Hello from an eager doubler!

[Saxguy]

Well, hello! I'm a part time professional sax player who is FINALLY getting serious about his flute doubling. As a jazz player, I'm expected to have some proficiency on flute as a double. Up until now, I've been more of a DABBLER than a DOUBLER, but that is changing as we speak.

As a big band player (18 piece band with 5 saxes), a flute part will come up in my book from time to time. I always cringed because even though I had a flute with me, I could barely play it. Oh, I'd try to practice flute a bit at home, get discouraged, put it back on the peg and pull out a sax (soprano, alto, tenor, or baritone!). Typical evening in my home practice room.

Then something strange and wonderful happened. A piece of music I was handed (big band again) had a piccolo part in the 1st alto sax folder. "What am I supposed to do with THIS???" I asked in mock horror. Well, as it turned out, one of the tenor sax players had a picc with him and let me try it. Darned if I could't get a sound out of it right away. No, I was not ready to render "Stars and Stripes Forever," but I was very encouraged by what I COULD do, having never touched one of them before. I felt I could maybe -- MAYBE -- learn to play one of these.

Okay, so long story short, I buy a nice used Yamaha 32 piccolo (and a pair of earplugs for the 3rd octave) and get to work. I made some nice, gradual progress pretty quickly and was encouraged. But what surprised me the most was I suddenly found myself able to get a nice, consistent sound on the FLUTE. Whoa, that was a first! Where'd THAT come from?? My attacks were much cleaner, and I was staying in the right octave. For me, that was a major breakthrough!

Encouraged, empowered, and emboldened, I spend a LOT of time this past December practicing flute and making REAL progress and getting a decent sound for the first time ever. Now, when a flute part comes up, I don't feel like I need to run away.

Latest development is I learned of a nice used Yamaha 584 (with the B foot) for sale. I have it here on trial, and wow.... Nice. I had been playing a Gemeinhardt M3 -- silver head joint, open hole, C foot -- for some time. An "okay" flute, but I was now ready to step up a notch. The 584 was a logical choice. And it plays SO easily. I didn't know it could be that easy to get notes to speak quickly and clearly.

Anyway, not trying to write a book here, but wanted to introduce myself as an experienced musician (I also play clarinet) who is a bit of a newbie on flute. I'm here to read and to learn. I have MUCH respect for those of you who are already proficient on an instrument that has until recently been a total mystery to me, but I have ached to be able to play respectably. And now that I'm finally pointed in the right direction, I'm ready to get down to business.

If I can return the favor by answering any SAX questions you may have, that would be delightful.

Greetings to all!

Steve the sax guy

[pied_piper]

Hey Saxguy. Sax was my first instrument, but I too double on flute, piccolo, and clarinet. Like you, I found that taking up the piccolo years ago did wonders for helping to focus my flute embouchure and greatly improve my sound. My flute sound was not that great for a number of years, but after I upgraded to a pro model flute and later took up the piccolo, my tone and range suddenly opened up. These days, I actually play more flute and picc than sax. I've developed my flute skills to the point that I can play most anything that happens to show up on my stand. I'll never be principal flutist with a major symphony, but I can sit in as a sub and not feel self conscious about my abilities. So, just keep at it - it DOES get better!

Welcome to the forum!
Bob (also a sax guy...)

[Saxguy]

Thanks, Bob! Interestingly, I read some comments from people that said not to even LOOK at a piccolo until you get your flute act together. I do understand that thinking -- After all, I'd probably advise most people to avoid soprano sax until they can demonstrate good tone and intonation on an alto or tenor. But something definitely "clicked" on flute shortly after I started to play around with piccolo. Go figure!

So I told the seller of the Yamaha 584 I'll be hanging onto it. We're both happy about that. I'm 100% positive it will help my progress. Been playing sax since 1966 (4th grade!). Started clarinet in high school. Really like flute.

I've been told to practice "whistle tones." I tried some of that. Very cool in an eerie way -- It's like playing overtones on a reed or brass instrument, but they're verrrrrrry soft. I need to read up on that practice technique to make sure I'm doing it right.

Steve

[Phineas]

Welcome Saxguy

I am the opposite. I played flute/pic first, then went to sax(although I have taught sax on and off for many years). I have been asked on many occasions to play first alto, but I do not feel I will do that part justice. I mainly play jazz fusion, so I have not played in sections much intil recently. What you are going through with flutes, I am going through with saxes and MPCs. So far in the last year, I have bought 20 MPCs, and 7 saxes..lol It is all good! I got every thing but a Bari, even a sopranino!!!!

If you are a cruiser on saxontheweb.net, you will find things a little more peaceful here...lol

Get a pic! Playing jazz on a pic goes over very well...not to mention it is fairly rare! I am in the process of doing some recording with it!

Peace

Phineas

[Saxguy]

Hi Phineas! Thanks for the note. Bad news: The sax mouthpiece quest never ends. Well, hardly ever! I may have finally found alto and tenor mpcs that are hard to beat. We shall see! But I have tried a ton of them. Give me a shout off-line if you want any opinions. (I don't want to hijack the flute board with TOO much sax chatter! )

Yes, I have been on Sax on the Web for many years as SteveS. Can't call myself Saxguy over there. That would be..... silly! You are right -- some discussions get rather SPIRITED over there.

I am having fun working on picc. Only a few weeks after I got it, I was doing a jazz band concert. One of the pieces was an orginal Latin-type chart written by a member of the band. It had an improvised alto sax solo, and I asked the composer if I could play it on piccolo if I felt so moved. He said I could.... buuuuut.... I chickened out literally at the last second and played it on alto. Kicked myself later! I will definitely be more confident next time!

Steve

[pied_piper]

I know what you mean about the sax mouthpieces. I've tried a lot of different ones over the years but I end up sticking with same ones I got when I was in college. I use a Selmer Larry Teal model for classical or very smooth sounds and a Claude Humber custom (Art Pepper lay) for jazz or rock. For clarinet, I use a Claude Humber (Benny Goodman lay). I bought those more than 30 years ago and in the years since, I just haven't found anything I liked better.

If you think sax mouthpiece quest never ends, just wait until the flute or headjoint bug bites you...

Really good mouthpieces might set you back a few hundred bucks these days, but really good flute headjoints can easily run into the thousands. I recently upgraded to a 14K Williams headjoint with a platinum riser and that's comparable to a good down payment on a car or a house.