Thankyou Ken. I've looked at a few demos but yours is the best. However hard I try though I cant a sound out of the durned thing. I can make a sound out of a small recorder so it seems I've still got some breath in my old body. Guess mine was a cheap Chinese version too. Thanks anyway from Tuneless Grumpy Granny.
Yes, the reed adjustment is not the same as a clarinet or sax, because the mouthpiece is shaped a bit differently. About midway on the little lip at the end of the mouthpiece seems to give the best results. :)
much needed, an example of what each note sounds like and how to achieve each each note. for example my high A sounds like my low E because the fingering is the same and my high F, Gb, and A dont sound right. It would be nice if there was a video that I could play along with so I know I'm making the right sound
I like the 2.5 just fine. Haven't played quite enough to try a 3. I tried a 1.5 and couldn't control that reed at all. An important thing to add: I put a piece of black electrical tape on the front side of the mouth piece to absorb any front teeth damage. Works really great and is important if you want your xaphoon to last! People will initially have a lot trouble with the holes, the position and the spacing, especially for the right hand. Just stay with it, you'll get it! The xaphoon won't blow your ears out like a real saxaphone will! My biggest complaint about the xaphoon is the limited amount of keys you can play with it. Playing accidentals isn't very easy and they tend to not be consistent volume, tone and pitch wise. Oh yeah and with the xaphoon I wouldn't bother too much with reading sheet music. Just practice scales and accidentals and learn to play by ear!
I love reading sheet music, but yes--learn those scales, major minor, Dorian and pentatonic. I just got a Harry Hartman carbon fiber reed and those accidentals (low Eb, Db. Gb especially) became much easier--louder, clearer and cleaner, More about this in an upcoming video. Control is more difficult with a softer reed. Consistent (and soft) embouchure is key! Keep practicing.
Thank you but this is a little advanced for me. I can't see how you're fingering the holes; just what constitutes a good sound; how do I know that the sound i am making is the right sound? and you don't show how I should blow into the mouthpiece: use just my lips? Bite into it? Too advanced for beginners.
Yes. Bite the top of the mouthpiece. The lower lip goes over your teeth. When you say "right sound", do you mean the correct pitch? That can be difficult for a beginner because it can vary so much. You could use a tuner to check your pitch, but a much better way is to listen to a tone of a known pitch and match it. You can ask Google or TH-cam for any pitch you want to match. Then learn the embouchure you're using for all the notes, and they should come out more or less correctly if you can keep it steady.
@@kennatco7916 thank you so very much for your prompt and detailed reply! I have copd and I was told that this could help my condition. I'm a drummer/percussionist and I play some decent guitar but the only blowing instruments i know are the recorder and harmonica. I'm very excited to try this, so again, maraming salamat po, which is Filipino for thank you very much, sir. Mabuhay! Long life to you!
@@dwightgaston6079 You are welcome! Wind instruments can help strengthen the lungs. I am blessed with a good pair of them, maybe from playing clarinet, saxophone, harmonicas, and xaphoon most of my life. Mabuhay to you too! I will remember that word. I like it!
The xaphoon doesn't have a separate mouthpiece. Unless you mean the reed. If that is stuck, soak it in some water for a while, and it should come free easily.
Those are nowhere near as good as the Maui Xaphoons. Unfortunately, they often use a video of the Xaphoon's inventor Brian Wittman playing a real xaphoon to market their product.
Great introduction video. I just ordered one.
Thankyou Ken. I've looked at a few demos but yours is the best. However hard I try though I cant a sound out of the durned thing. I can make a sound out of a small recorder so it seems I've still got some breath in my old body. Guess mine was a cheap Chinese version too. Thanks anyway from Tuneless Grumpy Granny.
I am making a sound. But need to work on a steady less squeaky, any more advise on position of lower lip?
As far down the reed as you can. The more reed you have in your mouth, the fuller the sound.
Just wondering if the plastic Xaphoon can play 2 octaves?
thanks uncle kenny :). I didn't know to keep the reed a little lower on the mouth piece... I am going to have to try this when I get home from work!
Yes, the reed adjustment is not the same as a clarinet or sax, because the mouthpiece is shaped a bit differently. About midway on the little lip at the end of the mouthpiece seems to give the best results. :)
thank uncle ken for this tutorial..very hard to try and get very beutiful sound..hehe
much needed, an example of what each note sounds like and how to achieve each each note. for example my high A sounds like my low E because the fingering is the same and my high F, Gb, and A dont sound right. It would be nice if there was a video that I could play along with so I know I'm making the right sound
Thx ken👍🏻
What size reed does a zaphoon use?
Tenor sax.
I like the 2.5 just fine. Haven't played quite enough to try a 3. I tried a 1.5 and couldn't control that reed at all.
An important thing to add: I put a piece of black electrical tape on the front side of the mouth piece to absorb any front teeth damage. Works really great and is important if you want your xaphoon to last!
People will initially have a lot trouble with the holes, the position and the spacing, especially for the right hand. Just stay with it, you'll get it!
The xaphoon won't blow your ears out like a real saxaphone will!
My biggest complaint about the xaphoon is the limited amount of keys you can play with it. Playing accidentals isn't very easy and they tend to not be consistent volume, tone and pitch wise.
Oh yeah and with the xaphoon I wouldn't bother too much with reading sheet music. Just practice scales and accidentals and learn to play by ear!
I love reading sheet music, but yes--learn those scales, major minor, Dorian and pentatonic. I just got a Harry Hartman carbon fiber reed and those accidentals (low Eb, Db. Gb especially) became much easier--louder, clearer and cleaner, More about this in an upcoming video. Control is more difficult with a softer reed. Consistent (and soft) embouchure is key! Keep practicing.
Thank you but this is a little advanced for me. I can't see how you're fingering the holes; just what constitutes a good sound; how do I know that the sound i am making is the right sound? and you don't show how I should blow into the mouthpiece: use just my lips? Bite into it? Too advanced for beginners.
Yes. Bite the top of the mouthpiece. The lower lip goes over your teeth. When you say "right sound", do you mean the correct pitch? That can be difficult for a beginner because it can vary so much. You could use a tuner to check your pitch, but a much better way is to listen to a tone of a known pitch and match it. You can ask Google or TH-cam for any pitch you want to match. Then learn the embouchure you're using for all the notes, and they should come out more or less correctly if you can keep it steady.
@@kennatco7916 thank you so very much for your prompt and detailed reply! I have copd and I was told that this could help my condition. I'm a drummer/percussionist and I play some decent guitar but the only blowing instruments i know are the recorder and harmonica. I'm very excited to try this, so again, maraming salamat po, which is Filipino for thank you very much, sir. Mabuhay! Long life to you!
@@dwightgaston6079 You are welcome! Wind instruments can help strengthen the lungs. I am blessed with a good pair of them, maybe from playing clarinet, saxophone, harmonicas, and xaphoon most of my life. Mabuhay to you too! I will remember that word. I like it!
@@kennatco7916 its what filipinos say instead of hooray. Means long life.
How do i change the mouthpiece..mines seems to be stuck
Twist it
The xaphoon doesn't have a separate mouthpiece. Unless you mean the reed. If that is stuck, soak it in some water for a while, and it should come free easily.
очень хорошая идея играть и контролировать интонацию каждого тона для этого управляем мышцами рта губами и дыханием с диафрагмой
Sicher sehr gute Erklärung. Habe ich leider noch nicht in Deutsch gefunden. Gruss
I bought a cheap Chinese version with more of an alto mouthpiece shape
I must have gotten one of those. I can't get any sound out of mine.
Those are nowhere near as good as the Maui Xaphoons. Unfortunately, they often use a video of the Xaphoon's inventor Brian Wittman playing a real xaphoon to market their product.