C Melody Saxophone Forum

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C Melody Saxophone Forum / C-Tenor (C-Melody) Saxophones / Dads C-Melody

Back 20 Messages

spencer05
User ID: 9795313 Dec 31st 7:53 PM
I have a Conn C-Melody that belonged to my dad. I can remember him getting together with some friends and jamming. Unfortunatly I have lost the mouthpiece. I tried using my alto mouthpiece did not work. Anyone able to help me to locate a true C-Melody mouthpiece. Also reeds Thanks

REDEF
User ID: 8221333 Jan 11th 9:47 AM
I have re-read all of the posts on inntonation and I agree that the embouchure is different for a low Bb than it is for a high F. What is important is that the embouchure change is proportionate as the notes go up or down and there is no need to emphasize any particular note. I think we agree on that. But first... the Sax has to be set up correctly and the mouthpiece has to be located on the neck correctly.

For a sax to be set up properly it should be done by a great technician who happens to be a very good player or a great player who happens to be a very good technician. I tend to fall into the second catagory (great is a subjective term). When the venting is right on a sax, each note produces the same resistance. That is why I like the Cannonball Alto & Tenor that I play. I had to do almost zero tweaking for them to play well. I had to do a lot of tweaking to get my C-Melody to perform as well as a modern horn. My curved Soprano required some tweaking but not as much as the C-Mel. This is not rocket science... but pretty damned close. You need an engineering mentality to get through it.

As far as pitch goes, I have a neat trick which lets me set the mouthpieces properly on the neck such that the sax is in tune to itself and in pitch to its design intention (A=440). Here goes...

Play a low C and press the Octave key. Listen to the pitch. Play a middle C and match the pitch to the low C & octave key by moving your mouthpiece until the two pitches are the same. Remember the middle C pitch will change more as you move the mouthpiece because it is closer to the mouthpiece. Try to ignore the tambre of the two notes... just listen to the pitch. This only works with low C & octave key vs. the Middle C. Now you have your Sax set up in the mode for which it was designed.

Of course when you are playing with others you will have to compromise but you will be very close to a pitch meter reading. Regardless, You should always practice with the correct setup.

Just to blow your mind... a perfectly tuned piano is a compromise and it is in fact out of tune. Some concert pianoists will have the piano tuned to match the key they will be playing in. The tempered scale on a piano is enharmonically incorrect. Only violinist, etc. and trombone players can appreciate this. The great Frank Rosolino knew every position and their correct enharmonic overtone structure which allowd him to play the way he did. However he did this subconsiously.

A trombone play on the Stan Kenton band asked Frank why he was using diffenent slide positions in a particular unison phrase. Frank replied "you play your F'n book and I'll play mine... don't bug me"

I hope all of the above is helpful. Again, please excuse any typos.

REDEF
User ID: 8221333 Jan 11th 9:51 AM
I agree we killed this topic... I'll see you later.

Russ
User ID: 9447203 May 4th 2:01 PM
Where do I find information about Paquito DiRevera?

saxotot
User ID: 0763414 Jun 10th 10:43 PM
i have said it once or twice bass clarinet reeds work on c melody mouthpeices and afew of those are on ebay if you hate ebay as i do
mouthpiece
aquilasax.com

for reeds
reedstore.com

Mal-2k8
User ID: 9335603 Jun 12th 11:38 PM
I asked Steve Wedgwood (the guy behind Aquilasax, or at least one of them) what size would be the best fit to one of his Metalpro mouthpieces, since Fibracells don't come in C-Melody size, and he said tenor was a better fit because it has a somewhat longer cut than a bass clarinet reed. It may be different with the hard rubber mouthpiece, but I'm just passing along what I've been told "from the horse's mouth".

If buying cane reeds, it doesn't cost a whole lot to try both bass clarinet and tenor sax reeds, but I play only synthetics now (recent convert, but now I'm completely sold on them) and at $15 or so a pop, I want one that fits the first time. :)

Back 20 Messages

spencer05 User ID: 9795313	Dec 31st 7:53 PM I have a Conn C-Melody that belonged to my dad. I can remember him getting together with some friends and jamming. Unfortunatly I have lost the mouthpiece. I tried using my alto mouthpiece did not work. Anyone able to help me to locate a true C-Melody mouthpiece. Also reeds Thanks
REDEF User ID: 8221333	Jan 11th 9:47 AM I have re-read all of the posts on inntonation and I agree that the embouchure is different for a low Bb than it is for a high F. What is important is that the embouchure change is proportionate as the notes go up or down and there is no need to emphasize any particular note. I think we agree on that. But first... the Sax has to be set up correctly and the mouthpiece has to be located on the neck correctly. For a sax to be set up properly it should be done by a great technician who happens to be a very good player or a great player who happens to be a very good technician. I tend to fall into the second catagory (great is a subjective term). When the venting is right on a sax, each note produces the same resistance. That is why I like the Cannonball Alto & Tenor that I play. I had to do almost zero tweaking for them to play well. I had to do a lot of tweaking to get my C-Melody to perform as well as a modern horn. My curved Soprano required some tweaking but not as much as the C-Mel. This is not rocket science... but pretty damned close. You need an engineering mentality to get through it. As far as pitch goes, I have a neat trick which lets me set the mouthpieces properly on the neck such that the sax is in tune to itself and in pitch to its design intention (A=440). Here goes... Play a low C and press the Octave key. Listen to the pitch. Play a middle C and match the pitch to the low C & octave key by moving your mouthpiece until the two pitches are the same. Remember the middle C pitch will change more as you move the mouthpiece because it is closer to the mouthpiece. Try to ignore the tambre of the two notes... just listen to the pitch. This only works with low C & octave key vs. the Middle C. Now you have your Sax set up in the mode for which it was designed. Of course when you are playing with others you will have to compromise but you will be very close to a pitch meter reading. Regardless, You should always practice with the correct setup. Just to blow your mind... a perfectly tuned piano is a compromise and it is in fact out of tune. Some concert pianoists will have the piano tuned to match the key they will be playing in. The tempered scale on a piano is enharmonically incorrect. Only violinist, etc. and trombone players can appreciate this. The great Frank Rosolino knew every position and their correct enharmonic overtone structure which allowd him to play the way he did. However he did this subconsiously. A trombone play on the Stan Kenton band asked Frank why he was using diffenent slide positions in a particular unison phrase. Frank replied "you play your F'n book and I'll play mine... don't bug me" I hope all of the above is helpful. Again, please excuse any typos.
REDEF User ID: 8221333	Jan 11th 9:51 AM I agree we killed this topic... I'll see you later.
Russ User ID: 9447203	May 4th 2:01 PM Where do I find information about Paquito DiRevera?
saxotot User ID: 0763414	Jun 10th 10:43 PM i have said it once or twice bass clarinet reeds work on c melody mouthpeices and afew of those are on ebay if you hate ebay as i do mouthpiece aquilasax.com for reeds reedstore.com
Mal-2k8 User ID: 9335603	Jun 12th 11:38 PM I asked Steve Wedgwood (the guy behind Aquilasax, or at least one of them) what size would be the best fit to one of his Metalpro mouthpieces, since Fibracells don't come in C-Melody size, and he said tenor was a better fit because it has a somewhat longer cut than a bass clarinet reed. It may be different with the hard rubber mouthpiece, but I'm just passing along what I've been told "from the horse's mouth". If buying cane reeds, it doesn't cost a whole lot to try both bass clarinet and tenor sax reeds, but I play only synthetics now (recent convert, but now I'm completely sold on them) and at $15 or so a pop, I want one that fits the first time. :)