Hello! what is the main diffirens between altosaxophone and soprillo? i have played the altosaxophone for 5 years, whould it be easy to learn how to play the soprillo? and i'm wondering about the octave key, do you push it with your mouth? just wondering.
Lisa Nyberg in Sweden
Nigel says:
I can feel the speaker key touching my mouth sometimes but you certainly don't insert the mouthpiece into your mouth.
The soprillo is much harder to play than the alto sax.
I'm not aware of any soprilloists or stockists in Sweden, so I suggest you contact Benedikt Eppelsheim in Germany for more advise about trying one.
12th January 2008
Randolph Murphy says:
Dear Nigel: Has any of the other members of the National Saxophone Choir of Great Britain shown interest in getting a soprillo?
Nigel says:
Several players are interested although I think only one of them seriously.
12th January 2008
Lisa says:
do you know were i can find one without bying it? i'm very interested in trying one!!
Nigel says:
Where do you live?
21st December 2007
damian says:
Hello and sorry for my english. i´d like to know how old is the soprillo saxophone. thank you.
Nigel says:
It was developed gradually by Benedikt Eppelsheim over several years but was first presented (along with the Tubax) in March 1999 in Frankfurt.
21st December 2007
Austin McFarland says:
Would you suggest sprolli to a 5 year alto sax player?
Nigel says:
Your question is impossible to answer as I've no idea what level you have achieved. However, playing it is more challenging than spelling it ;)
27th November 2007
Pat says:
Do you possibly know of any Soprillo dealers in the U.S.?
Nigel says:
You can try: USAHorn or International Woodwind in LA, or Middletownmusic in Delaware. Or from Sax.co.uk + Eppelsheim in Munich, or Teeda, Japan.
27th November 2007
Roger says:
I just had one of your soprillo planeteers teach a master class at my school and show me this bizarre creation...but after listening to your clips on here I am just stunned by how lovely a sound this instrument gets. I am going to play some of these audio clips for my 6th grade band students. What a terrific website!
9th November 2007
Mitchell Bertram says:
Of course Nigel I'll check it out. That is a lot of money! Yes it does take Dedication and i see where you can't really assume if i could play it (it was kind of a dumb question for me to ask) but there is just one thing i must know...where does the soprillio originate? (like...where did the idea for such a small acute instrument come from?)
9th November 2007
andrei says:
hey i really like your site!
3rd November 2007
Mitchell Bertram says:
Hello Nigel, My name is Mitchell Bertram and I have a few questions...
How much in U.S would a Soprillio cost? With a Standard Concert band - Marching band = pep band- and Jazz band practice would it be possible that I could play soprillio? (I play the Alto and Baritone) Personally I've always wanted to get my hands on a sopranino but can't afford it. One last question...where do you get your sheet music from?
Nigel says:
I suggest you contact Eppelsheim or Sax.co.uk direct for current prices but I'd expect to pay in the region of $3000 (very reasonable for such a specialist instrument). It really is impossible for me to say if you could play the soprillo - I would need a crystal ball. You could contact soprillo owners in the USA and try before you buy. Cute as the soprillo may seem, it requires dedication and much practice before you acquire an acceptable sound. You will find a piece called 'Waltzing Soprillda' (which I commissioned for the soprillo) at www.saxtetpublications.com - more music for soprillo will be published there in due course.
