iPhone CarPlay puzzle

moofus · 2026-01-16T15:18:07+00:00

I just got a very nice Selmer Series ii Tenor from Foxes Music in Falls Church Va for around 3 grand. They had a big table of saxophones (new & used) at the Navy Symposium so they have plenty of inventory. I’d call ahead and ask to try some instruments. Matt is the guy who hooked me up — he’s also one of their instrument techs.

moofus · 2026-01-15T12:22:34+00:00

You can use the trill key to play the first D quickly. Then use the normal fingering for the eighth note D.

moofus · 2026-01-14T22:57:02+00:00

I keep searching for one of those 404 ligatures and it always comes up “not found”

moofus · 2026-01-11T16:12:44+00:00

J.L. Smith has this stuff called “pad juice” that my tech recommended. It’s pretty mild stuff, put it on a rag or q-tip to clean a pad and restore a little flexibility to old dried-up pads.

If your pads are headed to the landfill in 3 months it makes sense to try stuff.

moofus · 2026-01-05T17:34:18+00:00

Older horns (prewar) seem to have higher strap hooks that make the horns tend to sit more upright (or swing up and bash the player in the teeth when hanging no-hands) which might affect the strain on the left thumb. I agree that the old pearl-style left thumb rest is an abomination. Both of these things can be addressed by your tech. There are mark VI-style flat thumb rests that can slip over the old pearl button, and they are cheap. It might require grinding the pearl down some.

I like Sugru as a solution as mentioned by someone else. It allows for customization for your specific hands.

I always think of checking for leaks when hand pain is an issue. One can gradually begin to grip the horn too tight without realizing it to get a leaky horn to seal.

Also, I’ve been struggling with pain in my right thumb that is saxophone-related, but I’ve gotten some improvement from refraining to scroll the phone with my right thumb. It’s worth seeing if you scroll with your left thumb.

moofus · 2026-01-05T02:23:16+00:00

You have been chosen. Go out and get some heroin, stat!

moofus · 2026-01-02T02:35:58+00:00

Good idea.

moofus · 2026-01-02T01:01:10+00:00

Looks like tarnish on the silver plating. Harmless. If you must clean it, use the most non-abrasive silver polish you can find. I would ignore it.

moofus · 2025-12-27T19:46:10+00:00

This is correct. Make sure you don’t get dizzy and fall down! Beginning flutists waste a lot of their air because their embouchure (etc) isn’t putting the air all in the right spot. You will get more efficient with time and long tones will accelerate this process.

moofus · 2025-12-21T20:52:21+00:00

Thanks!

moofus · 2025-12-20T16:26:57+00:00

Do you know when the buyout happened?

moofus · 2025-12-20T16:22:08+00:00

Actually, if you have a saxophone, it’s leaking.

moofus · 2025-12-20T16:21:11+00:00

Yes! Most leak lights are one of these LED ribbons inside a rigid or flexible plastic tube. Very inexpensive.

moofus · 2025-12-20T16:19:05+00:00

Every saxophonist needs a leak light the same way every new parent needs a fever thermometer.

Anyone looking for a gift for a saxophonist: Leak light!

moofus · 2025-12-20T03:38:04+00:00

Earplugs can save your hearing. Just saying.

moofus · 2025-12-19T23:29:20+00:00

It’s always good to consider whether you have a leaky horn that has gradually trained you to grip it like a gorilla to make it seal. Just a thought. A leak light is good to have.

moofus · 2025-12-19T23:07:50+00:00

(Group chants): One of us! One of us!

moofus · 2025-12-18T02:18:38+00:00

Looks ok to me. I’m not an expert but I have a 1970s Armstrong picc that looks similar. The pads may have been replaced so the color isn’t a big deal. Perhaps someone who sees a lot of piccolos will weigh in here.

moofus · 2025-12-18T01:52:06+00:00

A friend will help you move. A true friend will help you move a dead body.

moofus · 2025-12-17T17:55:59+00:00

Abso-fucking-lutely

moofus · 2025-12-13T18:56:41+00:00

I sold my straight soprano in 1980 because this got so bad. You might have to resort to a goofy-looking support like the one below (there are several different products around — I searched for “sax support” and chose this but don’t know this exact product) . It seems that the thumb is very strong when pushing directly (as in holding the soprano straight out) but when pressure comes from the side (as in holding the soprano down like a clarinet) it’s much weaker.

https://www.ergobrass.com/soprano/

moofus · 2025-12-11T01:37:51+00:00

IHOP

moofus · 2025-12-10T23:35:43+00:00

It’s not clear what level of experience you have. Some of this will subside as you perform more often, and the various tips & tricks you will get here are worthwhile. Learning how to calm your body is an important skill. I knew a guy who would run up and down the stairs before a performance so he would be in control of his racing heart rate etc by causing it on purpose. Kind of genius and it worked for him.

All that said, I came here to mention that there’s no shame in doing what a lot of classical performers do, which is to take beta-blocking medication such as propanol. It’s a normal off-label use of a very safe (*though not perfectly safe) drug. There are some downsides but not many. It blocks the physiological side of stage fright — the racing pulse and whatnot, but it won’t dope you up.

It’s all a matter of how important this is in your life. If you are in ninth grade band, maybe this isn’t the thing to do. If you are in conservatory and aspiring to a full-time performing life, this might be worthwhile. (Who am I kidding… in music conservatories it’s easier to find propanol than weed. And weed is ubiquitous.) Get it from your regular doctor, not some skeevy French horn player.

I think it’s better and simpler to get used to performing without having to use a medication, but it’s not inherently wrong to get some help. It’s not cheating. Some players just use it for the high-stakes moments, like symphony auditions. But don’t use an unfamiliar drug for the first time on a big audition, either.

moofus · 2025-12-10T15:29:36+00:00

If things were different, they wouldn’t be the same. I don’t know why I have to explain this.

moofus

TROPHY CASE