have you been going at doubling with alto and tenor? It'll take a good month or two at least to familiarize yourself with the alto and how it's different from the tenor. Try playing some jazz alto too, and some classical tenor playing. Also, you said you are also starting doubling on clarinet and flute. Take it one instrument at a time. Start with the alto. If you think the problem is with the mouthpiece size, try just playing the mouthpiece. Find your pitch for jazz and classical, by matching it up on the piano. The biggest factor is time.

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    1. by Saxman2200
      (64 posts)
      19 years ago

      Re: Struggling With Doubling

      Let me give you some advice as someone who plays all those instruments and more (all sax's, all clarinets, piano, trumpet, baritone, trombone, horn, violin, viola, cello, guitar, drums, and mallet percussion). DON'T!!! Not yet anyways. Get used to the switch between alto and tenor first, because it will be twice as hard to switch to clarinet. The flute should be fine. Although practicing it will take away from precious time with your sax, other than that it won't hurt you. It's so different there aren't any subtle differences to get caught up in. The clarinet on the other hand gave me major difficulties. not only with embouchre but fingerings too. You might not notice it now, but sometimes your body will forget witch instrument you are holding and those things that seem second nature, won't. I would suggest holding off on clarinet till you get alto under your belt. Then spend some time with your two best friends (and worst enemy's) the clarinet, and the tuner. THIS IS IMPORTANT!!! No matter what, you WILL be flat at first. Get with an instructor who knows both to help. That's all I got, good luck.

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