Playing the saxophone To describe Rock & Roll Baritone Saxophone!?!?

[thomsax]

I play more and more baritone these days. I don't know why? It's heavier and needs more air so I should play more soprano or alto instead of bari. I like to get the baritone into songs with out bari. The other day I posted some Rock recordings with baritone. I'm just doing this for fun and to keep up the interest for the saxophone and RockSax. I have just around 15 enthusiastic RockSax honkers in my mailgroup! It's on a low and basic level.

To bescribe different baritone styles, effects .... it's hard. I have to translate into Swedish/Scanish. David "Woody" Woodford (RIP) used to help me with baritone talk. He understood and talked some Swedish. Maybe you can help me to describe with key words the bari in ......... ?

"This Must Be The Night" , Mink Deville. Its Steve Douaglas playing the baritone and tenor solos.

View: https://youtu.be/fvCuHKoPjGw?si=UhM-z4zRvgWkykt0


"Purple Wail", Red Prysock. It's Zack Wright on baritone and Prysock on tenor. Early Rock & Roll Sax .....

View: https://youtu.be/29nlwKhq-YI?si=RO-nWKqis9bEJe7G

 

[Pete Thomas]

I often struggle with such descriptions. The word grunt sounds a bit insulting. Meaty is good.

 

[cappers]

Raunchy, sleazy, sultry, spicy......?

 

[Targa]

Raunchy, sleazy, sultry, spicy......?

I think they were in Snow White in a late night show in Soho.

 

[rhysonsax]

I think they were in Snow White in a late night show in Soho.

As well as being funny, that's quite rude. Or is it just my mind ?

Rhys

 

[Targa]

As well as being funny, that's quite rude. Or is it just my mind ?

Rhys

Only quite rude?
I must be slipping.

 

[skeller047]

Rock baritone sax should have balls. No other descriptions necessary.

The same is true of tenor and alto, BTW. And maybe soprano, though it’s hard to tell the difference between “strong” and “ballsy” on that horn.

 

[Pete Thomas]

As well as being funny, that's quite rude. Or is it just my mind ?

Rhys

It’s actually your mind

 

[lydian]

Rock baritone sax should have balls. No other descriptions necessary.

The same is true of tenor and alto, BTW. And maybe soprano, though it’s hard to tell the difference between “strong” and “ballsy” on that horn.

BoIIocks!

 

[ghostler]

I find the bari a very versatile sax. With the right mouthpieces, it can be played sweetly like a cello or gritty for rock and motown, or in between for swing.

Regarding air, yes, it uses a bit more than sop, but not bad actually. If you want something that uses little air, try an oboe.

Maybe I'm wrong but euphonium seems to use more air. But I like to carry out my phrases to their fullest before breathing, so maybe I am used to it.

It's been a while late 1980's, but between events, we were at an out-of-towner at a hotel ballroom. In the lobby area, our sax quartet for this small ditty before hand (AATB) played for about an hour's worth of music. (I was tasked instead to play clarinet for the ceremonial and concert stuff to come after. That year, we were better staffed with members.)

The bari player had to step away, asked me to fill in for him for a couple numbers, so I used his bari. Bari part was basically a tuba line. In one swing tune, it was the usual dominant and 5th up and down. Then broke into an up tempo moving bass line. I mimicked a string bass, legato with light tonguing. The other saxes appreciated that nice touch, received quite a few compliments by them and other band members listening.

To me, the bari is the most versatile of all the saxes. Maybe it's just me, but the bari seems to lend itself better to altissimo.

 

[thomsax]

Thank you all for your input.

 

[Pete Thomas]

Thank all for your input.

How about your thoughts on this, and everyone's suggestions.

On memory just came back to mind. many years ago I remember someone (possibly an audience member) saying that x player made their tenor sound sound like a baritone. As a compliment.

 

[thomsax]

Every year I have to practice fingerings on the bari. I try to play a baritone solo as it was recorded. The four triplets in the seventh bar of the eight bar solo I have to practice over and over. I learned it in concert E so I play G#, A# and B. I think Bis key is best best for me. I get a better flow compared to side Bb. I also tried long Bb. I used to play B+F to get the long Bb. I looked at my old german finger chars and it says B+E for long Bb ! and there is also B + F + F# alternative/trill key (I can't do this because my Martin Bari have no F# alternative/trill key. I think I keep on practicing G#, A# (Bis) and B. The tempo is around 120 bpm and I play the triplets staccoto. To play it in Eb would be easier. But I a big Steve Douglas fan so I pay homage to one of best Rock & Roll saxplayers by playing the solo in the key he recorded it. To be a uncompromising woodshed/attic honker is not easy. If I was playing in band the song would be played in concert C. The other guys didn't cared so much about Steve Douglas.

 

[skeller047]

Personally I would work on the side Bb/A# approach. Triplets at 120 BPM is not that fast. Though I do know lots of folks that use the bis Bb key all the time, even when going between Bb/A# and B natural.

I started on clarinet, though, and old habits die hard. For that sequence of notes on clarinet, G#->A#->B, the side key is the only way.

 

[ghostler]

I started on clarinet, though, and old habits die hard. For that sequence of notes on clarinet, G#->A#->B, the side key is the only way.

I started on clarinet, too. I don't think of them as bad habits. Rather, I think that everyone else is doing it wrong. 😉

 

[thomsax]

Triplets at 120 BPM is not that fast.

I think it's tricky and and it's getting worse because my fingers are not so fast (stiff) these days. But with some "pain killer" it's ok.