Klarinet Archive - Posting 000246.txt from 2000/08

From: Bill Hausmann <bhausmann1@-----.com>
Subj: Re: [kl] Is playing sax detrimental to clarinet playing?
Date: Fri, 11 Aug 2000 09:11:31 -0400

At 02:18 AM 8/11/2000 -0600, J. Shouryu Nohe wrote:
>On Thu, 10 Aug 2000, Bill Hausmann wrote:
>
>> I learned to play tenor first (C-Melody really, and THEN tenor) so I got
>> comfortable with the side carriage, which is all but REQUIRED on tenor.
>
>Not really, maybe depending on how your body is built. For instance...
>
>This spring, I had the devine pleasure of hearing UNT's One O'Clock Lab -
>their top jazz lab out of like, 14 or something. We're talking absolutely
>AMAZING guys...for at least half of the time they played, both tenors had
>horns in front, between their legs like altos; they also sat on the the
>edge of their seat. After seeing this, I tried it, and rather liked it,
>but when sitting, like them, I go back and forth, because it's a little
>weird on the back. But when I STAND and play, my tenor is directly in
>front, with the neck strap totally extended.
>
See, you have to sit in an unusual fashion to play tenor in front. I think
I'd rather not. STANDING is a different issue entirely. And you can
always try holding it sideways a la Lester Young!

>Horn and strap may have a lot to do with it as well; currently I have a
>Neotech on a Yamaha 52...the horn is borrowed, and pretty soon (in the
>next week or so), I'll be getting my Cigar Cutter. If the neckstrap hook
>is placed lower than on the Yamaha, then I probably won't be able to do
>front carriage.
>
Funny you should mention this. I ALSO have a YoMamma 52. I find that the
strap rings are placed unusually LOW on Yamaha saxes, and I must use a
Neotech extra-long strap with them. The regular length is just fine on my
Mark VI alto and current production Selmer altos and tenors.

By the way, the new Series III saxes are WONDERFUL horns! I prefer the
tone of my VI in the lower two octaves, but the III has a more consistent
sound all the way up, and the intonation up high is much better.
Ergonomics are much improved also. I'm still thinking about making a
change, but the buttery-smooth sound of my VI won't be easy to give up!
I'd give up my 52 in a heartbeat for the III tenor, though!

(Note: Yes, I DO work for a Selmer dealer, but I sincerely doubt that any
personal monetary gain will acrue from the preceding rave review,
especially since I am salaried, not on commission. It is posted for
information purposes only, and merely represents one (highly-opinionated)
person's opinion.)

Bill Hausmann NEW ADDRESS: bhausmann1@-----.com
451 Old Orchard Drive http://homepages.go.com/~zoot14/zoot14.html
Essexville, MI 48732 ICQ UIN 4862265

If you have to mic a saxophone, the rest of the band is too loud.

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