* indicates a fan submitted question
| Q.: *Materials: Are the materials (saxophone, reed, mouthpiece, ligature) very important in your playing? Do you play in a different way when you play with other materials? |
| A.: The material certainly plays a role. I do pay attention to the reeds, mouthpiece and saxophone (ligature doesn't seem to make much of a difference); and I am occasionally making equipment changes, trying out different things, etc. But, at the end of the day, I really don't think the equipment matters much at all. Your sound is in you, not the equipment. I think, with practice and familiarity, every one would eventually get their unique sound on any setup. There's nothing wrong with taking the time to fine tune all your equipment and get it dialed in the way that's most comfortable to you. But please, try not to obsess too much. Too much fixation with paraphernalia can distract you from the far more essential (if less tangible) aspects of music making. |
