10 Saxophone Gear Myths Debunked 

Cannonball Adderly: "I can play on anything, as long as it doesn't get in my way."

"YOU are the instrument" is one of my favorite pieces of advice ever.

Dude, I nearly had a shouting match with a Sam Ash employee over the lacquer thing. The paint and lacquer are microns thin. I have watched your videos for a while and this one forced me to subscribe. Oh and the number of band directors I have fought with on the reed strength thing has been amazing. When I mention that the tip opening figures into the reed strength it is like I disrespected their mother.

As a player who began in 1961, (I am now 70), everything Jay has said here is 100% true and accurate. Some of the things Jay discussed I learned years ago from my different sax/music teachers; the rest of the myths I learned from my years playing different horns in different settings, (concert band/orchestra, jazz band, pep band in H.S., marching band in H.S. and college, and finally top 40 and wedding bands). If you are a novice, listening to Jay's advice here will save you much wasted time, money and disappointment. I am reminded of a very close sax player friend who spent countless years chasing after the "perfect" sax and mouthpiece. I still have my original 1956 Martin alto and 1967 Selmer Mark VI tenor. My friend had no less than 15 different tenor saxes over the 35 years I knew him, and some of them were wonderful instruments. He was also a worshipper of the "lacquer" religion. If you have a good quality instrument and a competent teacher, follow Jay's guidelines here and you will avoid many pitfalls. When your instrument no longer satisfies your need for better sound/ergonomics/playability, you will know and you will be better equipped to find the right sax for your needs. Thanks for all of the great advice you give us on a regular basis, Jay. Much appreciated.

Just love watching your videos they are all very informative and spot on, keep up the great teaching.

Great video, verified things I've thought for years. Ligature: awhile back, just as an experiment, I took a couple heavy rubber bands and put them on my mouthpiece/reed. I played a variety of scales and exercises and seriously could not tell that much of a difference in sound or response between the rubber bands and the Rovner Dark I normally use.

Good video. Important, especially for new players, to focus on their playing and not wasting money on stuff that really won't make up for poor technique.

I am a professional sax repair tech. I am sure you need to get a full repad every 6 months...make sure you bring the horn to me!

Yes the 1st myth I’m glad you spoke on!! I hate when people be like oh I don’t sound like this because my horn or mouthpiece. I use the same set up for everything. I just manipulate my playing style to best fit the situation

You really need more subs... I'm checking your subs every day

My Selmer tenor was made in 1952, I bought the sax in 1980, and played it with original pads from 1980-2014. So the pads lasted from 1952-2014. 62 years!!

Once again, you are at the most important issues! Thank you!

Excellent tips, most of which apply to all other kinds of instruments.

I can almost tell you with 100% certainty, anyone who gives this a thumbs down is of the mind-frame: It's not me, I just need better "X" (X being one of the sax gear you just mentioned). Sound advice! as captain planet would say..."The power is yourrrrrrs" lol

Very interest, as it also confirm my own experience that the sound is depending on the mouthpiece and reed setup. One commentator said that he could hear it was Charlie Parker never mind he was playing a Selmer or a plastic saxophone. I'm impressed about your videos, both about what you say and about the technical quality.

Clear and sound advice, excellent. It's to easy to think there's a magic product out there that'll improve your playing. Many thanks 👍

Thanks for your good sense! Thanks for being down-to-earth about the heavenly pursuit of saxophone playing.

I Love your videos and your a great player you have definitly helped me

Great videos, incredibly encouraging. Seems like the steps/recipe/algorithm for a beginner to become really skillful technically and mastering the instrument are - conserve cash on basic and get better, then get better instrument if needed; conserve energy ie should be able to play easily and consistently then get better instrument if needed; conserve time and get efficient ie get more done in less time, energy etc then get better instrument if needed; conserve your thoughts, produce great music on any gear ie expensive or cheap doesn’t matter anymore ie your ligature could be a rubber band and not a $600 machined item made from unobtanium

Agreed in all you say, many thanks for such a thoughtful treatment. This wisdom takes a lot of stress away from the learning curve

Once again, the truth with no half words.

Great video. I hope this gets to many. I also have been playing for many decades and agree with all of the facts mentioned, especially the sound. I've seen a lot of money spent on chasing sound. Most of your tone comes from your embouchure, and the cavity and muscles behind it. Your anatomy from the neck up plays a huge roll in your sound. My 2 cents... Spend time listening to players with the sound you're looking for, then spend practice time trying to emulate it. Don't get caught in the vortex of spending money on gear trying to achieve a certain sound. Try, before you buy differently configured mouthpieces. You can hold on to them for a while, then purchase what works best for you.

Mouthpieces matter. I recently played a Bass saxophone of Paul Cohen for the first time and he gave me the option of two mouthpieces. One played okay throughout all registers, but the other was a struggle. I also have two mouthpieces for both my tenor and soprano, one being a baffled Bobbie Dukoff and the other a classic hard rubber style. The tone difference is significant. Reeds matter. I find using good quality synthetic reeds (Harry Hartman, Legere, and Fibracell) a huge blessing for achieving a consistent, reliable sound and not having to deal with the idiosyncrasies of wood reeds. Everything else regarding equipment does little to change my sound. Players matter. Thanks for posting these MYTHS as I find they reinforce some very useful information for my students. Keep posting!

Cheap tenor sax vid coming soon?

Contrats man, that’s amazing ACTUALLY information...unfortunately we have around the world many “myth propagators” and you are THE light in this darkness 😄 thank you! All your videos are amazing. MARQUINHO SAX from Brazil 🇧🇷

Very useful comments, most of them aren't new for me... But is great listen to Jay confirming them. However, I wish let a little note here: a couple of years ago, I passed a week in New York and I went into a sax seller to test some tenors (I carried my mouthpiece). The seller lend me 3 new saxophones of their own brand totally identical, except for the finishing: one lacquered, one silver-plated, and one naked. After compare them, I could detect some subtil differences in the colour of their sound... May be something subjective? I don't think so, but I admit that the hue change was very little. For the rest, I totally agree. Thanks Jay!

So if I understand correctly, the truth regarding the myths is as follows. 1. The sound is mostly determined by the player 2. The sound is mostly determined by the player 3. The sound is mostly determined by the player 4. China is using the BetterSax to spy on musicians 5. You're not the same person as your teacher 6. The sound is mostly determined by the player 7. Softer reeds just might be better for you 8. The sound is mostly determined by the player 9. The sound is mostly determined by the player 10. Take care of your sax Pretty straight forward. I don't disagree. Love the content! Been watching a lot of your stuff recently as I'm getting back into playing after about 15 years off. I definitely missed playing

I had a concert for band and I did amazing with your tips!

I agree. It comes down to the player, given that the saxophone you are playing (any saxophone) is in proper adjustment -- leaks/intonation. I sound like myself on a student Yamaha, a Mark VI, a King Super 20, a Conn, a Vibrato plastic sax, a Wood Stone. Yes there are slight different colorings to the sound, but at the end of the day I always sound like me. Even on different mouthpieces, ligatures, reeds. We have a sound concept of what we want to sound like in our heads and with practice we can execute (speaking in alto) a Paul Desmond, Cannonball, Phil Woods, Sanborn approach to sound if need be. Of course we all have our preferences what sax, mouthpiece, sound concept we like and we will put in the time to make that happen. My opinion.

Wow! So happy my son watches your videos. 😊

I just watch your videos because there aren't enough clarinet videos. Thanks.

Totally agree on most of the myths on this video. When it comes to the mouthpiece though I would take under consideration that the more expensive ones have better build quality. You get them playing almost out of the box, without refacing them or any other procedures needed to correct them. The question is, "Do I need this expensive mp?". Well, probably not. But it will take much effort and false feedback off your mind. Hit the shed and work on your playing. I have owned quite a few in the past, but now I play on a high end one and am way more comfy on it. Also Ligatures they do have an impact, mostly on the comfort level. In my experience though when I feel more "safe" on my setup, my sound comes more freely out. Without me twitching and clinching my lips. (You all know what I mean). Great video though. Always a pleasure to watch them!!

Been playing all types of saxes for 60 years now, in rock, jazz, classical, recording, etc. Still play a lot. I've never heard better advice in all those decades. Well done! I would add that beginners need a well functioning horn more than anyone. If you are new to the saxophone, you don't want to be fighting a leaky pad or stuck key. A pro might be able to work around those issues, or at least can identify what's going on. When I was young, I just thought I was a bad player, when my horn leaked or certain keys would stick. Get a horn that functions pretty well, no matter what it costs, and then follow the advice in this video! And, of course, nothing really replaces practice time.

For classical in Augustana College 1980, on alto, I played a Selmer S-80 C*, with Vandoren blue box #3.5

Most important thing make sure your sax is leaks free and that you have a mouthpiece wich facing is good. Some legendary brands have some bad mouthpieces.

I feel the ligature help a lot if you need more resistance or need a free blowing sax

Thanks Jay! I always tell people that the most important part of the saxophone is the player! With that being said, it never hurts to have an instrument that's in working order and a proper reed/mouthpiece/ligature/embouchure set up. The sax is a very nuanced instrument so having good equipment is crucial though nothing is more important than the player.

You are spot on, I will say I was playing a Theo Wanne ambica and after watching your mouthpiece video I obtained the jody jazz limited edition with a 9 opening and my sound and resonates unbelievably. Thanks!!

Right on the money . Speaking of money I remember buying a brand new selmer mark 6 in the late 60's. I paid 400 dollars fie it. I wonder how many of sax players wish we had bought a half dozen of them back in time. Lots of money in today's market. Live and learn

After a 50 year sax playing career, I've always had great success with the common, cheap 2 Screw ligatures made by the American company AP&M in the 1950's and 1960's (Made in Chicago.) Also the HB, (Made in France) who made the Selmer stock brass 2 screw, the Bonade, and the Leblanc Nickel plated. These will be stamped with Made in France. I have also loved the Made in USA nickel silver 1920's Conn ligatures and King three band ligatures and Arnold Brilhart ligatures.

I'm glad you made this video, Jay. I was almost considering a total repadding of my Selmer MK 6 but feel better now after watching this video. I probably need a tech to check my right hand pads for leaks though. I keep getting moisture/saliva after playing/practicing for a long time. What are your thoughts?

I agree with almost all of this. Quite a few of these 'myths' were unknown to me. But I think that you have understated the importance of a good mouthpiece and ligature. I think that any serious saxophone player should consider getting a new mouthpiece and ligature (separately) as a means of improving tone before upgrading to a more expensive saxophone. I really like Rovner ligatures and use them on 3 different saxes as well as 2 clarinets.

I fell in love with the baritone sax when I started playing in a big band. Now I want to start playing it as well.

Thank you very much you speak the truth

I went back to a basic ligature because the reed slides into place where I want it in seconds vs fiddling with lining up that Rovner strap thing.

I agree with most of your statements, but... there are two horns that were more than this humble player ( me) could duplicate - the Conn 6M and King Silversonic tenor, on any other horn. Believe me, I tried. 😥 Thanks, Jay keep up the good works!

Enfin les vérités !!! Cette excellente mise au point est nécessaire et doit être refaite régulièrement parce beaucoup trop de saxophonistes dépensent des sommes folles pour des choses qui ne servent à rien ......Il faut rechercher sa sonorité personnelle , celle qu'on aime entendre , sans s'occuper des marques de mouthpieces , de ligatures , de reeds......CHACUN DOIT CHERCHER SON MEILLEUR MATERIEL sans se laisser influencer par l'avis de tout le monde . Un seul avis compte : le nôtre . Celui des autres est intéressant , mais ne doit pas devenir plus important que notre propre jugement . Bravo....c'est une excellente et très utile vidéo que tout le monde devrait avoir écouté !!!

I'm really glad to see that the idea of the player being 90% of the saxophone sound is becoming more and more accepted (or at least on the internet!).

Very much enjoy what the man has to say, and the way he says it. A rare pleasure.

Totally agree that the ligatures main and only purpose is to hold the reed to the mouthpiece table. So many brands, styles, price points and materials. Bottom line how does it respond ? The slight differences in ligature response will be discerned by the player but usually, not by the listener.

It's like the old question my students asked me: Which trumpet sounds better; silver plate or gold plate? The answer is gold plate because with silver plate you spend too much time shining your trumpet when you should be practicing.

I agree with all of your points, except perhaps the role of the ligature. When I switched to Rovner ligatures, I noticed a slight improvement in tone, with both clarinet and alto sax.

Thank you so much for this great information. It’s a big benefit for me. My teacher told me, i have to know how i want to sound in my mind. BTW i love my old Czechoslovakia Amati tenorsax with a handfinished mouthpiece from Kay Siebold (Hamburg, Germany)

Point-sax overhauls involve a lot more than just replacing the pads, and these things affect the way it plays.

Rousseau RC4 mouthpiece for alto sax is amazing. Turned my selmer bundy 2 into a player horn

I know you’ve already tried a Chinese horn, but Can you do another on the your favorite brand copy? There is a Yanagisawa WO37 on DHGate for the similar price as your Amoon Alto. Maybe it was the luck with your purchase. Also, Totally agree with what you preached about when it comes to teachers choosing brands. In college my professor played on a Selmer Action Series II and like ducklings, 75% of students followed. I was the outcast with a Cannonball Raven Alto. I still remember the day he pointed me out and I told him to play it in front of our sax class and he was shocked about how great it was and build quality, firm, and responsive. Selmer and Yanagisawa have proven quality over time. That’s why their worth is massive.

Omg the reed strength one is so true I always say that, glad you now have

All true. So long as one finds a mpc that allows you to play over the range of the sax reasonably easily. You may still have some struggles at the bottom and in the Altissimo range - keep trying and watch Jay's vids! Matching mps - reed - embouchure combination is a matter of trial and error and can take a goodly while. Ligs probably have nothing to do with it except as Jay says to hold the reed!

Dexter Gordon playing a Mark VI after 1965 still sounded like Dexter Gordon and it was still great, but it wasn't quite the same sound as he got out of his Conns that he had used until then. On the other hand, some Trane-chasers find they get closer to their mark with a Yamaha Custom Z than with any of the vintage Selmers, even though "their" sound originally came out of a Selmer SBA. The lesson I take from that situation is that different players interact with their equipment differently, with different technique and physiology, and the results aren't entirely predictable with respect to the equipment *or* the player. One day I tried a Selmer Reference 54, a Keilwerth SX90, and a Keilwerth SX90 in a store. The SX90 was at a price I was willing to consider while the SX90R was not. Compared to my Conn 10M the Reference 54 sounded dull and thin, the SX-90 sounded bright and thin, and the SX90R sounded right on. The difference between the sounds of the SX90 and the SX90R was perplexing, since they have the same bore dimensions. The physical differences were the straight toneholes and the lacquer finish on the SX90, as opposed to the tonehole rings and black nickel finish on the SX90R. But it didn't make sense to me that they could account for the difference in sound (my 10M is an early STH horn that can hold its own against the RTH horns). I'm not in a position to argue against the tonehole rings on the SX90R making a critical difference to the sound, but it doesn't align with my experience with a related feature on different horns. Go figure. One overlooked factor among vintage sound chasers is that the sounds they are seeking came from closed tips and hard reeds. Lester Young got his classic sound from his Basie days with a 4****** Link with a modified baritone reed. There are all sorts of people who have sought "holy grail" vintage mouthpieces because so-and-so played one, then had the tips opened by refacers. The bottom line is that the piece they got was never the piece they really wanted in the first place, or they would not have had them modified. I played for a number of years on a cheap plastic mouthpiece with the hardest reeds I could find. People described my tone as "broad" and were sometimes taken aback at the mouthpiece I was using. That setup had its limitations in terms of dynamics, but being used to hard reeds definitely opened up options when I wanted to upgrade. If there's any one place to start if you want to tweak your sound, it's getting used to different reed strengths. Hard reeds also tend to last longer and it's easier to adjust a hard reed softer than a soft reed harder. Working on the vamp carries less risk than working on the tip.

Hy Jay! I like videos about these "mysterious" stuffs too. I have a question: do you have any experience about alternatives to make the sax more quiet? I mean to practise without bothering the neighbours etc.... Thanks your work all!

Brilliant man of knowledge, much appreciated🎷❤️

Great video I completely agree with all. Especially the paint on sax, expensive lig, and softer reeds. I, owned a good quality Tiawan made horn. It had elaborate etching, the most beautiful I've ever seen. I sold it because the vintage...1952 American pro horn I own now is superior hands down- this is opinion- my own. Thanks for your great treatment of this subject.

It was very helpfull knowing that changing pads in a regular time basis is not "mandatory". This used to be a really expensive mith. Thanks Jay.

I agree with 90%. Well done. 👍🏻

Thanks for useful information.

Easy to like because I suspected as much on each point you made. But to have you confirm my hunches is mightily reassuring! Much appreciated. I much respect your take on all things saxophone.

The perfect setup is the one that makes you feel good. Forget about all other stuff...... that's why i'd love to get a hold of a Rampone Cassine Two Voice :-)

OK, I'm sorry, but 35 years of jazz playing has taught ME different and I will give you my CURRENT Alto sax example! Theo Wanne Shakti with a dark lacquer, played with the Theo Wanne Fire mouthpiece and Ligature, and Rigotti Gold 2 1/2 reeds; Nice, clear bright sound with warm undertones & ridiculously easy altissimo! Using a Vandoren V16 mouthpiece & ligature & same reeds gives a ''warmer" tone and altissimo is much harder to achieve let alone control. Yanagisawa metal mouthpiece with Cannonball Starter alto sax and same Theo Wanne Shakti mouthpiece & ligature, and same Rigotti reeds gives you a mellow tone with the ability to "push' for a brighter, edgier sound and easier altissimo. Sorry to fly in the face of your statements, but I can only go by what MY experience has taught ME, and it hasn't just applied to the Alto; similar results have happened on my Selmer Mk VI tenor with a slightly brighter tone (gold lacquer) and Kim Waters limited edition curved soprano sax which gives a slightly brighter tone due to it's nickel plating.

Again a great video! I totally agree with you and I'm going to practice right now....

Great points Jay. I totally agree that the sound 99% comes from the person. You’ll sound like you on my set up and vice versa.

Excellent video

I am 57 and retired. I started playing in 1978 at the age of 12. I didn't play for about six years, and picked up the alto sax again in 2021. I have two altos. A Martin Indiana, RMC era, and a Wal-Mart special, as I call it, a horn I got for 169 dollars with shipping in 2021. It looks just like an expensive pro horn with a black finish, gold colored bell, and extensive engraving. The enjoyment comes more from playing. Sound wise, the new alto came with a plastic mouthpiece that looks like a copy of a far more expensive Selmer Paris C*. I also have a Eugene Rousseau Studio Jazz 7 that has been my main mouthpiece since around 1997. For that I have an ebay cloth ligature that looks like a more expensive Rovner. Mine has the name Accent on it, a brand of horn I see sometimes advertised. The newer sax came with a standard ligature. The Rovner is more than adequate, as the other ligature. Years ago I had an arsenal of mouthpieces, Lawton, Selmer, Wolfe Tayne. When I was young I believed that if I could get a heavy reed, let's say a V-4 on a metal mouthpiece I would sound just like a pro. It just made it more difficult to play, and then I thought the problem was me. I had to have this horn and that horn. At one point I spent 1,600 on a Selmer AS-100, and was always checking out new top of the line pro horns that were far out of my reach, because of the prices. I eventually realized that it was me that mattered, not the equipment. With what I have now, I enjoy playing, and keep moving along with it. The Wal-Mart sax, Ammoon, came with a horrible case, though, and the case is important to me. I see the same case on most of the new Chinese Saxophones. It offers poor protection and the hardware is very cheap. The zipper has two zipper mechanisms. One of the zipper handles snapped off, and I realized that the strap clips, and a lot was made out of plastic. There were issues with the Ammoon, because I couldn't get below a low c, but on the Martin, everything just flows smoothly up and down. That was a technical issue that I fixed myself with an eyeglass screwdriver. Now the notes come out. With the reeds, since the 90s I have been using Rico Royal 2.5 reeds, and playing got so much more enjoyable when I lowered the strength. Lacquer is just aesthetic, as far as sound goes, and won't affect sound. The coat of lacquer is so thin that there is zero impact. It does, IMHO help protect the brass from corrosion down the road. I think the most important thing is to just get going and play and enjoy. I play at home and am content.

I don't know if it's as strong an effect on saxophone as it is on other instruments, but on my primary instruments it is exceptionally difficult to judge your tone quality by just listening to yourself, because the intensity of the feedback that comes back through the metal of the horn is so much greater than what actually comes in through your ears. This might fall under the "Myth" category, and steer your students towards that most frustrating, hateful and useful of instrument accessories: The Zoom H2.

One additional thought about lacquer. While I agree the finish has a minuscule impact on sound, the process of having your sax re-lacquered can cause real damage. The buffing of a sax even if carefully done wreaks havoc on the toneholes and key mechanism. Just let it look like a horn that gets played alot.

If I change my mouthpiece would it be easier for me to make a good sound?🙂Cause I Have been Playing For 4 Months And Using A Buescher Big B Alto🙂

Good video. Only counter I'd say is I do find ligatures make enough of a difference that it's worth trying out a few before choosing one. I like the Francois-Louis ligs as well as the old Selmer Magnitones, but a good "stock" ligature is fine for beginner players. IMHO, a lot of the "boutique" ligatures are crazy overpriced. Worth mentioning that there are mainland Chinese instruments, and also Taiwanese instruments. Some of the Taiwanese instruments are pretty impressive, especially in terms of quality/$. Antigua and Jupiter are both Taiwanese brands, and there are a lot of "American" horns (Cannonball, Mac Sax, Eastman, Berkeley Winds, Phil Barone) which are made in Taiwan, and hand-finished here in the US for the setup work. Mauriat saxophones are also built in Taiwan, and are very solid horns. I have heard some good things about Eastern Music's horns (from mainland China) but have not played on them.

Great video I really support everything you said thanks!!!

Your vids have got so much better. Plus your skills as a presenter. Look forward to them.

About playing in tune: I think it is important to also mention about the placement of the mouthpiece and the quality of the reed along with "the player" as important factors for playing in tune.

What he said!!! No substitute for hard work.

Back when I used to play and had to opportunity to play alto, tenor and bari I had to use a harder alto reed after I played bari for a long time because I would literally blow the softer alto reeds apart after playing on them a few times.

That first speech was very motivational

Well, geez…Jay, I mostly agree, but a couple of things. First point-IMHO, there are definitely saxes that better lend themselves to certain styles. I usually play a Mk VI alto or a Super 20. If I were required to play the Ibert, I could do it on the 20, but rest assured that I’d prefer the VI in that situation.I totally agree about the sound being the person. My feeling about the “current” (past 40 years) vogue in classical sax sound is that it’s terrible-sounds like the players are trying to make the sax a clarinet. Rasher and Mulé (in my opinion) had beautiful sounds-didn’t sound like a clarinet that needed an enema. But that’s about my only disagreement. Your points are well thought out, Jay. The one touchy subject you wisely avoided was the high F# thing. I’ve played some stunning horns with the high F#. I don’t think it makes much difference. I mean, how the he’ll could one tell? You can’t take the high F# off, try the horn, then put it back on! It IS one more place to potentially leak, and if it does, well, you’re outta luck. BTW, Mike used La Voz medium soft most of the time after he blew his neck out. What a fine fellow he was-humble, generous of spirit, and a friggin genius. Very supportive. Randy, too. Good work, Jay!

excellent info, thanks!

Thank you for sharing Jay,as always good information given 🎶🎶🎶🎷✌🏽😎

Some years ago I had a pair of Selmers [alto and tenor] series II and III which played nicely but I felt the sound was too restricted. It was like it had handcuffs on it, it felt very compressed. In one afternoon, first the alto and then the tenor, my repairman bead blasted the lacquer off both of them. The sound got bigger and warmer on both immediately. I would first try this experiment on just the neck the next time.

Every player better than me I meet I ask to have them play my tenor horn (a used saxophone.com unlaquered brass horn I nabbed for $500). They all sound different on it, because they are all different. Once again you separate the Fact Vs. Crap components of saxophone playing. As an engineer by day who is constantly doing the same, I thank you. Marketers market, salespeople sell. Assuming everything they say is true is like believing the stripper at the club is in love with you.

My experience is that what I get used to and I'm comfortable with seems to do what I want to hear and inspire me while I play. Confidence is important. I've heard great players with questionable gear. Wayne Shorter had his Mark 6 stolen a few days before he began playing with Miles. He played a Bundy for a few months before he got another 6. The Bundy had rubber bands on some keys. He sounded great.

Jay, great video..man I love your Yanis

Absolutely spot on. Great video. Dave.

Another great video full of clear advices. I just wonder, high F sounds way more closer to high E on my old baritone, I honestly doubt that I can correct it.

very true and informative

Will baritone sax demonstration come?

I agree with every word you said. I think choosing gear is more a psychological choosing. For example i play with a selmer s80 *, Vandoren java red, and a YAS-280. For me i don't need an expensive sax, and other gear for sax!!

Excellent!

I tried using a small rubber band as a lig just for fun, and it only played a little worse than my rovner

I'd love an in depth video on intonation if you ever get time. I play sharp on the palm keys. Still do after ten years. Even with a tuner I can't bring the palm key notes pitch down enough no matter how hard I try. I was hoping it was my horns, or them being out of regulation. But this video's suggests that it's definitely me. I tried various mouthpieces in case any would help. Switching to a yanagisawa hard rubber definitely helped, and was the only mouthpiece that did, but still I'm sharp. Would love someone to get into the nitty gritty of the issue. PS yes I've tried pulling the mouthpiece further out but then everything goes flat and the bottom end goes very flat but the palm keys are still sharp.

Thanks for the video… good as always. I’ve been playing the saxophone for over 50 years, and I totally agree with your comments about the sound and where it comes from. At the NAMM SHOW some years ago I met a guy that try to convince me the importance the right neckstrap and the choice of the hook for the sound to be better. I said no way that the sound can change because of that…..😂

It is always the instrument that makes me sound bad. Always. Lol 😂

Most beginners start on a # 2 reed, after 6 months, go to a #2 1/2 reed, and finally when they have been playing about 2 years, go to a #3. But it's definitely different for everyone. When I was in the NTSU lab bands I used LaVoz med hards on my alto Meyer 7MM, then when I was in the USAF Bands, I used Vandoren Green Box JAVA #3.5 , on my tenor hard rubber Otto Link Tone Edge Slant Signature 8 .110".tip opening.