C Melody Sax: Anyone Play?
Ryan G Burrage
Does anyone on usenet play a C Melody Saxophone publicly? I do and most
people love it! I look at it as an extension of my voice as a
saxophonist. I would also be curious to know what everyone is using as
far as mouthpieces and C melody horns. Please post this information:
1) Do you own a C Melody? How many do you have?
2) Do you pay a straight, alto-style neck or a curved tenor neck on your C
Melody. What are the advantages of either.
3) What mouthpiece do you use? Is it a tenor or alto? what facing?
4) Have you had to modify the horn in any way to affect intonation?
I currently play a vintage Conn C Melody from 1925, silver, with a curved,
tenor-style neck. I am using a Guardala Traditional Goldplated Alto
Mouthpiece and notice that the intonation is great! It gives me a tenor
like tone in the lower octave but tends to get altoish in the higher
register.
Check out Joe Lovano's Live at Village Vanguard Cd for a track where he
plays C Melody! It sounds like a sick alto! :-)
Frankie Trumbauer is probably the best known C Melody player, he was with
Bix Biederbecke
As Aforementioned, Donald Harrisson played a C Melody with Terrance
Blanchard.
Anyone else know any others?
Your participation is greatly appreciated.
Paul Lindemeyer
Ryan G Burrage wrote:
> 1) Do you own a C Melody? How many do you have?
One straight-necked silver 1923 Conn. Cost me $225 mint (with original
case, strap, piece, lig & cap, and rotten white kid pads). It had been
sitting in a second-hand store in Iowa for 6 months because no one could
tell whether it was an alto or a tenor. $225 more for a repad and O/H
and it played just great.
> 2) Do you play a straight, alto-style neck or a curved tenor neck on your C
> Melody. What are the advantages of either.
The curved neck brings the horn up a couple inches so it's less of a
handful. It would be good for kids. But the straight neck has the
microtuner, which really comes in handy. Don't notice any tonal
difference, though it'd be logical if the straight neck were a bit
brighter.
I'd love a silver Conn curved neck, if anyone has a spare.
> 3) What mouthpiece do you use? Is it a tenor or alto? what facing?
Bill Street C melody #5 (a modern rubber piece made in larger facings).
Advertised in Sax Journal Classifieds. Has the classic rich round timbre
with more volume and bite than the old pieces.
> 4) Have you had to modify the horn in any way to affect intonation?
No. I hear of people getting certain notes re-regulated, but the sound
is so flexible I mostly just lip. My problems are with low C-C#-D-D# and
middle C#-D-D#, which tend sharp.
> Frankie Trumbauer is probably the best known C Melody player, he was with
> Bix Biederbecke. As Aforementioned, Donald Harrisson played a C Melody
> with Terrance Blanchard. Anyone else know any others?
Rudy Wiedoeft (light classics and novelties) and Jack Pettis (jazz) from
the '20s.
I think a "freedom thing" player named George Braith played one on Blue
Note ca. 1966, as well as a straight alto. Never heard him.
Let us know what kind of responses you get, Ryan. I have talked to at
least 6 or 7 aspiring C melodists on the group, so we are out there. I
play mine mostly in dixieland, a few times a month. It has a tone like
no other sax.
--
Paul Lindemeyer (pau...@gannett.infi.net)
_______________________________________________________
CELEBRATING THE SAXOPHONE: An Illustrated History
At your local bookseller from William Morrow & Co.
Merlin Allan Williams
In article <32E351...@gannett.infi.net>,
Paul Lindemeyer <pau...@gannett.infi.net> wrote:
>
>Let us know what kind of responses you get, Ryan. I have talked to at
>least 6 or 7 aspiring C melodists on the group, so we are out there. I
>play mine mostly in dixieland, a few times a month. It has a tone like
>no other sax.
>
I'm currently playing a 1924 or so silver Conn with the microtuner neck. It is probably the best C melody I've ever seen, due to having been O/H'd by John Weir. I use a no-name hard rubber m/p that was probably made by Babbitt. It is a tenor m/p with little baffle and a big round chamber. I've actually used it when playing Aebersolds, but haven't used it in public yet.
merlin
Norris Siert
Ryan G Burrage wrote:
>Please post this information:
>
> 1) Do you own a C Melody? How many do you have?
>
> 2) Do you pay a straight, alto-style neck or a curved tenor neck on your C
> Melody. What are the advantages of either.
>
> 3) What mouthpiece do you use? Is it a tenor or alto? what facing?
>
> 4) Have you had to modify the horn in any way to affect intonation?
> >
> Anyone else know any others {C-Melody Players}?
>
> Your participation is greatly appreciated.
Unless you consider school demonstrations public, I don't quite meet
your criteria but I do enjoy playing my C-melody from time to time.
1) I own two Conn C-melody saxes, manufactured in 1925 and 1927. Both
are silver plated.
2) Both have the straight, alto-style neck. I haven't played a curved
neck. It would probably balance better when used in the standing
position. Like Paul Lindemeyer, I like the tuning neck which, I
believe, was only available on the straight neck.
3) I use two original Conn mouthpieces and another, vintage mouthpiece
which was in the case of the second horn when I bought it. Part of the
charm, for me, is hearing the way these horns sounded when popular. I
just try to get the best tone quality I can with these mouthpieces. I
prefer the Conns. Tenor reeds work OK.
4) Both were well regulated when I bought them. Intonation is
certainly at least as good as other sizes of saxophones from that era.
In addition to the players previously mentioned by others, Ted Hegvik
has recorded a number of Rudy Wiedoeft era tunes using his C-melody
sax. Remarkable recordings which, until recently were out of print.
Ted has reissued his recordings on a new CD and has advertised it in
Saxophone Journal. The entire recording was made using C-melody except
for the "Tribute to Rudy Wiedoeft" by Gunther Schuller which was written
for alto. If you like this style music (I do!), you should listen to
this CD.
Damn it, Ryan. Why did you get this thread started? Now I'm going to
have to buy one of those Bill Street mouthpieces and play that relic
more often. Please, no Saxello questions.
Norris Siert
Support Your Community Band
Timo Knuuttila
Ryan G Burrage wrote:
>
> Does anyone on usenet play a C Melody Saxophone publicly? I do and most
> people love it! I look at it as an extension of my voice as a
> saxophonist. I would also be curious to know what everyone is using as
>
> 1) Do you own a C Melody? How many do you have?
>
> Melody. What are the advantages of either.
>
> 3) What mouthpiece do you use? Is it a tenor or alto? what facing?
>
reeds and Vandoren bass clarinet reeds. The alto reeds are too small and
tenors are too big. Bass clarinet reed are little bit smaler but still
too big.
Does anyone know the measurements of C-medody reeds?
> 4) Have you had to modify the horn in any way to affect intonation?
>
Nope. I have problem tuning my Conn to regular A 440 Hz. If I push the
mpc in enough to get A 440 Hz, the sound quality and intonation suffers
dramaticly. Does anyone know how to tune old low pitch sax to present
standard pitch? I haven't try alto mpc, maybe it can help me?
Stinde
timo.kn...@ntc.nokia.com
Paul Lindemeyer
Timo Knuuttila wrote:
> Does anyone know the measurements of C-medody reeds?
Never seen any. A single reed maker could probably make them based on
the size of the mouthpiece. But tenor reeds work OK for me.
>
> > 4) Have you had to modify the horn in any way to affect intonation?
> >
> Nope. I have problem tuning my Conn to regular A 440 Hz. If I push the
> mpc in enough to get A 440 Hz, the sound quality and intonation suffers
> dramaticly. Does anyone know how to tune old low pitch sax to present
> standard pitch? I haven't try alto mpc, maybe it can help me?
The alto piece raises pitch, so if you are flat, try it.
Low pitch saxes *are* standard A-440 pitch. The pitch before that was
called high pitch.
Mazel Gregg
Ryan,
I play a straight c-melody soprano (1911). It is hard to bring up to concert pitch. I end up
pushing the mouthpiece so far down on the tuning neck that it makes my sound like
a muted trumpet!!! I also play tenor (Conn '57), alto (Conn '27) and bari (Wurlitzer/Conn '19).
I also play with Rudy Cheeks from Providence, RI, who plays c-melody and sings.
Love the sound!
-Gregg
In Article Re: C Melody Sax: Anyone Play? , Timo Knuuttila <timo.kn...@ntc.nokia.com> wrote:
Ryan G Burrage wrote:
>
> Does anyone on usenet play a C Melody Saxophone publicly? I do and most
> people love it! I look at it as an extension of my voice as a
> saxophonist. I would also be curious to know what everyone is using as
> far as mouthpieces and C melody horns. Please post this information:
>
> 1) Do you own a C Melody? How many do you have?
>
I have 1910 Conn.
> 2) Do you pay a straight, alto-style neck or a curved tenor neck on your C
> Melody. What are the advantages of either.
>
It have tenor neck.
> 3) What mouthpiece do you use? Is it a tenor or alto? what facing?
>
I use Buescher C MPC. I have tried it with Rico Royal alto and tenor
reeds and Vandoren bass clarinet reeds. The alto reeds are too small and
tenors are too big. Bass clarinet reed are little bit smaler but still
too big.
Does anyone know the measurements of C-medody reeds?
> 4) Have you had to modify the horn in any way to affect intonation?
>
Nope. I have problem tuning my Conn to regular A 440 Hz. If I push the
mpc in enough to get A 440 Hz, the sound quality and intonation suffers
dramaticly. Does anyone know how to tune old low pitch sax to present
standard pitch? I haven't try alto mpc, maybe it can help me?
Stinde
timo.kn...@ntc.nokia.com
-------------------------------------
Name: Gregg Mazel
E-mail: Gregg Mazel <g...@uriacc.uri.edu>
Date: 01/27/97
Time: 19:26:35
-------------------------------------
Paul Cohen
<<Ryan,
I play a straight c-melody soprano (1911). It is hard to bring up to
concert pitch. I end up
pushing the mouthpiece so far down on the tuning neck that it makes my
sound like
a muted trumpet!!
Some clarifications. If you are playing a c-soprano, it can only be
straight, and they did not have tuning necks. Also, only the C-tenors
were called c- melody instruments. The c soprano was just the c
soprano.
If you have an original mouthpiece (or an excavated chamber modern
equivalent) it is expected (and part of the design) that you will need
to push the mouthpiece way down on the cork. But usually the result is
a singing, vibrant, resonant, responsive sound!
Paul Cohen
Mr. Kurtz
Timo Knuuttila <timo.kn...@ntc.nokia.com> wrote:
-->Nope. I have problem tuning my Conn to regular A 440 Hz. If I push
the
-->mpc in enough to get A 440 Hz, the sound quality and intonation
suffers
-->dramaticly. Does anyone know how to tune old low pitch sax to
present
-->standard pitch? I haven't try alto mpc, maybe it can help me?
-->
1924 Conn here, tuning neck.
Try a LARGE CHAMBER alto piece. A tiny jazz-chamber alto piece will
sound awful. Trust me. Try something fairly closed, with a harder
reed than your usual strength.
My Conn works well with a Morgan 5L. A big-chamber classical piece
might be even better. (I play the same piece for lead alto work -
late 1950s Martin Indiana, they haven't built a Selmer yet I'd trade
it for - and just swap from horn to horn. YMMV.) I do sometimes play
the original mpc., for old stuff with C sax parts. (They do exist,
really!)
Never had much luck with tenor pieces.
---------------------------------------------------------------
C. L. Basso Optical Mineralogist Toledo, O.
cba...@ix.netcom.com
DNRC Titles: Tyrant of Ohio and
Obergruppenfuhrer of the Rust Belt Legion
"The great questions of the day are settled not by speeches
and the decisions of majorities, but by blood and iron."
-- Otto von Bismarck
Ryan G Burrage
Well Paul, I was just about to reply to this message and say the same
thing! :-)
In alt.music.saxophone Paul Cohen <Paul...@AOL.com> wrote:
: <<Ryan,