Wood patio umbrellas can be made from Kampus, Teak, and other types of wood suited for furniture. These furniture umbrellas that come in a wide array of sizes, shapes and colors, are attractive additions in one’s home to provide a shade for one’s self and one’s guests.

Classic Teak Patio Umbrella uses Teak wood for the hubs and the pole to be attractive and durable. It is large and classy with a deep, lovely finish. This umbrella is available in six colors and uses Sunbrella fabric, which is an acrylic fabric dyed in one hundred percent solution, with a guaranty of up to three years against fading. The Classic Teak Patio Umbrella is commonly used outdoors because of its good looks, durability and color. It uses zinc housing for the lift system used to open the large canopy. To keep the canopy in an open position, the housing comes with a locking button.

The Maximum Shade Patio comes with a quad pulley lift that provides maximum shade. It is secured by a single one 1-3/4 pole and features a hub ring and trim made of brass. It also has a light wood pole and a four-pulley lift system. For its proper installation, an umbrella stand that weighs seventy-five pounds with a base tube diameter of two inches is highly suggested.

The Oval Shade Patio Umbrella is well-suited for covering one’s oval or rectangular patio table. The wood pole makes use a brass trim at the base and center coupling. Its varnish is layers of weather-resistant and rich-colored varnish to make it more appealing. To increase its durability, it uses runners and solid resin hubs underneath the canopy.

It is available in up to eighteen different colors and makes use of the Sunbrella fabric that comes with a warranty of up to three years against fading. To facilitate the raising and the lowering of the shade, this umbrella has a quad-pulley system.

The Wood Painted Umbrella is constructed with Kampus hardwood, which is resistant to decay and a naturally strong wood. It is also treated with several layers of weather-resistant varnish.

A manual lift system is in place, which helps open the umbrella conveniently. Once opened, it secured by a brass-plated pin. Sunbrella fabric is used for its canopy. The fabric has a weather-resistant varnish that prevents mildew and mold.

The Striped Patio Umbrella uses the hardwood Kampus Asian for its pole to make it sturdy. The parts of the wood have several layers of a varnish that will make it water-resistant. The resin hubs firmly secure the frame that supports the octagonal canopy.

If you want to learn about selecting hardware for your next outdoor furniture project, then you’ll want to read this article. Specifically, I’ll be telling you about what type of hardware will perform best, why the type of metal used for fasteners and the finish used are important considerations, and how properly protecting or limiting exposure of your furniture to wet and winter conditions can increase life span. After you’re done with this article you will understand that the best choice of hardware for your outdoor furniture project is dependent on furniture style, material used for construction, selected location for the furniture and budget.

Selecting proper hardware for your furniture will help ensure a long life span, as well as improve the overall appearance of your furniture. Part of the problem is knowing what hardware to select when there are so many options available at the hardware store. The typical Lowes or Home Depot carries a huge selection of stainless steel, hot dipped galvanized, bright galvanized, plain steel, coated steel and brass bolts, nuts, washers and screws. Each type of fastener is suitable for certain applications, but not all are ideal for outdoor furniture applications. 

In fact, choosing the wrong fasteners can greatly shorten the lifespan of your furniture, contribute to rot of wood furniture, cause unsightly staining, and even make your furniture unsafe to use. 

One thing that needs to be noted right up front is, do not ever use unprotected steel fasteners for outdoor furniture, They will rust very quickly, and the steel will react with the tannic acid in the wood causing streaks and staining. The tannic acid actually speeds up the corrosion of the fasteners. Have you ever seen a wooden fence with black streaks running down the boards from the nails? This fence was installed with the wrong type of fasteners. The same thing will happen to your furniture. Even worse, as the fasteners rust, they will speed up the decay process of the wood around the rusted fasteners, ruining your furniture and making it potentially unsafe to use.

Hot Dipped Galvanized

Screws and bolts treated by hot dipped galvanizing are specifically designed for use outdoors. Electroplated galvanized or bright galvanized fasteners ultimately will not hold up as well as the hot dipped galvanized hardware. Zinc is used as a coating in both methods, and acts as a barrier against the elements and the tannic acids in the wood. 

I strongly recommend only using screws or bolts in the construction of outdoor furniture, however. The galvanized finish on nails, either electroplated or hot dipped, can easily become damaged while hammering them in, exposing the nail head to the elements and allowing them to begin rusting quickly. 

Adequate care must be taken when installing galvanized screws. Drill pilot holes in hardwoods, and be sure to use a bit that is not worn and susceptible to skipping in the screw head. For whatever reason, the galvanized screws seem to not be as well tempered as other steel fasteners, and are more likely to either snap off or have the heads strip out while installing them. Due to the allowance required for the hot dipped coating, galvanized bolts do not have as tight of tolerance on the threads, and are more likely to strip if over tightened.

Hot dipped galvanized fasteners are a fine choice for many outdoor furniture applications, including Adirondack Chairs, but are not the best choice for use in woods, such as teak.

Stainless steel

Stainless steel is the best choice for use in woods with higher levels of tannic acid, such as teak. Stainless steel is an alloy or blend of steel, nickel and chrome. The ratio of the other metals with the steel determine the weather and corrosion resistance of stainless steel. Because the steel is mixed with other softer metals, the stainless steel is not as strong, so predrilling of screw holes is highly recommended in all applications, and essential in hardwoods such as teak and mahogany. The added corrosion resistance more than outweighs any shortcomings that the metal may have, especially in outdoor furniture applications. 

While stainless steel fasteners are the most rust resistant, they are also the most expensive of the options we are discussing. However, using stainless steel fasteners will add years of life to your furniture. In the respect, they are an investment that will pay out for years to come.

Brass

I have seen brass used in some commercially produced outdoor furniture, but do not recommend it. While brass does not form red rust, and is well suited for many wet applications such as toilets and sinks, it does tarnish and corrode. It is also very susceptible to the tannic acids in wood, which will cause it to fail more quickly. Brass screws in particular do not have sufficient strength for outdoor furniture applications.

Outdoor or deck screws

In the past several years a number of manufacturers have introduced outdoor fastening products specifically marketed for deck building. These will typically be green, gray, tan or brown. These screws are either ceramic or plastic coated to delay the metal reacting with the wood acids. The specific coating methods are proprietary to each manufacturer, and can be a combination of electroplated galvanizing and plastic, or a baked on ceramic.

I have used these fasteners in furniture applications and they perform just fine. Unfortunately, I have not come across bolts with this type of finish. The brand of screw I used was Deck Mate, and they were available in tan and brown, so that the color can be selected to better match the wood being used. These screws are ceramic coated, and the manufacturer provided a coated bit for installation, which was designed to not damage the ceramic coating at the screw head. If you choose this type of fastener, be sure to compare the cost with stainless steel, as the price will vary. If the stainless steel is reasonably comparable in cost, it would be the recommended fastener. 

Always be sure to read the manufacturers specifications on the box to be sure that the screws are suitable for your application. 

Other Considerations

If you are building furniture that will be located on a covered porch or patio where it will be protected from the elements, the concern will be the interaction between the wood and the fasteners, much more so than the weather. Furniture that will be exposed to the elements all year, such as a garden bench, or an Adirondack chair in the corner of your garden, will have to be constructed with much more care and concern to ensure that they hold up more than just one or two winters.

Additional considerations must be made beyond just the choice of what type of fastener to use, though this is very important. For example, fasteners should not be located where water where collect and sit on the fasteners for an extended period of time. The screws that attach the seat slats to an Adirondack chair are a prime example- typically these screws will be countersunk below the surface of the wood. This will allow water to collect in the screw holes, shortening the life span of all but stainless steel fasteners, and prolonging the exposure of the wood to water, which will increase the rate of decay. In applications where the furniture will be exposed to the elements year round the screw heads should be driven flush with the surface of the surrounding wood. 

Construction and design of the furniture are also important considerations. Are the horizontal surfaces of the furniture constructed in such a way that will allow them to shed water, rather than collect it? Think of a picnic table with a slatted or board top. The gaps between the boards allow water a way to run off the top and not pool up. 

Conclusion

Stainless steel is usually the best choice for outdoor furniture applications, though the cost may be prohibitive for some. There are other less expensive fastener options available that will perform acceptably. Do not use unprotected steel fasteners for outdoor furniture applications under any circumstances. Know where and how you intend to use your furniture and design it for the conditions it will be subjected to.

The trumpet is known for its strong brassy sound. Although there are three different valves on a trumpet, much of its sound is attributed to lip tension. Playing the trumpet correctly does require strong, well-disciplined lips. Lip vibrations can seem very complicated at first, but once mastered, they do become second nature.

To play the trumpet, you must pucker your lips in a way that is very similar to a puckered kiss. Press your lips to the trumpet mouth piece and “smile” slightly. If you blow, creating a vibrating, buzzing, sound with your lips, then the air pressure in your mouth will force your lips slightly open. The air flowing through the trumpet produces a sound. The higher the lip tension, the higher the frequency and pitch you will produce. Moving your lips up and down while blowing into the trumpet will create various harmonious notes as well.

When practicing the trumpet, or any brass instrument for that matter, a player should begin by working through some scales. This will help strengthen the players lips and also help with fingering memorization. Next, the player should move his or her lips up and down to work on strength. Trying to play with the sides of the lips can also help strengthen the lips. Once a player has strong lips, he or she can mix various lip positions along with various valve combinations to create beautiful music. These combinations put together are key to the traditional sound of the trumpet.

Some songs can be played without even changing any valve combinations, or using any valves at all. For example, “TAPS,” which is often played at military funerals or on Memorial Day and Veterans Day, can be played without ever pressing down a single valve. The entire song is played in the “open” position.

Likewise, almost every other song or note that is played is done so with at least a few valves pressed down. Changing from one note to the other is done by simply moving ones lips and pressing various combinations of valves. Every individual note has its own preset combination of valves and lip position. In addition to producing different notes, a player’s lips and breath can also be used to play notes louder or softer. These crescendos and decrescendos are a vital part of orchestral and marching band pieces. Similarly, if a player rolls his or her tongue while playing, a unique sound is produced.

There are many things needed to be a good trumpet player. Practice is just one of those. Talent is another. Learning the intricacies of playing a musical instrument, any musical instrument, but in this case the trumpet, is something that takes time, patience, work and heart. But maybe even more, in order to produce a complete sound from a trumpet, strong lips are a must.

Foundry technology is renowned worldwide for producing metal castings. Foundry casting is done by casting metals into specific shapes after meting them in a liquid, pouring metal in mold and then removing the mold or casting after it gets solidified. The metals that are commonly processed are cast iron and aluminium. However, there are several other metals which are also used for producing castings which includes steel, copper, zinc, tin and magnesium.

When it comes to foundry jobs, there are several types of positions available for the interested customers. Of course, to apply for a job, one needs to have a certification, diploma or degree in hand but experience always matters the most. If you have any experience in metal foundry or iron foundry, there are bright chances of acquiring good position in the foundry company. There are numerous websites available which provide the services of foundry supplies. These websites provide different types of services which include casting and designing framework, casting geometry and several other types of services.

When it comes to brass foundry, one will be amazed to know about the results of foundry. Nowadays, brass is commonly used for several types of products. Brass is well known for manufacturing different types of products because it has very low melting point which is good to mold and to give shape to the metal easily. There are three methods of bronze casting which are mostly used for the process. These methods include die casting, lost wax casting and sand casting. Like brass foundry, one can also opt for bronze foundry which is gaining attention of several manufacturers and other foundry professionals.

There are several companies available which provide services of iron foundry, but it is very important to choose a reputed and experienced company before making any decision. One can easily find suitable foundry services with the help of foundry networks. The foundry network is a combination of several types of companies which provide casting and foundry services to the interested customers. There are several companies which also provide foundry jobs to the interested people who have relevant and good experience in the same field.

As there are so many foundry companies available either online and offline, it is very important to choose a reliable company carefully. Only a reputed and experienced company can provide the best foundry equipment to the interested people. These equipments should be chosen carefully and wisely and it is better to do complete research before finalizing the decision. Foundry technology is gaining attention among people and foundry industry is frequently hiring professionals to enhance the productivity and performance. So, make sure to do complete research to choose the best foundry industry in order to achieve favorable results.

Google Gears is a technology that allows one to use applications like Google Documents and Gmail while offline. If you wanted to continue writing but didn’t have an internet connection, you could do so just like in a word processor that is installed to your machine. Once saved you can move that document or any document to any folder. Once your connect to the internet again all the changes would sync with the online version of Google Docs.

This technology is actually not going to be pursued by Google any more. It is the end of Google Gears. This does not mean that Google is going to stop this functionality though. On the horizon is HTML5 which will provide similar if not better use of this technology.

The big problem with Gears is that Google has to program it to work with every operating system and every browser to keep it functioning. It did work on Mac at one point in time, but with Snow Leopard there was a change that made it so that Google Gears no longer worked. Whether this was intentional or not is not known. In Linux depending on if you could set it up, it might work but at times didn’t.

With HTML5, these processes will be built into the Chrome browser and there will be support for Internet Explorer, Firefox, and Safari. Since operating systems and browsers will all support HTML5 there is no chance that these Google applications can be turned off by developers or companies.

Outside of replacing your cabinet handle or knob that is loose, there really are not any other solutions related to how to fix a loose hardware. If you decide to use super glue, you must use a very small drop and attach the screw quickly. Make sure that you safeguard the countertop or floor below the area where you are fixing the loose kitchen or bathroom vanity cabinet knob.

Why Won’t My Cabinet Handle Tighten?

1) If the screw’s tight and it’s still not seated correctly, the screw may be too long.

2) It’s possible that the cabinet installer used a metric screw rather than a standard American thread. This would cause the fastener to bind in the insert of the knob or handle.

3) A common occurrence on brass is that the inside threads get stripped out.

4) Plastic Handles and knobs have a tendency to crack sometimes. They will also strip out easier than the brass hardware.

5) Wood hardware could be cracked or stripped.

6) Sometimes hardware is placed on the decorative drawer face before it is attached to the actual drawer. Over time the screw becomes loose. Because it’s sandwiched between the drawer and decorative front it cannot be tightened easily.

Possible Solutions for Fixing Loose Cabinet Door Handles and Knobs

1) If the metal is stripped out a small dab of super glue will lock things down. YOU MUST NOT GET ANY ON THE CABINET DOOR. You know that you are going to have to work quickly too!

2) Tooth picks combined with wood glue work great for fixing wood, plastic or nylon knobs where the hole is stripped out.

3) Try a different type thread screw. Metric and standard screws are available from a local cabinet supply company.

4) If the knob was attached to the drawer face prior to it being mounted on to the cabinet drawer, remove the front and tighten the screws. Then reattach the decorative drawer face.

If you need to tighten your loose kitchen, bathroom vanity or office cabinet handle or perhaps a knob that’s loose, I know how. There are solutions for various situations. Fixing a screw that’s loose by just tightening it with a Phillip’s screw driver would be too easy. Read If that’s all you needed then you wouldn’t be searching the Internet for an answer for how to fix your door hardware. There’s a solution to your problems.

Mountains are where sages would go to for meditation, getting away from the conundrum of daily life, the higher altitudes, the purer air as well the rugged terrain make for great resort living and vacations. Cabins tucked away in the woods and made from natural wood logs are so beautiful and earthing. Holistic living and being mindful of nature,we cannot take anything for granted and have to respect Mother Earth’s resources. The trees and forests are sacred and the rivers and streams nurture the Earth. Bringing a holistic method to you life is so important as it serves a dual purpose. We take of the Earth and she in turn takes care of us.

Antique doors and old world elements salvaged from old mansions and architectural structures are resplendent in detail and handmade by artisans keeping in mind the balance of energy. The carvings are inspired by nature and the metals used are iron and brass that not only reinforce the woods but are earthing and grounding. We are surrounded by electromagnetic charge that is subtly changing our behaviour and cell dynamics and the only way we can keep ourselves grounded is by using these techniques of grounding.We have to discharge the ions that built up in us so by using an old door table studded with brass, iron, copper as an office desk we are creating a more balanced environment for ourselves.

The barndoors with holistic carvings, handmade from reclaimed woods, as well as the Buddha carved headboards are textured with hues that align with your chakras. The lush green trees that turn a bright orange in the fall remind us of the constant change and transformation that Earth goes through and similarly we should also recharge are routines. My mountain cabin is simple and rustic, using old reclaimed wood doors and armoires that I have turned into wine cellars. The peacock carved brass armoire or the chakra carved wardrobe armoire are stunning in their patina and are such dynamic statement pieces.

The jali carved panels decorate the veranda and the sunlight plays with the patterns that emerge from it, early sunrise being totally different from the sunset. The gray floral carved sideboard serves as my media chest and I surround it with plants and foliage, bringing in the healing energies.

Tree of life carved barndoors and the triple arch veranda columns remind me of old Havelis, inspired from mediterranean architecture, the cusps and curves are delightfully romantic. Holistic design and mindfulness is a necessity in designing your home or your getaway cabin.

If you are learning about metal processing, then you most certainly have come across the term “red metal” along the way. Red metals are basically a family of metals that contain copper and copper alloys, namely copper, brass, and bronze. Although they all share similar qualities in appearance, they are quite different in terms of composition and other respects. Continue reading to learn more about these important and useful metals, and then get started collecting your valuable inventory for reprocessing!

Copper

Copper is one of the most commonly-used and well-known metals in the world, easily distinguishable by its bright red-orange color. It is a vital resource for several industries and applications, including medical, agricultural, construction, health, and more. This metal has superior electrical and thermal conductivity, but is also malleable, strong, and resistant to corrosion.

Copper also retains a chemical composition that allows it to fight off bacteria. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) did a study involving intensive antimicrobial testing, and found that more than 350 copper alloys killed 99.9% of bacteria within 2 hours of contact!

Because of its incredible qualities, copper is used for a wide range of products, including everything from plumbing pipes and pipe fittings, to tools, circuit boards, water purifiers, appliances, décor, jewelry, and more.

Bronze

Bronze is a combination of copper and several other blends of metals (arsenic, tin, aluminum, silicone, phosphorus, manganese, etc.), making it an alloy of copper, but a bit of a “mutt” in the metal industry. But this does not mean that bronze is not a valuable and useful element.

The combination of alloys makes bronze much stronger than copper. So it is widely used for industrial manufacturing, like bushings and bearings, but also for art, sculptures, musical instruments, medals, and even nautical components since it’s corrosion-resistant.

Bronze is distinguishable among the other red metals due to its dull-gold color and barely-visible rings on its surface. Additional bronze alloys include nickel brass (nickel silver), bronze silicon, phosphor bronze (tin bronze), aluminum bronze, and copper nickel (cupronickel).

Brass

Brass is an interesting red metal because it mainly consists of copper and zinc. But brass varies in terms of zinc content, making their qualities differ from one another. It can also have other elements aside from zinc, which also influences its qualities and color. The more zinc brass contains, the stronger and more ductile it shall be.

In terms of color, brass can range from bright yellow hues to deep oranges or reds. Because brass resembles gold so well, its most common application is decoration. But you will also find many instruments constructed of brass and brass alloys. A well-known brass allow is called tin brass, and contains copper, tin, and zinc.

If you have any red metal on your hands, put it to good use and make a profit at the same time! Just contact your local and trusted metal recycling center and sell your scrap metal for cash on the spot!

Dhokra Relic

Dhokra Damar tribes are the traditional metalsmiths of West Bengal. Named after their tribe; their infamous technique of lost wax casting is named as Dhokra metal casting. The tribes extend from Jharkhand to West Bengal to Orissa and are known to be the distant cousins of the Chhattisgarh Dhokras.

Decorative Bronze Wire Work Religious Prayer Bowl

Since eras, the Urlis or the Urlis, the vintage style Indian bowls, have been used for cooking and beautifying the home and other significant spatial areas.

The urli is easily recognizable due to its distinctive shape. It is an attractive and welcoming decorative addition to the ambience.

Especially the handmade brass urli created in accord with the time-honoured traditions brings the touch of history to your pleasurable abode.

Use the bowl the traditional way and fill it with water and then drift artificial or real flowers atop. Or alternatively you can float artificial candles on the surface; which reflect beautifully when lit.

The urli transform the environment into peaceful solitude and the floaters add a dash of festive colourful elegance. Embellish your home with this traditional Indian ornamental design! These vintage Indian tribal brass are also used as spiritual prayer bowls in some homes.

And as they come without handles this artistic urlis are often found as ornamentation décor pieces in some homes or then found to live in the ambience as exotic potholders to interior plants or exclusive bird baths.

Vintage Brass Lady Statue

Pieces or statues, offered in various designs declared handmade, made by skilled craftsmen of India. This 12 inches impressive vintage hand-crafted brass figurine of a woman fills up your drawing room with artistic eloquence.

Some considered it trendy, others find it sophisticated and yet some others, Quirky. Traditional practices, abilities and hand-based processes are various techniques which are used to create this product.

Brass Shiv Parvati with Ganesha Statue

The divine family of the Shaivite custom is Shiva, Parvati, and Ganesha. The imagery is personified in this. It depicts Shiva as the destroyer and also the restorer, Parvati symbolized as Shakti and Ganesha as the one who formulates all particles and dynamism.

This is expressly intended for the good-looking home & office inland which you constantly wish for. With shiv Parvati and Ganesha, this centrepiece is handmade as a family statue. Created by some arty hands, this piece can be positioned on your Adornment Point.

To brands it a lifelong product the high excellence material is used, for your Embellishment. It certifies melodious relation in the heart of family members when it is kept insides of your home.

Handmade Bronze Holy Water Pot

A Kalash also indicated kalasha or kalasa is a metallic (brass, silver, copper, or gold) holy water pot used for traditional purposes and is often full with holy water or charnamrit. It has a bulky base and minor mouth that’s why it is sufficient to grip a coconut.

Occasionally “Kalasha” is also filled with water and covered with a circle of mango leaves and a coconut. This type of union in Hindu rites is often illustrated in Hindu iconography.

The Purna-Kalasha is a sign of auspiciousness representing either mother of Ganesha, Gauri, the goddess of household abundance or Lakshmi or Ganesha remover of hindrances.

The Purna-Kalasha is always idolized in all Hindu celebrations like wedding, Griha Pravesha, child naming, havan (fire-sacrifice), Vaastu dosha alteration, and daily worship and childbirth, as a mother divinity or Devi. The vintage water pots or Kalasha denotes material stuff: a vessel of fertility (the soil and the womb) which nourishes the life.

The desired phase of fertility is indicated by the mango leaves and associated with Kama (the God of Love). Power and wealth are characterized by the coconut which is also known as a cash crop. And the life-giving ability of Environment is exemplified by the water in the pot.

Sometimes the coconut is bounded with a red fabric and red yarn; the upper parts of the coconut (called Shira or head) are set side revealed. A poly yarn is knotted all over the metallic pot. The head of the coconut is kept fronting the sky.

The Kalasha is seen as a propitious thing in Jainism also. It is also found as an ornamental theme in Indian sculpture and design. From the 5th era, the Kalasha theme was used in beautifying bottoms and assets of props. In the Andhra Pradesh state of India, the Kalasha is a portion of the authorized state symbol.

On all essential occasions, a Kalash is positioned with due customs. It is generally located nearby the entry as a mark of welcome. The Kalasha is observed as a sign of profusion, immortality and understanding because it also holds Amrita, the elixir of life.

In Hindu iconography, the Kalasha is frequently seen as a trait, in the hands of Hindu divinities as Lord Shiva, the teacher and the destroyer, Lakshmi, who idolizes prosperity and Brahma- the symbolic creator.

The saxophone section in a big band consists of 5 players – two altos, two tenors and one baritone sax. In a traditional big band setup, the saxes are located in the first (front) row of three rows of horn players. The trombones and trumpets are found in the rows directly behind the saxes.

Saxophones are considered agile instruments, much like the clarinet and flute. They are able to play fast lines or perform effects that cannot be achieved so easily on a brass instrument. This characteristic gives them the ability to cover very fast passages within the ensemble – passages that would be too difficult for the brass section to pull off.

Melodic Roles

Saxophones are often called on to state the melody of a big band composition or arrangement. Playing in unison gives them the power to cut through punches and harmony played by the brass section. When stating the melody as a section (i.e. 4-5 part voicings) the lead alto player must project the lead line so it can be heard above other instrumental activity going on within the arrangement at any given time.

Saxes can also be coupled with other instruments to create a homogeneous sound. Altos are often combined with trumpet, while tenor saxes are most often found sharing a melody with one or more trombones. These melodic couplings work well because the timbre of trumpet and trombone are similar to the alto and tenor respectively. Baritone sax at times plays melody alone, or coupled with bass trombone.

Harmonic Roles

Because the sax section covers a wide range, it lends itself well to supplying harmony and harmonic “pads” to a big band arrangement or composition. In ballads, for example, the saxes are often written as lush voicings that provide all the necessary notes of a chord. They are used in this manner within an arrangement as background to a soloist, or as counter melody to another instrument.

Solos and Solis

The tenor saxophone is one of the more popular solo instruments in jazz, so it only makes sense that tenor solos are written quite regularly throughout the big band music repertoire. Although any of the saxes are called upon at one time or another for solos, the tenor seems to get more improvised solos than the others. Baritone sax solos are written sparingly throughout big band literature. Depending on the level of skill of the players, solo sections can be passed around so that good soloists – even bari sax players – have a chance to shine.

Sax solis occur when the saxophone section is featured by itself by playing a composed jazz “solo”. A soli is most often composed in four or five part harmony that is voiced for the entire section. The lead line is played by Alto 1, while the rest of the section is voiced below the lead line and follows in rhythmic unison. In a four part setting, the bari sax player will often double the alto melody at the octave.

The saxophone section is an integral part of any big band in a variety of ways. Brass players may complain that the saxophones are written too many solos, but it is hard to beat a terrific saxophone section ripping through a difficult Thad Jones or Don Menza soli. As they say, if you can’t beat them, join them!