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Alexander Superial
Some words from Tom Alexander...
I started to conceive of the idea of producing a new reed when I was busy playing saxophone professional- ly in the late 80's. At that time I noticed that I was buy-ing box after box of even the most famous brands, only to find that they contained few or no reeds that really worked well or lasted as long as the ones I remembered from years before. From this realization, I began my quest to try and produce reeds I felt would work better, and the rest is history. 10 years after the introduction of the original Superial, followed by the "DC" and Classique models, we now find that these reeds are being enthusiastically recommended and used by woodwind players in four continents. from beginning students to some of the top woodwind artists in the world. We believe that the great French cane we use and the cut profiles we developed, combined with the hand-rendered quality control steps we employ, are points of quality which make a difference. My dream of coming up with better reeds for myself became a success far beyond what I originally imagined because so many other players also seem to be achieving the same positive results with them as I did. We welcome you to experience for yourself the perfor- mance of our reeds and hope you find the same great tone, projection and service from them that we have...
I started to conceive of the idea of producing a new reed when I was busy playing saxophone professional- ly in the late 80's. At that time I noticed that I was buy-ing box after box of even the most famous brands, only to find that they contained few or no reeds that really worked well or lasted as long as the ones I remembered from years before. From this realization, I began my quest to try and produce reeds I felt would work better, and the rest is history. 10 years after the introduction of the original Superial, followed by the "DC" and Classique models, we now find that these reeds are being enthusiastically recommended and used by woodwind players in four continents. from beginning students to some of the top woodwind artists in the world. We believe that the great French cane we use and the cut profiles we developed, combined with the hand-rendered quality control steps we employ, are points of quality which make a difference. My dream of coming up with better reeds for myself became a success far beyond what I originally imagined because so many other players also seem to be achieving the same positive results with them as I did. We welcome you to experience for yourself the perfor- mance of our reeds and hope you find the same great tone, projection and service from them that we have...
SUPERIAL “D.C.”
“DC” was designed with the Big Band and “Blue Note” eras in mind. “DC” has a profile with more wood on the tip, heart and sides wich produces characteristics of a darker, more powerful, more solid tone core, but enhanced by a feeling of aliveness...a singing but deep sound that makes things happen on a ballad or full throttle on a burning up tempo tune.
ALEXANDER SUPERIAL “DC” was designed with the Big Band and “Blue Note” eras in mind. “DC” has a profile with more wood on the tip, heart and sides wich produces characteristics of a darker, more powerful, more solid tone core, but enhanced by a feeling of aliveness...a singing but deep sound that makes things happen on a ballad or full throttle on a burning up tempo tune.
This is the original American style reed we manufactured wich produces a warm harmonic “buzz” and brightness favored by Jazz, Fusion, and popular players these days. The keywords here are “Free Blowing”, “Fast Articulation”, and “Presence”...the kind of performance that reeds powered by the right type of cane and cut can produce.
SUPERIAL “CLASSIQUE”
Designed with an even thicker profile than “DC”, Classique is meant to deliver a classic sonority, coupled with a full rich scale and excellent dynamic properties. “Classique” is not only favored by classical players, but by some Jazz players who want even more wood in the heart and tip.
Designed with an even thicker profile than “DC”, Classique is meant to deliver a classic sonority, coupled with a full rich scale and excellent dynamic properties. “Classique” is not only favored by classical players, but by some Jazz players who want even more wood in the heart and tip.
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Some Important Tips.. .Please do the following preparation and break-in steps for the reeds in the first two days: Select the reeds you plan to use and soak them in a glass of water (preferably warm) for 2-3 minutes or a bit more if desired. After soaking and removing excess water, place the reed you want to prep on a piece of glass or other flat, hard surface and hold it down at the stock with your fingers. Then stroke the reed forward with the fingers of your other hand from the rear of the vamp to past the tip. Continue this massaging operation 7-10 times or so. The reed is now prepped for playing or storing. If you choose to play it now, it should still be moist from soaking but if it isn't, please briefly soak it before you play. Any reed you want to use should always be soaked right before each playing session, though a soaking time of 1-2 minutes or so after the first two days should be enough except in a very hot, dry environment. The idea is that the reed should not be dry right before you play it, nor should it be over-soaked.To keep a reed moist during breaks, you should use an unventilated mouthpiece cap to prevent it from drying out |
Break-In We also suggest the following break-in procedure if you desire maximum stability and prolonged reed life: In the first 2 days of use, only play the reeds in the p (soft) to no louder than m (medium) range for around 5 minutes and somewhat longer the next day. After the first 2 days, they can be played normally and may feel slightly harder after the break-in. The exception to this break-in is for reeds that feel a good bit too hard from the first playing. With reeds like this, you can skip the above break-in step, just soak and play them normally from the first day. Ligature We recommend you use a ligature which exerts sufficient and even downward pressure on the reed. A loose or worn synthetic band-type liga-ture or one that doesn't apply firm and well distri-buted compression on the reed may not seal it to the mouthpiece table properly. For further tips on reed adjustment/care and other general information on our reeds, please visit our website: www.superial.com |
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For Alexander endorsers: http://www.superial.com:80/artists.html
For reed comparison chart : http://www.superial.com/comparisons.html
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