Crikey it's a Whopper!

[sharon]

Well Chaps, the tenor arrived today. What can I say. It's huge compared to the alto. I put it up together and it was all over the shop. Hit myself in the eye and nose but eventually got it straight. Couldn't blow a note. Stupid me thought I would be able to play it straight off - even lined up a few tunes.

Anyway probably best to start small so first it played high and then flat and eventually got a reasonable B C D G and once a whole G major. I find the octave key a reeeel stretch and the whole thing feels big and awkward. I'm sure it will improve :erm: won't it? Had to get out the alto for a few tunes then just to prove I haven't dreamt the last few months and it was lovely.

I thought I would do as I did when I first got the alto and have 15 or so minutes a few times a day. Any advice as always gratefully (bended knees) received.

sharon

 

[Saxlicker]

sharon wrote:
Well Chaps, the tenor arrived today. What can I say. It's huge compared to the alto. I put it up together and it was all over the shop. Hit myself in the eye and nose but eventually got it straight. Couldn't blow a note. Stupid me thought I would be able to play it straight off - even lined up a few tunes.

:laugh: Round one to the tenor sax then!!

You'll be fine....The alto will feel small if you keep at it rather than the tenor feeling big. Eventually everything you already know will start to make the transition as well.
Good Luck!

 

[Linky Lee]

I can remember the first time I picked up a tenor too, it felt huge!

and they feel especially big after switching from an alto.

It only took a week or so and I was as comfortable on the tenor as I was on the alto. The keys shouldn't really be any more of a stretch than on the alto, it just has a slightly larger diameter which means your hands are more rounded in shape compared to playing an alto.
Your two hands are further apart as well and there's the extra weight.

If you put it on the sling, attach the crook and mouthpiece, then pull the sling tighter until when you support with just your right hand then mouthpiece wants to enter your mouth. This will get you the most comfortable sling position.

Many people have the bottom out to the right of their body, twist the crook slightly right and give the mouthpiece a right twist as well to make it nice and level again. So the saxophone makes this shape:

/
\
-\

and you stand up straight. This makes it seem smaller as it's not straight up down, and is much more comfortable in my opinion.

Hope all goes well, your doing better than most people who are starting learning, understanding that it won't all come and it's better to do frequent short practise instead of irregular long ones, or frequent long ones.

 

[Bobby G]

I agree with Linky. One word of warning, from my own painful experience. Be aware that the tenor sticks out a lot further than an alto, so be very careful when you start movin' an' groovin' or you'll bump into t ings and knock your front teeth out. Ouch.

Cheers, Bob

 

[sharon]

Thanks for the words of wisdom. You've made me feel a bit more hopeful that I can wrestle some music out of the thing eventually. Will have a proper go today, quietly on my own with no family to interupt. I was trying to sort it out whilst trying to cook the dinner last night.

I don't think I can hold it in front like an alto though. I think I shall have to hold it to one side. I'll adjust the crook and mpc like you said Linky and try again.

Sharon

 

[Pjonah]

Wait 'till you get your baritone, that's a whole different game!

Good luck with it, it'll shortly all feel so natural.

Simon

 

[sharon]

A baritone is definately out of the question, a line has to be drawn. I am only 5 feet tall and the tenor is big - a bari would be clanking around my knees!


Sharon

 

[Pjonah]

That edit went quite wrong, sorry about that folks, spelling/grammer has never been a strong point!

 

[Linky Lee]

You're the perfect hight for a Baritone then... when you're sitting down!

it can stand on the flaw and be weightless!

Unfortunately I'm 5,7 and have to hold the damn thing, unless I put it on my feet for a while to give the old body a rest.

I would suggest getting a ladies harness for the tenor as well. I use one (a general one) for tenor most of the time as it is a huge weight to dangle round your neck, and if you're having to apply pressure to keep your head straight you're using neck muscles and are therefore tense and that doesn't help with producing a good tone!

 

[sharon]

Hmm.... never thought of that - might be a possibility there.

That's a good idea about the harness though (or are they a bit uncool). I played a bit today and when I put it down it felt like taking a small child off my shoulders - you know the feeling on the back of your kneck. I don't want to get a dowagers hump quite yet.

Glad to say my practice was a bit better today and any improvement is some improvement.

Sharon

 

[Pjonah]

Borrow a baritone for a week and when you go back to the tenor it'll feel diddly....just a thought.


Keep at it Sharon it's well worth the effort and I'm sure you'll look back in ten years from now at this period with fondness.

Simon

 

[Linky Lee]

It's the same harness that I use and in my opinion is the best, it aint fancy or pretty but it does the job well and is cheaper than most others.

With women it's a little different though, and I think it was Neotech who were the only ones who actually made a point of making a women's harness.

whoever it was, it can be found at www.sax.co.uk under their straps section and competitively priced.

I use a harness for tenor, and yes it is uncool. I do find the weight rather too much though, as it pulls down and across at the same time on the lower neck/shoulders which I've had problems with in the past from roller blading, the modern stupid stuff... never try if anyone feels like a midlife crisis.

I often put the harness underneath a 2nd layer and just let the strap poke through, works really well with low cut jumpers, and zip up tops.

 

[Pete Thomas]

Linky_Lee wrote:
With women it's a little different though, and I think it was Neotech who were the only ones who actually made a point of making a women's harness.

whoever it was, it can be found at www.sax.co.uk under their straps section and competitively priced.

Yes, talk to them they are very helpful. I went through a couple before I got the right harnes for my bass.

I can't comment much on women's harnesses as I'm a bloke, but I imagine ideally they shgould be a bit different as women are quite different to blokes in some respects.

 

[Tenor Sax]

Pete Thomas wrote:

Linky_Lee wrote:
With women it's a little different though, and I think it was Neotech who were the only ones who actually made a point of making a women's harness.

whoever it was, it can be found at www.sax.co.uk under their straps section and competitively priced.

I can't comment much on women's harnesses as I'm a bloke, but I imagine ideally they shgould be a bit different as women are quite different to blokes in some respects.

That's ground breaking news.

😱

 

[sharon]

I have had a quick look at the harness and I will probably get one if I decide to hang on to the tenor. I get backage if I play the alto for a long time standing.

By the way Linky you're right about the roller blading - my 11 year old is currently teaching me off and on. In my mind I'm one of those lovely long legged girls who glide along. The reality isn't so attractive unfortunately. 🙂

I had a quick 15 mins this morning before work and it is starting to feel more manageable. I've gone back to chapter of 1 of my Boosey learning book and concentrated on long notes. I'm still a bit worried about the octave key as I haven't got a lot of distance between my thumb and index finger. It also makes my head spin a bit when I blow - but i'm sure this is temporary - it's quite nice actually.

Sharon