Discussion
It is the easiest woodwind instrument to learn. Started playing when i was around 11 on the alto (probably the easiest to blow) then moved on to the Baritone when i was around 16, and been playing that for around 7 years now. In the process of laying down some tracks for the big band I'm in.
Few things to consider
Ignore cheap ebay instruments. Get a decent one to start with. much cheaper in the long run. Yamaha make good student/intermediate ones. I started with a intermediate Conn alto, and now have a nice Selmer.
My Baritone is a mid 60s Yanigasawa which has one of the nicest tones around. To replace it for an equivalent new one would be a minimum of 12k. Very beaten up an de laquered to suit the style of music I play with a Berg Larson mouthpiece.
In terms of sound I find the Tenor to be the best balance between the alto and the baritone. Soprano's are a waste of space and Bass Sax's are just too low to be playable in most bands plus are hard to carry around.
Few things to consider
Ignore cheap ebay instruments. Get a decent one to start with. much cheaper in the long run. Yamaha make good student/intermediate ones. I started with a intermediate Conn alto, and now have a nice Selmer.
My Baritone is a mid 60s Yanigasawa which has one of the nicest tones around. To replace it for an equivalent new one would be a minimum of 12k. Very beaten up an de laquered to suit the style of music I play with a Berg Larson mouthpiece.
In terms of sound I find the Tenor to be the best balance between the alto and the baritone. Soprano's are a waste of space and Bass Sax's are just too low to be playable in most bands plus are hard to carry around.
Don't play myself, but my OH is a professional saxophonist (alto primarily).
She has students ranging from mid-way through primary school to those in their 60s. It's certainly an instrument a beginner can learn.
To me the classic jazz saxophone sound is the tenor. The alto and soprano sound rather cleaner. The barri is just plain scary.
I'm told the fingering on the saxophone transfers quite easily to a couple of the other woodwind instruments (clarinet maybe?)
Actually - just noticed you're in North London! We're based in Enfield, PM if you're interested in lessons.
She has students ranging from mid-way through primary school to those in their 60s. It's certainly an instrument a beginner can learn.
To me the classic jazz saxophone sound is the tenor. The alto and soprano sound rather cleaner. The barri is just plain scary.
I'm told the fingering on the saxophone transfers quite easily to a couple of the other woodwind instruments (clarinet maybe?)
Actually - just noticed you're in North London! We're based in Enfield, PM if you're interested in lessons.
Hey Glassman,
I make my living as a sax teacher... And definitely yes, it is an instrument a beginner can learn. Many people (mainly clarinetists) recommend starting on the clarinet and progressing - that's probably what you've heard - but it's not really sound advice. Go straight for the saxophone.
Alto or Tenor would be the best bet out of the main 4 saxes in the family. Sopranos are hard to play in tune, and baritones are very expensive and not used in many band situations until you get to a much more advanced level. Tenors are slightly more expensive, but sound cool, and fewer people play them, so they're more in demand in local band situations.
www.sax.co.uk is your best bet for a good hire/purchase scheme, they do a good range of saxes. For cheap versus quality, if you're going to sax.co.uk, they do a good range of Trevor James saxes, which are great, blow well and in tune, and are well set up.
I make my living as a sax teacher... And definitely yes, it is an instrument a beginner can learn. Many people (mainly clarinetists) recommend starting on the clarinet and progressing - that's probably what you've heard - but it's not really sound advice. Go straight for the saxophone.
Alto or Tenor would be the best bet out of the main 4 saxes in the family. Sopranos are hard to play in tune, and baritones are very expensive and not used in many band situations until you get to a much more advanced level. Tenors are slightly more expensive, but sound cool, and fewer people play them, so they're more in demand in local band situations.
www.sax.co.uk is your best bet for a good hire/purchase scheme, they do a good range of saxes. For cheap versus quality, if you're going to sax.co.uk, they do a good range of Trevor James saxes, which are great, blow well and in tune, and are well set up.
timbob said:
Hey Glassman,
I make my living as a sax teacher... And definitely yes, it is an instrument a beginner can learn. Many people (mainly clarinetists) recommend starting on the clarinet and progressing - that's probably what you've heard - but it's not really sound advice. Go straight for the saxophone.
Alto or Tenor would be the best bet out of the main 4 saxes in the family. Sopranos are hard to play in tune, and baritones are very expensive and not used in many band situations until you get to a much more advanced level. Tenors are slightly more expensive, but sound cool, and fewer people play them, so they're more in demand in local band situations.
www.sax.co.uk is your best bet for a good hire/purchase scheme, they do a good range of saxes. For cheap versus quality, if you're going to sax.co.uk, they do a good range of Trevor James saxes, which are great, blow well and in tune, and are well set up.
Hi Tim,I make my living as a sax teacher... And definitely yes, it is an instrument a beginner can learn. Many people (mainly clarinetists) recommend starting on the clarinet and progressing - that's probably what you've heard - but it's not really sound advice. Go straight for the saxophone.
Alto or Tenor would be the best bet out of the main 4 saxes in the family. Sopranos are hard to play in tune, and baritones are very expensive and not used in many band situations until you get to a much more advanced level. Tenors are slightly more expensive, but sound cool, and fewer people play them, so they're more in demand in local band situations.
www.sax.co.uk is your best bet for a good hire/purchase scheme, they do a good range of saxes. For cheap versus quality, if you're going to sax.co.uk, they do a good range of Trevor James saxes, which are great, blow well and in tune, and are well set up.
Sorry for the hijack. I've got an Earlham pro-tenor which has been sat around the house for (literally) years. I started to learn to play, but it's not exactly a 'social' instrument as you know
so it's just been gathering dust on a stand.It seems criminal to let it stay like this so I reckon at best, it needs a good clean and at worse, the pads have dried up (doesn't seem that way though).
Any tips for reviving it? They're not something that comes apart very easily!
Stig said:
timbob said:
Hey Glassman,
I make my living as a sax teacher... And definitely yes, it is an instrument a beginner can learn. Many people (mainly clarinetists) recommend starting on the clarinet and progressing - that's probably what you've heard - but it's not really sound advice. Go straight for the saxophone.
Alto or Tenor would be the best bet out of the main 4 saxes in the family. Sopranos are hard to play in tune, and baritones are very expensive and not used in many band situations until you get to a much more advanced level. Tenors are slightly more expensive, but sound cool, and fewer people play them, so they're more in demand in local band situations.
www.sax.co.uk is your best bet for a good hire/purchase scheme, they do a good range of saxes. For cheap versus quality, if you're going to sax.co.uk, they do a good range of Trevor James saxes, which are great, blow well and in tune, and are well set up.
Hi Tim,I make my living as a sax teacher... And definitely yes, it is an instrument a beginner can learn. Many people (mainly clarinetists) recommend starting on the clarinet and progressing - that's probably what you've heard - but it's not really sound advice. Go straight for the saxophone.
Alto or Tenor would be the best bet out of the main 4 saxes in the family. Sopranos are hard to play in tune, and baritones are very expensive and not used in many band situations until you get to a much more advanced level. Tenors are slightly more expensive, but sound cool, and fewer people play them, so they're more in demand in local band situations.
www.sax.co.uk is your best bet for a good hire/purchase scheme, they do a good range of saxes. For cheap versus quality, if you're going to sax.co.uk, they do a good range of Trevor James saxes, which are great, blow well and in tune, and are well set up.
Sorry for the hijack. I've got an Earlham pro-tenor which has been sat around the house for (literally) years. I started to learn to play, but it's not exactly a 'social' instrument as you know
so it's just been gathering dust on a stand.It seems criminal to let it stay like this so I reckon at best, it needs a good clean and at worse, the pads have dried up (doesn't seem that way though).
Any tips for reviving it? They're not something that comes apart very easily!
As an aside, I used to play an old 1933 Selmer alto sax, that up until I played it, had sat for the best part of 30 years in the case. I got it out, honked a couple of notes, and it wailed straight away!
timbob said:
Stig said:
timbob said:
Hey Glassman,
I make my living as a sax teacher... And definitely yes, it is an instrument a beginner can learn. Many people (mainly clarinetists) recommend starting on the clarinet and progressing - that's probably what you've heard - but it's not really sound advice. Go straight for the saxophone.
Alto or Tenor would be the best bet out of the main 4 saxes in the family. Sopranos are hard to play in tune, and baritones are very expensive and not used in many band situations until you get to a much more advanced level. Tenors are slightly more expensive, but sound cool, and fewer people play them, so they're more in demand in local band situations.
www.sax.co.uk is your best bet for a good hire/purchase scheme, they do a good range of saxes. For cheap versus quality, if you're going to sax.co.uk, they do a good range of Trevor James saxes, which are great, blow well and in tune, and are well set up.
Hi Tim,I make my living as a sax teacher... And definitely yes, it is an instrument a beginner can learn. Many people (mainly clarinetists) recommend starting on the clarinet and progressing - that's probably what you've heard - but it's not really sound advice. Go straight for the saxophone.
Alto or Tenor would be the best bet out of the main 4 saxes in the family. Sopranos are hard to play in tune, and baritones are very expensive and not used in many band situations until you get to a much more advanced level. Tenors are slightly more expensive, but sound cool, and fewer people play them, so they're more in demand in local band situations.
www.sax.co.uk is your best bet for a good hire/purchase scheme, they do a good range of saxes. For cheap versus quality, if you're going to sax.co.uk, they do a good range of Trevor James saxes, which are great, blow well and in tune, and are well set up.
Sorry for the hijack. I've got an Earlham pro-tenor which has been sat around the house for (literally) years. I started to learn to play, but it's not exactly a 'social' instrument as you know
so it's just been gathering dust on a stand.It seems criminal to let it stay like this so I reckon at best, it needs a good clean and at worse, the pads have dried up (doesn't seem that way though).
Any tips for reviving it? They're not something that comes apart very easily!
As an aside, I used to play an old 1933 Selmer alto sax, that up until I played it, had sat for the best part of 30 years in the case. I got it out, honked a couple of notes, and it wailed straight away!
Thanks for the advice anyway
That's ok. A mate in the band has a 1927 Selmer tenor he found underneath a relatives house. Estimated time? 40 years.
Replaces the pads and it was good to go. has the nicest sound around.
The reason Clarinet players will tell you to start there (also play Clarinet but don't enjoy it as much) is that it is a harder instrument to play. Gives you a much tighter approach to playing - it's all too easy just to honk at a sax and get a sound. As a result your notes and reading can improve way before your sound and overall approach does. If you start on the Clarinet the reverse is true.
I love the Baritone. Such a deep, rich, warm sound if you have the right approach, but I would never reccomend anyone to start there. Really needs at least 5 years experience just so you don't pass out the first time you go for a bottom A. Tenor or Alto is really what you need.
Replaces the pads and it was good to go. has the nicest sound around.
The reason Clarinet players will tell you to start there (also play Clarinet but don't enjoy it as much) is that it is a harder instrument to play. Gives you a much tighter approach to playing - it's all too easy just to honk at a sax and get a sound. As a result your notes and reading can improve way before your sound and overall approach does. If you start on the Clarinet the reverse is true.
I love the Baritone. Such a deep, rich, warm sound if you have the right approach, but I would never reccomend anyone to start there. Really needs at least 5 years experience just so you don't pass out the first time you go for a bottom A. Tenor or Alto is really what you need.
Think I may have forgotton most if it now though!Colonial said:
That's ok. A mate in the band has a 1927 Selmer tenor he found underneath a relatives house. Estimated time? 40 years.
Replaces the pads and it was good to go. has the nicest sound around.
The reason Clarinet players will tell you to start there (also play Clarinet but don't enjoy it as much) is that it is a harder instrument to play. Gives you a much tighter approach to playing - it's all too easy just to honk at a sax and get a sound. As a result your notes and reading can improve way before your sound and overall approach does. If you start on the Clarinet the reverse is true.
I love the Baritone. Such a deep, rich, warm sound if you have the right approach, but I would never reccomend anyone to start there. Really needs at least 5 years experience just so you don't pass out the first time you go for a bottom A. Tenor or Alto is really what you need.
In my experience, as a sax player who also doubles on clarinet, and now teaches woodwind full time mainly to school age children, someone who starts on clarinet and switches to sax only ever ends up sounding like a clarinet player who plays sax. They still use a tightly stretched lower lip, rigid face style embouchure, and sound very straight, thin and pure.Replaces the pads and it was good to go. has the nicest sound around.
The reason Clarinet players will tell you to start there (also play Clarinet but don't enjoy it as much) is that it is a harder instrument to play. Gives you a much tighter approach to playing - it's all too easy just to honk at a sax and get a sound. As a result your notes and reading can improve way before your sound and overall approach does. If you start on the Clarinet the reverse is true.
I love the Baritone. Such a deep, rich, warm sound if you have the right approach, but I would never reccomend anyone to start there. Really needs at least 5 years experience just so you don't pass out the first time you go for a bottom A. Tenor or Alto is really what you need.
If you start on the saxophone, the embouchure that develops is much looser, it's a "sucking your thumb" arrangement, no lip tucked over your teeth, but instead the lower lip becomes a big fat cushion to the reed, which opens the sound, and makes it warm, rich and fat.
So to me, it depends what's most important... I play saxophone for jazz, funk, soul and blues music (in that order), so a big fat, rich, LOUD, open sound is what I need. When I play the clarinet, as much as I try, my embouchure is still too loose, and I've been told I sound like a saxophone player who plays clarinet - which is fine by me, I only use the licquourice stick for doubling, and it's not important to me.
The tenor is easy, alto a bit more difficult and soprano sheer hell to play in tune.
If you come from clarinet it's even more easy. Best thing is if you already can read notes.
It doesn't take much effort to get results but to touch the jazzgods you'll need some serious practise. I studied 5 hours every day for 5 years, after that I got back to a daily 1 hour . . . now it's one hour a month -
- It took me to 1st alto and lead in several bands. Music ruins your social life though. But it's huge fun and I would not have missed it for the world.dinkel said:
The tenor is easy, alto a bit more difficult and soprano sheer hell to play in tune.
If you come from clarinet it's even more easy. Best thing is if you already can read notes.
It doesn't take much effort to get results but to touch the jazzgods you'll need some serious practise. I studied 5 hours every day for 5 years, after that I got back to a daily 1 hour . . . now it's one hour a month -
- It took me to 1st alto and lead in several bands. Music ruins your social life though. But it's huge fun and I would not have missed it for the world.Beuscher, 1926 . . . a fine axe with a period mouthpiece. Excellent tuning and with amazing dynamics. The Yanks could built a saxophone. I prefer vintage USA to 40s-60s French bred.
I've a '87 Yanagisawa as well, soulfull phat axe played with a Berg Larsen 90-2, Meyer M6, M8 or Link 6*. I lust for an early 70s Yamaha though . . .
I've a '87 Yanagisawa as well, soulfull phat axe played with a Berg Larsen 90-2, Meyer M6, M8 or Link 6*. I lust for an early 70s Yamaha though . . .
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