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1954pip

Member
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123
Locality
linc's (between boston & spalding
hi have i wasted my money ?:))) i have just bought a boosey & hawkes lafleur i tried to get a note out of it and had to blow like billyo so after reading a post on here i bought a 4c it's a lot better but have yet to get started hopping to make a start over the weekend:w00t:
 
hiya 1954pip Welcome. You do know you have to take the cover off the mouthpiece??????
Have fun and stop when your lips bleed.
Andy
 
Andrew Sanders said:
hiya 1954pip Welcome. You do know you have to take the cover off the mouthpiece??????
Have fun and stop when your lips bleed.
Andy
Click to expand...

I'm only a newbie here myself, but please don't take that last part literally! Playing the sax is quite a relaxed business when you get the hang of it and should NEVER hurt, even at first. I know it was a joke, Andy, but I wanted to make 100% sure it would be taken as such.

Take it nice and slowly at first, and pull some faces when you're not playing to help get the embouchure muscles working. If you haven't played a wind instrument before, some lessons would probably be sensible if you can possibly afford it.

Cheers,

Martin
 
Welcome to the caff.

Take it easy, it will be an up and down ride, but worth it whether you play for your own satisfaction or others.

ENJOY!
 
Welcome from me as well. The 4C is a good move. Get someone experienced (e.g. teacher) to play your sax, just to see if it's been set up correctly. It should be easy to play, once you get some strength in your mouth and some control over your lungs, blowing too hard really makes things difficult as it closes the reed up and the air goes nowhere.... Relax a little.
 
Never mind about the blood. Wait until you slice your lip with the reed! Seriously, it's not that hard, but it takes a lot of practice. Welcome.
YC
 
Hi pip!

Sax playing should be real fun!

A common issue, apart from getting a good mouthpiece with a smaller tip opening (the gap between the tip of the mouthpiece and reed), is to have reeds which are soft enough to start (1.5 or 2), and to give them a brief soaking first (in luke warm water for 10 mins or so first time, and maybe give them a dip for a minute or so subsequently before playing). Also make sure that any ligature you use to attach the reed to the mouthpiece is not too tight. When you attach the reed to the mouthpiece it may also help to make sure that the tip of the reed stops just short of the end of the mouthpiece - easier to play like that. None of these things are obvious, but would often be covered by a sax teacher in a first lesson.

Agree it would be useful to get someone else to give the sax a blow to eliminate any set up problems, most of which are easily remedied. Let us know how you get on.......

What motivated you to learn the sax? What sort of music do you want to play on it, and be interested to keep up with your progress.
Welcome to the Cafe from the Skabertawe Horn Section - "If you've got the horn, you know what you have to do next................;}

Kind regards
Tom:cool:
 
Hi and welcome to the cafe. You don't mention what make or strength reeds your using. If your reeds are too hard (high number) then you will struggle to produce any sort of sound. Go for a Rico 1.5 to start with. They aren't the best reeds in the world but they are great for beginers.
Have fun.
 
And make sure your reeds are not too hard.......................;}
 
Welcome Mate ...

Ello Pip ... *Sunray waves from Norfolk UK*

All that's been said should help you to get a good start - but its for you to make it happen now mate ...

These guys here will help you to sort out any problems or questions ....

I am a beginner, playing Alto and Tenor ... also learning to read music ...

Progress is steady and great fun ... (its all worth the frustrations mate). :w00t:
 
the next step

thanks for your welcome:welldone
i managed to gets some notes out of it today !:mrcool
the reeds are rico 2
just got back from town where i have bitten the bullet and aranged my first lesson :shocked:and going to go every thursday for the next month or so.
oh i just thought i'm in lincolnshire uk
how does £14-00 for half an hour sound
i don't know not into much music but love the sound of a sax
 
Hi there!

£14 per half hour is reasonable for a lesson. If you are already using Rico 2's then it might mainly be that you need to develop your embouchure, and also learn about how to hold the mouthpiece in your mouth - your first lesson should really help.

Good Luck!
Tom:cool:
 
Lessons ...

£14 ... per half hour is cool mate ...

If you want your windows cleaned or your car fixed it will be at least four times that ... lol

So Lincolnshire ... Hey Hey Neighbour ... *Sunray waves from Norfolk*

I haven't had any lessons yet [even though I bought my sax's late July [I fink]] but that's because I am a shy yet arrogant, ill disciplined pig headed, self centred sort of guy ... who is keen to blow often and enjoy the freedom ... until "I just know" I will have to conform and learn to play properly ... then I will arrange my tutor :shocked:

Actually I am kind of looking forward to getting some one to one advice and tutoring ...

After all - by now you will all know - I ain't got no friends or acquaintances - except for in this computer ... So it will make a nice change to get out of "the ole house" ... :)))
 
According to www.musicteachers.co.uk there are about 16 sax teachers in Norfolk - plenty of choice if you could cope with the shame involved.......:shocked:;}

Get a life, not another sax. I have to admit that I have had music lessons in Norfolk - I think in about 1990 (French Horn) when we lived there before the kids began to appear.
Certainly should be a good experience.

Lots of Love
Tom:cool:
 
just got a phone call and the tutor can get me in tomorrow morning for my first lesson
the guy who runs the music shop said the sooner you get lessons the better so you don't get bad habits
 
Gotcha ...

TomMapfumo said:
According to www.musicteachers.co.uk there are about 16 sax teachers in Norfolk - plenty of choice if you could cope with the shame involved.......:shocked:;}

Get a life, not another sax. I have to admit that I have had music lessons in Norfolk - I think in about 1990 (French Horn) when we lived there before the kids began to appear.
Certainly should be a good experience.

Lots of Love
Tom:cool:
Click to expand...

Lmao Tom ...

I knew you would rise to the bait ... ;}

You make me laugh Tom ... "Get a life, not another sax". Blimey ... How many Instruments you got now? Have you counted lately ?

I want you to know that I am happily attached to my two saxophones and I don't believe I will be buying another for many years if ever ... [This was never about GAS]. ;}

I have spent much of my life working to make me fortune ... And have perhaps avoided making too many friends because of the pressures and responsibilities the running companies brings ...

But - I reckon I am one of the luckiest blokes alive [at present] and so far life has been great - just 300 years more to go ... lol :w00t:

I know your post means well Tom and I take what you said as you mean it - serious but all in good fun ...

Thanks for the link by the way ... I had most but not all on the list saved for reference ...

Progress Report:

I am pleased with the progress I have made since buying my sax's and have learned much about music theory - just 1 million miles more to go ... lmfao

PS - Because you prompted me - I have gone and done it ... I just e-mailed my preferred tutor - to see if lessons for an "old dog like me" are at all possible ... Cheers mate *Big Smile*
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Many apologies for my "Get a life......" comment anyway, SunRay.......... :ashamed :ashamed!

Kind regards
Tom:cool:
 
Hi 1954pi

Welcome to the cafe from up north,as you've already found they are a great bunch of helpful sax maniacs in here.For my twopenneth I would say drop back to a 1.5 reed immediately it took me ages to go up to a 2 I'm sure your tutor will sort you out today and put you on the right road.Myself looking back I probably went at it like a bull in a china shop and wanted to get playing tunes I liked as soon as pos instead of working my way through the basics,and now 3yrs on these come back to bite you.So take it nice and slow and work your way through the basics it may be a bit boring but will pay dividends in the long run.Good luck on your new journey...john
 
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