Saxophone beginners If you could go back in time...

[aldevis]

I would have joined this site sooner.

There wasn't such a thing when I started. The nearest good teacher was 100 miles away and had serious issues.
Knowledge is paramount. I would probably have subscribed a mail course, if only I knew they existed.
We are somehow in a lucky era (to learn).

 

[Alc.]

Aldevis, this is indeed a bountiful era. I am glad that, even at my advanced stage of decomposition, I found the Cafe' and am learning many things I should have learned back in the dark ages (50's). Then I was lazy, and now the learning comes with greater effort. But when I can coax a proper sound out of the old horn I feel rewarded. Onward.

 

[Jamesmac]

I think this thread has uncovered some deep feelings, in re. To time better spent. And lost opportunities. I think like history we only hear the victors side in a battle or conflict. But I suppose the bottom line is there is only room for a few winners. So what does that mean for the rest of us. The past is the past. We can't change that. But we can change the future. But what is more important is that we have no regrets.🙂

 

[Alc.]

You can't help but have a few regrets, but that's part of learning. When faced with a situation that we handled wrong in the past, we are armed with experience, so we have knowledge to back us up. I try to not make the same mistake twice, but what the hell, the flesh is weak. Well, the sun is over the yardarm, so it's time for a wee dram of Black Velvet. My doctor said go for it.

 

[Jamesmac]

slàinte . Writing this doesn't have the same ring. Anyway cheers.

 

[Alc.]

Salud, dinero y amor, y el tiempo para gustar!

 

[Jamesmac]

Salud, tiempo y amor, y el tiempo para gustar!

That's a fine sentiment. When I think of Getz. & Desmond Perhaps it was music & the saxophone.

 

[Alc.]

Listening to Getz, Desmond, Mulligan, Jacquet...who needs bourbon? Those guys provide my high. I'll have a cocktail during television. And a good evening to you.

 

[MikeTerry_bari_icon]

Learn the clarinet first, play it for a year or two, then start doubling on alto sax.

 

[Jamesmac]

Learn the clarinet first, play it for a year or two, then start doubling on alto sax.

Good suggestion. Most of the old pro,s did. Paul Desmond etc. etc.

 

[Jamesmac]

Good suggestion. Most of the old pro,s did. Paul Desmond etc. etc.

PS. But rather than a time. I would suggest to reach a playing standard. Not much use playing the Clarinet like a learner, then switching to Sax.

 

[Jeanette]

Learn the clarinet first, play it for a year or two, then start doubling on alto sax.

Good suggestion. Most of the old pro,s did. Paul Desmond etc. etc.

I wondered about that when I started but read contradictory advice, so what does learning the clarinet give you that you don't get just from learning sax? 🙂

Jx

 

[Nick Wyver]

I wondered about that when I started but read contradictory advice, so what does learning the clarinet give you that you don't get just from learning sax? 🙂

Jx

Nothing, I suspect. I started on clarinet because I couldn't afford a saxophone. I imagine a lot of others start on clarinet because that's what the school offers. I'm sure I would have been better off starting on the instrument I actually wanted to play.
I wouldn't advise anybody to start to learn any instrument that wasn't the one they wanted to play. It's just daft.

 

[Jamesmac]

I wondered about that when I started but read contradictory advice, so what does learning the clarinet give you that you don't get just from learning sax? 🙂

Jx

Talking from my own experience. The first sax I played seriously was the Soprano.
( apart from playing 2nd Tenor in the big band setup in my full time job as a military bandsman in the 70,s) but I only ever practiced the Clarinet. The Sax was just a bit of of fun. At the time.
About 9 yrs ago I needed to play Sop for a job, that needed a louder sound than the Clarinet, but in the same pitch and key. It took me about 2 weeks to play the Sop about the the same as I play it now.
BTW. Most sax players that say the Clarinet is no help to playing a Sax, can't play a Clarinet. At least not to any standard.

 

[Jamesmac]

PS. But it would be interesting to hear a clip. Talk is cheap.

 

[BigMartin]

Messed up the quote. See my post below

 

[BigMartin]

BTW. Most sax players that say the Clarinet is no help to playing a Sax, can't play a Clarinet. At least not to any standard.

It's some help, but not nearly as much as pratcising the sax, if that's what you want to play. I played classical clarinet to a pretty decent standard. No recordings available on clarinet, I'm afraid, but if you want qualifications, I got a distinction in my grade 8 at about the age of 17, and kept at it steadily for another 13 years after that, played in a few University orchestras etc. Is that some kind of standard? I don't know. Does it make my opinion worth something? not for me to say. After a twenty year break, I took up alto sax. Three or four months in, I realised I was holding myself back by trying to blow the sax as if it was a big clarinet. My saxophone embouchure is much more relaxed and oepn-jawed than my clarinet embouchure ever was and it gives me much more flexibility in terms of the sounds available to me from the instrument, which is particularly useful eg if you want to play jazz (which I do).

Playing any wind instrument will teach you basic breath control. But surely the most useful one to learn and practise on is the on you want to play?

PS I strongly suspect Nick was pretty handy on the clarinet, having listened to his sax recordings. He wouldn't accept less from himself

 

[Jamesmac]

It's some help, but not nearly as much as pratcising the sax, if that's what you want to play. I played classical clarinet to a pretty decent standard. No recordings available on clarinet, I'm afraid, but if you want qualifications, I got a distinction in my grade 8 at about the age of 17, and kept at it steadily for another 13 years after that, played in a few University orchestras etc. Is that some kind of standard? I don't know. Does it make my opinion worth something? not for me to say. After a twenty year break, I took up alto sax. Three or four months in, I realised I was holding myself back by trying to blow the sax as if it was a big clarinet. My saxophone embouchure is much more relaxed and oepn-jawed than my clarinet embouchure ever was and it gives me much more flexibility in terms of the sounds available to me from the instrument, which is particularly useful eg if you want to play jazz (which I do).

Playing any wind instrument will teach you basic breath control. But surely the most useful one to learn and practise on is the on you want to play?

PS I strongly suspect Nick was pretty handy on the clarinet, having listened to his sax recordings. He wouldn't accept less from himself

Bit late getting back to this thread. Just watched a pr-rec of the movie. The tourist. Great film, the kind you think about long after. Anyway reading this post, reminded me about a comment made a while back, if a sax forum is for me. I'm starting to see their point.

 

[Nick Wyver]

PS I strongly suspect Nick was pretty handy on the clarinet, having listened to his sax recordings. He wouldn't accept less from himself

Not any more. It doesn't see the light of day very often. I no longer have any clarinet students.

Anyway, repeat after me until it sinks in, "A saxophone is not some sort of inferior clarinet". (Not you, Martin 🙂).