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When I was 12 years, I annoyed my parents in order to get them to buy a saxophone for me. Now I'm 16, and I'm really starting to listen to good sax music, like this:
I really want to start and learn to play the sax. The only problem is, I'm already too late to join the local music academy. (it's literally just behind my street corner, and just a 2 minute walk away from my house.) I had to go and join on 30 september, and seeing as I'm already a bit too late. Now I have to wait until next year to join up. What do I do now? do I just go ahead and buy a saxophone, buy some good books from which I can start learning, or find a private sax teacher (maybe a bit too expensive for me)?
I just went ahead and bought one and got a private teacher when I wanted to learn.
You know you're really doing something when you can make strangers hate you over the Internet. - Mauleed
Just remember folks. Panic. Panic all the time. It's the only way to survive, other than just being mindful, of course-but geez, that's so friggin' boring. - Aegis Grimm
Hallowed is the All Pie The Before Times: A Place That Celebrates The World That Was
Scrazza wrote:do you play the sax? Isn't a private teacher very expensive?
I've played for about 12-14 years now. As for the price, I have no idea, my parents paid for it(it was right before I started high school). But, basically what TZoo said is what I did. I learned from the teacher until I had the basics down(I already knew how to read music from piano playing as a child), and then it was just practicing to get better myself(plus I was in band).
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2011/02/26 18:54:04
You know you're really doing something when you can make strangers hate you over the Internet. - Mauleed
Just remember folks. Panic. Panic all the time. It's the only way to survive, other than just being mindful, of course-but geez, that's so friggin' boring. - Aegis Grimm
Hallowed is the All Pie The Before Times: A Place That Celebrates The World That Was
Scrazza wrote:do you play the sax? Isn't a private teacher very expensive?
on the topic of buying a saxophone, I understand there are three or possibly more types of saxophones. Could I get some more info on them, please?
There's soprano, tenor, and alto, IIRC. (my sister plays alto and tenor)
Alto is the one most people think of when they hear a saxophone. It's also the one that most people start learning on. Midrange. Soprano and tenor are both harder to play. Soprano because it's smaller and fiddlier, and tenor because it takes a lot more lung-power to make an appreciable noise.
So, I'll start with the alto sax then. But I heard the Tenor was the most important one in jazz music. I really want to play jazzy, I'm not into fanfares or big bands.
Back when I was in first year of high-school (the belgian one, that's a bit different than in the US) We had ME, that was Musical Education. We only had it for one year, but we learned to play the flute. ( FYI, this:
I have the study book we used in school somewhere. So If I dig that up, would I be able to learn all the notes again, and use them for the sax? There's also a lot of songs in that study book, but not too jazzy. you know, the simple ones that make you learn it. Would I be covered If I did that? I mean, it wouldn't be the first time I played an instrument. (albeit 4 years ago. )
This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at 2011/02/26 19:04:54
Most likely, those books wouldn't be much help, as IIRC, the Recorder and the Alto are in different keys.
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2011/02/26 19:12:30
You know you're really doing something when you can make strangers hate you over the Internet. - Mauleed
Just remember folks. Panic. Panic all the time. It's the only way to survive, other than just being mindful, of course-but geez, that's so friggin' boring. - Aegis Grimm
Hallowed is the All Pie The Before Times: A Place That Celebrates The World That Was
Platuan4th wrote:That's a Recorder(or English flute).
Yeah, I didn't know the english name for it. I just looked for a picture the somewhat resembled it.
Automatically Appended Next Post: well, crap. Then I have to look for a decent study book first. I looked up the price for a alto sax, and it's something over 1100.00 euros. With a summer job coming up, I think I will be able to afford a decent sax somewhere in august/september.
But I'll manage to find a good book somewhere in the near future.
+ I have a good friend who plays the sax, maybe I could ask him to get me on my way.
This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at 2011/02/26 19:16:37
I play saxophone, and am in a jazz band. Both alto and tenor are important in jazz. I would suggest getting a student level alto sax, for one very important reason: The fingerings (what buttons you push down on the saxophone to make the right not play) are the same on all the saxophones, whether it is a soprano, alto, tenor, baritone, or even the rarest of rares, the base saxophone. I learned on the alto and have now been playing the tenor for 4 years. Find a good beginners book, and if you want, I can give you some advice on the important things for starters, like how to not develop bad habits on your embouchure (which is how you hold you mouth over the mouthpiece).
-A teacher could be helpful right now, to make sure that you don't form bad habits while you learn. However, they are expensive, so a decent book might be able to cover it. If your lips/mouth hurt/are sore, especially in the corners of you mouth, after playing, you're doing it right.
-Only go for some cheaper, learning level things. As far as reeds go (the piece of wood that goes on the mouthpiece, the thing that vibrates to make the sound), buy rather soft ones (level one or 1.5) from Rico, just their plain orange box type. These reeds are horrible, but they are cheap and great for learning on.
-The book you learn on will most likely teach you in non-jazz related terms. Don't be frustrated, as you need to learn how to play, all the techniques, and how to have a good grasp on the instrument before you learn jazz.
-As for where to buy things, the best place for instruments, mouthpieces, and reeds is woodwindbrasswind.com, who confusingly have the address of www.wwbw.com . If you buy from a store, you will most likely be ripped off.
-Besides from a student level alto saxophone, a box of 10 reeds, a simple mouthpiece and ligurature (the metal ring that holds the reed onto the mouthpiece-any decent starter mouthpiece will come with one), and a learner's book, get a reed holder. Reeds in the box come in individual holders, but I find having a group one (mine holds 4 reeds at a time) is really helpful. It helps keep the reeds cleaner and helps them last longer.
P.S. Do you know how to read music? All saxophones that I know (soprano-baritone) are in treble cleff, if you know how to read it.
Ask more questions, and I will be glad to help.
This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at 2011/02/26 20:53:15
micahaphone wrote:I play saxophone, and am in a jazz band. Both alto and tenor are important in jazz. I would suggest getting a student level alto sax, for one very important reason: The fingerings (what buttons you push down on the saxophone to make the right not play) are the same on all the saxophones, whether it is a soprano, alto, tenor, baritone, or even the rarest of rares, the base saxophone. I learned on the alto and have now been playing the tenor for 4 years. Find a good beginners book, and if you want, I can give you some advice on the important things for starters, like how to not develop bad habits on your embouchure (which is how you hold you mouth over the mouthpiece).
-A teacher could be helpful right now, to make sure that you don't form bad habits while you learn. However, they are expensive, so a decent book might be able to cover it. If your lips/mouth hurt/are sore, especially in the corners of you mouth, after playing, you're doing it right.
-Only go for some cheaper, learning level things. As far as reeds go (the piece of wood that goes on the mouthpiece, the thing that vibrates to make the sound), buy rather soft ones (level one or 1.5) from Rico, just their plain orange box type. These reeds are horrible, but they are cheap and great for learning on.
-The book you learn on will most likely teach you in non-jazz related terms. Don't be frustrated, as you need to learn how to play, all the techniques, and how to have a good grasp on the instrument before you learn jazz.
-As for where to buy things, the best place for instruments, mouthpieces, and reeds is woodwindbrasswind.com, who confusingly have the address of www.wwbw.com . If you buy from a store, you will most likely be ripped off.
-Besides from a student level alto saxophone, a box of 10 reeds, a simple mouthpiece and ligurature (the metal ring that holds the reed onto the mouthpiece-any decent starter mouthpiece will come with one), and a learner's book, get a reed holder. Reeds in the box come in individual holders, but I find having a group one (mine holds 4 reeds at a time) is really helpful. It helps keep the reeds cleaner and helps them last longer.
P.S. Do you know how to read music? All saxophones that I know (soprano-baritone) are in treble cleff, if you know how to read it.
Ask more questions, and I will be glad to help.
Thanks! I'll be sure to get the things you summed up first thing, when I get the money for it. I 'knew' how to read notes, but that was four years ago, and they were notes for a Recorder (english flute), and from what I read here, they aren't the same. So no, I don't think I will be able to read treble cleff. Before you posted, I never even knew of it's existence.
And I do know I have to get the basics first, before I can play jazz, So I won't be that frustrated .
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2011/02/26 21:18:09
For some additional tips on your embouchure (which is the most important part of playing the saxophone. Well, posture and how you hold your fingers also matters, but I'm ranting now): Pull your lower lip across your lower set of teeth, and pull the corners of your mouth in tight. In a mirror, it will look like you have an odd frown on your face. When blowing through the saxophone, you need to learn to use your diaphragm, the muscles beneath your lungs, to push the air out. A good breathing exercise is to say "POH - WAI- HEEE" while inhaling-this helps you learn to take a full breath of air. It should feel like you're breathing from your belly. If your neck feels strained after playing, you're doing it very wrong, and can actually lead to some health troubles later in life.
Before you play the saxophone, you put the reed (thin part first) into your mouth to get it moistened. Then you put it on the mouthpiece and align it so the thin part is just barely poking out over the end of the mouthpiece, and you tighten the screws on the ligurature to hold it in place. The screws should (most likely) be on the bottom of the mouthpiece. This might seem weird, but nearly all mouthpieces, save for a special kind, will work that way. The ligurature should be over and holding onto the thick part of the reed. So after your mouthpiece is assembled, the reed will be on the bottom, with a gold ring-thing holding it in place.
For a basic saxophone, I'm going to suggest something like this. Vito, Yamaha, and Selmer are all good brands; I don't know much more about brands, and I'm sure a teacher at the nearby school would be all to willing to help you find something, as you'll probably use them in the future, right?
The reeds I mentioned earlier will look like this The number on the box dictates how hard/firm the reed is, and you'll want some softer ones for as you're learning. When it feels like you're blasting out notes without trying, or if your reeds are wearing out very quickly (reeds grow thinner as they're used), then you should move up a level. I have been playing saxophone for 6 years, and I have been using a level 3 read for the past 2. However, it'll most likely take you a long time to work your way up the levels unless you already have very strong lip and lung muscles (which is unlikely, as these are toned and developed by playing and practicing).
Here is the type of reed case I use. There's no need to buy anything more expensive than this for a loooong time. This is the type of reed case I use.
This message was edited 7 times. Last update was at 2011/02/26 21:35:53
micahaphone wrote:For some additional tips on your embouchure (which is the most important part of playing the saxophone. Well, posture and how you hold your fingers also matters, but I'm ranting now): Pull your lower lip across your lower set of teeth, and pull the corners of your mouth in tight. In a mirror, it will look like you have an odd frown on your face. When blowing through the saxophone, you need to learn to use your diaphragm, the muscles beneath your lungs, to push the air out. A good breathing exercise is to say "POH - WAI- HEEE" while inhaling-this helps you learn to take a full breath of air. It should feel like you're breathing from your belly. If your neck feels strained after playing, you're doing it very wrong, and can actually lead to some health troubles later in life.
For a basic saxophone, I'm going to suggest something like this. Vito, Yamaha, and Selmer are all good brands; I don't know much more about brands, and I'm sure a teacher at the nearby school would be all to willing to help you find something, as you'll probably use them in the future, right?
again, thanks! Sounds like you know what you are talking about. The student sax looks good, and the price is about right as well. I looked some up on the internet, and the only ones I found were the ones that cost nearly double the prize of the student one.
I know I have to buy myself a sax before I go to that music academy, so I'll just trust you all here on dakka, and the shop owner to get me started. I can only join the music academy next school year, so...
During this last year, I upgraded mouthpieces to a nicer level, but you won't have to do this for a long time. I paid $80 american for it, but here's a student level mouthpiece that has gotten good reviews for around $40. They do come cheaper, but this one looks good. I've just been doing quick searches on wwbw.com, so if you find something else that looks better, feel free to inquire, either here or at the local school. I'm not sure if the linked mouthpiece comes with a ligurature or not.
Here's another mouthpiece that looks decent, however you can't tell how good a mouthpiece is by the picture and there are no customer reviews.
Just to give you an idea of what a ligature looks like (do NOT buy something this expensive), look here
Feel free to ask the questions! Different mouthpieces have a different "feel" to them. For example, if you've ever driven a car, some cars have stiff pedals and an easy to turn wheel. Others will have nice smooth pedals. It's all in the specific type or brand. There are mouthpieces that are meant for jazz, but you can play jazz on any mouthpiece. The higher quality mouthpiece that I recently purchased for my tenor is great for both concert music (classical/traditional big band) and jazz.
Automatically Appended Next Post: What I did when upgrading mouthpieces was to order 3 different ones from WWBW, then try each out for a while, using each on different things. Then I sent back the 2 that I did not like and kept the one that I liked the best. WWBW has a great policy on returns, because it's meant to help musicians. Just make sure you clean out something before you return it!
This message was edited 3 times. Last update was at 2011/02/26 21:48:09
great to know. Jeez, It seems I underestimated the requirements. No worries, I'm not getting cold feet, but it will take a while before I get all the requirements. But I hope to get everything and start playing in a two years span from now on.
I think I should just experiment with different moutpieces over the years then.
You'll want a hard, black, enamel-like mouthpiece, not a rubber one. To clean out the mouthpiece and actual saxophone (you'll be blowing spit into them, so you don't want bacteria to grow), you'll need some of this spray, a special type of rag that has a string with a weight on it, and this tiny pipe-cleaner ish brush. You toss the weighted end down the top of the saxophone, reach into the bell, and pull the cloth through. Please note that the neck of the saxophone should be off as you do this. Saxophones separate into 3 main parts: the body, the neck, and the mouthpiece. The body and neck come together where the saxophone curves horizontally to go towards your mouth. The little pipe-cleaner brush is used for cleaning out the mouthpiece and neck. The spray is alcohol based, so one squirt into each part will do the job.
Automatically Appended Next Post: You tune the saxophone (the pitch; how in tune you are) both based off of if you have a good embouchure (a good one is a tight one) and how far your mouthpiece is on the saxophone. The part where you place the mouthpiece ono the neck is covered in cork so that you can slide it on or off. The aforementioned kid has a little chapstick-like container in it (you can buy it separately, of course) called "cork grease" that new saxophones sometimes need SPARINGLY to help the mouthpiece slide on. Don't use so much that simply putting your mouth on the saxophone makes it slide up the cork, making it sharper.
Automatically Appended Next Post: Don't be surprised if you can't play very many notes or can't play for very long when you start. It's tough to start, but it is worth it. I could barely hit the middle D after several weeks of playing; now I can play every note possible on the saxophone.
Automatically Appended Next Post: Don't worry if you feel a little overwhelmed right now; this is a lot to take in. I've just been throwing every single tip that I can think of at you as they've hit my brain. Just look at my first post for the essentials.
This message was edited 5 times. Last update was at 2011/02/26 21:59:44
But your links don't seem to work properly. 'This spray' links to the ligature, and the starters kit links, alright, but it says that it isn't in stock anymore, or is not being shipped outside of the US.
But I'm pretty sure I can find these kind of kits in a local music store, of the manager isn't trying to rip me off.
Automatically Appended Next Post: It doesn't matter, it isn't overwhelming, it's helpfull!
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2011/02/26 22:02:27
The other links work, I checked em when you posted them. But the spray link says the same as the starters kit. But it doesn't matter, I get what you mean. If I get my gear, I will use this as a refference.
thanks!
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2011/02/26 22:35:15
I feel a little stupid right now, as if there's a music school close to you, they probably sell used instruments. For your first sax, a used alto would work fine. As long as all the keys and cushions work, as I'd expect from any decent music store, you should buy from them. Both of my saxophones (alto and tenor) are second-hand; even though they're scratched up, they play well. Any decent sales clerk will help you find the parts you need.
Glad to help another musician! Go forth and spread the gospel of the jazz!
One thing you should know:
As previously mentioned, all saxophones have the same fingerings (which buttons you push to make what notes come out). However, this is accomplished by having the saxophones in different keys. For example, the alto you'll buy will most likely be in the key of Eflat. The Tenor saxophone is in the key of Bflat. So while the G(not sure if this is the right note) of an alto will be concert Bflat (the common tuning pitch here in the USA), the Bflat of the tenor sax will be the Bflat concert key. Basically, the C of a tenor is the same as the Bflat of a piano, or a violin. Because of this, when you switch over, the instrument will sound a little odd.
Also, when you switch, you just need to get used to a bigger mouthpiece and using up much more air. It took me around 2 weeks to get used to using that much air, but other than that, it's easy to switch.
I used to play in the school band. I wish I would of stuck with it, as I miss playing actually. I think about it often. I started on the tenor and then after 2 years switched to the bari(baritone) sax. That is a beast of a sax but it sounded so good and was a blast to play. Good luck on it man, you can wow the ladies with one thats for sure
MY brother does sax (flute and guitar as well) but i think a nice clarinet would be awesome, but then again i play clarinet so my opinion is a bit biased.
)
.
The student sax looks good, and the price is about right as well. I looked some up on the internet, and the only ones I found were the ones that cost nearly double the prize of the student one.
