What kind of Sax?

[PeenkPhloide]

Hello. I've just switched over from clarinet to sax, and I'm using one of the school's saxes. It is a Yamaha YAS-23. I was wondering what make of them I should buy for myself. This one works pretty well, but I'm planning on purchasing my own. What would you recommend? And another question, is it normal to squeak on a low G? That's the only one I've been squeaking on while learning it. Just Wondering. Thanks!

[Ned]

It's more or less normal to go splat on a low Bb, but the first G on the saxophone isn't all that low. (I assume you don't mean concert.) Is this a soprano, an alto, a tenor, or a baritone?

[PeenkPhloide]

It's more or less normal to go splat on a low Bb, but the first G on the saxophone isn't all that low. (I assume you don't mean concert.) Is this a soprano, an alto, a tenor, or a baritone?

It's an alto....Eb Yamaha YAS-23...

[LewsTherin]

low g on a sax should be pretty easy to get out.

what i do to wrok on notes i cant get out is to play the note above it (in this case, an A), then slur down to it until I can get it to come out, then play A and tongue G after it, then just tongue all Gs.

So it should be like this:
\\\ Slide
--- Tounge

A\\\G---A\\\G
A---G---A---G
G---G---G---G

Repeat each line to perfection, then move down to the next line.

Also, if you dont think its a problem with you (ie no other notes squeaking) Id think of maybe getting it checked out. It might be a pad problem.


As for a sax to buy, Altos are usually cheapest, Tenors i find are the most versatile and overall sweet sounding, and Baritones are expensive but kick some major arse.

[PeenkPhloide]

low g on a sax should be pretty easy to get out.

what i do to wrok on notes i cant get out is to play the note above it (in this case, an A), then slur down to it until I can get it to come out, then play A and tongue G after it, then just tongue all Gs.

So it should be like this:
\\\ Slide
--- Tounge

A\\\G---A\\\G
A---G---A---G
G---G---G---G

Repeat each line to perfection, then move down to the next line.

Also, if you dont think its a problem with you (ie no other notes squeaking) Id think of maybe getting it checked out. It might be a pad problem.


As for a sax to buy, Altos are usually cheapest, Tenors i find are the most versatile and overall sweet sounding, and Baritones are expensive but kick some major arse.


Thanks for the tips. But really what I meant was which brand of alto should I get? and are those sax's with that extra f# key any good?

[justinw]

Thanks for the tips. But really what I meant was which brand of alto should I get? and are those sax's with that extra f# key any good?

I've been playing sax for 12 years and the only thing I would ever buy is a Selmer(by that I mean made in Paris, the only REAL Selmer, IMO). That may be out of your price range though. If you want to save some money and go used, I'd say try to find maybe a Super Action 80 Series I or II, old Mark VI & VII's are great too. You could get a professional model Yamaha, which are much better than their student models, but if you get a nice Selmer and take care of it, I guarantee it'll be a horn you will be happy with forever. As far as the high F#, I could do without it, but I'm a bari player, and couldn't do without my low A.

-Justin

[bassist_for_a_band]

Yea, I'd go Selmer... I've only played for about three or four years, but I'm not half bad...
I've mostly played alto, but for 7th and 8th grade I played the school's tenor... If I could, I'd just get myself a soprano... but of course my money is going to bass guitar stuff


lol yea, you said you switched from clari to sax, so why not get a "golden clarinet?" lol... its just a straight sax

[nrcafootball68]

^^ also known as a soprano sax