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owllower

owllower

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HI Everyone

My name is Charley, i,m 26 and hoping to teach myself sax. I come from a musical background - in primary school was in the choir and played recorder. At high school learned cornet and double bass, was in the brass band and orchestra.

I just love the sound of the sax - so versitile and expressive. I have also wanted to learn to play just never got round too it till now. I am starting with alto as i am quite small and due to a back condition can't carry much weight.

I am looking for a good starter horn - i want something decent that i wouldn't have to upgrade a few months down the line but can certainly not justify buying a professional one. I have been looking at the Yamaha 275 and 475. Both look nice horns and are within my price range. What would be the benefit of paying the extra money for the 475 over the 275.

Thanks

Looking foward to talking to all you sax player out there :)
 
Hi Charley, welcome to caf sax.
I was much like you, choir and recorder at primary, trumpet at secondary. Dabbled in clarinet in my late 20's and although my children played instruments (one of them did music at Uni), I never found the time in life to get to learning alto sax seriously until 58. Well worth it at any age, I reckon.

I started out self-learning, but found after a year I needed some guidance on technique and theory. Not everyone does, but that's how I learn best.

Can't help much with the Yamaha as I don't play one - but I'm pretty sure my teacher has a YAS 275 - but there are plenty on here who will offer good advice.

Good luck and enjoy!
Colin
 
owllower said:
What would be the benefit of paying the extra money for the 475 over the 275.
Click to expand...

Hi Charley, & welcome

Modesty may prevent Steve Howard pointing you at his reviews of the 275 and 475. I can't speak as to the 475 from experience, but #2 son has the 275 and it seems to be a very good piece of kit, as is my YAS62 MkI. Possibly it'd be better to go for the 275 and keep the change for a future mouthpiece upgrade? I dunno - someone more knowledgeable than me will be along in a minute :D

Cheers

Jonathan
 
owllower said:
What would be the benefit of paying the extra money for the 475 over the 275.
Click to expand...

That was the question I asked the shopkeeper when I bought my YAS275 (long since exchanged for a tenor). He thought there were none paying the extra money for, but if I was prepared to go the YAS62II, that would be a different matter. I did wonder at the time whether he had a 475 in stock, but the 275 seemed in any case to be good enough.
 
owllower said:
What would be the benefit of paying the extra money for the 475 over the 275.
Click to expand...

That was the question I asked the shopkeeper when I bought my YAS275 (long since exchanged for a tenor). He thought there were none paying the extra money for, but if I was prepared to go the YAS62II, that would be a different matter. I did wonder at the time whether he had a 475 in stock, but the 275 seemed in any case to be good enough.
 
Hi Charley. There has been a bit of discussion about this lately so surf the recent stuff and you will get some good advice from the experienced people in the cafe, (not me, too inexperienced), however, I play a 275 and it sounds good. The guy's in sax.co told me the 275 is really good to start with and I should wait until I was more experienced to buy my upgrade as I will know what I am looking for. My personal view is I will wait as long as possible then buy the best I can afford. Good Luck.
 
Hi Charley, welcome to the Cafe. I don't play a Yam, but from what I've heard, you can't go wrong with either. No doubt someone will express a very valid opinion soon (unless it's Old Git, just humour him, it's easier that way ;})
 
old git said:
Welcome to the caff, Charley.
Listen to Taz as he is the BEST SAXOPHONIST on the board.
ENJOY!
Click to expand...

If you believe that, then I suggest you would sound better if you played this!
toysax.jpg


Thanks OG, but I don't think so! :)))
 
I,m decided for now i,ll probably go for the 275 so hopefully order one in a few weeks time. just had my wisdon tooth out and thought i'd have a wee shot of my chanter bad idea - could hardly blow it and it started to bleed again. That way if i wait i won't be tempted to blow into it.

Can anyone recommend good beginners books to buy?
 
owllower said:
Can anyone recommend good beginners books to buy?
Click to expand...

You have quite a choice.

I started with Peter Wastall's Learn as you play Saxophone and the Rubank Elementary Method. Wastall's book has many attractive pieces (if you like that sort of music). But their demands rise appreciably in the last few lessons, and I am not sure that the book provides enough technical work for this.

I used the Rubank book mainly for the technical work. I never took to the pieces in it and ignored many of them. I then went on to the Intermediate Method. Same approach.
 
Hi Charley
For what its worth, I use a Yam 275.
To be honest, I followed what to me was a logical step.
Buy a well known and recommended student sax.
Try to play it reasonably well.
If I am still playing it in a year and feel the need to upgrade, I will ignore the intermediates and go to the pro horns.
By buying the Yam student sax to start, they are very well made, more than capable of being played in tune and gives you a little money left to buy the much needed extras:-
Decent strap
metronome.
tuner(possibly)
spare reeds (various types and strengths)
Possibly the yam 5c mouthpiece (The 4c for me was no good)
As many books as your bookshelves will take.
Music stand.
lessons? (not everbody has a teacher)
I see that you seem to have gone for the 275, its a good sax.
Hope all the above is of some help.:)
 

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