Explanations for beginners

[RayL]

RayL published a new article:

When I got my first saxophone about six months ago I found plenty of books and net information about how to attach a reed, make a 't' sound, play simple tunes using just a few notes, music theory, etc.

What was missing were answers to the 'why' questions, the ones that are a...

Read more about this article...

 

[kevgermany]

Thanks, very helpful.

Comment on point 3. Except for the octave keys, the pitch is determined by the first open tone hole starting fom the neck and working towards the bell. Cross fingerings are not used in basic play. Tone holes that are closed below the first open tone hole are closed as a consequence of design (to make fingering easier), not to affect pitch, but they do, to some extent, affect the pitch determined by the first open tone hole.

 

[RayL]

Correction made to point 3. Thanks

Ray

 

[OutToLunch!]

Thanks for the thread, Ray; quite informative basic stuff for us beginners.

 

[SheilaF]

Thank you - great article for the beginner.

 

[MandyH]

In item 3, you state “one key pressed down = one pad opening”

I thought that almost all pads were “normally open” therefore one key pressed down = one pad closing

 

[jbtsax]

I have always wondered about the "wig wags" and what they do. Great article. It gives us old farts who have played the saxophone since the stone age a perspective on how everything looks to a beginner. It should be required reading for saxophone teachers/tutors.