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soprano saxophone

Soprano Planet Open Sky SL Soprano Saxophone Mouthpiece Review

July 22, 2024 by Steve 11 Comments

Today, I am excited to be reviewing the new Soprano Planet Open Sky SL soprano saxophone mouthpiece released by Joe Giardullo at Soprano Planet.  SL stands for Steve Lacy and this soprano sax mouthpiece is modeled after Steve Lacy’s personal mouthpiece that Joe Giardullo had for about a year after Steve Lacy’s death.  Of course, […]

Filed Under: Mouthpiece Reviews, Soprano Mouthpiece Reviews Tagged With: Joe Giardullo, Open Sky, review, sax mouthpiece, SL, soprano planet, soprano saxophone, Steve Lacy

Theo Wanne Gaia 3 and 4 Soprano Saxophone Mouthpiece Review

November 15, 2022 by Steve 12 Comments

Today, I am excited to be reviewing the Gaia 3 & 4 hard rubber soprano saxophone mouthpieces made by Theo Wanne.  I reviewed the original Gaia soprano sax mouthpiece about 12 years ago and have been playing that mouthpiece on the soprano sax ever since.  This week I will be reviewing three Theo Wanne soprano […]

Filed Under: Mouthpiece Reviews, Soprano Mouthpiece Reviews Tagged With: Ambika 3, comparison, Gaia3, Gaia4, review, sax mouthpiece, soprano saxophone, Theo Wanne

Theo Wanne Ambika 3 Soprano Saxophone Mouthpiece Review

November 15, 2022 by Steve 13 Comments

Today, I am excited to be reviewing the new Ambika 3 hard rubber soprano saxophone mouthpiece made by Theo Wanne.  I reviewed the original Gaia soprano sax mouthpiece about 12 years ago and have been playing that mouthpiece on the soprano sax ever since.  This week I will be reviewing three Theo Wanne soprano saxophone […]

Filed Under: Mouthpiece Reviews, Soprano Mouthpiece Reviews Tagged With: Ambika 3, hard rubber, Jan Garbarek, review, sax mouthpiece, soprano saxophone, Theo Wanne

Ken Okutsu Traditional Soprano Saxophone Mouthpiece Review

March 3, 2022 by Steve 7 Comments

Today, I am reviewing a great soprano saxophone mouthpiece made by Ken Okutsu at Okutsu mouthpieces in Japan.    This is a hard rubber Okutsu Traditional model soprano saxophone mouthpiece with an 8 tip opening. Ken Okutsu Traditional Soprano Saxophone Mouthpiece Here is some information from the Okutsu website about the Okutsu Traditional soprano saxophone […]

Filed Under: Mouthpiece Reviews, Soprano Mouthpiece Reviews Tagged With: hard rubber, Ken Okutsu, mouthpiece, review, sax mouthpiece, soprano saxophone, Traditional

The SYOS Originals Smoky, Steady and Spark Model Soprano Saxophone Mouthpiece Review

September 24, 2021 by Steve 4 Comments

Today, I am comparing three new SYOS Originals series soprano saxophone mouthpieces.  SYOS mouthpieces has released this new Originals SYOS line of mouthpieces this month to give saxophone players a simpler way to order a quality mouthpiece at a more affordable price point. The SYOS Originals series comes in three models for tenor, alto and […]

Filed Under: Mouthpiece Reviews, Soprano Mouthpiece Reviews Tagged With: comparison, model, Originals, review, sax mouthpiece, smoky, soprano saxophone, spark, steady, SYOS

SYOS Dayna Stephens Signature Model Soprano Saxophone Mouthpiece Review

July 15, 2020 by Steve 14 Comments

Today, I am reviewing the Dayna Stephens signature model 7 soprano saxophone mouthpiece from SYOS mouthpieces in France.  This is my first soprano sax mouthpiece from SYOS that I am reviewing and I have to admit that I am pretty blown away by this Dayna Stephens soprano mouthpiece.   I literally took this mouthpiece out of […]

Filed Under: Mouthpiece Reviews, Soprano Mouthpiece Reviews Tagged With: Dayna Stephens, mouthpiece, review, Signature Model, soprano saxophone, SYOS

Comparison of the Theo Wanne Gaia and the Gaia 2 Soprano Sax Mouthpieces

April 7, 2017 by Steve 21 Comments

I did a review a few weeks back of the new Theo Wanne Gaia 2 soprano sax mouthpiece and have had a few people ask if I could make a comparison between the original Gaia mouthpiece and the Gaia 2 soprano mouthpiece. I have been playing the original Gaia for about seven years now and it has been […]

Filed Under: Soprano Mouthpiece Reviews Tagged With: best mouthpiece, comparison, Gaia, Gaia 2, sax mouthpiece, soprano saxophone, Theo Wanne

Johannes Gerber Solo LC Soprano Mouthpiece Review

November 19, 2015 by Steve 8 Comments

Today, I am reviewing another great mouthpiece by Johannes Gerber in South Africa. Mr. Gerber has been making mouthpieces for many years and I reviewed a tenor mouthpiece of his a few years ago.  The Gerber Slant model.  Johannes Gerber has a great reputation amongst sax players as well as craftsman for his excellent work […]

Filed Under: Mouthpiece Reviews, Soprano Mouthpiece Reviews Tagged With: jazz sax, Johannes Gerber, mouthpiece, SoloLC, soprano saxophone

Absolute “Soprano +” Saxophone Mouthpiece

December 18, 2013 by Steve 6 Comments

Today, I am reviewing a mouthpiece made by the Absolute company.  These are made in Italy and this model is called the “Soprano +”.  (I call it a ST model in the recording but it is the + model)   There is also a Soprano AL, Soprano ST and a Soprano R model on their website. […]

Filed Under: Soprano Mouthpiece Reviews Tagged With: Absolute, bill evans, mouthpiece review, sax mouthpiece, soprano saxophone

Soprano Planet Missing Link Soprano Saxophone Mouthpiece

November 9, 2011 by Steve 21 Comments

Today I am reviewing the Soprano Planet “Missing Link” soprano saxophone mouthpiece by Joe Giardullo.  I first discovered the soprano planet site  a few months ago while meandering around the internet.  I was immediately curious in Joe’s mouthpieces because he specifically focuses on just soprano mouthpieces.  He has a number of models listed on his […]

Filed Under: Soprano Mouthpiece Reviews Tagged With: missing link, mouthpiece review, soprano planet, soprano saxophone

Lamberson F Major 7 Soprano Saxophone Mouthpiece

June 13, 2011 by Steve 5 Comments

Today I’m reviewing a Fred Lamberson F Major 7 soprano saxophone mouthpiece.  Fred Lamberson is a great mouthpiece maker that I have known about for years.  I’ve tried most of his mouthpieces on my tenor saxophone and one of my favorite is my Lamberson J7.  Over the years,  I have never tried a Lamberson soprano […]

Filed Under: Soprano Mouthpiece Reviews Tagged With: F Major 7, Fred Lamberson, sax mouthpiece, soprano saxophone

“My Favorite Things” Solo- Theo Wanne Gaia Soprano Mouthpiece

December 10, 2010 by Steve 6 Comments

Every month my friends on SOTW (Sax on the Web) do a fun thing called “the tune of the month”.  Each month a different member of the site calls a tune that many of us will do a recording of.   This is a great tradition because it gets many of us out of our comfort […]

Filed Under: Soprano Mouthpiece Reviews Tagged With: Gaia mouthpiece, John Coltrane, My Favorite Things, soprano saxophone, Theo Wanne

Drake Son of Slant Soprano Saxophone Mouthpiece

November 24, 2010 by Steve 22 Comments

This is a Drake vintage resin soprano mouthpiece. It is called the “Son of Slant” in reference to a vintage Otto Link Slant soprano mouthpiece.  Here is the description from the Drake website of the mouthpiece: The design of this mouthpiece has been modeled after the Otto Link Slant model, with a few modifications to […]

Filed Under: Soprano Mouthpiece Reviews Tagged With: Drake Mouthpieces, Son of Slant, soprano saxophone, vintage resin

Theo Wanne Gaia Soprano Saxophone Mouthpiece

November 21, 2010 by Steve 12 Comments

Today, I have the Theo Wanne Gaia soprano saxophone mouthpiece up for review.  It is made of hard rubber and I believe it is a .065 tip opening ( that is what I had asked for……..the markings on the table say 7 x 113 but I have no idea what that means).  I have tried […]

Filed Under: Soprano Mouthpiece Reviews Tagged With: Gaia mouthpiece, large chamber, sax, soprano saxophone, Theo Wanne

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Testimonials

Steve- I joined your site this month and have downloaded 4 lessons and also purchased your new book and video on diatonic patterns. I just want to say I am very pleased with your approach and teaching techniques. I am getting back into playing after laying off for some time. The information you offer on your site is of great value and I am enjoying being a member. Thank you for what you are doing for the saxophone community.
Tony
Hi Steve, I live in a gorgeous but rural area of Oregon-no music store within 80 miles. Your lessons are my lifeline!  Truly the best there are anywhere online. Love your playing. Love your teaching.  Thanks again. Ed
Ed Woodmansee
I’ve been having ‘ online’  lessons with Steve for a few months now. Being a teacher myself I had had some reservations with the idea at first and the practicalities of it .  Let me just say that my playing has taken a huge leaps forward while studying with Steve and continues to do so.Steve studied with some renowned player/teachers such as Bergonzi and Garzone– this in itself is invaluable but Steve teaches from his own books, which cover a a vast amount of  jazz language. Steve h… Read more
David
I have found your videos and publications inspiring and your contribution to the world of saxophone playing is immense. Paul
Paul
Hey Steve, I’m a 22-year-old from Australia. I thought it would be worth saying. You’re an absolute legend. I can’t thank you enough. You have helped me rekindle my love for the saxophone and music as a whole. All the best for the future, your work doesn’t go unnoticed. PS. I am loving your devastating minor lines pdf.
Sapph
I want to let you know that your instructional material is transforming my playing.  It is an immense pleasure to learn and play now, and I can’t tell you how grateful I am. The instructional material I got from you is by far the best of any I own (and I have over 100 books, DVDs, and what not). I literally can’t thank you enough! Deric
Deric
Hi Steve, I can’t express just how much I appreciate your teaching. My playing has improved so much over the past year since I have been studying and practicing with your lessons. It is possible to teach an old dog new tricks, these lessons are proof! Thanks, Michael Byington
Michael Byington
Just to say thanks for your advice and lessons.  I’ve just read your amazing story.  I really appreciate what you do in regards to teaching.  I have bought a couple of your lessons and frankly they’re undersold.   I’ve learned much more with these two lessons than with 2 years of sax teachers.   Thanks so much………..
Mike
I just joined Neff Music last month. I can’t tell you how excited I’ve been to be able to pick back up on lessons. I’ve been in a rut and you got me out! I’ve especially appreciated the Lesson Path section. It was so clear I knew exactly where to jump in and start. Many many thanks!
Karin
Hey Steve, My name is Jason Freese and I play keyboards and sax in the band Green Day.  I grew up taking sax lessons from Eric Marienthal when I was a kid and got out of it for a long time. I ran into you on youtube while searching for sax stuff. I bought a whole bunch of your lessons and have been loving it! Thanks! Here is my wikipedia so you can see the albums I’ve played on….Thanks again. It’s sparked my interest in practicing again.   Jason
Jason Freese (sax player for Green Day)
I can see from your instructional videos that you are a fantastic teacher – one that can truly relate to all ages – humble yet very positive in approach – never coming across as superior and yet so totally capable of demonstrating the principles and techniques that you seek to impart to the students. I have gained so much confidence in my playing from “pouring over” time and again these invaluable lessons. Invaluable not only in musical content, but also in human interaction content. I am absolu… Read more
Ron
Just wanted to send you a quick note to say thank you for being you, your playing, your website and your desire to help others. I’m a professional musician in the US Army and I’ve visited your website almost every day since discovering it a couple of months ago. Your lessons are profound and easy to use. I’ve purchased most of your PDF books and now am starting to delve more into the video and audio lessons.  Thank you for being a great resource!
James
I am a music book junkie and I have to say that your books are the most clear, user friendly, and helpful books I own.  They are my absolute favorites and I only wish I had them years ago.  I wouldn’t change a thing about the experience I had in acquiring my degree at Berklee, but my playing has perhaps grown more in the time I’ve spent buried in your books and lessons.  Keep up the great work!!! Thanks, John
John
It is so refreshing to have a great player, who can provide lessons and examples in a manner which is understandable to most any enthusiastic saxophonist who is ready to improve. not just the, do this, do that, memorize this, memorize that… while all that is absolutely necessary, you go on to give reasons and examples to explain and validate why you have to do all of these things, the benefits, if you will… that is the key for me, you tell, explain, demonstrate, explain some more, you give perso… Read more
Cedric
Thank you so much for the great job you are doing to help further our jazz studies. Though I make my living as a repairer of musical instruments I am a student of jazz and have been fortunate enough to be involved with a big band and a combo for the last several years. As my children began to leave “the nest” I had decided to dedicate the next half of my life to a more serious study of the sax but I didn’t know exactly how I would go about doing this until a friend of mine turned me onto your si… Read more
Jon
I have NEVER seen material like yours.  Amazing!!
Jerry

Steve,

I have played for many years and have enjoyed going “back to the basics” in some of your lessons!  You have such a gift for explaining concepts.  As I have gotten older, some of the basic things have gotten muddled because I just play, not knowing why.  As I refresh myself with “why”, it increases my confidence and expands my playing.  Thank you so much for using your gift!  You are a blessing!

Julia
By the way, BIG COMPLIMENTS to you, Steve! Not only are you a great player, you are also a great teacher! I, too, am a woodwinds player/teacher. I have new inspiration to play and teach because of you. The concepts and “thinking” is similar to what I already learned in College, but hearing you explain and PLAY the concepts REALLY MAKES THE DIFFERENCE! Also, your written patterns are more interesting than other books I have seen! Keep up the good work. I will be recommending your sit… Read more
I will be recommending your site to others!
Absolutely the best learning experience in my 40 years of playing.These books are awesome!!
Alfred LaBella
I just wanted to write a thank you note to you for this website. I play and teach saxophone, but I have always been intimidated by the gear aspect. Your website has helped me become a lot more knowledgable. Your knowledge is staggering! I’m telling all my students about your website. Pierre
Pierre

Mr. Neff,  I want to thank you for sharing your God-given talents through your on-line lessons.  My husband, Michael, is blind, but he is a great sax player and he has been enjoying your lessons for quite some time now.  It’s not unusual for me to hear “Hey, babe, listen to THIS!” – and he will cut loose on his sax, just thrilled at what he learned during his session with you.  His excitement warms my heart!  You have no idea how much you have poured into my husband.  You have opened musical … Read more

Carole B
Hi Steve, I have been shedding your materials for quite a while now and I love them! They are extremely well organized and presented and there are tons of ’em! I really appreciate your methodical approach and find myself referring students to your resources often.  Thanks so much!  
Kenyon Carter

Steve,  Just want to say thanks for all you are doing for all of us. I’ve learned more from you than anyone else in my 40 years of playing.

If you can give some tips on One Note Samba, Ceora, and Wave… that would be cool.  I really like learning how you apply your concepts to actual songs!

Have a great year,

Kevin Ledbetter

I've learned more from you than anyone else in my 40 years of playing.

Hello Steve,

I just want to say thank you so much for your unbelievable work, it is just mind opening, thanks for sharing it.

Wolfgang from Berlin

Wolfgang from Berlin

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