Corry Bros. “Tone Tablet” Can such a small piece of equipment make a difference?
Introduction
I was recently contacted by Paul and Jim Corry who design and manufacture their own line of mouthpieces and asked me to review one of their new pieces of equipment I had never seen before called the Tone Tablet. Now I have seen various neck screws as well as the Klangbogen (BSWE Klangbogen Review), which were designed to address the neck-tenon and palm keys which have historically suffered tremendous nodal disturbances. These products to various degrees will improve the overall airflow resulting in a better resonance and projection. I currently use the Klangbogen on my tenor and alto and do notice a more even scale so I was excited to see another product on the market designed to address this area on the saxophone. I will be providing a product overview as well as my overall thoughts.
Product Overview
“The Corry Bros. Tone Tablet was created to help optimize the tonal output of your saxophone. The tone tablet is made from specially sourced Silver Bullion which has the same qualities and working properties as sterling silver. This simple, discreet and non-intrusive silver tablet is simply placed into the lyre hole on your neck tenon and held in place once the lyre screw is tightened. By replacing mass lost in the lyre hole, the entire neck tenon vibrates more efficiently and consequently so does your horn. The overall sound will feel more centered, stable, and richer in all registers. The tone tablet does not replace any part on the saxophone so you can use your original neck screw or after-market neck screw. The tone tablet can stay in place and can be removed easily.”
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To review test results and pro’s thoughts after testing the tone tablet, click the link below:
Tone Tablet Test Results and Reviews
The tone tablet will soon be offered in gold, nickel silver, and brass finishes.
Overall Thoughts
I have seen various after-market neck screws offered by Meridian Winds, Ishimori, and WestCoast Sax and a tone enhancer or stabilizer offered by Lefreque as well as ReedGeek known as the Klangbogen (currently using). I have not had a chance to try all of these products but since using the Klangbogen, I began to realize that there is not necessarily an issue but an opportunity to improve the overall sound and playability of the saxophone. This can be done by addressing this area on the saxophone which seems to commonly have nodal disturbances resulting in a saxophone that does not play as evenly and full as it could. I test played my saxophone with and without the tone tablet back and forth for over a week to see if I noticed a difference in my sound, how the horn responded, and the overall evenness from top to bottom. I have to say that overall while using the tone tablet, I did notice a difference in the overall response from top to bottom. I found my saxophone with the tone tablet to respond a bit faster, the overall sound from my perspective was a bit louder and projected further. It was quite surprising to think that such a small piece of equipment could have an effect on the sound and response. Although I still like using the Klangbogen by ReedGeek, the tone tablet is a great piece of equipment I recommend players check out and see what impact it has on their saxophone. Whether you prefer an after-market neckscrew, the lefreque, Klangbogen, or now tone tablet, I believe you will come to realize that these pieces of equipment can help your saxophone perform better. I would like to thank Paul and Jim Corry for introducing me to their Tone Tablet and am looking forward to checking out their mouthpieces in the future.
September 21, 2016 @ 1:23 am
Oh man. Zach, have you ever given any of this crap a bad review ? Purely rhetorical
September 21, 2016 @ 1:29 am
It annoys the s*** out of me. After thirty years I can see right through it. More impressionable younger players will believe this. Spend your money on a good metronome, some useful Abersolds. Zach, get a copy of Bill Hicks ” Love all the people ” ; back cover notes !! Nuff said
September 21, 2016 @ 11:36 am
Ade,
If you tried the product and found that it did not work for you and reasons why, that is fine and please comment. Many times I receive a product and if after further testing it is does not work, I will discuss with the manufacturer why and ways to potentially improve it or simply not review it. At the end of the day, everyone has a different opinion. Trashing a product does not help anyone in my opinion. It’s much better to look at both sides. Per my review, I liked the tone tablet but still use and prefer the Klangbogen on tenor for now. When you are referring to aebersolds and a metronome is towards practicing. I understand your point, but although I agree with a metronome 100%, some players view Aebersolds as a crutch so understanding both sides I find to be helpful when making the final decision. Hope that helps.
September 21, 2016 @ 5:09 am
Dear Ade,
We felt obliged to reply to your comment.
Being both mouthpiece makers and pro players (both of us having played saxophone for 27 years each) we find ourselves as students not only of the saxophone, but also of the acoustics and physics involved. We are proud of our Tone Tablet and of the response received from those who have actually tried it.
The Tone Tablet is designed to improve the vibrational aspect of the saxophone body, specifically the neck area where there is, as Zach mentions in his review, nodal disturbance. This occurs from both the fact that the neck and body are separate, and also a vibrational disturbance created by the Lyre hole itself. The Tone Tablet allows vibrations an easier path to travel, which is what they like to do.
The Tone Tablet does not magically give you a ‘new’ tone, it simply helps your saxophone vibrate more efficiently. Those with a developing or fully developed tone will notice it immediately.
In fact, many top players around the world are already using the Tone Tablet, including one of the world’s greatest saxophonists Jerry Bergonzi, French virtuoso Baptiste Herbin and award winning saxophonist Tony Kofi, plus many principal and senior lecturers of the saxophone across Europe. Many more are trialing it as we speak, and are giving us nothing but positive feedback.
The science side is available for you to view on our website showing Spectrum Analysis results with A/B testing, and the visual graph results back up what players are both feeling in their horns, and hearing aurally.
We are all standing on the cusp of a new era in instrument acoustics and development; new boundaries are being explored on all instruments by all makers across the globe. Many “impressionable younger players” as you put it, are already interested in the physics of their mouthpieces- tip rails, rail width, chamber size, baffle influence, so why would they not also consider the body/neck area as just as important?
They will.
Our Tone Tablet is simply part of us all trying to gain a greater understanding of how our instruments actually work.
Paul and Jim Corry
September 21, 2016 @ 12:35 pm
I wonder why the truly remarkable designers behind Selmer, Conn, King Beuscher did not feel the need for these additions ?
September 21, 2016 @ 12:46 pm
I am not trashing a product. Since Cannonball announced their mystical stone, floodgates have opened. Every second day something new, fabulous, expensive !!
September 22, 2016 @ 2:14 am
With respect practice and innovation are related. Hypothetical…..
A young player uses his tablet and is amazed. On Monday and Thursday he has marching band practice. He has to remove the tablet and replace it with sheet clip. The screw is possibly threaded. Result; dreadful buzzing, rattling tone ? I stand by my cannonball comment, though the addition of high F# was the end of a decent flow. No better sight than a long graceful line from neck to fork F\B keys. Gerry Bergonzi IMO has a dreadful tone.
September 22, 2016 @ 9:12 am
I’d like to say that I have a Corry Bros tone tablet and it’s amazing. I bought it last month, and seeing on social media that it had had been reviewed here, one of my favourite saxophone sites,I thought I’d have a read.
My sax has a different feel to it in a really positive way. The bottom Bb’s absolutely ‘pop’ out, and the upper end , especially the palm keys, seem to have a clarity and ease about them that is not present when the tone tablet isn’t in there.
It does seem that the instrument has a different ‘response’ as people are saying. NOBODY is going to tell me it’s a load of rubbish, as I know it makes a difference to me and my horn. ( a mk6).
I’d like to pick up on a couple of things this angry guy Ade says – ( he’ll probably write back about twenty replies to my post, as that’s what guys like him love to do, but hey, who cares? not me)
1) the great makers like selmer, buescher etc that he mentions weren’t thinking along these lines, so thats why they didn’t think of this stuff (obvious)
2) “every second day something new, fabulous,expensive” – my tone tablet cost me £15- that I think, is roughly 20 dollars. not expensive at all.
3) Ade’s constant ‘hypothetical’ self-serving questions do none of us any favours, only his ego. I have removed and re-inserted the tone tablet countless times- when I was testing it out, and showing other players I know, and guess what? No threading of the screws in my sax’s neck, and no threading of anyones screws as you’d have to tighten it like the incredible hulk to do that,and that would be very, very stupid.
4) nobody cares what you think of Mr Bergonzi’s tone. Really, they don’t.
It just so happens he’s a LOT more respected in the saxophone world than some guy who posts and re-posts ,and re-posts, and then re-posts again on websites that give out friendly information to those who want it.
Just watch the endless responses from this guy for me ‘daring’ to question his all encompassing knowledge and opinions, but there will be no more responses from me – I hope he doesn’t turn this wonderful site into some ‘trolling’ battleground for his superior knowledge, as that would be such a shame-this is one of the friendliest ,inclusive saxophone sites out there, and it would be awful if it descended into that because of bores like him.
I’d like to thank Corry Bros for bringing out the best in my horn, and for researching and coming up with such a cool little thing, that really does work.
*everybody yawns at the next 20 posts by Ade*
September 22, 2016 @ 11:40 pm
ZZZzzzz
September 23, 2016 @ 2:08 am
I agree, it is a great site. Friendly ? 70% of your post was wasted. Calling me angry, egotistical, arrogant. I said there was a lot of crap on the market period. Why take it so personal. I have no interest in buying a tablet. The lyre was taken off my horn. I have studied Joe Allard for many years. MANY !!. You can play or you can’t; end of. Spending money on every new addition will not make you a better player. Did Dexter, Hawk etc. change thumbhooks add tablets ? Because according to you the great makers may not have thought of it ?.Priceless !! If you want to insult me, send me a mail. I will give you my number. One post, all said.
October 18, 2016 @ 7:36 pm
I have a Cory Bros. Tone Tablet. I am delighted with the improved projection, warmth, and response I am experiencing. Well worth the modest investment!