Introduction Hi ya and Why?

[denise_young]

This is a quick note to say hello.

Feeling really nervous about submitting a message to this site because everyone else seems so experienced at playing saxophone, but here I am with an alto saxophone of my own too now. Finally. I've wanted a saxophone since I was a li'l girl at school (they look SO cool), but could never afford one until now, when I'm very thirty-something.

Haven't nicknamed it yet, although hubby has (calls it 'Horn'). Well the guy calls his acoustic guitar 'Guit' and his electric guitar 'Newguit'. I'll have to find it a much better name or 'it' will get a complex.

Anyway. Have just mastered (as much as beginner ever masters) my first scale (G major) and am quickly working out an arpeggio (hey, now we're getting somewhere). BUT .... WHY ... can anyone have the patience to tell me ... do we call the note we finger for C as C when it is actually the pitch of an Eb. Why don't we actually call that fingering Eb and write the note where it should be on the staff????

Apologies for all you maestroes out there, but ... you know... beginners ignorance and all that.

Denise

 

[Bobby G]

Hi Denise and very welcome to the forum from Welwyn, Herts. There are plenty of new starters, late bloomers and inexperienced players here so you aren't alone. The good players are very helpful too, so don't worry about asking seemingly dumb questions.

I'm not sure why saxes are pitched in Eb and Bb (some are pitched in C but aren't common), probably something to do with the limited range top to bottom, also if you are playing sax in a key that's comfortable for you it'll be comfortable for a pianist e.g. key of C on an alto equates to Eb on a piano.

It's when you bring those darn guitarists in it starts to get a bit more difficult. Typically, guitarists like to play in E A D or G which equates to C# F# B and E on alto.

Cheers, Bob

 

[Pete Thomas]

Hi Denise and a big welcome to the Breakfast Room.

many instruments are like that, called transposing instruments. It's when you get them in different sizes. If Eb was actually sounding Eb on alto, you'd have to learn a different fingering for tenor (in Bb), C melody (in C).

The way it works is that for example, covering all the main 7 keys down the front is written as C, whatever instrument. On a C instrument such as flute or C melody saxophone it really is a C (called concert pitch or untransposed), but on an Eb instrument it sounds Eb, on a Bb it sounds Bb, etc.

As long as the music is written transposed (ie Eb is written on the music as C) you can then quickly pick up other instruments and not have to learn a different scale for each note. The instruments have to have different pitches as they need to be different sizes.

Of course it's not so easy when playing with other instruments when there is no saxophone music, you have to be able to do the transposing yourself as you have or will discover.

 

[mfox]

hi denise, welcome .. i've been playing 25 years full on and im still learning new things especially from this forum..

 

[quercy]

Hi Denise and welcome

I've only been a member here for a few days and have learned lots already.

I think that Adolphe Sax's idea when he invented the sax was that you should be able to play the whole range without having to change your fingering - this assumed of course that someone else would write out the music for your particular instrument in the right key to play in tune with the others. Thus for the player middle C on the score will always be middle C on the instrument, whether you're playing an A flat or E flat instrument, sopranino or contra bass. As there at least nine instruments in the family (someone will tell me if I'm wrong i'm sure!) this would have been very useful... but of course we all suffer from it now!

 

[Dylan]

Hi Denise

Welcome to the forum. Friendliest you will find anywhere.

Best of luck with the sax.

Dylan

 

[mr__myles]

Hello, hello. Welcome to the Breakfast Room. You've found the right place. Good luck!

 

[suethesax]

Hi Denise - a very warm welcome and good luck with the new sax. Let us know when you name 'it'. I think Lisa calls her Bryan and their are various nicks around. Mine has too many - mostly unprintable names 😛

 

[Tenor Sax]

Sorry its a Late Hello from Sunny Lichfield.

I have only been a member here for a couple of weeks, found answers to questions that's bugged me for years.

Welcome, there a Friendly bunch.

 

[saxismyaxe]

Hi Denise,
You've picked a great group of people to discuss all things Saxophone with. Welcome to the forums!

 

[denise_young]

Thanks everyone for your explanations and encouragement.

I can manage a very shaky G and D scale at the moment and still can't get wait to get home from work each day to learn some more.

Nickname for my instrument has evolved from horn to 'Honk' now. Tsk! I say!! Perhaps if I keep practising over the winter time I might get to be able to call it 'swan neck'???

Denise

 

[jake_honeywill]

Hi Denise.
If you're looking for people to practise / play with, I am too - i just posted a message about this - see 'Beginners Section' "lets get together & play'
I'm really eager to play with all levels of players. Are you based in London by any chance?

Bye for now,
JAKE

Denise Young wrote:
This is a quick note to say hello.

Feeling really nervous about submitting a message to this site because everyone else seems so experienced at playing saxophone, but here I am with an alto saxophone of my own too now. Finally. I've wanted a saxophone since I was a li'l girl at school (they look SO cool), but could never afford one until now, when I'm very thirty-something.

Haven't nicknamed it yet, although hubby has (calls it 'Horn'). Well the guy calls his acoustic guitar 'Guit' and his electric guitar 'Newguit'. I'll have to find it a much better name or 'it' will get a complex.

Anyway. Have just mastered (as much as beginner ever masters) my first scale (G major) and am quickly working out an arpeggio (hey, now we're getting somewhere). BUT .... WHY ... can anyone have the patience to tell me ... do we call the note we finger for C as C when it is actually the pitch of an Eb. Why don't we actually call that fingering Eb and write the note where it should be on the staff????

Apologies for all you maestroes out there, but ... you know... beginners ignorance and all that.

Denise