Saxophone advice please....

Subject: Saxophone advice please
From: pixieofdoom
Date: 30 Dec 05 - 08:26 AM

Having become the proud owner of an alto sax, I'm seeking advise on the best way to start learning to play it. I can make sounds somewhere between a foghorn and the aftermath of a sprout curry but it's not quite Baker Street yet. Can anyone recommend some good books/websites/teachers please? I live in the South East of England.

My neighbours, partner and cats will be eternally grateful

Subject: RE: Saxophone advice please....
From: number 6
Date: 30 Dec 05 - 08:35 AM

Congrats on your new alto!

With a sax I advise getting a good teacher to begin with .... it's not an instrument you can pick up and learn on your own.

sIx

Subject: RE: Saxophone advice please....
From:
Date: 30 Dec 05 - 08:44 AM

Oh My! Phot what have you done??!!!

Pixie, the image of the aftermath of a sprout curry has just caused me to spit my tea all over the monitor and my colleagues to ask what's the matter!! Thank you that cheered me up!

Congratulations on your new sax.

Love Aunty Khatt x

Subject: RE: Saxophone advice please....
From: Leadfingers
Date: 30 Dec 05 - 09:24 AM

Pix - When i first started on Reeds (Clarinet) I had a bit of trouble getting a decent sound too , but eventually got the idea of a correct embouchure . A local teacher would indeed accelerate the process , and relieve the pressure on your local contacts ! If I can help , let me know .

Subject: RE: Saxophone advice please....
From: Uncle_DaveO
Date: 30 Dec 05 - 11:12 AM

How to go about learning sax?       QUIETLY!

Dave Oesterreich

Subject: RE: Saxophone advice please....
From: Rapparee
Date: 30 Dec 05 - 11:39 AM

Sorry, but I'm not going to get involved in sax education.


I (seriously) suggest a good teacher. And always put a shield over the mouthpiece -- never, never have unprotected sax.

Subject: RE: Saxophone advice please....
From: Doug Chadwick
Date: 30 Dec 05 - 03:05 PM

.... it's not an instrument you can pick up and learn on your own.

That's not entirely true. I have had a tenor sax for just over a year and have had great fun flying solo from the start. Admittedly, I still have some unexpected squeaks, particularly at the octave change, but getting to grips with the basic navigation isn't too difficult if you have played a whistle, recorder or some such instrument. I still have a long way to go but, as it is strictly for home consumption, I'm in no rush.

I'm sure that good sax players feel the music as much as play it – it's that sort of instrument. Hopefully, a good sax teacher understands this and would not stifle your individualism by insisting on a "correct" method.

The only instruments that I have had lessons on are the piano and violin, and they are the instruments I am least relaxed with.

This site is well worth looking at


DC

Subject: RE: Saxophone advice please....
From: number 6
Date: 30 Dec 05 - 04:03 PM

DC ... You can learn it on your own (as any instrument) but it is one I highly recommend you find a good teacher in the initial stage ... as Leadfingers stated it will accelerate the process ... a good teacher will guide you to eliminate those 'squeaks in the octave changes' .... I am very well aware of those as I've been there myself.

Bottom line ... have fun and don't get discouraged.

sIx

Subject: RE: Saxophone advice please....
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 30 Dec 05 - 05:40 PM

Some knowledgeable "hands on" assistance with getting a proper grip on the reed and mouthpiece would be a real help in the beginning. While it's pretty much the same for most single-reed instruments, and even a clarinettist might be able to help, the saxophone mouthpiece is a much more "subtle" device than the squawker on a clarinet.

Until you get some help, you should know to avoid "biting" on the reed. You'll hurt yourself if you do. Pressure on the reed needs to come from lip tension, supported by the teeth of course but without really clamping down to try to squeeze with the teeth.

The mouthpiece where the reed contacts is slightly curved, so that when you apply more pressure the reed is rolled down against it to shorten the length of the vibrating tip of the reed. To get good tone, the frequency of the reed has to match the pitch of the horn for the set of keys you're holding shut. This takes practice, of course, but it should come along pretty naturally if you're aware that you have to "play the reed" (to get good tone) along with just fingering the keys.

Squeaks are almost always caused by a leakage at one of the keyholes. Don't blame the horn. It takes some practice to apply consistent pressure with all 'dem fingers, and a little too light a grip on one or two can allow enough of a leak to "trip" the tone into a higher harmonic. Inadvertent bumping of a key that opens a pad will also do it, even with pressure that's not enough to look like the pad moves. Using excessive finger pressure on the keys will just make your fingers hurt, so you have to practice enough to find out how much pressure is enough.

Since you'll probably bite a hole in your lower lip at first, with or without an instructor, fairly short sessions - repeated frequently - will let you progress with less pain. It's somewhat like building up the callouses on a string instrument, but instead of killing finger flesh you're training muscles in your lip(s).

And don't worry about learning the fingerings for the third and fourth octaves until you have good control over the bottom two. Pretend it's an enormous penny whistle at first.

John

Subject: RE: Saxophone advice please....
From: Peace
Date: 30 Dec 05 - 05:44 PM

Congratulations and please find an instructor. It will save you lots of time and stop bad habits from growing along with the good habits.

Subject: RE: Saxophone advice please....
From: shepherdlass
Date: 30 Dec 05 - 08:09 PM

Ditto to all the above who advised a good teacher. You could end up battling with your embouchure because of the wrong mouthpiece/reed combination and it's a revelation when someone in the know points you in the right direction. Trust me, I know all about this because I could play some reasonably complex stuff as a self-taught player but never really felt in control of the instrument's sound until a good teacher watched me and told me what would work best for my particular style and build. It takes direct contact because even the best books can only advise you what's right for most people and everyone's different.

Subject: RE: Saxophone advice please....
From: Bassic
Date: 30 Dec 05 - 09:28 PM

Pix, guess what i got for christmas....................a SAX!!!!;-)

I intend to "fly solo" with it cos in truth, its one of the easiest instruments to sound good on. I know your musicianship, if it is squeeking and squalking then its the instrument not you. Most of the problems that beginners have is to do with set up. Get that right and it plays its self. Mouth piece and reed are critical. Find someone who knows about these things and get a "beginners" set up and progress from there. You might want to consider a "C Melody" sax, great for playing in sessions, just like playing a "D" Whistle or a descant recorder......sensible keys!! More to follow.