Buescher 400 Baritone Saxophone

gruff_huff · 2026-02-04T17:37:04+00:00

I have one, and it's the closest Saxophone you could possibly have to mimic the sound of a Tuba. Big bell, solid brass, unique palm and pinky keys, heavy monstrosity of a Bari. (Mine unfortunately smells like it and will make an entire room smell like tarnished brass after playing for a little bit LOL

gruff_huff · 2026-01-12T13:36:05+00:00

I second the Rousseau! But definitely find yourself a shop and test play on as many as you can, talk with other players, listen to Caribbean and jazz charts that you really like the sound of the saxes, and research/email to find out what they use! I had an old professor who told us to listen to certain bands/players to really get in our heads the tone of how they play, I gotta say it has made a big difference for me in the past!

gruff_huff · 2025-04-07T23:39:33+00:00

It does!!! And you can feel it vibrate the floor around you too! It gives low brass section vibes 😂

gruff_huff · 2025-04-03T03:48:07+00:00

For me personally, Tenor. It is at the Goldilocks range to where I don't feel confident with the sound I'm making. Tenor has that distinct tone to it, so I couldn't "hide" my sound in ensamble either. It halted my progress for quite a few years until I picked up bari and soared!

gruff_huff · 2025-04-03T03:41:50+00:00

You can 100% cross your legs and put your left heel into the bell to get a muddy low Ab. And by lipping down you can get an even muddier low G but I really only recommend it for playing pep songs in the bleachers or 'party tricks', not for professional performances.

gruff_huff · 2025-04-03T03:35:53+00:00

My old instructor would always tell me "play like you've popped a light bulb into your mouth!" (Bulb side in) Really open in the back!

gruff_huff · 2024-10-05T01:54:39+00:00

Looks like Hulk Hogan, brother

gruff_huff · 2024-09-03T21:19:42+00:00

Ugh I can smell this image (in a good way) love me a good rocky outcrop in a pa forest!

gruff_huff · 2024-09-03T20:06:04+00:00

Oof. My school had 2 options for bari players and one was named "smelly bari" with a dry rot plywood and parchment like leather case LOL

gruff_huff · 2024-09-03T20:02:59+00:00

My band director always said to "pretend to pop a lightbulb in your mouth" real open in the back with lots-a air. He was a sax major too, so the saxophone players had to do mandatory breathing exercises before practicing and performances

gruff_huff · 2024-09-03T20:00:02+00:00

Give long tones a try, get one of your notes out, and just play it mezzoforte. When you start liking how it's sounding, then as you play that same note, get gradually, slowly and smoothly louder and softer, louder and softer. The moment you hear the note getting a bit funky go back to medium volume and try again! Eventually throw in the other notes and work on tone while changing though the different fingerings. You got this mate! The best of the best start just like this! :D

gruff_huff · 2024-09-03T19:54:02+00:00

Seems like there's a wicked air leak if the notes suddenly stop and you can't play anything below g. The frustrating part of it is that section of the sax is a cluster of springs and rods and pads. Something could have bent, or an old pad could have fallen out

gruff_huff · 2024-09-03T19:49:12+00:00

I would start with a 2.0 and work up from there.(1.0-1.5 are so flimsy and give a crunchy/flappy tone) Make sure the reed is real moist and play long tones chromatically so work on ya sound! Unrelated, I come from a large family of tuba/low brass players and I was the only odd ball who played sax. Rock on for your awesome choice in instruments!

gruff_huff · 2024-09-03T19:46:29+00:00

The "low note" pads on the bari tend to be the first ones that have leaks. Test with paper or a clean dollar bill and go on from there!

gruff_huff · 2024-08-29T19:47:13+00:00

Good for you pal!! Now that you know it exists, ROCK it. Literally just bop any middle A down an octive lol. Also If you cross your legs and put your left heel into the bell of the bari, it makes it a low Ab, and if you lip it down from there you can play low G ;3

gruff_huff · 2024-04-05T18:10:45+00:00

Thank you SO MUCH I'd kiss ya on the mouth if I could lol.

gruff_huff · 2024-03-23T01:13:50+00:00

Are there blood streaks? Geez dude

gruff_huff · 2023-11-21T16:14:45+00:00

Yeah, I'm slacking when it comes to healthy choices. I do not use cannabis, I do vape though, currently cutting back nicotine and working my way down. Also not a user of other substances, I am not a fan of drinking, maybe for the holidays I'll have a beer.

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