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Bari in a concert band -- threshold of boredom?

He's wrong, of course. They're not paying for how much or how little you play during a piece, but your ability to successfully play the piece. :p

I didn't re-read the entire thread, but one director I worked for loved dotted-quarter note, eighth, repeat ad nauseam for bari. Sigh.

Looking at Bari Sax Guy's setup, a Yani B9930, I can understand the frustration a bit more: $14,700 horn. I'd want parts with a little more meat, too :D.
 
Looking at Bari Sax Guy's setup, a Yani B9930, I can understand the frustration a bit more: $14,700 horn. I'd want parts with a little more meat, too :D.
Was wondering where you got that low, low price. Then I checked Kessler's Music. Quinn the Eskimo can't keep these babies in stock. They go as fast as we get them!
 
https://www.wwbw.com/Yanagisawa-B-9...one-460590.wwbw?skuId=site8sku460590000000000

I usually get my prices off of there because "WWBW.com" is easy to type and I'm lazy. It just happens that WWBW and Kessler have the same price in this case.

Just on the topic of price, the most expensive horn I've held was a 1920s/early 1930s Evette-Schaeffer contrabass, which you could value up to the price of a new one, I suppose, so about $20K. I've come close enough to touch two Conn-O-Saxes, but didn't: I told the gentleman that owned the first that I disn't want any part of touching a $50K to $100K instrument and in the latter case, the horn was in a museum (Phoenix MIM). It wasn't behind glass or anything; just on a stand. I could have taken it home.
 
Gandalfe & Pete et al, I purchased the B 9930 from Quinn in 2016 - the price was not even close to $14k + . I traded a Series II Bari + some cash.

Great horn, as are all the Yanis that I have played. I am hoping to play Bari at Jazz camp in August, but I offered to cover A/ T or B where needed,
so we shall see.
 
BTW, BSG, send me some pics of your Yani tenor and bari and that Keilwerth bass, please.

All the Yanis I've ever played were terrible. I'm fairly sure that this was due to the state of repair of the ones I played, otherwise Yani would have gone out of business a long time ago
 
Pete - I think you know what those horns look like - My purchase of the Keilwerth Bass was discussed on Helen's Bassic Sax site. I drove to NJ and bought it from the seller in NJ. Here is a review of the IW case I bought for it (the discussion of the purchase of the horn is further back in the Bassic Sax web site) The case review - circa June 2010:

http://bassic-sax.info/blog/2010/re...se-for-vintage-american-style-saxes-a-review/

If pics are helpful, its actually time to take some photos for insurance purposes, and I am proud of my horns, so sure...pics will follow.
 
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having bounced around a few community bands over a number of years, I'd say that yeah, the tenor parts are worse. It wasn't so bad in a band that was very sparse in the middle voices because I had meaningful space to fill, but in other band more well attended and organized band, I was almost superfluous.

I'm playing bari last few years and I do prefer it. I'm not a great player so for me, its more about going out and doing something that keeps my lips warm. That said, I sit near two stronger players, one who plays bassoon and the other bass clarinet and bassoon. Sitting there I can easily say in comparison that the Bari is the most unnecessary of the three. All things equal I'd take the bass clarinet first and then the bassoon before making sure the Bari Sax seat was filled.

I feel most useful in jazzy 20th century hit medleys, and hold my own in marches.

The absolute worst thing about it is the seating positions. I understand why you want the low instruments in the middle, but its a fetching pain maneuvering around a messy band room with #@&@#$ Baritone Saxophone tied around your $%$&@! neck while carrying your music in your other hand. I have to get their early just to have any resemblance of ease getting my position set up.

And that's the problem with large instruments. You can't just sit down, slip into your seat, take the instrument out and put it together while its case rests on your lap. With a bari sax you gotta' get "set up". Small instruments get to sit on the peripheral parts of the group and slip their case under or besides their chair. I gotta' store mine elsewhere in the room. I have to often take multiple trips across the band room to get ready, and often multiple trips to get stuff in my car when going to remote concerts.


What makes it worse is that most other players who sit on the sides have little respect for your troubles. One alto sax player in my group often pretends she doesn't notice me when I try to slip past her trying to get to my seat on a crowded floor. "I'm here, I'm comfortable, your plight is your problem." is the vibe I get.

I can't just get there early, I have got to get their first by about ten minutes so I have time to get my stand and chair set, get the music on it, take the instrument out of the case, hook up the harness, grab the mouthpiece lig and reed, stow the case...somewhere and get it all together by the time the tenor and altos show up or I'm going to be dancing around a shitshow of bodies, cases, and other obstacles in an overweight, chicken-legged German body while waving around a ten pound instrument made of butter-soft brass. My equipment is very humble: a troublesome, century old Buescher and a Mexiconn I have just brought into service over the covid break. I've always wanted a more modern bari, but for the life of me don't think i'd be too excited about subjecting a nice horn to this environment.

I like playing bari. The sound is good, the parts fit what I need right now and I enjoy the group. If I ever quit the bari, and I'm sure that day is coming, it will be because of all the logistical bs, not the repertoire.
 
The absolute worst thing about it is the seating positions. I understand why you want the low instruments in the middle, but its a fetching pain maneuvering around a messy band room with #@&@#$ Baritone Saxophone tied around your $%$&@! neck while carrying your music in your other hand. I have to get their early just to have any resemblance of ease getting my position set up.

And that's the problem with large instruments. You can't just sit down, slip into your seat, take the instrument out and put it together while its case rests on your lap. With a bari sax you gotta' get "set up". Small instruments get to sit on the peripheral parts of the group and slip their case under or besides their chair. I gotta' store mine elsewhere in the room. I have to often take multiple trips across the band room to get ready, and often multiple trips to get stuff in my car when going to remote concerts.

What makes it worse is that most other players who sit on the sides have little respect for your troubles. One alto sax player in my group often pretends she doesn't notice me when I try to slip past her trying to get to my seat on a crowded floor. "I'm here, I'm comfortable, your plight is your problem." is the vibe I get.

Now 65, with mostly younger players in concert band now (how'd that happen), I get a lot of offers for help which so far I've turned down. As the founder of the big band, I *wish* I'd get more offers to help with the fronts, electrical gear, and stands. Just sayin' ...
 
having bounced around a few community bands over a number of years, I'd say that yeah, the tenor parts are worse. It wasn't so bad in a band that was very sparse in the middle voices because I had meaningful space to fill, but in other band more well attended and organized band, I was almost superfluous.

I'm playing bari last few years and I do prefer it. I'm not a great player so for me, its more about going out and doing something that keeps my lips warm. That said, I sit near two stronger players, one who plays bassoon and the other bass clarinet and bassoon. Sitting there I can easily say in comparison that the Bari is the most unnecessary of the three. All things equal I'd take the bass clarinet first and then the bassoon before making sure the Bari Sax seat was filled.

I feel most useful in jazzy 20th century hit medleys, and hold my own in marches.

The absolute worst thing about it is the seating positions. I understand why you want the low instruments in the middle, but its a fetching pain maneuvering around a messy band room with #@&@#$ Baritone Saxophone tied around your $%$&@! neck while carrying your music in your other hand. I have to get their early just to have any resemblance of ease getting my position set up.

And that's the problem with large instruments. You can't just sit down, slip into your seat, take the instrument out and put it together while its case rests on your lap. With a bari sax you gotta' get "set up". Small instruments get to sit on the peripheral parts of the group and slip their case under or besides their chair. I gotta' store mine elsewhere in the room. I have to often take multiple trips across the band room to get ready, and often multiple trips to get stuff in my car when going to remote concerts.


What makes it worse is that most other players who sit on the sides have little respect for your troubles. One alto sax player in my group often pretends she doesn't notice me when I try to slip past her trying to get to my seat on a crowded floor. "I'm here, I'm comfortable, your plight is your problem." is the vibe I get.

I can't just get there early, I have got to get their first by about ten minutes so I have time to get my stand and chair set, get the music on it, take the instrument out of the case, hook up the harness, grab the mouthpiece lig and reed, stow the case...somewhere and get it all together by the time the tenor and altos show up or I'm going to be dancing around a shitshow of bodies, cases, and other obstacles in an overweight, chicken-legged German body while waving around a ten pound instrument made of butter-soft brass. My equipment is very humble: a troublesome, century old Buescher and a Mexiconn I have just brought into service over the covid break. I've always wanted a more modern bari, but for the life of me don't think i'd be too excited about subjecting a nice horn to this environment.

I like playing bari. The sound is good, the parts fit what I need right now and I enjoy the group. If I ever quit the bari, and I'm sure that day is coming, it will be because of all the logistical bs, not the repertoire.
this is so true i get there early to set up and wait till people file out to put horns away. no way my mk6 bari is comming to community band
 
having bounced around a few community bands over a number of years, I'd say that yeah, the tenor parts are worse. It wasn't so bad in a band that was very sparse in the middle voices because I had meaningful space to fill, but in other band more well attended and organized band, I was almost superfluous.

I'm playing bari last few years and I do prefer it. I'm not a great player so for me, its more about going out and doing something that keeps my lips warm. That said, I sit near two stronger players, one who plays bassoon and the other bass clarinet and bassoon. Sitting there I can easily say in comparison that the Bari is the most unnecessary of the three. All things equal I'd take the bass clarinet first and then the bassoon before making sure the Bari Sax seat was filled.

I feel most useful in jazzy 20th century hit medleys, and hold my own in marches.

The absolute worst thing about it is the seating positions. I understand why you want the low instruments in the middle, but its a fetching pain maneuvering around a messy band room with #@&@#$ Baritone Saxophone tied around your $%$&@! neck while carrying your music in your other hand. I have to get their early just to have any resemblance of ease getting my position set up.

And that's the problem with large instruments. You can't just sit down, slip into your seat, take the instrument out and put it together while its case rests on your lap. With a bari sax you gotta' get "set up". Small instruments get to sit on the peripheral parts of the group and slip their case under or besides their chair. I gotta' store mine elsewhere in the room. I have to often take multiple trips across the band room to get ready, and often multiple trips to get stuff in my car when going to remote concerts.


What makes it worse is that most other players who sit on the sides have little respect for your troubles. One alto sax player in my group often pretends she doesn't notice me when I try to slip past her trying to get to my seat on a crowded floor. "I'm here, I'm comfortable, your plight is your problem." is the vibe I get.

I can't just get there early, I have got to get their first by about ten minutes so I have time to get my stand and chair set, get the music on it, take the instrument out of the case, hook up the harness, grab the mouthpiece lig and reed, stow the case...somewhere and get it all together by the time the tenor and altos show up or I'm going to be dancing around a shitshow of bodies, cases, and other obstacles in an overweight, chicken-legged German body while waving around a ten pound instrument made of butter-soft brass. My equipment is very humble: a troublesome, century old Buescher and a Mexiconn I have just brought into service over the covid break. I've always wanted a more modern bari, but for the life of me don't think i'd be too excited about subjecting a nice horn to this environment.

I like playing bari. The sound is good, the parts fit what I need right now and I enjoy the group. If I ever quit the bari, and I'm sure that day is coming, it will be because of all the logistical bs, not the repertoire.
Maybe I'm weird but I don't like playing bari/tenor sax in concert bands (unless it's a paid gig). I would rather play bass clar / bassoon if I were to choose.
..not that the tenor/bari parts are not as important it's just that my ts/bari saxes are set up for jazz/funk music (big sound with edge) and I would have to "inhale" all through a concert just to blend.
With bassoon/bass clar I can play as loud as I want as the tone is a bit more acceptable.
Aside from doing paid weekend gigs right now I play with two community groups during the week. Tuesday's concert needed a 1st clar so I got to play alongside my first clarinet student (who is 50y/o)...it was fun. The kid(?) still plays well.
The thing about playing bassoon/bass clarinet is that I can sit-in with bands every week night M-F and all of them could use an extra bassoon....
 
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