[Dixielandjazz] Re: More information about my wonderful cheap soprano

[Russ Guarino]

Final comment.

Having reached the level of achieving a nice tone on my reed instruments, my
granddaughter who is playing some clarinet in ninth grade came to hear me play
at the pizza parlor where we practice.  While eating a pizza after playing
several hours, she asked me, "Grampa, how do you get that nice tone?"  I
thought," even the beginners notice".

Russ Guarino

Larry Walton Entertainment wrote:

> It's a lot like whistling.  Lower notes the tongue must go flat and the
> mouth cavity opens up and higher notes have less.
>
> I don't know how many times other horn players have come up to me and asked
> what mouthpiece am I using or asking what horn I play or reed or something
> else.  What they are wanting to know is how I sound like I do especially
> playing on whatever horn I am using.  It isn't the horn or the reed or the
> mouthpiece although every one of those things play a roll.  It's what you
> are doing is the important thing and how you are blowing the horn.  This is
> really tough to convince people that a student horn in the hands of a pro
> will sound like a million bucks.  Yesterday I was playing a gig with a top
> group of guys.  The banjo player who just happens to be a near genius on his
> instrument commented on how good my horn sounded.  Guess what, it isn't the
> horn even though it is a top of the line instrument..
>
> One of the first times I realized this was when I was in college.  I had an
> old trumpet hanging on the wall that was painted black with flowers in the
> bell.  I had paid $5 for it.  A friend came by one day and for whatever
> reason wanted to play it.  He pulled out a bottle of oil and got the valves
> working.  Then he started to play.  He sounded like he had a $7000 horn in
> his hands.
>
> The guy that repairs my horns is a sax player.  He has the latest and
> greatest horns.  I brought in my $350 Winston Soprano and blew him away on
> his $3500 Selmer but he wouldn't trade me.
>
> I have a friend who has turned out to be a good sax player but a few years
> ago he was banging his head against the wall trying to sound like me.  He
> went out and bought a new Selmer tenor which didn't help.  Then he wanted to
> borrow my mouthpiece which I wouldn't do.  I did tell him the brand and
> size.  I think he bought one of them too.  I think he bought about 6
> mouthpieces and tried zillions of different reeds all to no avail.  I wasn't
> too anxious to get him sounding good because he and I worked for the same
> band leader in the same spot.  Finally I took pity on him and had a session
> with him and taught him how to get a good sound.
>
> A guy from the Navy band said "It's all about air" and he is right. Lots of
> players just won't believe you until you play their horns.  Horns aren't
> pianos and guitars where you can buy tone quality.  Horn players have to
> make the sound which takes support and correct concepts.  If a player is
> open to suggestion and will do what I say I can have a player playing with a
> full sound in ten minutes or less.  Unfortunately most of them fall back
> into bad habits or just really don't believe you.  Before I work with a
> student especially if they are an adult player I have to see something in
> them that tells me that they want to sound good.  there are a lot of closed
> minds out there.
>
> You are a case in point.  You were ready and receptive and it didn't take
> long.  I'll bet it was just a snap of the fingers.  Almost like magic.  Like
> a magician, I can teach that trick but only if the audience believes and
> wants to see it.
> Larry
> St. Louis
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Russ Guarino" <russg at redshift.com>
> To: "Larry Walton Entertainment" <larrys.bands at charter.net>
> Cc: "Michael Woitowicz" <banjobarons at nconnect.net>; "Dixieland Jazz"
> <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
> Sent: Saturday, August 27, 2005 7:17 PM
> Subject: Re: More information about my wonderful cheap soprano
>
> > You have wonderful insight.  I started with the alto and then moved to the
> > clarinet within a year because the jr. high band needed clarinets more.
> >
> > It wasn't until I was teaching  high school that I learned the real secret
> of
> > good tone.  One of my 9th grade french horn players had gone to two camps
> over
> > the summer and came back with this comment after listening to me practice.
> He
> > said something like " you'd get a better tone, Mr. Guarino, if you would
> open
> > your throat... make an "O"."
> >
> > After a bit of internal snicker, I realized he was passing through to me
> what he
> > had learned at camp from a professional french horn player probably of
> Chicago
> > Symph quality.  Who was I to turn down such good advise.  I started
> working on
> > it and Viola!! much better tone both on the clarinet and sax.  I now
> receive
> > accolades from audiences.
> >
> > Russ Guarino
> >
> > Larry Walton Entertainment wrote:
> >
> > > In the low end horns I like the Winston best because of the extremely
> smooth
> > > fingering response and really good tone.  It compares to my Yamaha very
> > > favorably.  The problem is it's very soft metal and very light by
> comparison
> > > and easily knocked out of adjustment especially when knocking it over
> (HA
> > > HA)
> > >
> > > I'm not familiar with that one but so many of them feel really cheesy in
> the
> > > fingering but all of them do well in intonation surprisingly enough.  I
> > > would pick a new low end horn over the many vintage horns out there but
> my
> > > Yamaha Custom is a killer horn.
> > >
> > > You're right about the adjustment you have to make.  Most clarinet
> players
> > > fail to make that adjustment on sax in general and end up with a tight
> tone.
> > > Not at all full and usually out of tune too.
> > >
> > > The old school taught that you should play clarinet before sax but I
> really
> > > don't think that's the case.  When you do that you end up with sax
> players
> > > that really never get the right sound out of the saxes.  The reason
> being
> > > that the clarinet tends to encourage a snapping turtle embouchure with
> > > little flexibility.  You may never produce a symphonic clarinet sound if
> you
> > > start on sax but I prefer hearing clarinet played by primarily sax
> players.
> > > I like a more flexible, full sound.  Unlearning the clarinet embouchure
> is
> > > difficult.
> > >
> > > Sounds like you are having a lot of fun with it.
> > > Larry
> > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > From: "Russ Guarino" <russg at redshift.com>
> > > To: "Larry Walton Entertainment" <larrys.bands at charter.net>
> > > Cc: "Michael Woitowicz" <banjobarons at nconnect.net>; "Dixieland Jazz"
> > > <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
> > > Sent: Saturday, August 27, 2005 4:48 PM
> > > Subject: Re: More information about my wonderful cheap soprano
> > >
> > > > My new soprano is a "Bandnow" costing $250 + Tax.  Got it from 123
> Music
> > > [ on
> > > > the web ].  No scroll work on the bell.  Just plain lacquer. But very
> > > pretty.
> > > >
> > > > Plays like a champ including high side keys and index finger high F.
> Low
> > > left
> > > > hand little finger keys speak easily. At first I thought middle B & C
> were
> > > flat,
> > > > but by pushing in the mouthpiece a little deeper down the cork, it
> came
> > > right
> > > > into tune.  I highly recommend the horn.  I use my old mouthpiece and
> > > reed.
> > > >
> > > > Like all sopranos it required intuitive adjustments to play in tune,
> but I
> > > > adjusted to the horn quickly, first play.  The only effort I have to
> use
> > > with
> > > > the horn is when I come off the clarinet and play about 6 or 8 notes
> > > before I
> > > > adjust.  I find I have to "open" my mouth cavity and throat to get the
> > > sound I
> > > > want.  Smooth and serene. I've been able to avoid an "edgy" tone with
> this
> > > horn.
> > > >
> > > > Comes with hard case, neck strap, mouthpiece, white gloves, cleaning
> > > cloth,
> > > > plastic neck cap and two necks, one curved and one straight.  I also
> > > bought a
> > > > soprano stand and had to take out some insulation foam at the bell end
> of
> > > the
> > > > case to fit the stand into the bell when putting it away.  I like the
> > > horn so
> > > > much I have actually been practicing with it.
> > > >
> > > > Why does nobody believe me?  "A $250 soprano, are you nuts"?
> > > >
> > > > Russ Guarino
> > > >
> > > > Larry Walton Entertainment wrote:
> > > >
> > > > > Well Russ the same thing happened to me.  I have a Winston soprano.
> The
> > > > > horn plays nice except the high register.  I can play it in tune but
> > > it's
> > > > > not naturally in tune.  It does have a nice tone but so many of
> these
> > > > > imports are really soft metal.  I did the same trick and it went
> over
> > > > > bending the body of the horn and everything attached to it.  Lucky
> we
> > > have a
> > > > > killer repair shop here.  They didn't charge me much because the
> laughs
> > > were
> > > > > worth it to them.  So after three trips for adjustment problems I
> > > decided to
> > > > > buy a Yamaha Custom at ten times the price.  The Yamaha is a great
> horn.
> > > I
> > > > > keep the Winston as an emergency horn.
> > > > >
> > > > > Funny thing the Winston stock mouthpiece will not play on the
> Yamaha.
> > > > > Yamaha stock mouthpieces really suck.  I was using a 3.5 or 4 Rico
> Royal
> > > on
> > > > > the Winston.  I Bought a Bari mouthpiece on the recommendation of a
> > > friend
> > > > > and it plays really well but a 2 or 2.5 reed feels about the same as
> a 4
> > > on
> > > > > the other mouthpiece.  A weak reed was, intonation wise, a waste of
> time
> > > on
> > > > > the Winston.
> > > > >
> > > > > Larry
> > > > > St. Louis
> > > > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > > > From: "Russ Guarino" <russg at redshift.com>
> > > > > To: "Michael Woitowicz" <banjobarons at nconnect.net>
> > > > > Cc: "Dixieland Jazz" <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
> > > > > Sent: Friday, August 26, 2005 5:11 PM
> > > > > Subject: [Dixielandjazz] Re: the next dumb thing after Gig Bags are
> > > opened
> > > > >
> > > > > > Some of us can damage a horn no matter how careful we be.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > I just purchased a new soprano sax for $250 [  it plays really
> great,
> > > but
> > > > > that's
> > > > > > another story ] with two neck pieces, one straight and one curved.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > I took the body of the sax out of the case, set it down on the
> soprano
> > > > > stand and
> > > > > > attached the straight neck piece.  Forgetting that it needed to be
> > > > > tighten, I
> > > > > > then tried to pick up the horn by the neck piece [ my old horn did
> not
> > > > > have a
> > > > > > separate neck piece ].  To my surprise, the body of the horn fell
> to
> > > the
> > > > > floor
> > > > > > and bent the bell, but god be praised, nothing else was damaged.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > So I now have a brand new soprano, in a hard case, with a bent
> bell.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Russ Guarino
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Michael Woitowicz wrote:
> > > > > >
> > > > > > > Interesting thread -- gig bags.
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > I have one for my banjos, and use it occasionally when I travel
> by
> > > > > plane. It
> > > > > > > doesn't offer the greatest protection in the world, but it seems
> a
> > > bit
> > > > > > > easier to get through security at the airports with a gig bag
> hung
> > > over
> > > > > your
> > > > > > > shoulder as opposed to carrying a hard shell case. Perhaps
> because
> > > it's
> > > > > a
> > > > > > > bit smaller overall than a hard-shell case.
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > I don't use it for my best instrument, and am very, very careful
> how
> > > > > place
> > > > > > > it in the overhead storage compartment. I watch whoever else is
> > > putting
> > > > > > > stuff in the same compartment and advise them to be careful.
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > I can stuff a lot of other soft items in the bag for traveling,
> so
> > > it is
> > > > > > > handy.
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > Mike Woitowicz
> > > > > > > The Banjo Barons Ragtime Band
> > > > > > > The Dixie Barons Dixieland Band
> > > > > > > www.banjomusic.biz
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > _______________________________________________
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> > > > > >
> > > > > >
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