Why the Sopranino Saxophone is AWESOME

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Have you tried playing a sopranino saxophone?
I tested the baby of the saxophone family, with this sopranino from P Mauriat.
Find out the challenges and fun of playing this little saxophone.
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Learn saxophone here: bit.ly/dSopNino_TrySaxSchoolO...
Free lessons on our blog: bit.ly/dSopNinoBlog
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Chapters:
0:00 - Introducing the Sopranino
0:20 - Sopranino size difference
1:27 - Sopranino playtest
3:30 - Challenges with Sopranino
4:26 - Sopranino build
5:17 - Are you ready to play the Sopranino?
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[@allandunn1431]

Sounds fab, Nigel - and so small my wife might not notice that I've spent a fortune another sax!

[@McGillMusicSaxSchool]

Ha! Cheers Allan

[@etpslick100]

I’m not a horn player but always love the soprano sax. The sopranino sax has a high pitch distinctive tone but if played correctly; it sounds sweet!😌🎷👍🏾

[@McGillMusicSaxSchool]

I agree.

[@alejandropabloarturi2560]

I am a sopranino player dedicated 100% to the instrument!! Thanks! 🎉

[@nigelstreet]

A great an difficult challenge. But you pulled it off. Respect to you Nigel.

[@McGillMusicSaxSchool]

Thanks Nigel.

[@olaflangness2907]

I am not a fan of the soprano saxophone. I always think I would prefer they were playing with a clarinet or flute. I was taken aback by how nice a sound the sapranino made, and I suspect that it has more to do with the musician than the instrument. You made it sound so sweet. Great job!

[@McGillMusicSaxSchool]

Thanks.

[@q12aw50]

I like the unique tone a soprano has compared to a clarinet, so i just have both to get both sounds 🤷‍♂️ first world problems ig

[@FNBRVolts]

There’s a time and place for clarinet, clarinet is there for the spiff and class, while soprano is there for that still saxy, but also oboe like.

[@tioliak]

Very clear tone produced. Sound like an oboe ❤

[@chrisperyagh]

I even use a sopranino sax to play oboe parts that are in ridiculous keys and up in the stratosphere where things are awkward for oboe, but a total breeze on the 'nino. And as saxes are essentially large bore oboes anyway, no-one can complain. I've got the Chiltern (Howarth) sopranino which is from the same Taiwanese factory as the Mauriat one and based on the Selmer SA80II 'nino, but a lot less expensive than the Mauriat.

[@mallorga1965]

First time hearing it and I love it! All right, a very important part of that is your playing.

[@McGillMusicSaxSchool]

Yes but great that you love the sound!

[@jpsned]

Love the way you blow through those changes.... so sweet!

[@williamjackson6705]

Thanks for showing us this instrument. I've never seen one, but I have heard Jazz masters Antony Braxton & Jan Garbarek play it. Lovely sound.

[@KrisPeter]

One of those instruments that if played well can sound heavenly (like it does when you play it). Really superb. Thanks

[@beckyn9338]

You make it sound quite lovely, Nigel! It would be a fun horn to have, but I’m not sure I could make it sound as beautiful as you do!

[@JewelBrimage-zz6rt]

I Love it, you make it sound so Pretty! Don’t think I would get one, I already have a hard time keeping the Soprano in tune!😅

[@paulgeiger6177]

Absolutely would love one, maybe one day!

[@stefanogortaldi3156]

I've started playing the sopranino 3 years ago after decades of Alto and Tenor and more recently the Soprano which is the one I prefer. I enjoy the soprano so much (it feels more "intimate" than other saxes) that I decided to get the smaller brother; and I didn't find it that difficult moving from Soprano to Sopranino but getting alternative mouthpieces (other than the "default" from the manufacturer) on the secondhand market is a real challenge as these are rare and rather expensive (still I managed to test and buy a few extra mouthpieces). Soprano is my first choice simply because the extras available (third party ligatures and mouthpieces in particular) make it more versatile. I hope the market of the Sopranino starts developing - probably some are going to be inspired by your demonstration (it's about time too...well done).

[@McGillMusicSaxSchool]

Thanks.

[@marleenvisser117]

I love the sound! thanks for sharing!

[@McGillMusicSaxSchool]

Thanks for watching!

[@horowizard]

It sounds quite lovely playing by itself. I would like to hear it in the context of some other instruments. There are even curved Sopranino Saxophones. I would be curious to hear what one sounds like.

[@McGillMusicSaxSchool]

Me too!

[@ACMulti100]

​@@McGillMusicSaxSchool, I think that a different form factor of a saxophone of the same variety (type) in sound will not make a difference. At least that's what the music teachers told me.

[@EvanTateMusic]

I've played a sopranino saxophone in concert with an orchestra back in college. It was an amazing thing! I only had a months time to get it together for the concert (I played a Concerto for Alto Sax (doubling on sopranino) with orchestra. I had played a vintage sopranino sax that the school rented for the concert. Intonation was the biggest challenge and I spent most of my practice time with the sopranino on that. The sopranino hadn't a high E, F, of F# (I had to produce those for the concert using alternate fingerings), and I had managed to get a altissimo G# out of it. I'd love to play it again for my own enjoyment.

[@paulcohen2556]

I remember that concert! It may have been one of my sopraninos!

[@FNBRVolts]

Bari and bass is still my cup of tea, but I also love soprano and sopranino as I’m a clarinet player originally.

[@rayruiz8925]

You killed it.... excellent work

[@luiscorrea6993]

I don't play, but love the sound. I didn't even know the instrument existed. Thank you for educating us!!

[@McGillMusicSaxSchool]

You’re welcome!

[@q12aw50]

It gets higher 😳

[@varnalofaro]

love the sound, but of course you are playing, so it sounds sweet, I have a soprano that I have a hard time keeping in tune so can imagine the struggle on sopranino😂but yes I could be tempted🎶🎶💕

[@McGillMusicSaxSchool]

Ha! Go for it!

[@HankleburyTV]

Well, you certainly make it sound good!

[@mikem1517]

Oh God... I want one of these now such a beautiful sweet tone

[@McGillMusicSaxSchool]

Go for it!

[@mikem1517]

@@McGillMusicSaxSchool I looked them up and I think I'll need to save up for a while lol there don't seem to be any mid range priced sopraninos only about £3k mark

[@ACMulti100]

​​@@mikem1517, look sopranino Brachner SST 420L. I think it's the one of the cheepest sopranino saxophones. I bought this model in Russia on 37000 rubles, it's approximately 303 pound of sterlings.

[@user-uc5id2jz2r]

Anyway, thank you for your introduction of the members of Sax family. A nice "lesson"(nearly sweet indeed 😊).

[@McGillMusicSaxSchool]

Cheers!

[@user-yb8hl3mu7u]

I love the saxophone

[@artschwartz53]

I'm amazed. It sounds like an oboe. Very sweet sound

[@McGillMusicSaxSchool]

Glad you like it!

[@gangofgreenhorns2672]

James Muschler, the old drummer for Moon Hooch has an SBA sopranino and loves it. Only person I know to ever have or even play one lol.

[@McGillMusicSaxSchool]

Cool

[@coryholland1811]

I have seen a Model 26 sopranino. Very nice horn with surprisingly good intonation.

[@coryholland1811]

Nice review. The Mauriat has modern, Selmer style keywork. Maybe review the Yanigasawa which still has the older Mark VI style. Thanks for the efffort.

[@McGillMusicSaxSchool]

Cheers

[@JanvanKnip]

Great video and sound! I wonder if you could do the same on the curved version by Rampone & Cazzani

[@McGillMusicSaxSchool]

Great suggestion. I’d love to try one of those.

[@a1saxy]

Sounds great

[@McGillMusicSaxSchool]

Cheers!

[@DrJoeyBean]

It needs some reverb... try mic and add some reverb and delay to soften up the sound

[@spalding1968]

You played the hell out of that instrument

[@McGillMusicSaxSchool]

Oh cheers!

[@_your_mum_4408]

WHERE CAN I BUY ONE AHHHH

[@Demasiocorazon]

Das ist eine metallische Klarinette, ganz toll.

[@gib321]

I need all the forgiveness my tenor provides but you do get a beautiful sound from this little sax.

[@McGillMusicSaxSchool]

Ha, Cheers!

[@ketong71]

Would you say that the key layout is closer to or similar to a curved soprano? I know that curved sopranos have tighter key layouts versus the straight ones.

[@McGillMusicSaxSchool]

They can have although I’ve just been testing some curved and straight sopranos from P Mauriat and their keys are basically identical.

[@berkemac1]

Don't forget the soprillo - 1/2 the size of the soprano!

[@McGillMusicSaxSchool]

Yes….but that’s too scary for me!

[@ACMulti100]

1/2 size of sopranino.))) 😉😉😉

[@dalemiller2160]

awesome sound, Moanin FRogs use one at times, great sound!

[@AlbertonJiggletip]

I played baritone sax and switched to tenor. It was hell for me because i didnt think that it was in Bb and it was different. Everything i did sounded dull and funny. Im switching back to bari and will not switch to anything else untill im actually a pro. (wanna try a soprano when i get better)

[@brianpite0893]

I know it's in E flat , but is using my song books for alto a good match? I've heard yes and know.

[@McGillMusicSaxSchool]

Sure, you can use any alto music.

[@Alonso6390]

When you started playing it, I was like so what. Not very distinctive, maybe like a bad oboe. But I guess maybe you needed to get the metaphorical gunk out of it, and after that you got a real sweet and smooth sound of it. If I played it, though, I probably wouldn't make that progression like you did.

[@paulchung1480]

I really like the sound so I got two. Hahaha 😂

[@McGillMusicSaxSchool]

Ha!

[@ChinengeFlorence-tx5gb]

What key is the sopranino saxophone

[@McGillMusicSaxSchool]

The Sopranino is in Eb like alto and Bari.

[@ChinengeFlorence-tx5gb]

What key is that saxophone

[@McGillMusicSaxSchool]

It’s in Eb like alto and Bari.

[@curtisvalle5141]

Great.... now I want one...smh

[@tommyblack7998]

You play it great, but for me, the (Bb) soprano is plenty high enough, and, if needed, I can get it up to its altissimo C (concert Bb). Its top F# is high enough for most solos. Apparently, in the 1920s, there was an even higher freak known as the red-hot fountain pen. I hear that Joe Venuti could imitate it on his violin. So, no para mí, por favor. Nicht für mich danke.

[@okekeejike]

Hi, I am interest to be trained

[@ekaufman4800]

It wouldn't sound like that if I played it🤣

[@McGillMusicSaxSchool]

Ha! You might surprise yourself!

[@ph2738]

Did you hit any altissimo notes? Are they beyond human hearing.

[@McGillMusicSaxSchool]

Ooh I think altissimo on sopranino is beyond me!

[@ACMulti100]

I took about all the notes of the altissimo (albeit an unprofessional musician), but taking them on the go is stable, clean and beautiful, it needs a very fine motor skills of the labial apparatus, over which, for a more or less tangible result, it is necessary to work out more than a dozen, and maybe even more than one hundred hours of total class time. Because for high notes, a very precise, strong and at the same time very thin air supply is required. This task can be partially facilitated by buying a mouthpiece of the largest possible dimension available on the market, but it must be understood that blowing into a wide "pipe" and blowing into a narrow pipe involves techniques of different groups of facial muscles.

[@maciejwozniak5445]

Actually, sopranino is not really my cup of tea. The sound is too high for me. Personally, I prefer tenor and baritone saxes

[@danielwarren8595]

I agree

[@McGillMusicSaxSchool]

It’s not for everyone.

[@coryholland1811]

I learned on a soprano, which still sounds like a tenor to me. To each their own.

[@q12aw50]

I just like to have one of each of the 4 main sax’s, soprano alto tenor and bari

[@mediocreman2]

Nobody asked

[@JaegerDives]

IMO, played well, the sopranino can be beautiful. Also IMO, for many/most saxophonists it can a waste of money and time. While Nigel took to it like a duck to water, many of us can't do as well and end up sounding like a wounded animal. I don't think it is capable of the warmth that a soprano has.

I'm such a nerd

[@bobfountain2959]

It isn’t even the smallest sax!

[@McGillMusicSaxSchool]

I suppose so…. Not game for a soprillo though (and they are pretty rare)

[@ACMulti100]

​@@McGillMusicSaxSchool, soprillo is a rare and very expensive saxophone of the order of 4-5 thousand dollars. And few of the brands who produce it.

[@mediocreman2]

Why did you add digital effects? We don't need reverb in your living room.

[@ph2738]

I’ll ask my wife if I can get another sax.

[@user-rt8xp2zu5l]

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