A lot of sax players I know are very much gear heads. They get really pumped over new and different saxophone products like new mouthpieces, reeds, etc. And even things that I think can make very little difference like ligatures and reed humidifiers; they love to swoon and debate over.
Now if you reading this are a gear head, that's great. It's just not me. While some players are constantly experimenting and changing their setup, I've pretty much stayed with the same stuff for years (Mark VI tenor, SR Tech Pro mouthpiece, Legere 3 reeds, if you wanted to know). My go-to line with this conversation is "Yeah, I could try out all of that stuff for a long time, but I'd rather just practice." I know, that might sound a bit pretentious, but don't hate me! And believe me, I can find just as many ways to waste time as the next person.
All that being said I just saw something online that made my heart skip a beat. It was this:
Maybe you're not salivating like I am right now, but HOLY COW! I WANT THAT!!!
Let's talk about what this is. This is apparently a Low-G tenor saxophone. So why am I so excited? Well, these are not supposed to even exist!!!
A little background first (for my non-sax-playing readers). Saxophones, of course come in different sizes and ranges. For most of my playing, I prefer the tenor saxophone, which can only go down to a Bb for its lowest note. The baritone sax goes a good deal lower, but I mostly prefer the tenor for its specific tone quality. That being said, if you know my playing at all, you might know that I play the lowest notes on the tenor a lot (when I'm slap tonguing my various bass lines and whatnot). I've even experimented a great deal with specific Tartini tones which give the aural illusion of going lower. However, I would give and arm and a leg truly play notes lower than a Bb on the tenor (OK, maybe not an arm and a leg, as I'd need the arm to play it. I guess just a leg).
Now there are actually a lot of baritone saxes that go a half step below others. And I've heard of the extremely rare alto that does as well, but NEVER a tenor. And this picture that I recently saw doesn't just go a half step below its normal range, but three! This might not seem big to you, but to any professional sax player, that's HUGE!
Now this image brings up a lot of questions that I'm currently pursuing. First of all, what exactly does it sound like? Adding that much length to the bell will definitely alter the tone - the question is how much. Secondly, how hard (and how much) would it be to get a hold of one of these? The maker supposedly lives in Brazil and doesn't have much (if any) information on it. And finally (and most importantly), is it even real? Photoshop sure can do a lot these days.
So I'll definitely keep you updated if anything comes of this. But in the meantime, just know that no one ever needs to ask me again what my dream gift would be. "Yup, that magical tenor from Brazil."
Now if you reading this are a gear head, that's great. It's just not me. While some players are constantly experimenting and changing their setup, I've pretty much stayed with the same stuff for years (Mark VI tenor, SR Tech Pro mouthpiece, Legere 3 reeds, if you wanted to know). My go-to line with this conversation is "Yeah, I could try out all of that stuff for a long time, but I'd rather just practice." I know, that might sound a bit pretentious, but don't hate me! And believe me, I can find just as many ways to waste time as the next person.
All that being said I just saw something online that made my heart skip a beat. It was this:
Maybe you're not salivating like I am right now, but HOLY COW! I WANT THAT!!!Let's talk about what this is. This is apparently a Low-G tenor saxophone. So why am I so excited? Well, these are not supposed to even exist!!!
A little background first (for my non-sax-playing readers). Saxophones, of course come in different sizes and ranges. For most of my playing, I prefer the tenor saxophone, which can only go down to a Bb for its lowest note. The baritone sax goes a good deal lower, but I mostly prefer the tenor for its specific tone quality. That being said, if you know my playing at all, you might know that I play the lowest notes on the tenor a lot (when I'm slap tonguing my various bass lines and whatnot). I've even experimented a great deal with specific Tartini tones which give the aural illusion of going lower. However, I would give and arm and a leg truly play notes lower than a Bb on the tenor (OK, maybe not an arm and a leg, as I'd need the arm to play it. I guess just a leg).
Now there are actually a lot of baritone saxes that go a half step below others. And I've heard of the extremely rare alto that does as well, but NEVER a tenor. And this picture that I recently saw doesn't just go a half step below its normal range, but three! This might not seem big to you, but to any professional sax player, that's HUGE!
Now this image brings up a lot of questions that I'm currently pursuing. First of all, what exactly does it sound like? Adding that much length to the bell will definitely alter the tone - the question is how much. Secondly, how hard (and how much) would it be to get a hold of one of these? The maker supposedly lives in Brazil and doesn't have much (if any) information on it. And finally (and most importantly), is it even real? Photoshop sure can do a lot these days.
So I'll definitely keep you updated if anything comes of this. But in the meantime, just know that no one ever needs to ask me again what my dream gift would be. "Yup, that magical tenor from Brazil."