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Hi from Norway

rudjarl

Senile Member. Scandinavian Ambassadour of CaSLM
Messages
599
Locality
Løten, Norway
I'm 47 and have recently picked up my saxophones again. Started playing clarinet back in 1971, what seems like a couple of ice ages ago, but converted to alto sax after a couple of years. It was too many clarinets and no sax in the school band. (Besides, the chicks seemed to find the previous sax players rather hot. Ergo an easy choice for a buddy of mine and me.)

In 1975 my parents bought me a Yanagisawa A-5 alto. A priceless jewel I feel no urge for being unfaithful to :). That horn was my love affair in all of the band I played in. Naturally, it was just a matter of time before I needed some fun on the side, so in 1986 I bought a Yanagisawa T-800 (which was what I could afford), and the three of us had a joyful life until 1991 when I for no apparent reason stopped playing.

Just before last Christmas I was doing a spot of tidying up in the attic and came across the saxophones. The old passion came rushing though my veins again, and I made an oath to the poor neglected horns that they would never be left alone again.

I have been practising a lot. Technique is improving but still slow, and the coordination between tongue and fingers is nowhere to be found (yet, I hope). But the sound is still there. The warmth, tenderness, laughing, bending, rough, whispering... all... but the growling.

No matter how hard I try, the horn produces a clear, pure tone. I tried the humming, but I cant do it any more. Hum, then play a clear tone. Hum, then play another clear tone... Dammit, I used to be able to do this. Hum, clear tome.... How the devil are you supposed to do the humming and playing simultaneous?

I figured the internet would yield some neat shortcuts to the art of growling. That's when I stumbled upon Pete's taming the saxophone site. And the more I read, the more I dreaded the outcome. No shortcuts, only plenty of practise..... drat.....

Uuupppsssss....... as you probably have noticed, I'm a man of few words. I only meant to say hello.
 
Uuupppsssss....... as you probably have noticed, I'm a man of few words. I only meant to say hello.

I can't see anyone complaining. I for one will look forward to your contributions. By the way, the "pure tone" you dismiss so nonchalantly, some of us have to work very hard to get it.

With that, welcome to the forum.
 
Hi rudjarl

Welcome to the cafe from a very sunny Manchester today(a rarity) all us saxist are more than pleased to welcome you back into the fold enjoy your return to the light and your saxophones.Don't worry too much about the growling a pure sound is so much nicer (in my opinion anyway),and enjoy the cafe...john:welldone
 
Welcome to the caff, Young Rudjarl.
ENJOY!
 
Hi,
Welcome the cafe, it is friendly and helpful here with great advice and suggestions.
Best of luck with the newly found enthusiasm and I too have this running through my veins at present so the flute, clarinet, guitar, trumpet, piano and gorgeous tyros 2 keyboard are all on back burner. MOre time is all I need to be great, roll on tomorrows double roll over lottery and you never know. Still, bakc to the MA degree essays and some playing for the next week whilst on holiday from teaching science.
Ben
 
Hello Rudjarl, and a warm welcome to the cafe. I wish I could get the sound you're describing on my alto, and I've not been away.

Jim.
 
Thank's to all you nice people. You all make it easy to feel welcome here :)

And an extra special thank you to old git. You know, facts, honesty and politeness, takes you a long way, but flattery takes you all the way :)
 
Kia Ora and welcome to the cafe, your definately not starting from sq 1.
Glad you've resumed the journey that is saxophone. Since forums came along isolation is not a problem. Welcome to the fun.
Ciao
Jimu
 
Welcome Rudjarl -

Be patient and keep practicing - your chops will come back. Glad you're here :)

kind regards from a fellow Norwegian, and 47 seven year old (for 2 more weeks anyway) returnee to the saxophone
 
RudJarl and everyone, Lori is doing quite well for somebody who is 329 (47 x 7) years old
 
Rudjarl - welcome. Does that mean "Red Earl" or something like that? It is great to have you here! I am sure you will get as much out of this community as i have (also a returnee to sax after a 20 years hiatus). Welcome again from a rainy Laos. Al
 
Welcome to the forum. I can imagine, climbing over the dusty boxes in the semi-darkness of your loft, then, seeing in the half light, the cases that hold their precious cargo safely, just as you left them all those years ago! The excitement must have been amazing. Could you hear them in the depths of your memory?
Great way to restart your love for the sax. The growl? Oh it's there, in the back of your mind and time will let it out soon enough. Patience my friend, patience.
 
Ha, a man of few words - you should see the essays I have written on here. I blame it on the fact we are so far north myself (Shetland Islands, a short hop from you).

Oh heck, humming and playing - I've only just managed 3 blind mice let alone tonguing, circular breathing and the like. What have I let myself in for?

Anyway, welcome to the forum.
 
Thank's unlinkedstudent :)

Oh heck, humming and playing - I've only just managed 3 blind mice let alone tonguing, circular breathing and the like. What have I let myself in for?

A great journey is what you have let yourself into. A great well worth journey of fun and frustration :)
 
Welcome, glad you saw the light and found the saxes again. Phil
 
Hi Rudjarl. Glad you've retaken up the sax. It's a great journey.
Norway is nice too.
One thing you will have to learn is not to flatter Old Git too much. It goes to his head and he starts throwing things at trains and the like. As his Zimmer retainer I have to go round and calm him by playing his nice Hanson ST8 with the PPT9.
YC
 
Hi Rudjarl. Glad you've retaken up the sax. It's a great journey.
Norway is nice too.
One thing you will have to learn is not to flatter Old Git too much. It goes to his head and he starts throwing things at trains and the like. As his Zimmer retainer I have to go round and calm him by playing his nice Hanson ST8 with the PPT9.
YC

Thank's Young Col. I shall try to refrain from flattering Old Git to much. Albeit you provided some compelling reasons for doing the contrary :)))
 
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