Transition from Alto to Tenor

[freddysilk]

I have played the alto sax for a year and a half and just finished up the intermediate lessons from Rubanks. I'm ready for the advanced lessons but I'm wondering how much more difficult is the tenor compared to the alto. I have finally produced a tone that I like and I have a setup I'm comfortable with on the alto - but I want to experiment with the tenor.

If anyone play both of these saxes, how is the embochure different?

:whistle:

 

[Bobby G]

Hi, it's quite an easy transition, the embouchure is a bit looser and intonation a bit easier. I'd say switching either way between alto and tenor is probably easier than for any other horns. I've found also that I tend to like the same sort of setup, i.e. Selmer mouthpiece and 2.5 reeds, on both horns.

Do it, you'll enjoy it!

Cheers, Bob

 

[Simon]

Sure the embouchure is different... but its the amount of air you need to drive a tenor - much more than alto IMO!

Personally if you're happy with alto stick with it. Rubanks are old but good - I did the series when I started on alto and the technical stuff plus duets in the advanced books are great. Switch to tenor now and as far as sound goes, you're starting again. Work alto altissimo and tenor top notes will be a piece of cake.

However I think they're different instruments in terms of repetoire, licks... bluesy tenor licks on alto sound naff; giant steps ? nah; keep it on tenor... personal choice i guess. 🙂

Simon

 

[mfox]

i agree with simon.. some things need to be played on the right horn...i've just got a jump jive band up and running playing louis jordan stuff, im really a tenor player but have decided to play alto and bari as we have a good tenorman, im really having to learn the licks all over again..louis jordan can be a good reference for hearing the two horns.. check out the five guys named moe tune.. he swaps horns mid solo..

 

[Linky Lee]

Hi,

I agree with most of what Simon says.

The repertoire is definitely different though there is certainly room to swap between the two.

The embouchure is slightly looser and everything is slightly bigger which means the same movements give a smaller scale acoustic effect.
Which basically means once you get used to it you'll probably have more detailed intonation control etc. on the tenor but probably not as much than the alto.

It's Simon's point about air I disagree with, I don't find the tenor needs any more air than the alto, the velocity needed is lower because the instrument is pitched lower because it's bigger. There might be more space to fill up initially but then you don't have to work so hard pushing it all out consistently at extreme speeds, it's by no means easy though!

I don't think it'll be too much of a problem. I've been playing saxophone for just over two years now and mainly focus on alto and tenor, I picked up the tenor after 15months of alto and got some baritone time after 18 and around a month ago I bought myself a soprano.

My saxophone playing certainly hasn't gotten worse! And I think my alto playing has improved from the understanding of the other instruments. Certainly being able to play a soprano in tune hones your embouchure more minutely than playing the alto and that can benefit. The same can be said for playing the baritone, it's a different perspective if you will and another angle to approach playing from. It's all experience and well worth it I think.

If you don't enjoy it though, give it up and go back to your alto, we only do it for fun after all, whatever excuses we might make.

 

[mfox]

i think what simon may have ment to say is the tenor takes more stamina than the alto, i don't think the air pressure would be that different, but you really feel the difference at the end of a session after all that air has pass through it.. i have the full set of saxes and even though they are all different none take more effort to blow than any other, it more the accumulative effect of extended blowing, not even the weight as i play bari on stand mostly.

if thats not what simon ment then i sure got the wrong end of the stick

 

[Bobby G]

As you know, I play mainly alto, but over the last couple of days I've dragged the old tenor out again. I tend not to play it very much due to my strange practising habits, and last time I was playing it, a couple of eeks back, I was sounding profoundly terrible and got a bit despondent about playing tenor altogether, to the point where I was seriously thinking about selling it to fund a companion alto to my YAS62.

However, over the last couple of days I've gone back from the Jumbo Java Mpc to the Selmer Soloist C*, and...... I can play tenor again! And I love it! I know what mfox means about needing more stamina for the tenor, and if you haven't played tenor for a while, or played one before, the lowest notes can take a little work to get them sounding properly, but once you're there it's not hard to go backwards, if you like, and get the horn sounding good at very low volume, as well as good and loud.

I think maybe I need a mouthpiece somewhere between my Selmer C* and the Vandoren Jumbo Java (somewhat more raucous, big, maybe too big, opening, bought as a cheaper alternative to a metal piece), and as I like the Selmers, perhaps an E-ish might do the job.

In short, though, I reckon if you play alto you can play tenor with some not too extreme adjustment. For playing standing up, it's probably the most relaxed in terms of your stance.

Cheers, Bob

 

[tengu01]

Well, I am mainly an alto player and added a tenor to the repertoire around 2.5 years ago. Although they are very similar in concept, I found that developing a good tone on the tenor required a different embouchure concept. I found it takes more volume of air to make it sound and resonate well at either end. It is entirely possible to not use more air, but I found it sounded better and I also ended up putting more air through my alto as a direct result.

I found the selmer c* a little too small, but taking a similar mouthpiece size (in number, not tip opening) worked reasonably well, but there will be some ear-learning which will be needed for the tenor.

When I am jamming along to certain tunes on alto, my fingers react without too much thinking e.g. the ear-finger connection is quite well developed. When I moved over to the tenor, I found a little adjustment was required to get sound I was hearing in my head, as it was linked to different keys (alto) keys.

Either way, I think it's a great idea and you should go for it. I have never regretted it

 

[freddysilk]

I experimented on a student tenor and found out that a little more air is needed but not to the point to where I'm turning blue in the face. It's indeed a different instrument with a different sound but a sound I like. I had a little trouble with getting a smooth tone from the low notes but overall didn't have much of a problem with intonation.

Now I'm wondering which size mouthpiece to use since I only experimented with a student mouthpiece. The reed would close from time to time which annoyed me since I use a medium open MP on alto. The Selmer C* was a little "too closed" for me since I love to make the alto scream with a good tone but for tenor - I'm a little clueless.

Overall, I like the tone on the tenor better than alto but I like the feel of the alto better so I'm still undecided. I'll keep on playing before I decide to purchase a tenor though.

Thanks to everyone for the comments and advice.