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Hi from Brittany, France

Lerome

Senior Member
Messages
33
Locality
Morbihan, Brittany, France
What a great web site this is!

I am planning to buy a tenor sax in the very near future, and came across this site while researching instruments. I played oboe many decades ago when at school and played amateur in several orchestras and small groups, as well as a bit of solo work.

I have not played or practised regularly for ten years or more, though, so thought a sax might be a better idea. I met a local English chap the other day and it turned out that he plays alto in a local band. He used to have a tenor and said that he wished he had not sold it as they need a tenor sax in the band. That gave me the idea to take up the sax.:)

I am looking at buying a Bauhaus-Walstein tenor. They seem to have very good reviews and seem to be well-made and give good sound. I will be visiting a shop in a few weeks to see and hear for myself.

I am probably mad to be starting at my age (66), but I think it will be fun. It may be a dream, but to be able to play some jazz or big-band music would be just great.

Any advice would be welcome.
:sax:
 
Hi Lerome never to late to start as i and others on here can testify.

welcome Mark.
 
Hi Lerome,

Welcome to the Cafe! I don't think your mad starting to play the sax at the young age of 66. You'll find quite a few members here have done the same thing.

As for Bauhaus-Walstein saxophones i have only ever heard good things about them and love my soprano, so I don't think you'll go wrong with getting one.

The tenor is a lovely instrument to start playing! Good luck with your journey!

Happy blowing,

Paul
 
Welcome to the cafe! By all accounts the BW is an excellent choice. At your age, I think you'll lower the average age of the members here-many beginners like yourself!
Enjoy the ride, and the banter!
Cheers,
Amanda
 
Hey Hey ... and Welcome

Hi Lerome ...

Glad you found us mate ...

I am a beginner on Alto and Tenor - I am also learning music theory ... [A total n00b] ;}

You make me feel "a little younger" now you are here ... :mrcool

As I am only 63 years young ... :)))

Enjoy your journey ...
 
Hi and welcome from another 'noob' to the Cafe - some great advice here and some damn fine people it seems :)

I have a BW Tenor which I bought a few weeks ago and am really now starting to feel the benefit of it. I would say that if you have not played sax before or for a long time and you go to a store to have a try, one thing I have noticed is that my BW Tenor is a lot 'harder' to play than the cheapy Tenor I have. By that I mean that the cheapy instrument is much easier to get a 'reasonable' sound from without too much 'control' or effort BUT that is all it will ever really do. The BW takes a lot more embouchure control and diaphragm support but that extra effort is oh so rewarded when you do get it to work and the sound is far removed from that of the 'cheapy' (I hope nobody is offended by me calling it the cheapy' .)

I guess what I am trying to say is don't necessarily fall into the trap that an instrument that 'appears' easier to play at first is actually a better instrument as after a few weeks you will find that your improved embouchure and control may well surprise you ;}

Most of all have fun and remember the journey is as much a part of the fun as the destination . . . . .
 
Hi Lerome, bonjour. If it makes you feel better, one of my friends in the band where i play is 80 and started three years ago, so you are positively juvenile! :w00t: I think playing the sax is great as it is quite physical and works the ol grey matter as well.
I used to live in France many years ago and spent my holiday every year in the Golf de Morbihan a Carnac, where are you based? How long have you been there? Beautiful part of the world. Enjoy the Caff! Phil
 
Hi Lerome and welcome to the cafe.
I too have just purchased a BW bronze tenor and I am very happy with it.
 
Thanks for the welcome!

Thanks for the welcome and encouragement, guys and gals!

Nice to know that I am among another bunch of old farts!!;} I run a forum here in Brittany for british ex-pats who ride motor bikes. Most of them are 50 plus.

The banter on this forum is rather more polite than I have to tolerate on my forum, and the general level of grammar and spelling is rather better, I think. Bikers seem to be an illiterate lot.:rolleyes:

Your comments have solidified my intentions to buy a B-W tenor. My wife now accepts the inevitable. Unlike the Yamaha Clavinova, which I can play (exaggeration!) using headphones, the sax is pure analogue! But we are in the great position of having no neighbours - the nearest house is half a mile away - so I can play as loud as I like.

A trip on the good ship "Bretagne" is to be arranged, together with a visit to Cowplain, Hants!:)

Filton, glad to hear you have a BW. I take your point about patience. Having recently played the oboe for the first time in over a year, I needed to get the embouchure re-established in order to get the thing singing nicely. I am fairly confident that I will get to grips with the tenor quite well - at least the fingering is similar to that of an oboe. I looked at the "cheapies" but, as when I bought my first oboe, will buy an "Intermediate" instrument. The BW seems to fall squarely into that category. My oboe is a Boosey & Hawkes Emperor in nice ebony (well, OK, African Blackwood, perhaps) and has a nice tone.

And, to thehunt, I live in the north of Morbihan, about 10 minutes north of Pontivy. We regularly travel to the north and south coasts. Carnac and that area is very nice and great for holidays. We left Winchester in December 2007 and bought our place here in March 2008.
 
A trip on the good ship "Bretagne" is to be arranged, together with a visit to Cowplain, Hants!:)

See if you can bring a spot of sunshine along with you then - was snowing in Cowplain this morning ! :)
 
Big welcome from me too. There are a few other bikers/ex-bikers on here. I'm one of the exs. Saxes and bikes seem to fit together, not sure why.

Have fun!
 
Hi Lerome. Even though you are ex-pat and that nice Mr Thomas who runs the forum insists on good English (despite which there is still the still odd aberrant apostrophe!), I can't resist saying bienvenu a Caff Sax.

Age is no barrier. I'm 61 and only returned to playing less than three years ago. It's an addictive, slippery slope.....
YC
 
Hello Lerome and welcome to the cafe. I'm sure you will love the tenor. Have fun.

Jim.
 
Hi Lerome (from freezing cold Alicante), welcome aboard, dive in and enjoy the fun!

John.
 
Hello Lerome!

You can consider yourself lucky to have found your way here as this is, in my opinion too, a great site with lots of nice people to share interesting discussions with ;)

I think it's never too late when it comes to playing the saxophone. No need to have any hesitations about it - just go for it and reach for your dreams!

As a proud owner of a Bauhaus-Walstein tenor I do recommend you to give them a try - you might be pleasantly surprised how good they are ;)

Kind regards,

Ville
 
Lerome,

not to be mad is not an option. Welcome,

Frank.
 
You are definitely starting to learn at the right age. It is unlikely that you have forgotten all your previous skills. You find that in the end lots of practice and endurance are the important factors.
 
Bonsoir Lerome!

J'habite en Pays Des Galles, look you! A very warm welcome to Cafe Sax. I was in St. Malo again in August 2010, have 2 Breton flags in my music room and also have a German Pointer puppy called Tiersen, so a Celtic Cousin........... There is a strain of oldies on the Forum that are preoccupied with complex metal objects that make dreadful sounds (combined sax and bike!) so you should feel at home. I play a BW curved soprano, and got my Tenor before I knew of the BW option, though glad I got a light one to play.

I look forward to your contributions and hope that you have a great time here!
Kind regards
Tom
 
Welcome to the caff, Lerome.

There's plenty of room for onions on your moped as well as a tenor.

ENJOY!
 
Hi Lerome (from freezing cold Alicante)
John.

Hi John

As I type this, my Google desktop tools (the weather in various locations of interest to me) show that in Benidorm it is 9 degrees and raining.:( (Here the sky is blue but it is 2 degrees.)

I have a sister who lives in Albir and will be travelling down that way in a few weeks in our old Hymer camper van. Please arrange for some warmer weather for my arrival!

I hope I will have the BW by then and can start ruining the peace of this corner of France.
 
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