Per request... this is a follow up of my past video comparing these 2 pieces. This time with the same reed and same ligature. Also, using a better microphone.
I’m a little late but I love both. They each have something the other doesn’t. I love the open round tone the soloist gets, and all those overtones. But also love the direct and clear sound of the link. The soloist kinda reminds me of Greg Tardy’s sound. I know he loves hard rubber
I love the sound of the Soloist. I have 3 nice vintage Links, and I really want a Soloist. The low end so tight and poppy, and the high end is really sweet. The articulation is nice and clean. It seems very comfortable to play on.
yes it's a very nice piece man. It has a different vibe than a link. I like links too of course but this soloist is special I find myself always going back to it
You look more comfortable with the reed on the soloist. You still sound GREAT on both of them, thats completely on you. Each mouthpiece has its own things. Its definitely good to have both of them around. Great sound as always man. I cant stress this enough
Just like two good quality wines! Can't tell the difference! Not a surprise really because 80+% of the sound is you. You sound very good Stantawn and I love your videos. The cheaper of the 2 mouthpieces sounds the best to me :-)
Joe Henderson came to CCM back in the early nineties and sounded unbelievable. He tended to bury the mic in his bell. Helped him get that crazy sound that still kills me. You sound beautiful on both pieces. You play differently with both--thanks for taking the time to put these videos together.
love the soloist....guess it 'speaks to me'.. here's a big consideration for all those listening...makes a big difference what you listen on. Headphone, laptop speaker, desktop speakers.....not all listening devices are created equally
The Selmer has more air and a softer muffled sound vs te has less air but brighter sound vs the soloist has a bit both brighter and muffled vs the link has brighter sound then the Selmer great comparison on all of them
I recently bought a new Selmer Soloist "E" (not worked on) and it is a straight up Classical mouthpiece. I get the impression that all the guys that are using this piece have them worked on to get that jazz sound out of it. If you can, I'd like to get the name and even contact info on who can work on this piece to alter it for more of a jazz Joe Henderson type of sound. Thanks man.
You are very right Mr Stantawn you were smooth on either mouthpiece. You are a voice for the future I snuck in No Longer Bound Mr Kendrick's I'm still feeling all warm and fuzzing inside. I can't wait to purchase my own copy very original being a horn player myself you put me at a crossroad...but I'm happy for you your futures so very bright.
Thanks for yours videos! But I'd like to add my two cent here... This "same reed+ligature" thing, in my personal opinion, does not work. We should always try to optimize the set up for that particular mouthpiece... Using the same reed and ligature is not a fair comparison, because one particular reed might work just well on mouthpiece A might not be so good at mouthpiece B. This is coming from a guy that played the Otto Link HR for 12 years and recently changed to the Soloist. BTW, I changed EVERYTHING (horn, mouthpiece, ligature, even the freaking music stand.. LOL). With that in mind, I give round 1 to Soloist and round to Link. Cheers and keep it up!!! Looking forward for round 3!
I agree with this 1000% it's always been my thing to use new reeds or different cut/brand reeds with a different mouthpiece depending on what makes it speak best. Some pieces like certain things better than others. I feel like you said... it isn't fair to use the same reed on both being it was broken in for one piece over the other.
In my opinion, definitely Selmer Soloist. It has better projection and more interesting sound. Nice, precise upper register. It just has that "something" that I like!
What a great video, thank you! I am in the process of buying a tenor mouthpiece, and this was enlightening. You sound great, and your methodical approach is excellent. My two cents: at least the ligature should be the one that fits best to each mouthpiece, because the shape of the two mouthpieces are different. The reed choice may also be adjusted, although if one’s go-to reed is a certain brand and strength anyway, that might be less relevant.
Long time ago i saw this very interesting video and today i thought of something....: Have you tried the Selmer Classic (metal) mouthpiece for tenor? Maybe "H" model? Have a wonderful day :)
He proved his point, there was actually a drastic difference when it comes to how the link sounded on the last video compared to this one. I still prefer the soloist, as it seems to fit my style of playing better, but "which mouthpiece is better" is a very subjective topic.
You sound great on both however I do hear a distinct difference. To me the Link sounds way better. More oomph and balls to express it professionally. And it has the edge.
In my opinion, the selmer sounds brighter and louder, the link sound dark and with less buzz. I would have to say whatever feels best with your mouth. You have a killer sound, but for me the Selmer wins!!! Thanks for post awesome videos!
You sound great! I agree with you and I would go even further.... I think in a comparison you need to allow each mouthpiece to perform its best, so you need to have a reed that complements it. You may even need to use a different strength or even brand of reed for each mouthpiece because they have different facing lengths, rails, chambers, etc. Thank you for your videos.
Both sound great. In an eyes shut test they were hard to separate. I would not say one was better than the other, just a bit different. So depends what you want. Personally I play a Selmer Soloist .
So my opinion is unchanged from the earlier video. The soloist is the better Warm mouthpiece. The link is brighter, but if you wanted really bright, you'd go metal. I think the telling notes are the high, non-altissimo notes. Those are the ones you want to play sweet. Both cover the low end really well. But try a sustained high B through D. Which do you like the sound of better? That is really the test I think? So, def the Selmer for Ballads. Now I want one.
Another option for comparisons is to use a synthetic reed for both. Manufacturing differences would be slight. No break in necessary. I am a newbe so maybe explain the difference between the soloist c,d, and e versions.
for me selmer it is like a blended wine and the link oh my like bold merlot and you seemed more confortable playing link am i correct. got go with link save the selmer for classic music not trying to say that it is only for classic but you know what i am saying. ..love your sounds. blessings.
It could be my audio gear but I hear the Selmer just a little "harder" or more driving than the Link but each time you play, they seem almost identical (in the Coltrane style), so I can see why you like and use both of them. Wow, good musicianship! Is it typical for a balanced action Selmer to resist the high G harmonic? My King tenor plays the altisimo G effortlessly.
Fantastic video. Subtle difference but I prefer the Selmer which is a bummer as I've just won bidding for a TE on E bay. Btw, how tight do you fasten the lig?
I think you need to try it both ways! Now, when you're using a mouthpiece that you've had for years and trade back and forth between, I'd say use a reed/lig that you always do. But when you're trying out a new mouthpiece I think it's a great idea to use a new reed and an old reed. The reason you want to use an old reed broken in on another mouthpiece is to see how the mouthpiece your trying out handles old reeds! We've all had (or heard) of those mouthpieces that only work when Mercury is in retrograde and all the stars are aligned, and if you end up with one of those mouthpieces and you're at a gig and you have one reed left you want something that's not going to sound like shit! In this case of this video, I think your original video summed everything up. As for the tone quality, both sound great. At this point in the game it's all about what you think! Once you move up from student level mouthpieces to professional and have the skills to handle it, it's all personal prefference and what's needed for the gig.
thanks for your comment bro! Yeah I feel the original video summed it up too as well. The comments I'm seeing here are juts like the comments I've seen in the original video. Just varied personal taste. I believe as long as my chops are in good condition... I can get a sound out of course. The rest is timbre. Like you said... it really depends on what's needed for the gig.That's a great way to look at it!
Hi Stantawn Hummm,i prefer the Link,more wider sound,or with more character,and less edgy that the Soloist does. I like the Soloist too,but my heart prefers the Link,,i have two Links,one HR ,and one Florida,,and another one a Stubby old Dukoff 8, my favorite is the HR Link....Keep posting,,Man whatever you play,,we love it...:) Mario from Canada
Thanks for watching man! My favorite two pieces. Reed was a bit soft here! But both of these pieces have character. I also have 2 metal links one FL and one Tone Master. Haven't been on metal in a while though!
Nice comparison. You have a great sound on both but i prefer the link by far. It has a big open sound compared to the selmer. More lush and free. The selmer is more focused and projects better however my guess is that you can push more air through the link and it will blossom even more than the selmer? Now, will you sell me your vintage tonemaster?
No sir lol. The vintage tone master and the FL link aren't for sale either of course lol. Those are my 2 metal pieces and these are my 2 hard rubber pieces lol. Do you know how terrible I would feel selling any of these lol. I wouldn't sleep well at night lol. I just haven't been on metal lately. Thanks for your details man! It's much appreciated!
In my opinion the Soloist had a brighter sound, projected a bit more and sounded more even across the registers than the Link. The Link had a bit of a darker sound and seemed to be uneven in the lower registers. Just my thoughts....
It seemed to me like maybe that particular reed was a better match for the Link. There's so many variables, it makes it really hard to compare "apples to apples." If I sounded like you do on both of those pieces, I'd have a hard time choosing between them, too!
Hey Aaron hope all is well man. I have a Masters from William Paterson University. Been into music since about 8 years old! I'd have to do a video on this one day to go further in detail. I could type it all out here but people may not see it and still ask lol.
What openings are you comparing? Also what reed and strength. Thanks for the vids man can't get enough of that sound :) also for a true comparison you should plan the exact same line. Then we're really comparing apples to apples :D
I have never like selmer mpcs. But you sound great on it. I have great success with links. You sound great on that too. It is you that sound great. The mpcs only enhance you. Go with the selmer i like the overtones.
Thanks man! I've played links forever. Hard rubber and metal. I only got into the soloist when I got into Joe Henderson for a long spell. However for some reason aspects of my link influences carried over to the soloist so it's an interesting combo for me. I think I honestly stuck with it because of how the piece felt physically in my mouth. It's been about 3 years now. However, I still have my links lol
I have a vintage soloist size D it must be broken it don't sound like that when I play it lol I must get more hours in to even think about getting some of your sound great post man "Peace"
LOL thanks man. I'm still working hard at it. Since I've posted this video I've gone up on my reed strengths. It wasn't apparent to me until I listened back to this video. Things feel a lot better now. Keep at it man. We all have things to improve on
Surely ( stop calling me Shirley ) using the same reed only works if the tip openings are pretty much the same. I gotta think the Link you're using is probably way more open than the Selmer. Most Selmer horns back in the day came with C* or D's of E's. all of which have pretty close tip openings compared with the more common Links . I think I remember you saying you were using a Link 7* That's 20 thou more open than a Selmer E which is huge?? I can't see that using the same reed makes for a good comparison? Seems to me if the reed on the Selmer ( assuming the Selmer's an E ) was comfortable to play there'd be way more resistance on the Link?? Just sayin'??? Your thoughts??
I think that when you're comparing mouthpieces, it makes more sense to get whatever reed and ligature sounds THE BEST for each particular mouthpiece. You want to find out what gives you the absolute best sound between the two, not which sounds better with the same setup. One reed might naturally sound better with one mouthpiece vs the other, and I don't see that as a fair comparison. If I compare mouthpieces, I want to hear how each mouthpiece sounds at it's very best, and it might take different reeds to get each piece to that point. I think that it's also important to note that regardless of how amazing a player's microphone and recording setup is, it will never be able to capture all of the qualities of a player's sound that you would hear in real life if you were right in front of them. Even professional studios can come close, but there will always be certain qualities of the real life sound lacking. Stantawn, you have an absolutely beautiful sound, and that's just from a USB Microphone or an iPhone camera! I can't even imagine how great it would be to hear you live; I hope that I get the chance to someday. I've never been so captured by a player's sound in the same way that I get captured by your sound and by your playing. Keep up the awesome work man!
Hmmmm... both sound great but I think I like the Selmer soloist best (which is a surprise). The Link is brighter and louder but in this video I like the color and complexity of sound that you get on the Soloist. ...but to really know which one I dig the most I'd have to hear you live playing both pieces. Great demonstration and both pieces do sound great!
Thanks brother! I appreciate your comment and yes you are 100% right on that. The gig is what tells the whole truth. It could be the genre of music, the stage setup, amplification etc all of that determines which one has what in it. Also, I've been playing this soloist for a good 2 months. Just popped the link on that day for a few minutes. Playing the link for a few weeks could also obviously change some things too. Or like I originally did in an older video and still do believe... use a new reed on the link instead of the used reed that's been used for the soloist.
I find my Link and Soloist like opposing characteristics in reeds. So in a way, they hedge each other with a new box of reeds. Once I divide the box of reeds to their mouthpiece assignments I try not to cross play them. Damn this sounds wayyy to technical sorry but hope you all get my drift
Soloist sounds more mature,,,,bigger and a more robust mid range.you sound great on both but for how you express your tone and phrases the soloist makes more sense. The first pass on the Ottto it sounded like you were playing a reed that was broken in on the other mouthpiece. The second time you played the Otto it seems a litle smoother. Soloist for the win! Background on me...been playing sax 30+years, listening for longer than that. The brightness of the link doesnt translate to more musical...your ideas and musicality seem more fully expressed on the Soloist. The Otto sounds smaller, less full on bottom.
thanks for your comment man! Very detailed and very thorough. This is why I feel it's better to play new reeds on a different mouthpiece. Instead of using a reed that's been used constantly on another piece. But I will say the articulation and other things are better on the soloist for me. It could be just naturally or it could be because that's what I've been playing consistently for the past 2 months or so. I could play the link for 2 months and go back to the soloist and the same could be true in reverse lol. It's all about being comfortable to me and what type of timbre you want for the gig
Let’s be real they sound very close to the same. I feel like when it’s that close of a style of mouthpiece you could choose the one feels better to you and just play it and quit worrying about the setup and start worrying about the sound
Hi Stantawn, thank you for sharing this video! I didn’t know Soloist is made again. I had to try it because you sound awesome with it. I made a short clip playing along with a bluesy jazz backing track. No compression or EQ just a little hint of reverb. Hope this can help you all who are considering the Soloist, it is a great mouthpiece. You can listen it here: ua-cam.com/video/4KPqoSYmnRI/v-deo.html
I recently sold a STM Florida 8* in pristine condition for top dollar (I've got it almost for free), it could not compared with my Aizen So, and that Aizen So is a Soloist copy some sort. With that said, I think your Soloist is way better sounding than the TE.
Hey man sounds like you had 2 scores here lol. You got the piece for not that much and sold it for top dollar lol... that's 2 W's lol. Thanks for your comment man
Hm. Man I think you are comparing two MP that are really really close together. They are the same "type" of a MP. They sound the same style. It is so close that in my eyes the playability is much more important to find a winner! Not all altissimo sounds the same or comes out with the same effort on different MPes. I mean the easyer or better one to play should win for me in my eyes. A sound comparison everyone hears would for example be like a metal Guarala vs a Rubber Soloist or Link. An that would make a real difference on stage then. *amateur commentary off* :-)
It is totally unrealistic and inappropriate to test out mouthpieces using the same reed. You are right when you use reeds and ligatures especially broken in on the appropriate mouthpiece. Incidentally the Soloist is classified as suited for classical music. This may be the usual advertiser license with the truth. Not the matter is something to lose sleep over but mouthpieces designed for classical music have concave side walls. None of the modern mouthpieces including the Selmer S 80 and 90 listed as suited for classical music have concave side walls. Matter of fact I have not seen any mouthpiece of modern manufacture with concave side walls. I am not a saxophonist but do manufacture mouthpieces to customers specifications. There is a world of a difference in sound character between a concave side walled piece and a straight side walled piece. Incidentally the concave side wall piece is more difficult to manufacture and the die is more elaborate. Straight walled, straight though pieces are the world easiest blowing ones though the sound lacks body and are edgy .The concave side walled pieces are a tad more hard blowing but have much more of a body , smoother and less edgy. Have you come across a concave side walled mouthpiece yourself?
Definitely the Selmer soloist...!!! It was free blowing, articulated better , and didn’t sound stuffy. Only a fool pays a lot of hard earned money for an old rubber mouthpiece today. The manufacturing processes have improved greatly. And the modern rubber mouthpieces are superior to old ones... old mouthpieces are a myth like a Selmer Mark IV...!!!!
Well, ya never can win eh? Ultimately I think it's true a reed will have a big affect, so matching it to both mouthpieces will give you some consistency but....as you say, marry a reed to a mouthpiece and it may not work well on another piece so give each their own. Which method is a more accurate representation of the mouthpiece tone and responsiveness? Probably Neither. For me a player needs to try a piece with as many manageable reeds as possible for himself/herself and move around from room to to room also to try to digging out what really are the underlying consistent traits. Then you get a better idea of whether you like it under as many different circumstances as possibe. But your playing is nice, your video's are worth watching, it's food for thought and makes for a good brain storming session so thank you.
Great comment! I agree 100. I can also add that it's also another step of accurate testing to play the piece on a gig. Different kinds of gigs too at that. There's even more you find out about a piece that way. Also mic'd verses acoustic too as well.
It is totally unrealistic and inappropriate to test out mouthpieces using the same reed. You are right when you use reeds and ligatures especially broken in on the appropriate mouthpiece. Incidentally the Soloist is classified as suited for classical music. This may be the usual advertiser license with the truth. Not the matter is something to lose sleep over but mouthpieces designed for classical music have concave side walls. None of the modern mouthpieces including the Selmer S 80 and 90 listed as suited for classical music have concave side walls. Matter of fact I have not seen any mouthpiece of modern manufacture with concave side walls. I am not a saxophonist but do manufacture mouthpieces to customers specifications. There is a world of a difference in sound character between a concave side walled piece and a straight side walled piece. Incidentally the concave side wall piece is more difficult to manufacture and the die is more elaborate. Straight walled, straight though pieces are the world easiest blowing ones though the sound lacks body and are edgy .The concave side walled pieces are a tad more hard blowing but have much more of a body , smoother and less edgy. Have you come across a concave side walled mouthpiece yourself?
LOL at "Title Text Here".... supposed to have said... "leave your comments below".... ugh!
I’m a little late but I love both. They each have something the other doesn’t. I love the open round tone the soloist gets, and all those overtones. But also love the direct and clear sound of the link. The soloist kinda reminds me of Greg Tardy’s sound. I know he loves hard rubber
I love the sound of the Soloist. I have 3 nice vintage Links, and I really want a Soloist. The low end so tight and poppy, and the high end is really sweet. The articulation is nice and clean. It seems very comfortable to play on.
yes it's a very nice piece man. It has a different vibe than a link. I like links too of course but this soloist is special I find myself always going back to it
You look more comfortable with the reed on the soloist. You still sound GREAT on both of them, thats completely on you. Each mouthpiece has its own things. Its definitely good to have both of them around. Great sound as always man. I cant stress this enough
thanks so much for your comment man I really appreciate it!
if i sounded like that i wouldn't care about mouthpieces, it's gonna sound killing anyway
Just like two good quality wines! Can't tell the difference! Not a surprise really because 80+% of the sound is you. You sound very good Stantawn and I love your videos. The cheaper of the 2 mouthpieces sounds the best to me :-)
Joe Henderson came to CCM back in the early nineties and sounded unbelievable. He tended to bury the mic in his bell. Helped him get that crazy sound that still kills me. You sound beautiful on both pieces. You play differently with both--thanks for taking the time to put these videos together.
I definitely love Joe. Such a unique player, unique sound and unique compositions. Master saxophonist
love the soloist....guess it 'speaks to me'.. here's a big consideration for all those listening...makes a big difference what you listen on. Headphone, laptop speaker, desktop speakers.....not all listening devices are created equally
Exactly 100% I don't think people take this into consideration when listening for sound differences. It makes a huge difference.
You always know it's a good piece when you don't stop playing it lol! Thanks for sharing!
LOL so true!
The Selmer has more air and a softer muffled sound vs te has less air but brighter sound vs the soloist has a bit both brighter and muffled vs the link has brighter sound then the Selmer great comparison on all of them
You're incredible on both. Love the sound of the Link TE
more projection on the link. Sound great on both so just pick the one that feels more comfortable.
I recently bought a new Selmer Soloist "E" (not worked on) and it is a straight up Classical mouthpiece. I get the impression that all the guys that are using this piece have them worked on to get that jazz sound out of it. If you can, I'd like to get the name and even contact info on who can work on this piece to alter it for more of a jazz Joe Henderson type of sound. Thanks man.
You are very right Mr Stantawn you were smooth on either mouthpiece. You are a voice for the future I snuck in No Longer Bound Mr Kendrick's I'm still feeling all warm and fuzzing inside. I can't wait to purchase my own copy very original being a horn player myself you put me at a crossroad...but I'm happy for you your futures so very bright.
Link is def brighter. Both sound GREAT.
Haha this spoke to me cause I'm transcribing dextors solo from bosa right now and I heard that little lick
I like the sound of the otto link.
I like them both, they both have there own tone that could be used in different edges of the Jazz world.
I just love your sound on that Link
thanks so much! decisions decisions lol
Assume Job!!! Bruh you make it seem so simple.... You sound great!!! I want to be like you when I grow up.
Thanks for yours videos! But I'd like to add my two cent here... This "same reed+ligature" thing, in my personal opinion, does not work. We should always try to optimize the set up for that particular mouthpiece... Using the same reed and ligature is not a fair comparison, because one particular reed might work just well on mouthpiece A might not be so good at mouthpiece B. This is coming from a guy that played the Otto Link HR for 12 years and recently changed to the Soloist. BTW, I changed EVERYTHING (horn, mouthpiece, ligature, even the freaking music stand.. LOL). With that in mind, I give round 1 to Soloist and round to Link. Cheers and keep it up!!! Looking forward for round 3!
I agree with this 1000% it's always been my thing to use new reeds or different cut/brand reeds with a different mouthpiece depending on what makes it speak best. Some pieces like certain things better than others. I feel like you said... it isn't fair to use the same reed on both being it was broken in for one piece over the other.
I also agree. Because when comparing using the same reed it is as if you are looking for the mouthpiece that sounds best with your $4 reed.
In my opinion, definitely Selmer Soloist. It has better projection and more interesting sound.
Nice, precise upper register. It just has that "something" that I like!
That Soloist has the sound I like. Of course you sound great on both. Gonna continue this journey I've undertaken with determination and joy.
Overall, I prefer the Soloist. It has a bit darker, more focused sound. Both sound great though. I would use both depending on the genre of music.
right the particular gig definitely makes me decide one over the other
Def like the soloist better. More harmonic and has a little more bite. Definitely more complexity to the sound.
What a great video, thank you!
I am in the process of buying a tenor mouthpiece, and this was enlightening.
You sound great, and your methodical approach is excellent. My two cents: at least the ligature should be the one that fits best to each mouthpiece, because the shape of the two mouthpieces are different. The reed choice may also be adjusted, although if one’s go-to reed is a certain brand and strength anyway, that might be less relevant.
Long time ago i saw this very interesting video and today i thought of something....:
Have you tried the Selmer Classic (metal) mouthpiece for tenor? Maybe "H" model?
Have a wonderful day :)
the link is definitely brighter and crisper. that selmer has a softer tone but as usual you sound great on both.
thanks man!
He proved his point, there was actually a drastic difference when it comes to how the link sounded on the last video compared to this one. I still prefer the soloist, as it seems to fit my style of playing better, but "which mouthpiece is better" is a very subjective topic.
I am really digging the otto link surprisingly
You sound great on both however I do hear a distinct difference. To me the Link sounds way better. More oomph and balls to express it professionally. And it has the edge.
In my opinion, the selmer sounds brighter and louder, the link sound dark and with less buzz. I would have to say whatever feels best with your mouth. You have a killer sound, but for me the Selmer wins!!!
Thanks for post awesome videos!
thanks so much man!
You sound great! I agree with you and I would go even further.... I think in a comparison you need to allow each mouthpiece to perform its best, so you need to have a reed that complements it. You may even need to use a different strength or even brand of reed for each mouthpiece because they have different facing lengths, rails, chambers, etc. Thank you for your videos.
The funny thing is "mic placement" could change this whole video
Both sound great. In an eyes shut test they were hard to separate. I would not say one was better than the other, just a bit different. So depends what you want. Personally I play a Selmer Soloist .
The Selmer Soloist give you a Joe Henderson sound...
Since I prefer a Dexter Sound, I prefer the Tone Edge. Both sound great.
Of course you sound great on both, but I think I like the Link best. Cheers.
So my opinion is unchanged from the earlier video. The soloist is the better Warm mouthpiece. The link is brighter, but if you wanted really bright, you'd go metal.
I think the telling notes are the high, non-altissimo notes. Those are the ones you want to play sweet. Both cover the low end really well. But try a sustained high B through D. Which do you like the sound of better? That is really the test I think?
So, def the Selmer for Ballads. Now I want one.
great comment thanks for listening man and thanks for the detailed view! The Selmer is a very unique mouthpiece
Soloist seems brighter with more edge
Another option for comparisons is to use a synthetic reed for both. Manufacturing differences would be slight. No break in necessary. I am a newbe so maybe explain the difference between the soloist c,d, and e versions.
Oh dear, I still love the Selmer!!! may have to try one :-O ....such a complex sound :-)
The soloist is definitely clearer. Although the Otto is a bit silkier. Both sound great!
for me selmer it is like a blended wine and the link oh my like bold merlot and you seemed more confortable playing link am i correct. got go with link save the selmer for classic music not trying to say that it is only for classic but you know what i am saying. ..love your sounds. blessings.
thanks so much man I appreciate the comment!
It could be my audio gear but I hear the Selmer just a little "harder" or more driving than the Link but each time you play, they seem almost identical (in the Coltrane style), so I can see why you like and use both of them. Wow, good musicianship! Is it typical for a balanced action Selmer to resist the high G harmonic? My King tenor plays the altisimo G effortlessly.
Fantastic video. Subtle difference but I prefer the Selmer which is a bummer as I've just won bidding for a TE on E bay. Btw, how tight do you fasten the lig?
Man, you sound great on either one! I kind of love the focus of the soloist. Is it a vintage soloist? What tip opening?
saxnova the soloist is a vintage one yes. It has been customized to a 7*
You sound great on both!!!!
I think you need to try it both ways! Now, when you're using a mouthpiece that you've had for years and trade back and forth between, I'd say use a reed/lig that you always do. But when you're trying out a new mouthpiece I think it's a great idea to use a new reed and an old reed. The reason you want to use an old reed broken in on another mouthpiece is to see how the mouthpiece your trying out handles old reeds! We've all had (or heard) of those mouthpieces that only work when Mercury is in retrograde and all the stars are aligned, and if you end up with one of those mouthpieces and you're at a gig and you have one reed left you want something that's not going to sound like shit! In this case of this video, I think your original video summed everything up. As for the tone quality, both sound great. At this point in the game it's all about what you think! Once you move up from student level mouthpieces to professional and have the skills to handle it, it's all personal prefference and what's needed for the gig.
thanks for your comment bro! Yeah I feel the original video summed it up too as well. The comments I'm seeing here are juts like the comments I've seen in the original video. Just varied personal taste. I believe as long as my chops are in good condition... I can get a sound out of course. The rest is timbre. Like you said... it really depends on what's needed for the gig.That's a great way to look at it!
"You want me to play second alto in the pit for Cinderella?" ... better get out my Beechler!
Hi Stantawn
Hummm,i prefer the Link,more wider sound,or with more character,and less edgy that the Soloist does.
I like the Soloist too,but my heart prefers the Link,,i have two Links,one HR ,and one Florida,,and another one a Stubby old Dukoff 8, my favorite is the HR Link....Keep posting,,Man whatever you play,,we love it...:)
Mario from Canada
Thanks for watching man! My favorite two pieces. Reed was a bit soft here! But both of these pieces have character. I also have 2 metal links one FL and one Tone Master. Haven't been on metal in a while though!
Nice comparison. You have a great sound on both but i prefer the link by far. It has a big open sound compared to the selmer. More lush and free. The selmer is more focused and projects better however my guess is that you can push more air through the link and it will blossom even more than the selmer? Now, will you sell me your vintage tonemaster?
No sir lol. The vintage tone master and the FL link aren't for sale either of course lol. Those are my 2 metal pieces and these are my 2 hard rubber pieces lol. Do you know how terrible I would feel selling any of these lol. I wouldn't sleep well at night lol. I just haven't been on metal lately. Thanks for your details man! It's much appreciated!
In my opinion the Soloist had a brighter sound, projected a bit more and sounded more even across the registers than the Link. The Link had a bit of a darker sound and seemed to be uneven in the lower registers. Just my thoughts....
It seemed to me like maybe that particular reed was a better match for the Link.
There's so many variables, it makes it really hard to compare "apples to apples." If I sounded like you do on both of those pieces, I'd have a hard time choosing between them, too!
Hey Stantawn! I'm just curious to know how you started your jazz career and what your education in music is. Great video as always, cheers!
Hey Aaron hope all is well man. I have a Masters from William Paterson University. Been into music since about 8 years old! I'd have to do a video on this one day to go further in detail. I could type it all out here but people may not see it and still ask lol.
That would be great! I look forward to hearing the whole story. I think you have a Sittin' with Stantawn episode 2 topic Lol
Que buen comparativo!. Aguante la otto t e.muy buen sonido logra, felicitaciones.
What openings are you comparing? Also what reed and strength. Thanks for the vids man can't get enough of that sound :) also for a true comparison you should plan the exact same line. Then we're really comparing apples to apples :D
Link every day and twice on Sundays.
OTTO LINK TE 👏☝️👍😊
I have never like selmer mpcs. But you sound great on it. I have great success with links. You sound great on that too. It is you that sound great. The mpcs only enhance you. Go with the selmer i like the overtones.
Thanks man! I've played links forever. Hard rubber and metal. I only got into the soloist when I got into Joe Henderson for a long spell. However for some reason aspects of my link influences carried over to the soloist so it's an interesting combo for me. I think I honestly stuck with it because of how the piece felt physically in my mouth. It's been about 3 years now. However, I still have my links lol
BTW, we want you to post more......
I vastly prefer the Selmer. You play wonderfully, by the way.
I have a vintage soloist size D it must be broken it don't sound like that when I play it lol
I must get more hours in to even think about getting some of your sound great post man "Peace"
LOL thanks man. I'm still working hard at it. Since I've posted this video I've gone up on my reed strengths. It wasn't apparent to me until I listened back to this video. Things feel a lot better now. Keep at it man. We all have things to improve on
Thanks
It would be helpful to know what tip openings the two mouthpieces were and if the Selmer has had any work done to it? D'yathink???
both .105 tip openings. Yes the Selmer is custom
I have to go with The Soloist both sound great but I like the sound on the solo it's better
Surely ( stop calling me Shirley ) using the same reed only works if the tip openings are pretty much the same. I gotta think the Link you're using is probably way more open than the Selmer. Most Selmer horns back in the day came with C* or D's of E's. all of which have pretty close tip openings compared with the more common Links . I think I remember you saying you were using a Link 7* That's 20 thou more open than a Selmer E which is huge?? I can't see that using the same reed makes for a good comparison? Seems to me if the reed on the Selmer ( assuming the Selmer's an E ) was comfortable to play there'd be way more resistance on the Link?? Just sayin'??? Your thoughts??
I think that when you're comparing mouthpieces, it makes more sense to get whatever reed and ligature sounds THE BEST for each particular mouthpiece. You want to find out what gives you the absolute best sound between the two, not which sounds better with the same setup. One reed might naturally sound better with one mouthpiece vs the other, and I don't see that as a fair comparison. If I compare mouthpieces, I want to hear how each mouthpiece sounds at it's very best, and it might take different reeds to get each piece to that point.
I think that it's also important to note that regardless of how amazing a player's microphone and recording setup is, it will never be able to capture all of the qualities of a player's sound that you would hear in real life if you were right in front of them. Even professional studios can come close, but there will always be certain qualities of the real life sound lacking. Stantawn, you have an absolutely beautiful sound, and that's just from a USB Microphone or an iPhone camera! I can't even imagine how great it would be to hear you live; I hope that I get the chance to someday. I've never been so captured by a player's sound in the same way that I get captured by your sound and by your playing. Keep up the awesome work man!
Hmmmm... both sound great but I think I like the Selmer soloist best (which is a surprise). The Link is brighter and louder but in this video I like the color and complexity of sound that you get on the Soloist.
...but to really know which one I dig the most I'd have to hear you live playing both pieces. Great demonstration and both pieces do sound great!
Thanks brother! I appreciate your comment and yes you are 100% right on that. The gig is what tells the whole truth. It could be the genre of music, the stage setup, amplification etc all of that determines which one has what in it. Also, I've been playing this soloist for a good 2 months. Just popped the link on that day for a few minutes. Playing the link for a few weeks could also obviously change some things too. Or like I originally did in an older video and still do believe... use a new reed on the link instead of the used reed that's been used for the soloist.
I see what you mean, but I love the brightness he gets from the link
The Soloist has a better facing, but the link as more potential.
Tone Edge ❤️❤️❤️
I find my Link and Soloist like opposing characteristics in reeds. So in a way, they hedge each other with a new box of reeds. Once I divide the box of reeds to their mouthpiece assignments I try not to cross play them. Damn this sounds wayyy to technical sorry but hope you all get my drift
In other words I don’t believe in using the sam setup to compare mouthpiece because each mouthpiece needs to be optimized in its own way
@@alvincornistamusic8754 completely agree
I like the Selmer Soloist more. Yes, I admit it... I'm a Joe Henderson addict... and I like your sound more on this one.
I think that the Link has more body, which I prefer.
Link ❤❤❤
Soloist sounds more mature,,,,bigger and a more robust mid range.you sound great on both but for how you express your tone and phrases the soloist makes more sense. The first pass on the Ottto it sounded like you were playing a reed that was broken in on the other mouthpiece. The second time you played the Otto it seems a litle smoother. Soloist for the win! Background on me...been playing sax 30+years, listening for longer than that. The brightness of the link doesnt translate to more musical...your ideas and musicality seem more fully expressed on the Soloist. The Otto sounds smaller, less full on bottom.
thanks for your comment man! Very detailed and very thorough. This is why I feel it's better to play new reeds on a different mouthpiece. Instead of using a reed that's been used constantly on another piece. But I will say the articulation and other things are better on the soloist for me. It could be just naturally or it could be because that's what I've been playing consistently for the past 2 months or so. I could play the link for 2 months and go back to the soloist and the same could be true in reverse lol. It's all about being comfortable to me and what type of timbre you want for the gig
Well the soloist has a bit more of clean tone. But I prefer the sound of the ottolink.
The Link gives you a Gene Ammons sound
Personal preference rly but I like the soloist
I'm a Link GUy so I'm more accustomed to my Otto Link hard Rubber 8 slant
Let’s be real they sound very close to the same. I feel like when it’s that close of a style of mouthpiece you could choose the one feels better to you and just play it and quit worrying about the setup and start worrying about the sound
does your soloist has rollover baffle?
Do you roll out your bottom lip?
Which one prevailed?
The only fair way would be one reed,... brand new, the same reed and the same ligature on both mouthpieces.....
And what kind of reed and ligature are you playing in this video?
Hi Stantawn,
thank you for sharing this video! I didn’t know Soloist is made again. I had to try it because you sound awesome with it. I made a short clip playing along with a bluesy jazz backing track. No compression or EQ just a little hint of reverb. Hope this can help you all who are considering the Soloist, it is a great mouthpiece. You can listen it here:
ua-cam.com/video/4KPqoSYmnRI/v-deo.html
Thank you for specifying it’s a soloist F. Great sound. I just ordered a Link Tone Edge but the soloist will be my next piece
What are the openings and reed strength / brand used?
both are 7* reeds... hmmm I'm not sure what it was at this point
I recently sold a STM Florida 8* in pristine condition for top dollar (I've got it almost for free), it could not compared with my Aizen So, and that Aizen So is a Soloist copy some sort. With that said, I think your Soloist is way better sounding than the TE.
Hey man sounds like you had 2 scores here lol. You got the piece for not that much and sold it for top dollar lol... that's 2 W's lol. Thanks for your comment man
Hm. Man I think you are comparing two MP that are really really close together. They are the same "type" of a MP. They sound the same style. It is so close that in my eyes the playability is much more important to find a winner! Not all altissimo sounds the same or comes out with the same effort on different MPes. I mean the easyer or better one to play should win for me in my eyes.
A sound comparison everyone hears would for example be like a metal Guarala vs a Rubber Soloist or Link. An that would make a real difference on stage then.
*amateur commentary off* :-)
It is totally unrealistic and inappropriate to test out mouthpieces using the same reed. You are right when you use reeds and ligatures especially broken in on the appropriate mouthpiece. Incidentally the Soloist is classified as suited for classical music. This may be the usual advertiser license with the truth. Not the matter is something to lose sleep over but mouthpieces designed for classical music have concave side walls. None of the modern mouthpieces including the Selmer S 80 and 90 listed as suited for classical music have concave side walls. Matter of fact I have not seen any mouthpiece of modern manufacture with concave side walls. I am not a saxophonist but do manufacture mouthpieces to customers specifications. There is a world of a difference in sound character between a concave side walled piece and a straight side walled piece. Incidentally the concave side wall piece is more difficult to manufacture and the die is more elaborate. Straight walled, straight though pieces are the world easiest blowing ones though the sound lacks body and are edgy .The concave side walled pieces are a tad more hard blowing but have much more of a body , smoother and less edgy. Have you come across a concave side walled mouthpiece yourself?
selmer soloist sounds better....got that joe henderson type tone on it
Definitely the Selmer soloist...!!! It was free blowing, articulated better , and didn’t sound stuffy. Only a fool pays a lot of hard earned money for an old rubber mouthpiece today. The manufacturing processes have improved greatly. And the modern rubber mouthpieces are superior to old ones... old mouthpieces are a myth like a Selmer Mark IV...!!!!
One. It's a Selmer Mark VI (which he's playing). and 2. The soloist he has is a vintage soloist, not a modern
It's not so cut throat as "modern rubber pieces are superior to old ones." There are good and bad modern pieces, and good and bad vintage pieces
i think the selmer won.
Well, ya never can win eh?
Ultimately I think it's true a reed will have a big affect, so matching it to both mouthpieces will give you some consistency but....as you say, marry a reed to a mouthpiece and it may not work well on another piece so give each their own.
Which method is a more accurate representation of the mouthpiece tone and responsiveness? Probably Neither.
For me a player needs to try a piece with as many manageable reeds as possible for himself/herself and move around from room to to room also to try to digging out what really are the underlying consistent traits. Then you get a better idea of whether you like it under as many different circumstances as possibe.
But your playing is nice, your video's are worth watching, it's food for thought and makes for a good brain storming session so thank you.
Great comment! I agree 100. I can also add that it's also another step of accurate testing to play the piece on a gig. Different kinds of gigs too at that. There's even more you find out about a piece that way. Also mic'd verses acoustic too as well.
It is totally unrealistic and inappropriate to test out mouthpieces using the same reed. You are right when you use reeds and ligatures especially broken in on the appropriate mouthpiece. Incidentally the Soloist is classified as suited for classical music. This may be the usual advertiser license with the truth. Not the matter is something to lose sleep over but mouthpieces designed for classical music have concave side walls. None of the modern mouthpieces including the Selmer S 80 and 90 listed as suited for classical music have concave side walls. Matter of fact I have not seen any mouthpiece of modern manufacture with concave side walls. I am not a saxophonist but do manufacture mouthpieces to customers specifications. There is a world of a difference in sound character between a concave side walled piece and a straight side walled piece. Incidentally the concave side wall piece is more difficult to manufacture and the die is more elaborate. Straight walled, straight though pieces are the world easiest blowing ones though the sound lacks body and are edgy .The concave side walled pieces are a tad more hard blowing but have much more of a body , smoother and less edgy. Have you come across a concave side walled mouthpiece yourself?