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Sound reflector

Started by littleplum, March 11, 2012, 02:05:32 PM

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littleplum

Well I thought that I would stat this section off. 

A lot of stuff for the sax can be very expensive, so I always look to see if it can be made at home.  I am no engineer but I do have a friend who is not only an engineer but a sax player too.  So we always sit down over a cuppa with a piece of paper and a pencil.

The idea of a sound reflector came from an advert in Saxophone Journal, it was a plastic shhet that clipped on to your bell and could be angled to reflect your sound back to you, to aid tone and tuning. Their price was about $40 plus postage!

So after lots of trial and error involving bits of plastic, clips, pegs etc we decided that a stand mounted one would be better. 
The result is shown on my website http://daveplummer.net/2010/08/17/sound-reflectors/

We all get told that we need to listen to what we play, however by the time the sound has bounced back off of the nearest wall and returned to your ears, it has been diluted and you are already playing different notes.  The next stage is to play against the wall, which is better because the sound return is a lot quicker but not very good if you want to read the music at the same time, or the only available wall is very close to the door into the room (as in my house) you are likely to get a door in the face.

The sound reflector we made is adjustable to pretty much any music stand and works well for all saxes (apart from curved sop) and clarinet.  I use it on my stand during band rehearsal and I can hear every note that I play even with a 20 piece big band going full pelt behind me.

I also find that the quality of the sound I hear is better than against the wall.  I am discovering new uses for it all the time, the last one being that you can hear clearly if your fingers are not closing the pads correctly, which is not always evident without a reflector.

The company Rat Stand who make telescopic music stands also make one of these, but all theirs is is a telescoping music stand with a transparent perspex plate instead of the music holder section.  So you would need a music stand and another stand to reflect the sound.  That just seems like an accident waiting to happen.

Check out my website for details and pictures and if you are interested in one for yourself then let me know and we can get one too you.  The cost is ?22.00 plus ?3.00 postage

regards

Dave Plummer
www.daveplummer.net

Tony Edge

I?m looking round for a nice off/cut of ?? inch clear Perspex sheet to make a reflector.
With your details on your blog on reflector have been very helpful I?ve been experimenting.
I usually print my music with an ink jet printer the problems over a period of time the get smudged and dog eared I don?t like turning pages most of my music is in a large font and
And adjust font size to fit on three a4 pages.
I have been laminating these with 150 micron clear plastic wallets.
On the music stand I use put a piece of electrical U channel to enable three vertical a4 pages.
Playing sax with the bell fairly close to the music makes quite a good reflector.
Just wondering about making a three fold A4 Perspex reflector that could hold music score.

littleplum

just beware of perspex as it can shatter, we use shatter proof plastic.  Lets see some pictures when you make it.

Dave