HI. I studied mostly on flute. I recently purchased a Muramatsu EXIII. It is by far the best flute have owned (I'm 56 and have had a few) and I recommend everyone looking for a flute to try one of these. I've seen a few second hand at very reasonable prices.
I don’t understand why this information was so hard to find online for me when I was trying to learn this stuff. Thank you for creating one video that explains it all so well. I have it bookmarked to share with students, particularly when they start looking for a jazz mouthpiece.
I just want to thank your mentorship. I have come to the tenor from trumpet. I am trying to emulate your finger position, very efficient. As well as appreciating your practical approach to the instrument. I live in Cinncinati and am glad that you are a Ohioan. Hopefully, some day, I can afford a lesson or more. Thanks again. ron
I'm impressed by how big your sound is with a medium tip opening mouthpiece. You've inspired me to return to my 7* on tenor. I think that, over the years, my tendency to play open mouthpieces has resulted in my biting in the palm keys, which in turn has affected my intonation. I'd love a video on playing the palm key notes in tune and fixing this tendency to bite.
Hey Sir Valor. I hope u read this as it’s very touching and I don’t know if you happen to save kids lives on the regular, but if not I really hope u will stick around to read this. As this is tithe real life honest to god story of how I succumbed to not only drug addiction but severe depression and many horrific acts just to get by each day. Until for some reason I stumbled across your AMAZING You tube channel. get this. Some would say it’s all coincidence, but I don’t know man. I FULL heartedly believe that had I not stumbled across ur amazing free saxophone lessons, etc. this past year or two, I would 100% be six feet deep with a beautiful family absolutely crushed and ruined for life. No one likes to read novels so I’ll keep it as short as possible. Ya see I was always very gifted in music and arts and found myself on a scholarship to get to go to Coastal Carolina University. It was fun but a little too fun. And then one day I fell slipping two discs in my neck. As well as dislocatng my shoulder. Well long story short, I was succumbed to two major surgeries which of course being only the year 2000, Drs were very liberal when handing out boat loads of OxyContin, percosets, ets. Well as I sure you can guess what soon after happened. That’s right I was a full blown addict to to the stuff that Bayer pharmaceuticals claimed are 100 percent not habit forming. Funny right. Because unfortunately for me it wasn’t .long at all after that when I I subjected a llife long devoted to stealing, prostitution, absolutely everything that I was raised against. God had been lost from my heart, just to throw him anwhere so long as I could get my fix. One thing led to another. And eventually money becomes obsolete. So at that point I had no other choic but to ( I’m sorry Sir for saying this, that’s right , I had to sell myself in every whichgod awful way just to be able to afford the drugs that the dr soon after cut me off cold turkey despite him being so adamant that oozy contin was a healthy new drug. So healthy, I had to perform sexuall acts just to get enough dope to keep me alive. Again, I really am only telling u this because. I know that if it weren’t for you and your ever so positive videos, I would’ve unfortunately not have made it thus far. But today I’m going to keep reminding myself of everything that I have to live for . Like the saxophone that I absolutely loved I ABSOLUTELY 100 percent know that you saved my life MR Valor. I had started watching all you videos daily and I just hope that some day I know it won’t be this year or next year but I just pray that someday I’ll be able to get back the two Selmer SA80 series II that I ended up pawning for. Well maybe for now just a student one. Any good price tenors that you could perhaps please recommend. You don’t want to even know. In fact I will begin to cry again for the second time during typing this. I know it’s often impossible to know who are you may have touched just from your day-to-day activities. But I can’t even use that word touch for me, because you Sir, you didn’t just Touch me with a little bit of motivation. No sir you didn’t you won110% saved my life. I have now I’ve been clean and sober from everything addictive substance fair almost 2 years now. And then the beginning I I felt no desire to continue on living. You sir are an inspiration to me and as I tear up one more time, in the bottom of my heart I want to thank you more than you’ll ever ever know. I don’t have much to give but I will absolutely be donating to your fund me page. I just hope someday I’ll be able to play a saxophone again granted i’m sure two black lacquered Selmers are way outta the question LOL. but I don’t care what it is. So long as unable to hopefully buy myself a decent saxophone sometime soon so I can continue to stay positive and keep the faith that I receive everyday single day for you. Sir Valor I know everyone knows of you as the best saxophoneist on the tube. But not me. For some reason I look at you as some sort of the holy power because I can’t tell you how close I was to calling it a wrap and ending it all. yetcan get my hands on anything just to keep the faith I will be happy and I will r I had started watching about 6 -months ago rbut it’ll all make sense in the end Can just get through with a tit bit of housekeeping. I’ve been an all state and all regional saxophone player back when I was in high school which was from 1994-2000. Just imagine what it’s like having your skill but not being able to play anymore because you foolishly ponder instruments for drugs. I apologize for writing so much and I’m sure I’ve been all over the place so I just hope you understand I’m coming from and I wanted to give you all the praise in the world as you 100% save my life and you’ve given me my family back. I honestly feel like I could say I love you just because of what you’ve given me
Wow, your first 50 seconds was one of the most interesting ways of thinking about the reed vibrating that I've ever heard. It's going to spur some thinking by me . . .
Good Sir, Very nice. Thank you. Viva la resistance.. a multivariant conundrum. I'm going with "Dude, you have no idea how hard it is to sound good on the sax, try it" then hand your horn over while deftly thumbing the reed out of whack. Honk..Squeek. " Told ya". grab your horn back, flap a few noisy keys while performing a no-look mpc reset. Blow something sweet..and Bingo. Instant respect. As with everything, it takes some practice. P.S. Fro out in the snow crying out for some Christmas lights
Something I’ve done recently that’s really helping me is putting the ligature ALL the way at the BOTTOM of the reed. Seems to get the most vibrations and the least resistance possible out of my playing.
@@Sirvalorsax I've cut a 2 screw ligature in half to experiment more radically with the placement - and with the back screw half it's much freer blowing and easier to play low. With the front screw half the response is faster, more percussive, and it's easier to play high. So really it depends on the mouthpiece reed combo, eg if the reed/mouthpiece is too resistant it's better to play with a ligature farther back but if the reed is soft it's better the other way. The difference is surprisingly substantial when you can compare two extremes like that.
I asked about resistance before in one of the comments of your videos so it's really cool to see the answer in video form randomly lol. Oh man I'm getting my King Cleveland Super 20 bari in a few days. First bari I'll have ever had pretty stoked. Musician's Repair Service Akron gave me a good deal. I think I like the Berg Larsen mouthpieces bc they're so low "resistance" compared to the tip opening--have also went down a strength in reeds since I started watching your stuff/using the lip-out embouchure, and I appreciate how much easier playing has become bc of it.
@@Sirvalorsax That's so awesome. Glad you like them, I suggested them too a while ago they've always done right by me. Got my friend a sousaphone for $500 from them and he did a free repair on it (free 1 year warranty).
Another excellent and entertaining video. Thanku :) 20 years ago I stupidly sold my old tone master 5° which paired superbly with Rico 3.5 reeds. To this day I've not been able to find a ballance that works as well for me. Having tried countless set ups, I now use a tone edge 8° (which I've gradually altered over the past few years) with Legere signature 2.25 reeds and its a very good match but still not quite as exceptional as what I used to have. So my point is; imo when/if you find that perfect sweet spot combination, stick with and don't make the mistake I made cause it could take quite a while to correct it. (And of course I've tried newer tone master 5° pieces.... Never found one that played the way my old one did).
I remember the time in high school when I was playing alto. It was common for saxophone players in the band to give away spare reeds to other players. The most common brands were Rico, Vandoren and La Voz. I remember the strength of the reed I was using were medium hard. My instructor suggested that I use medium reeds. They worked very well. The subject of mouthpieces requires some research and some soul searching.
I anticipate your videos. Thanks for your work and sharing! I guess, as a new player, that explains why I tend to play very near the tip of the mouthpiece to the point of sometimes having battled pinching it off altogether. How do you figure out exactly where each mouthpiece needs to be placed in relation to the lip, how much lip pressure is required to allow it to vibrate without air loss around the corners, and what the correct amount of air pressure is?
You have to experiment with different setups. It sounds to me like your setup might be too open. I would try the mouthpiece that came with the sax and softer reeds to start
I've got a 76 2nd and am thinking about going across from a Morgan to a Theo W metal. But I need to do symphony work for my sight reading so not sure. ..... Ishimori.....
Hey so when you say relax the ambuture (sure I spelled that wrong) and move the lip slightly forward does that mean you are trying to decrease the resistance? And is that how you are able to play in the altissimo range so easily?
Yes. You can get big mouthpiece/ big reed performance with little mouthpiece little reed effort. It will never be as loud, but it should be loud enough when you find the right balance.
Thanks, After playing a lot of different mps and reeds I think I started to figure this out. It seems like the most important thing is matching the reed to the mps. Once I get that right I sound the same with the same resistance. I have often wondered how u get such a great sound no matter what the mpc ur playing. Am I wrong or is it the reed fits just right. I'm now playing a V16 T5 and getting a great sound with much less effort and it seems like I can play much longer and still feel good. Thanks to you for ur help. Dick
I wonder how much of this would change with a differences of tip opening as I play the tenor sax with my hard rubber vandoren V16 T8, I think T5 would be wayyy different I only had the chance to play the T7.
If you mean the position of the reed on the mouthpiece, that needs to be correct but mainly pairing the right reed with your mouthpiece of choice is paramount. I have a T5 large chamber that is great
@@grandesax I have a T7 large chamber and I'm getting as good of a sound with my T5 large chamber (both metal V16) with less effort. I was playing 8*'s in the past because I figured I had to get that sound I was looking four. Not so. Good luck
Hello Adriene, May I have your emial? I am your fans on youtube. I wanna discuss something with you. But hard to find you email on your youtube and web.