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Showing posts from May, 2015

Black Diamond Series Saxophones

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Not only are the   Black Diamond Saxophones are Beautiful   - They Play Outstanding!! When Rheuben Allen started to create the design for the   Black Diamond   Series Saxophones he wanted a saxophone that a live player could use.  Mostly that all clubs, weddings, concerts and generally most live performances are not held in the same location and all rooms are different acoustically. The saxophonist must adjust to the location and room size.  So the qualities of the Black Nickel Plating came to mind.  He still makes saxophones with Black Nickel Bodies and Silver Plating and had made a few with Gold Lacquered keys.  They play very nice and are very strong.  He wondered what the saxophone would sound like with all Black Nickel Plating so he made a couple Prototypes and was very happy with the results. They did everything he had hoped.  Black Nickel is very durable plating and adds a little weight to the instruments providing t...

Rememberance on Memorial Day

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On this Memorial Day, we remember the courage and sacrifices of the men and women who serve our country.  We thank you.

Tuning Properly

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Improving your Saxophone playing by tuning properly When most saxophonists tune up they use a middle G or F-Sharp. The main problem with this is that the middle G or F-Sharp is traditionally very sharp notes... usually 30 cent plus if the embouchure is not adjusted. The young saxophonist will generally not know where these notes are just by playing them alone. When the student pulls the mouthpiece out far enough to make the unaltered F-Sharp or G play in tune then the lower register of the instrument sill most certainly be flat. How to fix this problem: There are two simple things that can be done. One have the saxophonist play the G or F-Sharp in the lower register. These notes are normally much closer to being in tune and will allow the young saxophonist to learn where to play the middle D, D-Sharp, E, F, F-Sharp and G on the alto. To play any of these notes in tune the embouchure must be slightly altered. The second option is to have the alto saxophonist play a first finger ...

Roy Smeck: The Wizard of the Strings!

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Roy Smeck (1900-1994), known as "The Wizard of the Strings," was a master vaudeville and early radio performer. In addition to starring in musical screen shorts, he made over 500 recordings for various companies and wrote instructional/method books and arrangements for the many instruments he played, which included the octachordia (an 8-string lap steel guitar), tenor banjo, 6-string guitar, and the Vita-Uke, which was his own invention. He collaborated with the Harmony Company, which produced "Roy Smeck" ukes, guitars, steel guitars, and Banjos. Smeck's eclectic, unique style came through in his countless performances, early sound films, and original compositions. He was posthumously inducted into the Ukelele Hall of Fame as well as the National Four-String Banjo Hall of Fame. Check out this video to get a glimpse into the mastery of Roy Smeck: It's a shame he's not more well-known today! Share if you agree!

Luna Uke Song

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Ancient and modern collide in this affordable instrument. This ingenious uke features a distinctive treble/bass clef inlaid mahogany rosette with a B-Band preamp and USB output that allows a player to capture their creativity on the fly. You can plug into any USB-equipped recording device so that elusive ideas can be captured anytime, anyplace without the need for a power source. The Luna Heartsong is a great acoustic ukulele with a USB output for recording or live amplification. Heartsong Acoustic-Electric Concert Ukulele with USB output Features: ·        Distinctive Heartsong rosette Body: 23" concert Top: solid spruce Back & sides: mahogany Neck: mahogany Fingerboard: rosewood Scale: 15" Finish: satin B-Band preamp and USB output Gig bag and USB 2.0 Cable included