The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
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  1. #76

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    Quote Originally Posted by oldane
    I may be nitpicking, but having played tenor sax years ago, I like to say that there are more variables to a big sound on saxophone than body size and lung capacity. The instrument set up is very important. For almost 20 years, Dexter Gordon used a Conn sax with a Dukoff metal mouthpiece with a tip opening that would be considered shallow nowadays until the theft of the instrument forced him to start over around 1965 with a Selmer sax and a Link mouthpiece with greater opening. Nevertheless, many find Gordons tone with the Conn/Dukoff combo to be his "biggest" through the years - and certainly big compared to most other sax players. Gordon himself said that the Dukoff mouthpiece was "so easy blowing". Another thing is the reed strength - the harder the reed the harder it is to play. Combine the mouthpiece characteristics with the reed strength and you got a very varied range of sounds at a very varied range of energy expenditure. Stan Getz played a rather close faced mouthpiece with a very hard reed, and that setup was very demanding physically to play. Johnny Griffin - whom you mention - used a more open mouthpiece with (if one can judge by his sound) a quite soft reed. A third factor is the embouchure which can be tight or relaxed or anything in between. John Coltrane used a tight embouchure to get his characteristic "pinched" sound. A sound with a lot of treble overtones ("sharp tone") appears bigger - projects better - than a sound with fewer of these overtones ("soft tone"). Think Johnny Griffin vs. Stan Getz. Getz actually had a big - but soft - tone.
    Hi, OD,
    I played sax professionally in the 60's, 70's and early 80's. I didn't talk Sax talk to OF but rather the generalized physiology required to play the baritone/tenor saxophone with a big sound . . .not the weak sound of ,say, Charles LLoyd. He, like many others, is on a crusade to re-educate the world about hocus-pocus, Y2K gobbleygook that contravenes the knowledge accumulated in the last 2000 years of Western Civilization. Of course, they do so but never want to engage in any logical, purposed conversations. Hit and run, if you will. So, let me say it again--as a general rule of thumb a smaller man will not produce the volume of air/tone to get a good sound on Baritone and Tenor saxes. Ask any good sax teacher who starts his young students on alto sax before moving to tenor as he grows. This, also, is discovered quickly by most stalwart horn players of smaller stature who are seeking a big sound and switch to the alto/soprano sax to get the results they want. I did, however, provide two exceptions: Johnny Griffin and Pepper Adams. In life, there are always exceptions but exceptions do not make the rule. That's it. Simple.
    Play live . . . Marinero

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    The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
     
  3. #77

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    Quote Originally Posted by Litterick
    Itzhak Perlman has big hands. The Strad. But he is unusual.
    Hi, L,
    And, as I clearly stated previously, there are always exceptions in life and Itzhak is a good example.. Most outstanding violinists have slender, delicate hands. Period. Play live . . . Marinero

  4. #78

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    Quote Originally Posted by Marinero

    4. These "woke" lectures are always created to shut down debate. They also want to rewrite History, Biology,
    Economics, etc., and anything they can get their politically correct hands onto to change reality into their unsupported views without debate.


    Play live . . . with thick hands . . . Marinero

    Please, really. Many of your points are thoughtful and come from actual experience. #4 is nothing but a reactionary rant without any backing at all, irrelevant to the topic and unnecessary. Go yell at the clouds.

  5. #79

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    "Go yell at the clouds." Ronjazz

    I have, RJ, but they never listen!
    Play live . . . Marinero

  6. #80

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    Quote Originally Posted by Marinero
    Hi, L,
    And, as I clearly stated previously, there are always exceptions in life and Itzhak is a good example.. Most outstanding violinists have slender, delicate hands. Period. Play live . . . Marinero
    Dear M,

    As I clearly stated, he is unusual.

  7. #81

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    Quote Originally Posted by GNAPPI
    Guitars are the one instrument that players whine, complain, crab and moan over subtleties more than any other standardized instrument.
    You obviously haven't listened in on a reed section talking ligatures or a brass section talking valve oil ...

  8. #82

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    T-bone players ... King vs Old vs Bach, not even getting to Conn and a ton of custom makers. Straight or with trigger, and if with trigger which type.

    Oil vs cream for the slide.

    And then, oh my ... mouth pieces.

    T-bone players can gas or grouse about their horn or whatnot just as much as trash talk anybody else's rig.

    And of course always complain about the stupid egotistical trumpeters with a brain the size of a pea ... lol.

    Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

  9. #83

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    People commonly have a propensity to complain but much less to sympathize.

  10. #84

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    pcjazz and rNeill,
    Yes, to your above comments but once horn players purchase their professional instrument, they usually play it for life. Mouthpieces, reeds, oils, etc. fall into a different category and yes, these may change over the years as one's ears and concept grow. I owned one student model saxophone and a "C" melody sax(oddball) before I bought my '72 Selmer Mark VI. I still own this instrument 50 years later and with a fresh pad change/adjustment would be ready to go again.
    Play live . . . Marinero

  11. #85

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    Quote Originally Posted by oldane
    So am I, likely taller than Freddie was, and I have a long torso. But still, my 18.5"/3.25" Triggs is awkward for me to play in a vertical position. Tilt it 45 degrees and everything is fine.
    I love playing my 17" archtop, very comfortable if, while sitting. I use a fairly snug strap. I've been married for 36 years so I've gone from a height of 6'5" to 5'9" so I am beginning to consider a 15" archtop.

  12. #86

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    Quote Originally Posted by Marinero
    pcjazz and rNeill,
    Yes, to your above comments but once horn players purchase their professional instrument, they usually play it for life. Mouthpieces, reeds, oils, etc. fall into a different category and yes, these may change over the years as one's ears and concept grow. I owned one student model saxophone and a "C" melody sax(oddball) before I bought my '72 Selmer Mark VI. I still own this instrument 50 years later and with a fresh pad change/adjustment would be ready to go again.
    Play live . . . Marinero
    A writer friend found out how many trombones I owned and was impressed enough to write a story called The Man Who Owned Six Trombones.

    A few months later, on a particularly boring morning at work, I dashed off a reply: The Man With Seven Trombones.

    Horn players collect horns and obsess about gear. Would you like to hear about my 25 trombone mouthpieces?

  13. #87

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    Quote Originally Posted by oldane
    So am I, likely taller than Freddie was, and I have a long torso. But still, my 18.5"/3.25" Triggs is awkward for me to play in a vertical position. Tilt it 45 degrees and everything is fine.
    If I tilt the guitar, it places my left wrist in an awkward position.

  14. #88

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    Quote Originally Posted by Bach5G
    A writer friend found out how many trombones I owned and was impressed enough to write a story called The Man Who Owned Six Trombones.

    A few months later, on a particularly boring morning at work, I dashed off a reply: The Man With Seven Trombones.

    Horn players collect horns and obsess about gear. Would you like to hear about my 25 trombone mouthpieces?
    Hi, B,
    No wonder you're hanging around a guitar site . . . you have the gene for obsessive compulsive collecting! Funny. However, I played in horn bands most of my musical life. I never knew players with multiple instruments unless it was trumpet/flugelhorn or in my case-- Tenor/Alto/Flute. And, I only blew one mouthpiece--Meyer #5 with Rico Royal 3 1/2-4 reeds. I firmly believe obsessive changing of instruments, mouthpieces/reeds is a personality type. Not necessarily good or bad . . . just a personal thing. The biggest challenge was discovering your voice as it related to the nature of the instrument. Did you ever land on a favorite mouthpiece? Play live . . . Marinero

    P.S. I played with a bone player for a couple of years that had an old 40's Conn Big Bell that was one of the sweetest sounds I've ever heard. Of course, he was a good player. M

  15. #89

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    Quote Originally Posted by GNAPPI
    I disagree.

    IMO, we learn to use the tools we have regardless the form they present themselves to us, overcoming the form is at issue. Why are there (for the most part) one size violin... big, small, female or male most use that tiny instrument, the same goes for inherently larger instruments like say the piano, tuba, or cello. Are some gifted with larger hands, or bodies that match their instrument better? Sure. Does that make everyone who plays them the same stature? Not at all.

    Guitars are the one instrument that players whine, complain, crab and moan over subtleties more than any other standardized instrument. Gads, if men were this rigidly selective in women the planet would depopulate in a generation :-)
    i have a buddy who's left handed but plays bass righty. that's all that was available, and he never really considered getting a lefty one. did just fine. i guess if you just muddle through while you're a total beginner, you'll do ok. you're going to suck anyway. he played trombone in high school, for what that's worth. pretty sure it wasn't a lefty one, either.

    as for me, i can play any guitar because i'm super ripped and impossibly limber, but i'm also lucky (smart?) enough to play in the classical position, so big ass guitars just settle well and have never been an issue. but i see dudes reaching over massive guitars on their right leg and wonder what's wrong with them. i guess it's less of an issue if you're standing, but who stands to play here?

  16. #90

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    You see this in pix of Mary Halvorson sitting and standing.

  17. #91

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    Quote Originally Posted by Marinero
    Hi, L,
    And, as I clearly stated previously, there are always exceptions in life and Itzhak is a good example.. Most outstanding violinists have slender, delicate hands. Period. Play live . . . Marinero
    Violin is a completely different animal than guitar. I played violin. The neck and scale length are both very small, and there are no frets so intonation (and vibrato) are very important. On jazz guitar we have frets, and hand size doesn't really matter because it's easy to find guitars with different neck depths and shapes. The only reason some people technically struggle with playing guitar is that they didn't practice enough. It stings, but it's true. I knew a guy who complained that his stubby fingers prevented him from advancing on the guitar. Well he couldn't play trumpet very well either and he couldn't play a tune without staring at sheet music (and would still get lost in the form). It's not hard to get around the fretboard if one puts in some work...jazz guitar is between the ears, not in the hands.

  18. #92
    I had a 1959 Gibson ES355 when I was a Berklee student in the seventies and became ashamed of that guitar because it wasnt a big body even though my extra teacher Mick Goodrick played a Epiphone similar to a 335 in size. I guess the jazz sheriff got me early so I bought a one pickup early sixties Gibson175 for 400$. It was a great jazz box but not as versatile as a Gibson stereo.The first time I saw a young George Benson he had a Super 400 size guitar and was an amazing player with his trio. He didnt scat with his notes a single time! Hoorah! But a young guy named Pat something started playing with Mick Goodrick so 175s became more popular. When I saw Lenny Breau with a Hagstrom 12 string I figured your note choice was more important than your guitars size. Whatever works for a person just dont let the jazz sheriff boss you around! Some guys on Teles sound better than some archtop players to me.

  19. #93

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    As long as the 355 didn’t have a Bigsby, you probably would have got away with it.

  20. #94

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    "Whatever works for a person just dont let the jazz sheriff boss you around!" Steve Burchfield




    Five Stars, S! Play live . . . Marinero

  21. #95

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    “jazz sheriff”
    There be quite a few around these parts here)))

  22. #96

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    There's always the theorbo


  23. #97

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    There's nothing wrong with a woman playing a 17" archtop. I myself happen to prefer 17" archtops over 16" archtops (I guess it's why I always played Country Clubs, when I had Gretsch guitars). That big body provides a nice arm rest IMO, especially if you do like I do, and pick from the wrist, while resting your hand on the bridge.

    I'm actually having a hard time finding a 17" archtop, that doesn't have a thin neck, or costs a bundle. I'd like to get a Guild X-175, or a DeArmond X-155, but I'm getting the impression, that their necks are too thin (I am also open to other 17" archtops, but at a loss for what else is available that doesn't cost $2000 plus).

  24. #98

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    Quote Originally Posted by BigDaddyLoveHandles
    There's always the theorbo


    I hope this doesn't start a new psychological disorder on JGF: Guitar Envy. . . ahem . . . . . . .
    Play live . . . Marinero

  25. #99

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    Quote Originally Posted by Marinero
    I hope this doesn't start a new psychological disorder on JGF: Guitar Envy. . . ahem . . . . . . .
    Play live . . . Marinero
    You can even buy theorbo strings! This one is 180cm long: Aquila 120D x 180cm Long Wound Theorbo String - extra long lute string — Early Music Shop

  26. #100

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    Quote Originally Posted by BigDaddyLoveHandles
    There's always the theorbo

    Maybe Jack Zucker needs to demo this "guitar" and see if it has any neck dive