Learn: The SopranoPlanet Blog

English jazz saxophonist John Surman has sent me short audio samples of him playing his Metropolitain and his Open Sky 2 mouthpieces. John uses # 4 reeds and plays a Yanagisawa 9930 soprano. It is very rewarding for me to … Read More

If you want a dark soprano sound, just ask. Now, you can chase all the esoteric ideas that a million players who have played 20 soprano mouthpieces in their lives and maybe 20 different horns (of course, not close to … Read More

We all use the term “response” in speaking about how an instrument plays and particularly about how a mouthpiece performs. So, what exactly do we mean by the term “response”? For me, the best way to approach such a subjective … Read More

This will be quick- not because it isn’t an important topic, but because the reason is simple and, for anyone who thinks about it for a minute, pretty obvious. Whether a vintage or modern mass market mouthpiece, it has been … Read More

It ocurred to me that I should start taking some photos of brand new soprano mouthpieces that come my way that clearly show how bad quality control is from major mouthpiece makers. Names have not been changed to protect the … Read More

There are a very few things that go into making a truly well balanced soprano mouthpiece, and here they are: A table that allows the reed to rest firmly in place A facing curve that allows the reed to vibrate … Read More

 The talk about the soprano saxophone being so difficult to play is, well, just plain wrong. It’s a myth and although some people believe it, it is pure nonsense.   WHY DO PEOPLE MAKE THAT CLAIM?   The reason is … Read More

Sound waves behave differently in a straight conic environment than they do in a conic environment that also has a bend or curve in it. That is an acoustical fact. But, what does that mean to a player? Does it … Read More

If you’ve played enough different soprano saxophones, you already know that they can be very different, one to the next, in how they “speak” : how the sound is created. Some speak easily over the entire range; others speak one … Read More

When it comes to soprano mouthpieces, I can tell you that it is ALL about the chamber. Same exact facng and the same exact tip opening with the same exact reed on the same exact horn but with different mouthpiece … Read More

When it comes to playing soprano saxophone, we are all equal. How can that be? I’ve had the same response from beginning players and from seasoned pro players: This balanced mouthpiece is a revelation It makes playing soprano a joy … Read More

Learn the truth about intonation on soprano. You’ll be glad you did. Many players make all kinds of claims about the supposedly “inherent” intonation issues of the soprano sax and pronounce that it is somehow much harder to master than … Read More

It’s an old story- cane reeds are the bane of many saxophone players. They are, by most accounts, “inconsistent”, “unreliable”, “problematic”, and, then, “just right”. That’s the same brand, same grade, same box even! I believe what I’m talking about … Read More

So, how can one “magic” reed work where dozens from the same box have been complete duds? Well, the fact is that the “magic” reed is truly the “inconsistent” one and the rest were quite consistent. The problem, my friends, … Read More

One of the most important things I do here is to help players selecting a vintage mouthpiece for what they are trying to achieve in terms of sound and response. It is not a science , but rather more of … Read More

Playing on a good mouthpiece makes a big difference for sax players, regardless of whether it’s on alto, tenor, baritone or anything else. But on the small horns, it is even more critical to success, and here is why I … Read More