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spike
Old Indian
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You're almost there - music is just noise with a splash of rhythm.
Started Feb 08 - General beginner questions / diary...
- Thread starter emmalto
- Start date
Don't worry about the lack of soreness, some do some don't. I wouldn't bother with a neck "pad saver", I just wash it occasionally inside with a small toothbrush.
biker1941
Member
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- 78
- Location
- Greetland a village near to Halifax
Hi Emma
Been through the padded neck strap it made me sweat and still pulled on my neck, consider a halter, not cool, but whos looking?as for drying the crook use kitchen roll works treat,
Clive 😉 😉
Been through the padded neck strap it made me sweat and still pulled on my neck, consider a halter, not cool, but whos looking?as for drying the crook use kitchen roll works treat,
Clive 😉 😉
justin_chune
Member
- Messages
- 284
Hi Emma. I don't get a sore mouth either. If you are having weight problems you might want to follow Clive's advice and get a harness.
Same goes for the kitchen roll. Use it on the mouthpiece as well. I use an Neotech sling on tenor and I like it a lot.
Same goes for the kitchen roll. Use it on the mouthpiece as well. I use an Neotech sling on tenor and I like it a lot.
Hi Emma,
Here's what I'm using in those categories. (Note - these are reviews rather than recommendations. I suggest you see what works well for you!
Care and cleaning - The dealer who sold me both my saxes threw in a load of BG cleaning gear both times (nice NetMusicalInstruments!).
A BG shamois mpc and neck pull-through seems to do the job in a couple of goes each. The BG alto body pull-through works nicely too, but the octave vent on my tenor kept catching on the cloth tenor pull-through they provided and eventually ripped it up! 😱 I've replaced it with another BG chamois tenor body pull-through (from Jules' establishment) and that works fine.
They also threw in a set of BG pad driers which are useful, but not indispensable.
Main thing with all this sort of stuff is to wash them out once in a while, otherwise you're just smearing stale fluids and bacteria through your horn again...! :x
I've resorted to giving reeds a soak in Listerene too...
Neck strap - BG straps were another freebie. Needs adjusting regularly (though this is quick and easy). Doesn't cause me any pain, but then again I'm not exactly petite, so...!
Metronome - I have a Korg KDM2. Pricey and bulky (compared with the diddly little ones), but very versatile and LOUD so you can hear it over the tenor (which helps!). Also has a flashing light for a visual cue.
Tuner - Korg again, a CA40. Compact, light, very easy to read, does what it says on the tin. I believe that the CA30 does the same thing but cheaper and with a smaller display. (My CA40 was at a knock-down price so...!)
Stand - I'm using a K&M ones. They do the job and seem pretty stable.
Other useful stuff - "Post It" make little plasticised bookmark tabs which are dead useful for marking which pieces you're working on in a music book (especially a thick music book).
A conductor's music stand saves squinting at music too far away or at the wrong angle, and doesn't wobble or fall over as much as a traditional cheapo music stand.
Cork grease, saves elbow grease in getting a tight mpc onto a cork.
That's about all I can think of!
Here's what I'm using in those categories. (Note - these are reviews rather than recommendations. I suggest you see what works well for you!
Care and cleaning - The dealer who sold me both my saxes threw in a load of BG cleaning gear both times (nice NetMusicalInstruments!).
A BG shamois mpc and neck pull-through seems to do the job in a couple of goes each. The BG alto body pull-through works nicely too, but the octave vent on my tenor kept catching on the cloth tenor pull-through they provided and eventually ripped it up! 😱 I've replaced it with another BG chamois tenor body pull-through (from Jules' establishment) and that works fine.
They also threw in a set of BG pad driers which are useful, but not indispensable.
Main thing with all this sort of stuff is to wash them out once in a while, otherwise you're just smearing stale fluids and bacteria through your horn again...! :x
I've resorted to giving reeds a soak in Listerene too...
Neck strap - BG straps were another freebie. Needs adjusting regularly (though this is quick and easy). Doesn't cause me any pain, but then again I'm not exactly petite, so...!
Metronome - I have a Korg KDM2. Pricey and bulky (compared with the diddly little ones), but very versatile and LOUD so you can hear it over the tenor (which helps!). Also has a flashing light for a visual cue.
Tuner - Korg again, a CA40. Compact, light, very easy to read, does what it says on the tin. I believe that the CA30 does the same thing but cheaper and with a smaller display. (My CA40 was at a knock-down price so...!)
Stand - I'm using a K&M ones. They do the job and seem pretty stable.
Other useful stuff - "Post It" make little plasticised bookmark tabs which are dead useful for marking which pieces you're working on in a music book (especially a thick music book).
A conductor's music stand saves squinting at music too far away or at the wrong angle, and doesn't wobble or fall over as much as a traditional cheapo music stand.
Cork grease, saves elbow grease in getting a tight mpc onto a cork.
That's about all I can think of!
Semiquaver
Member
- Messages
- 250
- Location
- Hertfordshire, England
Come on Emma, play some tunes. Why not play the first few bars of Pink Panther? Anything will do. Don't get too bogged down with scales and technique. Make sunday a fun day. Go and get some grade 1 music or Download some scores and have a go.
The tuner works by reading the frequency of the note. A is 440 herts. If you are playing in tune a green light comes on. If its sharp or flat just pull or push the mouthpiece. I have a cromatic one which helps me when i play on the high register. I tend to play sharp up there.
The tuner works by reading the frequency of the note. A is 440 herts. If you are playing in tune a green light comes on. If its sharp or flat just pull or push the mouthpiece. I have a cromatic one which helps me when i play on the high register. I tend to play sharp up there.
Are you really sure you need tuner at the moment?
O'Neil has a tuning track on the CD and if you look at a tuner when you've only just started, it will provide unneeded difficulties.
Follow Mr. O'Neil's book but be willing to follow your wishes as well. That is the problem with tutorial books, they are generalised and cannot make exceptions, something a real, live, good teacher can.
O'Neil has a tuning track on the CD and if you look at a tuner when you've only just started, it will provide unneeded difficulties.
Follow Mr. O'Neil's book but be willing to follow your wishes as well. That is the problem with tutorial books, they are generalised and cannot make exceptions, something a real, live, good teacher can.
Okie dokie, to be fair it's probably just me being a beginner. Going to check my fingering diagrams and have a stab at One Step Beyond tomorrow (I'm out tonight). I also have the contact details for a teacher (thanks Geoff), so I may give him a ring when I have time to fit a lesson in.
Two last things (honest!)
1) I'm a newbie too. More seasoned heads might be better sources of advice (just 'cos I'm loud doesn't make me right!)
2) Accumulate gear sloooowly! I got a lot of freebies with the horns, other items are hand-me-downs or bargains that encountered around and about. Quite a lot of the above I could live without. Other products exists which might suit you better.
Spend time not money! 😉
1) I'm a newbie too. More seasoned heads might be better sources of advice (just 'cos I'm loud doesn't make me right!)
2) Accumulate gear sloooowly! I got a lot of freebies with the horns, other items are hand-me-downs or bargains that encountered around and about. Quite a lot of the above I could live without. Other products exists which might suit you better.
Spend time not money! 😉
tengu01
Member
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- 671
- Location
- London, UK
Hi EmmaTenor
One thing I think I read in response to a thread mentioned elsewhere on the site is that it is helpful to imagine trying to fog up a window through the horn in order to hit the low notes properly. Open throat, push the air from way down. Worked for me, curious to know whether it works for you
Good luck 🙂
One thing I think I read in response to a thread mentioned elsewhere on the site is that it is helpful to imagine trying to fog up a window through the horn in order to hit the low notes properly. Open throat, push the air from way down. Worked for me, curious to know whether it works for you
Good luck 🙂
tengu01
Member
- Messages
- 671
- Location
- London, UK
Apparently it's a good thing to do as most people tend to not take in as much mouthpiece as they should. At first it might be a little wobbly or difficult to control but the more you do it, the stronger your chops get, the better it feels and you will be rewarded in the end with a big, fat, room-filling sound.
So I have heard. Haven't really got round to verifying the long-term truth of that advice, but since it came from someone who has been a) playing a lot longer than me, b) plays a lot better than me and c) sounds a lot better than me, I feel there must be something in it.
I might just add that to my practice regime and see what happens....
So I have heard. Haven't really got round to verifying the long-term truth of that advice, but since it came from someone who has been a) playing a lot longer than me, b) plays a lot better than me and c) sounds a lot better than me, I feel there must be something in it.
I might just add that to my practice regime and see what happens....
Bobby G
Well-Known Member
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- 4,642
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- Wonderful Welwyn Garden City, Herts
Oh yes, that low Bb on a tenor! Lovely.....
When it comes to taking in more mouthpiece it will indeed be louder and fatter-sounding, however take in too much and you could be entering strangled goose territory.
When it comes to taking in more mouthpiece it will indeed be louder and fatter-sounding, however take in too much and you could be entering strangled goose territory.
tengu01
Member
- Messages
- 671
- Location
- London, UK
And there was me thinking it was more like duck-whistle-on-steroids.
Going to have to go back to a bit more honking out Bb with the mouthpiece tickling my tonsils to see what it really sounds like. 😉
Hi all,
I'm still around, just been a bit busy at work of late. I'm trying to practicing every day and feel like I'm getting on well and making good progress. No teacher yet, I seem to be working through my book well enough and I really don't have time to fit any lessons in.
I've ordered one strength 2 reeds so we'll see how I go with those, and also a new padded, elasticated neckstrap.
Still really enjoying it 🙂 I think I'll get some mouthpiece patches, although I had a look on sax.co.uk but there were so many different sizes / types I couldn't make my mind up.
I'm still around, just been a bit busy at work of late. I'm trying to practicing every day and feel like I'm getting on well and making good progress. No teacher yet, I seem to be working through my book well enough and I really don't have time to fit any lessons in.
I've ordered one strength 2 reeds so we'll see how I go with those, and also a new padded, elasticated neckstrap.
Still really enjoying it 🙂 I think I'll get some mouthpiece patches, although I had a look on sax.co.uk but there were so many different sizes / types I couldn't make my mind up.
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