Saxophone Lab: Will a heavy neck screw improve your tone?
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- Опубліковано 20 лип 2024
- Have you ever wondered whether or not heavy mass neck screws make a real difference or if it's all psychological? I did a fully randomized, totally blind test with my stock 3 gram neck screw and a custom 68 gram "heavy mass" neck screw which promised to "improve my tone." Did it work? Find out in this video!
LESSONS: www.julianbrezon.com/contact
PATREON: / myotome
Reed - Hemke 3.5
Mouthpiece - Ted Klum London Precision 7
Neck - JL Woodwinds SBA style neck
Saxophone - 59xxx Selmer Mark VI
Camera - Panasonic GH6
Microphones - Sennheiser MKH50 for voice, AT2020 for saxophone
This is such a beautiful example of how science should be used. He made his prediction, and then set up a test which was sufficiently robust to overturn his expectations. Proof that science is for everybody, and makes a difference in the real world.
It was amazing how much the placebo effect affected my hypothesis.
Im really surprised that this channel has only 527 subscribers at the time of me writing this. The video and audio quality is on par with channels with at least 10k. Hope to see more content from you in the future!
Thank you my friend! It just takes time
This was awesome! Seeing your reactions in the moment and your commentary after the fact was really cool. You had me cracking up 😂
Haha thanks it was very enlightening
Awesome video, thanks!
Great way to do a blind test. When I first heard about the big screw thing I thought it was silly but I saw so many top players insisting it made a difference. I chose not to waste my money on one. Glad to see that I chose well 😀
Definitely see them a lot!
Great video! The results were very interesting indeed!
If I may suggest some ways to make the testing better - 1. Have your fiancée hand u the sax with the same screw while u remain blind-folded. Repeat this step for maybe 5 times. Then switch out the screw and repeat the process 5 times. This is so that u know u are playing the same screw, but u just don’t know which one :)
2. Do the coin flip random test like u did and try to objectively decide which screw is which.
The purpose of the first test will be to allow u to get a consistent feel of each screw (without knowing the identity of said screw) and to see which you objectively prefer.
The second test like you did would be to see if u can differentiate the one u prefer or not. Obviously as you have shown, that one was a real challenge!
Thanks for making this video! Reviewers should really do more blind tests like these :)
Yeah, I don't notice a difference either. Though I do like that it is bigger and thus easier to tighten and stuff.......
I used to think that a heavy screw might at least subtly change the balance of the horn, because of the extra weight at the neck. But apparently even that is not the case, since you were unable to tell which screw was installed by handling the sax.
Maybe if it was near the mouthpiece instead of closer to the center of gravity
@@julianbrezonBut then the screw wouldn't affect the purported "node" at the tenon area that is the secret to its success. ;)
Your sound is so interesting. It sounds like a bass clarinet
Probably my favorite instrument!
Thanks for the interesting video. Creating a random run with coin flips is a scientifically sound way to test if the player can hear the sound difference with or without the heavy neck screw. The placebo effect indeed. You have great sound and you can't hear the difference, no one will be able to.
Reminds me of the '80s baseball movie "Bull Durham" in which "Crash" Davis, a veteran catcher coaches a rookie pitcher Ebby, "Meat" to wear a garter belt under his baseball uniform to improve his pitching stance. Ebby thought it was kind of kinky but worked for him. 🤣
If adding extra weight to the horn improves the sound, why not a lyre for the marching band? It's uncool but adds weight. 🤔
Haha that's really funny. Yeah I try to take at least a semi scientific approach to gear! The hyperbole and clearly sponsored "reviews" are a plague
I broke a knuckle years ago punching a wall (dumb), and the bigger screw is easier for me to turn, as I can't pinch well anymore (I have an old horn with a very thin screw) but everyone assumes I have it for the sound, it's kinda interesting to see how many people get a bit weird/snooty about it, like it's a screw, I paid $9 on ebay for it, calm down.
I have nerve damage that affects my right hand and I like mine for the same reason.
I like how every hobby a person can get into is just rife with scam products, or scam advice looking to drain your wallet. Gotta have one of those stupid tone bridge things going from the massive screw to the neck for the best results btw; oh, also you'll need a Sennheiser 441 mic, mogami xlr cables, NEVE preamps, a Chandler TG12413 limiter, Fairchild 670 and UA 1176 compressors--plus whatever mouthpiece Theo has tweaked 5% this week--to truly get the best sound that only money (and more money) can buy.
True, but 441 is a phenomenal mic!
Do you have a blind test with ligs ?
No but that's a great suggestion thank you
I am a bit surprised by the superficial approach to this test. OK, while you're playing you can't objectively judge which neck screw you're playing. But, but... Let's look again at example 8/9 (heavy neck screw). You immediately noticed that the sound is good. And it is! With the heavy neck screw you have a big and full, warmer tone. Clear win, for me. I'm sorry, but for the audience, that's a huge difference!
Me, again... I just watched your "Legendary Mark VI Tenor vs Vintage Student Buescher" video. The Mark VI still has a heavy neck screw!? Why, if it makes no difference? Because... there is a difference. It's not a "snake oil"! That's, by the way, is an unfair approach to Buescher at the same time. Hope this helps. Sorry?
I use the neck screw because it improves the ergonomics of the instrument. I don't think it actually makes a difference in the sound of the horn that I'm capable of noticing. I saw your other comment on that video. I did notice a great sound in my playing with and without the heavy screw and I found it to be a placebo type of effect. Perhaps further exploration on the sound is necessary.
The only reason I use heavy mass neck screws is because I named my horn Frankenstein.
Haha good reason.
I couldn't care less about the stupid neck screw. What I *DO* want to know is where you got that waving cat in the background!!
Stupidity aside, you have a very nice sound sir!
Haha, I found the maneki-neko at a 99c store actually. Any Chinese super store kind of place is likely to have it. It's a very important background item
@@julianbrezon All of my 99c stores are a buck two-fifty now. ;-)
Thank you! I'll see what I can find!