For those of you who wish to play a non resistive stuffy alto try a Caravan tenor sax mpc which I modified.The sound is great so easy to play now I can zip around from low eflat to altissmo A, which is not pleasant but........manageable The inherent design of cheap stuffy resistive altos is over come by this Caravan mpc with a #4ZZ vandoren sax reed.I plan to youtube next ccouple of weeks with more practice seeya then
Tenor sax mouthpiece on Alto Clarinet?
- Thread starter Eugene
- Start date
Tony Fairbridge
Tony F
How is the tuning?
I must be overly tired. I couldn't read the topic right and I needed to translate
"For those who are having problems with a resistant and/or stuffy alto clarinet, try a Caravan tenor sax mpc. I modified the mouthpiece to fit the clarinet and the sound is great!"
Comments:
a. I had to tell someone else today this, so I'll post here, too: while you can probably make a setup like this work, to some extent, it might have a lot of tuning problems and your tone will be different. Not necessarily good or bad, but definitely different.
2. A Caravan tenor mouthpiece is $155. Before you potentially destroy a $155 mouthpiece, I'd recommend that folks think hard about this.
iii. Eugene, it's possible that this setup works for you based on the horn you have and the setup you're using, so this is more a, "I got this to work and I liked the results!" than, "This will work for everyone!" If it did, I'd bet that Buffet and Selmer would know about it and charge $200 a piece.
Four. Remember that $155 might buy you an alto clarinet or you might be able to find a decent mouthpiece on ebay for about that price.
"For those who are having problems with a resistant and/or stuffy alto clarinet, try a Caravan tenor sax mpc. I modified the mouthpiece to fit the clarinet and the sound is great!"
Comments:
a. I had to tell someone else today this, so I'll post here, too: while you can probably make a setup like this work, to some extent, it might have a lot of tuning problems and your tone will be different. Not necessarily good or bad, but definitely different.
2. A Caravan tenor mouthpiece is $155. Before you potentially destroy a $155 mouthpiece, I'd recommend that folks think hard about this.
iii. Eugene, it's possible that this setup works for you based on the horn you have and the setup you're using, so this is more a, "I got this to work and I liked the results!" than, "This will work for everyone!" If it did, I'd bet that Buffet and Selmer would know about it and charge $200 a piece.
Four. Remember that $155 might buy you an alto clarinet or you might be able to find a decent mouthpiece on ebay for about that price.
I understand your points .My caravan had been sitting in drawer for years paid 80 for it no special markings just big chamber. I shortened it twice and just used paper as a cork sleeve .It still plays great for me .I will you tube when im ready but I love it it also seems more flexible but tiring on the jaws. The zz#4 reed does not cover the rails ad it widens out at tip .I may try a bsri reed or a legere signature european cut they sre suppose to be wide but may play to flat.
Tone is very subjective. I think the last one sounds a lot better than the previous ones, but that's just based on my idea of a good alto clarinet sound.
What's going on with the editing? Lot's of strange cuts and dropouts. Very hard to listen to.
Have you considered using an alto clarinet mouthpiece?
What's going on with the editing? Lot's of strange cuts and dropouts. Very hard to listen to.
Have you considered using an alto clarinet mouthpiece?
Not a fan. But as Barry said above ^^, hard to say if it's the recording or what. The recording you did of the Star Wars tune sounded "better". But what I think is better, is also quite subjective.
Now I need to state that I am not an alto clarinet player. I double on bass clarinet & clarinet in addition to the saxophones that are my primary horns. So perhaps a true alto clarinet player would have different opinion?
Now I need to state that I am not an alto clarinet player. I double on bass clarinet & clarinet in addition to the saxophones that are my primary horns. So perhaps a true alto clarinet player would have different opinion?
Eugene – I was searching topics on MPs for alto clarinets when I ran across your post here,
and your two YT videos with your modified MP. I grabbed an old cheap plastic that I use as a tester (I do woodwind repairs). It has a smooth round chamber in classical style, but chamber than Caravan. I wound some tape around the shank and stuffed it into my alto cl. socket and it produced a good (flat) sound!
I next put it on my lathe and formed a tenon, trimmed it to tune, then corked it. It’s also modified on the inside – the bore is expanded at the top for better clarinet tone and intonation, and it includes a brass insert to refine the top of the socket for more tuning refinements. I LOVE playing it, I’m making a run of them and sending some out for professional assessment.
If someone had idly suggested this idea, I would laughed it off. But it works! I wish to thank you for getting me rarted on this. I credit you in the promo document I’m writing, and I’d love to send you one of mine. It’s called “BIGmouth piece” – of course! You can follow my progress at clarinetpages.info then select “All About Clarinets” and find the topic “Tenor sax mouthpiece modified for alto clarinet” I am new to this list and not allowed to post links yet. I’ve learned much from searching this Forum, and am happy to be a member now! // Windy
and your two YT videos with your modified MP. I grabbed an old cheap plastic that I use as a tester (I do woodwind repairs). It has a smooth round chamber in classical style, but chamber than Caravan. I wound some tape around the shank and stuffed it into my alto cl. socket and it produced a good (flat) sound!
I next put it on my lathe and formed a tenon, trimmed it to tune, then corked it. It’s also modified on the inside – the bore is expanded at the top for better clarinet tone and intonation, and it includes a brass insert to refine the top of the socket for more tuning refinements. I LOVE playing it, I’m making a run of them and sending some out for professional assessment.
If someone had idly suggested this idea, I would laughed it off. But it works! I wish to thank you for getting me rarted on this. I credit you in the promo document I’m writing, and I’d love to send you one of mine. It’s called “BIGmouth piece” – of course! You can follow my progress at clarinetpages.info then select “All About Clarinets” and find the topic “Tenor sax mouthpiece modified for alto clarinet” I am new to this list and not allowed to post links yet. I’ve learned much from searching this Forum, and am happy to be a member now! // Windy