Low Bb vs. Low A Bari saxes
mah...@gmail.com
Bb vs. Low A bari saxes. I', going to be shopping around for a new
bari and I see advantages to both. Your thoughts?
thanks
Pete Thomas
I would go for a low A.
It used to be a sort of received wisdom that low A baris had worse
intonation or worse sound. This may have been true quite a while ago,
but I get the feeling it's not really true regarding today's saxophones,
whether they are established "big 4", smaller brands or the new
generation of top quality Chinese and Taiwanese instruments.
I currently play an old Bb Martin Handcraft which has tons of character
but will sooner or later get a modern bari with low A, having tried
quite a few Taiwanese horns at the Frankfurt Musikmesse. Most of these
with one notable exception had all the meatiness of my martin, with the
added advantage of an extra note and better intonation.
Curiously one of the ones that was really good had a "made in Taiwan"
sticker, but was actually made in China.
Interestingly they certainly had more guts than a few Yanagisawas I
tried several years ago and certainly better than a MKVI Bb bari I used
to own.
Best Regards
--
Pete Thomas
Saxophone Forum www.breakfastroom.co.uk
New: Jazzrecipes.com
On-line saxophone exercises, jazz theory, Saxophone Instruction DVD. And
other stuff. Site & contact www.petethomas.co.uk
Stephen Howard
If you don't already have a bari then I'd recommend one with a low A.
Aside from solo playing there can't be many situations in which the
bari playing isn't called upon to use the low A....and it's a dead
cert in most horn sections.
You also might find it hard to find a modern bari with no low A (
though a client of mine was buying such a horn from Mauriat a little
while ago ) - and that just leaves vintage baris, in the main.
As PT says, some modern makers have evened up the tonal balance
between the old Bb models and the newer A models...though you might
have to look further afield than the 'big three'.
Regards,
--
Stephen Howard - Woodwind repairs & period restorations
www.shwoodwind.co.uk
Emails to: showard{who is at}shwoodwind{dot}co{dot}uk
Robert
Depends on what you will use it for.
There are many who aver that a low Bb bari has better sound, plays
better, and shows better altissimo. Perhaps they are right. And, the
low Bb is usually lighter weight than a low A sax.
But if you are going to play in an ensemble that plays modern music, you
will need a low A. This note is called for much more than it was, say,
30 years ago and it appears in virtually all styles of music. In fact
manufacturers today of new bari saxes may not offer a low Bb model.
If you intend only to play in a local stage band that plays mostly music
from the 1930's to 1950's, you will not see a low-A note very often.
But for almost everything else you will need the low A.
Glenn
> mahn...@gmail.com wrote:
> > I'm hoping people will give their opinions and experiences regarding
> > Bb vs. Low A bari saxes. I', going to be shopping around for a new
> > bari and I see advantages to both. Your thoughts?
> > thanks
I think the first three posters here have really summed things up
well, but, if you're a glutton for punishment, there's a *very* long
discussion over at Sax on the Web in the bari sax forum. Personally, I
think you should go out and play some horns and buy the one you don't
want to put down.
Glenn
T. sax
#2 Play a few New Selmers, Yanis etc- stay away from the pacific rim
crap; its a waste of bucks.
#3 Buy a great mouthpiece. My LAMBERSON will " jump start" any bari
if I need to rent a horn.
Try Bergs and and Lawtons too.
NEXT, I make a larger part of my living playing bari sax. I use 2
horns- I have a SELMER TO LOW Bb and a SELMER to Low A. I use each for
when/what I need. I plaqy extensive " PARTS" with bands like Lynyrd
Skynyrd, Little Feet, Aretha, Loyd Price, RATDOG, or Dr John and
more big bands than I wish to remember. LOL.
The trick is....BE A GREAT READER. Your fucked if you can't read a
part 1st time down on bari; and have great pitch. Deal with that more
than any other thing. Most times more than not there are NEVER
rehearsals on gigs...with orn sections. If so just talk thrus. Don't
make it an excuse- DO IT. Be a great reader- not good or ok- BUT
GREAT. Then learn the venacular of the bari- where tothrow down using
balls to the wall or a sub tone like Charlie Fowlkes. If you don't
know who Charlie Fowlkes is or Ron Cuber, John Williams, Leroy Hog
Cooper etc. LEO PARKER and Rudy Rutherford. Learn who they are and HOW
they use sound and pitch in the band.
Also learn how to m,ake a part up ON THE SPOT. Have a great ear.
On the Lynyrd Skynyrd gigs a % is ear. The rest is reading easy
stuff.
Try horns- get a teacher that KNOWS and try.
Don't buy a pacific rim sax- Its junk. Disposable shit.
Good luck. Tim Price
mah...@gmail.com
down. I have a The Martin Bari from the 1950s, (No A), and have also
been playing a ybs-52. The Yamaha definitely has better intonation,
though the palm keys don't always sing as easily as the Martin. And I
feel the martin speaks better.
But the main thing is the weight difference- it's pretty huge, even
though I use a harnass. I thought I'd be using the Low A all the time,
but I really only hit it every now and then. It's all original music,
and I write the horn charts, so I do have some control over the
voicings...
In the end though, I guess it will come down to just buying what I
love...
thanks!
Pete Thomas
>
> The trick is....BE A GREAT READER. Your fucked if you can't read a
> part 1st time down on bari;
But not so relevant if you are doing music that doesn't need the ability
to read.
I think whether you read well is important for many situations, but not
specifically relevant to baritone any more than another instrument.
Ted Thompson
Mauriat and a friend`s Keilwerth. I had two great baritone playing friends
go to a store in the DC area and try the new Yani 992, a great horn but it
wasn`t the one I kept . They might be reading this and find out that I
didn`t keep the Yani but being the friends they are they won`t be mad at me
after going to all that trouble. You aren`t are mad are you Scott and Leigh?
Please say you aren`t . The reason I bought the Yamaha is that, after
actually buying the Yani 992 I took it on a gig and found that it didn`t
have the balls that the Yamaha has. Neither did the P. Mauriat, although at
half the price of the Yani and Yamaha, it was a damn good horn. The entire
Basie section is now playing the Mauriats but I`m reasonably sure that my
friend John Williams had them build the bari to low B flat, not A. The
Yamaha is a marvelous horn and I was immediately sold on it. It was a couple
hundred bucks cheaper than the Yani which when dealing in those figures
makes it almost the same price. All I can tell you is that the Yamaha is the
absolute best horn I`ve ever played. Now, one word of explanation here. I
DID NOT try the 991 Yani, only the 992. So to end this too long diatribe,
they were all great horns but the Yamaha did the most for me and I play bari
for a living with a five sax section on a major legacy big band. I`ve played
section bari for many, many years. Did I say many? Yes indeed. Also ,
because of the fact that there were NO Keilwerths available after calling
the distributor. I didn`t get to try one and I`m sorry. I have a bari
playing friend that bought a Keilwerth and loves it. I don`t even want to
try one now though because I might like it better, although I don`t see how
that would be possible. That Yamaha is different than the one I bought in
1985 which I still have . It`s more focused and slightly darker. If you talk
to Tim Glesmann at Sax Alley he`ll work with you. Nicest person I`ve ever
dealt with. Sax player too and carries only top of the line horns.
"Stephen Howard" <sees...@email.uk> wrote in message
news:s7la445a8sr2qarbt...@4ax.com...
T. sax
NO. Period. Sorry Pete.
If you can't read great your fucked. I REMAIN ON THAT.
I note with extreme interest that your opinion is just that. An
opinion. Cool but not practical.
There were parts I had to read with Ike Turner. OR ELSE.
SO I SAY A POLITE NO.
YOU GOT TO READ.
ansermetniac
wrote:
>On Jun 3, 2:12?pm, Pete Thomas <inva...@reply-via-site.com> wrote:
>> T. sax wrote:
>>
>> > ?The trick is....BE A ?GREAT READER. Your fucked if you can't read a
>> > part 1st time down on bari;
>>
>> But not so relevant if you are doing music that doesn't need the ability
>> to read.
>>
>> I think whether you read well is important for many situations, but not
>> specifically relevant to baritone any more than another instrument.
>>
>> Best Regards
>> --
>> Pete Thomas
>>
>> Saxophone Forumwww.breakfastroom.co.uk
>> New: Jazzrecipes.com
>>
>> On-line saxophone exercises, jazz theory, Saxophone Instruction DVD. And
>> other stuff. Site & contactwww.petethomas.co.uk
>
>NO. Period. Sorry Pete.
>If you can't read great your fucked. I REMAIN ON THAT.
>
>I note with extreme interest that your opinion is just that. An
>opinion. Cool but not practical.
>There were parts I had to read with Ike Turner. OR ELSE.
>
>SO I SAY A POLITE NO.
>
>YOU GOT TO READ.
Ike is dead. Brecker is dead. SOTW is ALIIIIIIIIIIIIIIVE.
Sorry T.P. , your expertise has been overruled by God's gift to the
Saxophone, Pete Thomas.
No reading, material makes no difference in a MP or horn
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
What an ignorant buffoon
And that is my PROFESSIONAL opinion.
A Scenario
Lawyer: Mr. Thomas tell us about your expertise and why you should be
considered an expert witness
P.T.: Harri said I was. I am moderator at SOTW
Lawyer, Judge, Jury, Audience: Historical Laughter causing the bailiff
to clear the court and Pete Thomas to be taken away to Bellevue
Abbedd
Stephen Howard
wrote:
> #! TRY A LOT OF HORNS AND LISTEN TO IT YOURSELF
>
> #2 Play a few New Selmers, Yanis etc- stay away from the pacific rim
>crap; its a waste of bucks.
>
Jeez, that's so five years ago...
Regards,
--
Stephen Howard - Woodwind repairs & period restorations
T. sax
> On Tue, 3 Jun 2008 08:06:26 -0700 (PDT), "T. sax" <tep251...@aol.com>
> wrote:
>
> > #! TRY A LOT OF HORNS AND LISTEN TO IT YOURSELF
>
> > #2 Play a few New Selmers, Yanis etc- stay away from the pacific rim
> >crap; its a waste of bucks.
>
> Jeez, that's so five years ago...
>
> Regards,
>
> --
> Emails to: showard{who is at}shwoodwind{dot}co{dot}uk
so what :)
Stephen Howard
wrote:
>On Jun 3, 6:18?pm, Stephen Howard <seesig...@email.uk> wrote:
>> On Tue, 3 Jun 2008 08:06:26 -0700 (PDT), "T. sax" <tep251...@aol.com>
>> wrote:
>>
>> > #! TRY A LOT OF HORNS AND LISTEN TO IT YOURSELF
>>
>> > #2 Play a few New Selmers, Yanis etc- stay away from the pacific rim
>> >crap; its a waste of bucks.
>>
>> Jeez, that's so five years ago...
>>
>
>so what :)
So it might have been good advice back then.
T. sax
> On Tue, 3 Jun 2008 14:37:46 -0700 (PDT), "T. sax" <tep251...@aol.com>
> wrote:
>
> >On Jun 3, 6:18?pm, Stephen Howard <seesig...@email.uk> wrote:
> >> On Tue, 3 Jun 2008 08:06:26 -0700 (PDT), "T. sax" <tep251...@aol.com>
> >> wrote:
>
> >> > #! TRY A LOT OF HORNS AND LISTEN TO IT YOURSELF
>
> >> > #2 Play a few New Selmers, Yanis etc- stay away from the pacific rim
> >> >crap; its a waste of bucks.
>
> >> Jeez, that's so five years ago...
>
> >so what �:)
>
> So it might have been good advice back then.
>
IT STILL IS.
Ans always will unless Borgani makes a Bari or unless Kate Smith gets
her moon over the mountain.
HAHAHA
ansermetniac
wrote:
>On Jun 3, 6:47?pm, Stephen Howard <seesig...@email.uk> wrote:
>> On Tue, 3 Jun 2008 14:37:46 -0700 (PDT), "T. sax" <tep251...@aol.com>
>> wrote:
>>
>> >On Jun 3, 6:18?pm, Stephen Howard <seesig...@email.uk> wrote:
>> >> On Tue, 3 Jun 2008 08:06:26 -0700 (PDT), "T. sax" <tep251...@aol.com>
>> >> wrote:
>>
>> >> > #! TRY A LOT OF HORNS AND LISTEN TO IT YOURSELF
>>
>> >> > #2 Play a few New Selmers, Yanis etc- stay away from the pacific rim
>> >> >crap; its a waste of bucks.
>>
>> >> Jeez, that's so five years ago...
>>
>> >so what ?:)
>>
>> So it might have been good advice back then.
>>
>
> IT STILL IS.
>
>Ans always will unless Borgani makes a Bari or unless Kate Smith gets
>her moon over the mountain.
>
>HAHAHA
The Flyers of the 70s played Kate's God Bless America when they needed
a win. When they really needed a win, they brought in Kate. Her record
for them was pretty good
Abbedd
Stephen Howard
wrote:
>On Jun 3, 6:47?pm, Stephen Howard <seesig...@email.uk> wrote:
>> On Tue, 3 Jun 2008 14:37:46 -0700 (PDT), "T. sax" <tep251...@aol.com>
>> wrote:
>>
>> >On Jun 3, 6:18?pm, Stephen Howard <seesig...@email.uk> wrote:
>> >> On Tue, 3 Jun 2008 08:06:26 -0700 (PDT), "T. sax" <tep251...@aol.com>
>> >> wrote:
>>
>> >> > #! TRY A LOT OF HORNS AND LISTEN TO IT YOURSELF
>>
>> >> > #2 Play a few New Selmers, Yanis etc- stay away from the pacific rim
>> >> >crap; its a waste of bucks.
>>
>> >> Jeez, that's so five years ago...
>>
>> >so what ?:)
>>
>> So it might have been good advice back then.
>>
>
> IT STILL IS.
I'll remember that next time I'm gigging with my Chinese Yani
copy...which will be tomorrow night, as it happens.
I'll also remember that so far it's earned me more than it cost.
Tom Joyce
not play saxophone. What in the world makes you think your opinion has any
validity in this thread? (The rest of us are laughing historically waiting
for your next non-sequitur.)
Tom
"ansermetniac" <anserm...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:k8ib449veigap9c9j...@4ax.com...
ansermetniac
wrote:
>Answerman, I have a question for you: You said in another post that you do
>not play saxophone. What in the world makes you think your opinion has any
>validity in this thread? (The rest of us are laughing historically waiting
>for your next non-sequitur.)
>Tom
Gee, I designed the mouthpiece of the most modern ,influential and
important wind player of the last 40 years because I am a fuckin'
idiot.
Great theory, Mr. Joyce, Barone player.
Guess what instrument the maker of the finest trumpets in the World
plays(Zig Kanstull)? Dave Guardala gave up playing BEFORE we made the
mouthpieces. He never played one of ours, EVER.
Man are you fuckin' moron
Does you Mother know that you are embarrassing the family in public
with your specious arguments
Abbedd
Tom Joyce
"ansermetniac" <anserm...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:pe1c44lfjpfl57c52...@4ax.com...
foad
"Tom Joyce" <TomX...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:g250h1$14e$1...@registered.motzarella.org...
> (The rest of us are laughing historically waiting for your next
> non-sequitur.)
Good one, nitwit.
Grumps
A few years ago, I thought I'd like to have a low A bari instead of
the ancient Conn New Wonder I've had for many, many years. Thing is
though, I don't play charts with big bands and such, but only use the
bari for a couple of numbers per set with a blues band I play with.
For that sort of thing, the low Bb Conn is perfect; not too big and
easier to navigate in tight quarters.