Hi Paul!

I am also a sax player from Canada, and I was just interested in knowing what brand of sax you play. And I had another question too. I was just at the Ripps website, looking at the Topaz tour pictures. I found one of you setting up (or packing up) at sunrise, FL. The url is http://www.rippingtons.com/sunrise/index.html

It's the picture in the top right corner. I notice you putting a pad protector into the main body of your sax, but there's something else already in the bell. What is it, and what does it do?

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Mike Chase
mike_intel@hotmail.com
http://www.geocities.com/ac_bits/

hey mike,

it's been a while since anyone has posted...starting to feel like the creature in the picture in the upper left hand corner, hahaha. i guess it's time for a different picture there.

mike, i'm playing a selmer mark vi alto / yamaha soprano yss-62.
in the bell of my alto, i keep the neck. it's in it's own pouch...protects the neck and in the bell is a good storage space for it. do you use the 'shove-it' swab w/ your horn(s)?

peace,

pt

Hi Paul!

My alto is a Yanagisawa A900 pro. I do have the 'Shove-It' swab; one of my friends calls it a pad protector. My case is a really nice leather one with space for the neck seperately, so I don't have to keep it in the bell. Do you have any other tips for keeping the sax clean and in good condition? I use a brush for the neck and for the mouthpiece, and I have one of those cloth pads on a string to clean out the inside of the horn.

I haven't heard your solo stuff, or even Topaz (other than clips on CDNow, which doesn't show enough), but I am certainly interested.

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Mike Chase
mike_intel@hotmail.com
http://www.geocities.com/ac_bits/

[This message has been edited by Mike Chase (edited May 26, 2000).]

Mike,

There are real audio sounds of Paul's linked from each of his discs on his site. You should check them out.
www.paultaylorsax.com

D

[This message has been edited by double_d (edited May 26, 2000).]

[This message has been edited by double_d (edited May 26, 2000).]

...well said, double d and thanks!

mike, sounds like you take real good care of your equipment! good for you i mainly rely on the pad-saver for mine and frequent trips to my horn repairman, chuck kessler i'm kinda proud of my case...it's a leather reunion blues double bag for my alto and soprano.

later,

pt

Paul,
Just visiting your site, looking for any new tour dates (especially ones on the east coast, like Virginia)! Really enjoying your new cd UNDERCOVER, very smooth. It was great getting to meet you in D.C. Wish you all the best and continued success with your music career!
Tanya

hey tanya,

if you want to want to experience paul in his finest groove, check him out at six flags in largo, md, on the 4th of july. i've been a 'pt' fan since his early days and being on the road myself 90% of time each year, i have the good fortune of getting my groove on when he performs with his own band (check out jeff lewis on the drums... he brings down the beat and rocks!) and with the ripps. my personal best last year was 11 times, from coast to coast and "at sea". so far this year, i've seen his performances 4 times. the really cool thing about paul is that he loves the music and it shows in every gig... and he loves his fans, always makes time for them (even the "repeat offenders" like moi!) so if you want real sparks on the 4th...check him out! i'll be in town, so, you know i'll be there.

peace,

gwenn

tanya and gwenn, thank you so much!!

hopefully more tour dates will come as 'undercover' does it's thing in the marketplace and on radio. i'm very happy with the way things are going this year. i'm living my dreams getting to record and play for fans like you!

peace,

paul

Hi Paul!

I had a couple other questions, some about equipment, and some not.

1) What brand of reeds do you use? I noticed it was 2 1/2 strength on the alto, which is what I play best with, but what brand? Right now I'm just on Rico student reeds.

2) What is your setup for sax mics? Are they wireless? How expensive are those things?

3) Do you know of any musicians out there now in the jazz/contemporary jazz world who DON'T have university degrees in music? I finished my grade 9 piano with Toronto's Royal Conservatory of Music, and got a mark of 90%, after which I promptly quit formal lessons and got more into jazz and modern church music. I still love music and play a lot, and would seriously consider pro music, but without the university degree.

I'm starting computer science in the fall at the University of Waterloo. I was fortunate enough to get the residence that also contains the music faculty. I will play sax in the university jazz band every term I'm at the school, and hope to start my own band as well from people I meet. I'll also be taking the courses the school offers about the physics behind music and the technical side of music, like the recording process and midi setups and all that.

I also pretty much live music. I'm always playing songs in my head, have done some composing and frequently make up tunes on my own that I don't write. I also play from my soul instead of from a page. I can even practice the sax without having the instrument. Last week, I was walking down the street home from work and reviewing some songs that I'm playing in a recital in my head, moving my fingers to the right notes. When I picked up my sax last night, I was playing the songs right, and I'd never played them before

Do you think that people like me have a chance of succeeding in today's world? What does it take?

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Mike Chase
mike_intel@hotmail.com
http://www.geocities.com/ac_bits/

[This message has been edited by Mike Chase (edited June 02, 2000).]

hello mike,

1) i'm using vandoren v16 2 1/2 on alto and rico plasticover 3 1/2 on soprano.

2) right now, i use shure wireless lx series. (affordable) just got the shure uhf series, (expensive) which i'll incorporate soon! in the studio, the akg c49, and neumann's (very expensive) work for me.

3) i don't know any specifically right now...but i'm sure there are many.

looks like you are on your way, learning, meeting and networking. hard work and determination along w/ keeping sight of your goals and dreams no matter what anyone says, works for me.

peace,

paul