Iraniblog

Francois Louis, a Belgian instrument maker, invented the instrument back in 2001. I found the idea, the mechanism, and everything about it amazing!

Basically, the instrument is two Soprano Saxes stuck together. The connection point being the mouthpiece that has two reeds on it that the player blows through. Also there is one set of keys. The player can choose to have both of the horns to play in unison or for them to be off by a certain interval.

After they were produced, I stopped really hearing about the instrument. The initial reaction was great, but then… Then one day I went to Symphony Space in Manhattan to hear an Ode to Coltrane’s late period and Joe Lovano played the thing. It was magical! I wish I could’ve got a recording of it. It was like out of another world.

Currently there’s only one track recorded with the instrument, that by Lovano and it was before he really had a handle on the instrument. At the concert he was really just on another level with it. In the recording he’s a bit out of tune. It’s interesting to hear, but I wish there was some new stuff/other stuff out there.

Also, I think that just two of them were made. Please, mass produce this thing! I want to start seeing it out there. Along with alto, tenor, and bari versions. I think I would flip if this thing were made in a Bari version and James Carter got a hold of it. Don’t think anyone else would be able to handle it…

One of the craziest things about the instrument is the effects that can be produced by taking advantage of the fact that the two horns’ waves come out so close to each other.

Aulochrome site

Lovano recording session

I like having the Cube setup in my environment. To properly set it up of course activate the cube, but you’ll also need to have the desktops setup properly.

From ‘general options’ go to the ‘Desktop Size’ tab and set ‘Horizontal Virtual Size’ to 4 and the other to options to 1.