Who’s in charge: you or the saxophone?

“A great book, I use it every day to keep the chops in order”

– Bobby Wellins 

Bobby was one of the leading figures of the UK jazz scene. Featured with the Stan Tracey band

I’ve been playing two years now, on a variety of alto saxophones and mouthpieces and just received the Onyxite PPT Alto MP in 6**  tip opening for my birthday today.

Typically, I started two years ago with the MP which came with my Jupiter 565-567, then a Yamaha 4C which was OK, then tried a Selmer C* which I didn’t get on with, nor a Runyon 22 6, and latterly a Bari Esprit II which is very good for a beginner, keeping the notes in tune with its fairly narrow tip opening.
I also tried three D’Addario MPs in 5, 6, & 7 openings recently but none of them suited me.
The Bari was replaced a few months ago with a Yamaha 6CM with 1.9mm tip opening as this gave me a jazzier sound with my favourite Rico Jazz Select 2S filed reed. This combo sounded great on my newly acquired Yamaha YAS-62 MkI “Purple Logo” (which came with the 6CM) but not quite so good on my Buffet SDA which I’d played for around a year prior (I’ve been through a good few horns on my short sax journey!).

So today I put an RJS reed on the new PPT (her name is Poppet!) and tried this combo on the 62. A little worried by its wider 2.1mm tip, I took my first breath and played… WOW!!!!! Suddenly I’m a professional!!!!!!??
I switched back to the 6CM to check… had I really been happy with its sound? Yes, I guess… but now IT HAS TO GO IN THE BIN!!!

“Blown” away by my new sound, admittedly with a few “getting used to it” squeaks here and there, I thought I’d give it a go on the Buffet, having tried and tried with other mouthpiece/reed combinations to get a jazzy sound out of what is sometimes described as a more classical instrument.

Oh WOW even more!!! This MP has transformed my SDA into a 62 Purple Logo! In fact, it is absolutely perfectly controllable on this horn without a squeak or bum note. This IS the holy grail MP for my SDA!!

And LOUD! On both horns I could blow as hard as I can and the sound kept coming.

I tried some other reeds, around a dozen different ones, but the RJS 2S filed is the best so far for me. I think the squeaks on the Yamaha horn are down to the wider tip and should come good with a few more hours. Talking about hours… my mouth aches! I’ve been playing for three hours and didn’t want to put this MP down! Don’t panic though, it’s an easy blow. I just spent too long testing it!

At £195 it’s over ten times what I paid for the Bari but for me it represents excellent value, just for the fun I’ve had today, let alone the rest of my playing life

“Thanks for your Taming the Saxophone book. Lots of great stuff in their for both myself and my students – I sure wish I’d had the book fifteen years ago!”
– Dan Forshaw

Message: Just to say thanks for your speedy delivery of Taming The Saxophone book which I ordered only a few days ago and arrived today, and to say what a great book it is.

I love the way it’s laid out, progressing from scales through chord progressions…. I’m sure this book is going to help me be a better player. Thanks again.

THANK YOU, I just downloaded the folder. I’m very grateful.
Yesterday the cd came by post and I and my Wife are listening constantly and still – beautiful phrases and sound.
I am a teacher of the Polish language, I am 56 years old, I play the saxophone from the 5th month.
I love it, thank you! – Szymon Malecki