sax players?

[Maynard's Dick]

discuss

[Dolly In, Zoom Out]

wayne shorter is the greatest there ever is, imo.

combines technicality with a songwriting sensibility that i personally like.

people file him under jazz but he's done a little bit of everything.

his album ''speak no evil'' should be required listening for any sax player, or for any listener that thinks sax sounds cheesy most of the time.

honestly, i hated sax before i heard shorter. so that's a combination of my stupidity and his greatness.

all hail wayne.

[even if they were canadian]

I'm a sax player. Not a great one, although I did make first tenor in bi county stage band. :cool:

[mip07]

I play tenor sax and im in garage band. It's pretty sweet. If you listen to a lot of classic rock you'll notice that a lot of songs have a saxaphone. Or is it just me?

Anyway, who's Wayne Shorter:confused:??? Actually, i think the best saxaphone player is either Charlie Parker or my private instructor(he's crazy good. Even has his own CD).

[faelun]

I play Alto sax.. i wana try some of the other ones somtime...

[QuentinB]

Hey everyone, I don't play sax, but my brother just started. Any tips for him, and is there any way to tone it down(it's very loud, and it seems the worse he plays, the louder it is....)

[mip07]

To make it quieter use masking tape to tape a string to a tennis ball. Then covr the tennis ball with enough masking tape so it fits above the topmost hole. Easy as that. Does he have a practice book? If he doesn't he should probably get 1.

[jake plays guitar]

i like coltrane. and parker. and sonny rollins.

[QuentinB]

To make it quieter use masking tape to tape a string to a tennis ball. Then covr the tennis ball with enough masking tape so it fits above the topmost hole. Easy as that. Does he have a practice book? If he doesn't he should probably get 1.

Yeah, he has a practice book, it's through the school.

Thanks for the tennis ball suggestion, I was just gonna shove a sock in it, but your way prolly works better. I hope I understood it all.

[edhara]

I'm a sax player who daylights as a networking geek. I've been playing for about 27 years overall, used to make my living doing it for about 8 or 9 years before I got royally burned out on the business. I still play professionally quite a reasonable amount, and it's great side money, but would never try to do this as a sole source of income again.

I'm primarily an alto and soprano player. I do have/play a tenor, but that's just not my strength as far as I'm concerned. I have a strong tendency to hear things as tuned to the alto.

My biggest influences are Brandon Fields, Charlie Parker, and David Sanborn.

I just found this forum tonight, and I hope I have something positive that I can contribute. :)

[Chameleon]

*knows nothing about sax*

What do you guys think of Joshua Redman? I've heard a few tracks from his Elastic Band and the tracks themselves are great. Sax is great, very sleazy and lazy in some of it.

[edhara]

I don't typically listen to a lot of the East Coast cats aside from the standard guys like Michael Brecker, Sanborn, Bob Berg, etc., but everything I've heard from Redman has been great.

[Aklerc]

I was just wondering a couple of things. I've been playing flute for about 5 years... so would it be reasonably easy to take up sax? And also how much does your average alto sax cost?

[edhara]

I was just wondering a couple of things. I've been playing flute for about 5 years... so would it be reasonably easy to take up sax? And also how much does your average alto sax cost?
It's not a really big stretch at all to go from flute to sax with the exception of tone production which is obviously quite different. There are also some subtle differences in fingerings.

I would expect that a student level sax would probably cost ~$800 or so, unless you find one used. If you're seriously considering it, you might try renting one from someplace that will apply the rental cost towards a new one.

[Little Android Man]

i play alto sax, its fun to mess around with

MY HEART LIES WITH THE DRUMS THOUGH!

[Midnight]

I'm a sax player who daylights as a networking geek. I've been playing for about 27 years overall, used to make my living doing it for about 8 or 9 years before I got royally burned out on the business. I still play professionally quite a reasonable amount, and it's great side money, but would never try to do this as a sole source of income again.

I'm primarily an alto and soprano player. I do have/play a tenor, but that's just not my strength as far as I'm concerned. I have a strong tendency to hear things as tuned to the alto.

My biggest influences are Brandon Fields, Charlie Parker, and David Sanborn.

I just found this forum tonight, and I hope I have something positive that I can contribute. :)
I've been playing for 7 years, any tips? My technique I would have to say is quite solid, but my theory I really do need to work on.

[edhara]

I've been playing for 7 years, any tips? My technique I would have to say is quite solid, but my theory I really do need to work on.
Do you have any kind of specific tips you're looking for? Improv? Theory? I'm more than happy to share whatever I do know. :)

I can also tell you the kinds of things that worked for _me_, but that's no guarantee that it'll necessarily work for you.

[Mailman]

Do you have any kind of specific tips you're looking for? Improv? Theory? I'm more than happy to share whatever I do know. :)

I can also tell you the kinds of things that worked for _me_, but that's no guarantee that it'll necessarily work for you.
I got banned so..

Um yeah, Bebop and "cool jazz" impro I am very interested to learn - in the vein of parker, coltrane and cannonball. Giant Steps, So What, things like that.

So what theory would you recommend as a backing for both improvisation, and compostion (if you know anything about composition, this is.) :)

[edhara]

Well, I had several things that I did specifically in studying Parker:

I bought the Charlie Parker Omnibook
I bought the Charlie Parker Aebersold
I bought as many of the CDs that I could that had the transcriptions of the omnibook solos

I'd practice the transcriptions with the Parker CDs
I'd practice the transcriptions with the Aebersold

Immerse yourself in it... Listen to what he plays, and how he plays it.. His intonation, his style. I remember sitting in a practice room with the Omnibook and set a metronome to a comfortable level (re: meaning a tempo that I thought I could play the tunes at) and just go read… page, after page, after page… mistakes, whatever. And I'd just do that for several hours.

I gotta say, after doing that for a while, you really do get to see what he's doing.

For instance, I know that he often fits a diminished chord over a dominant 7th chord, which is really him just starting on the 3rd and finishing out the rest of the arpeggio ending on a b9. Or that a standard idea that he'd use would be something like:

B C B A G#
(up) F D D# E B A# B D D C# B C

And knowing that he might play it over a Bm7b5 - E7 - Am7 progression. (Parker was really big on the b9/#9 sound over dominant 7th chords)

Play them... get to really, really know the tunes and the chord changes inside and out. Do this to get his ideas in your head (and after you do this for a while, you WILL recognize standard patterns he uses). Look at what he's doing, then start applying it to various changes in the Real Books. Then learn to transpose those same ideas into different keys. Do this with enough different players, and you will start building your understanding and repetoire and eventually you'll be able to turn their ideas into your own.

Incidentally started doing this Coltrane and "Giant Steps" too, though he is unequivocally a much, much tougher study than Parker.

If you really want to practice a specific idea in different keys, I HIGHLY recommend Aebersold vol. 16: Turnarounds, Cycles, and ii-V's.

I don't know your theory level, so I hope I didn't go too far over your head.

[Vanhalen234]

Wayne Shorter was indeed a great player, but I sometimes didn't like the tone he got out of his shimrod. I was getting the same thing from my sax but I bought Chantone's Big Book 'O Sax Repairs and that has helped me out to no extent.

[mutant!]

I now front a funky, fast progressive rock band as lead singer, second guitarist, keyboardist and saxophonist. I play alto but I've never jammed popular/rock tunes on sax as much as I have piano and guitar - my knowledge of sax is very classical. I want to learn how to do speed technical sax improv. Any tips? I realise it'll probably take a while to learn... I want to be like The Mars Volta, except with a sax. Or like Parker, but really fast and loud.

[jazzbandball]

Well i'm a new sax player. I've played clarinet for a while and i got a new professional standard sax for christmas. Where do i start? i know most of the notes and where they are and i can muck around and make things sound good etc but dont know any actually songs. but i guess it is very similar to clarinet.
aaanyway.. any tips? good songs to start?
i like jazz but i also love playing classical stuff.

[Lady Lex]

wayne shorter is the greatest there ever is, imo.

combines technicality with a songwriting sensibility that i personally like.

people file him under jazz but he's done a little bit of everything.

his album ''speak no evil'' should be required listening for any sax player, or for any listener that thinks sax sounds cheesy most of the time.

honestly, i hated sax before i heard shorter. so that's a combination of my stupidity and his greatness.

all hail wayne.

The weirdest thing of all: everytime I hear Wayne, I see the colour gold. Its the best :) You hated sax before though?

omg.. I LURVE Sax so much. Best melodic instrument of all imo

Sop:
Love Wayne on Sop
Branford Marsalis
Grover Wahsington

Alto:
Julien Adderly aka Cannonball (I prefer 'Julien' myself)
Wayne Shorter
Sonny Stitt
Parlie Charker
Dave Sanborn
Ornette Coleman

Tenor:
Stan Getz
'trane
Dexter Gordan
Sonny Rollins

Barry:
Pepper Adams
John Zappia :p

Mutant: with the sax licks youre after, its a simple matter of practising (sucks hey). Sit in a room and do your scales over and over. Do arpeggios too. This is gonna sound trite, but Kenny G has some very good pop licks. :lol: Brecker Brothers and Tina Turner's sax guy have some very good licks to copy too. :)

[Styrofoam]

Anyone here play Bari sax? i quite enoyed the couple of years playing that in my school band

[Lady Lex]

Barry is my most favourite Styrofoam. Its funny: in the Simpsons, Lisa plays what looks like a tenor, but they use a barry for the sound! or maybe its me getting that mixed up?

[KraiZee]

Anyone know how to get a more "full" sound out of my tenor? I believe my tone is kinda ugly and I'm sure its because of my sax.

[Lady Lex]

What sort of sax is it? year, model etc

[KraiZee]

Well I'm sure my sax is making the ugly noises because, well, its a Jupiter. Mouthpiece is a Vandoren T20.

[Lady Lex]

Its the carpenter and not his tools that define his craftsmanship ;)

Ive sold a few Jupiters, and the Vandoren is prolly the best budget mouthpiece for it (though hey.. Otto is FTW imo!)

Have you had it serviced recently? Give that a go and see what happens. Maybe the cork and/or the pads are making the instrument slightly off? Or, go to a Sax shop, say you're looking 'in the market' and give some of their newer saxs a go. If the sound continues.. sorry, but its you. Which may mean more diaphragm excercises!

[gazzareth]

sax is perhaps my favourite instrument. only problem is, I don't play it...yet. I'm determined to learn it some day (hopefully soon). my brother has been playing for about 8 years. he plays a beautiful 50s selmer alto (inherited from my grandfather). I'm very envious. I'd love to play the tenor. I just haven't got that type of money lying around. I'll keep dreaming until then.

[sax4trent]

I've been playing alto sax for 5 years and I just started playing soprano 5 days ago and I believe I'm pretty good at it. I squeak more often, but that's getting under control. The first day I picked it up I played for 6 hours (not straight 6 hours). I'm using a Selmer Series III and it's so cool! I have a audio clip of it, but I don't think I'm allowed to post it here, but if I'm not then I can remove it right? The song is called Mr. Modulation, but it's not my own song. It came from "Hip to the Blues" Vol. 2 book. I played part one with my soprano and part two with my alto. It would be cool if someone from here would check it out, because it sounds like a few of you here know what you're talking about!

Here's the link: Sax4Trent's Music Home (http://www.freewebs.com/sax4trent)

[sax4trent]

Are there any saxophone players here from Region 9 or 10 for South East Texas?

[lit_girl11]

Anyone here play Bari sax? i quite enoyed the couple of years playing that in my school band

I DO!!!!! and tenor too.... but bari just rules it

[Little Android Man]

sax is perhaps my favourite instrument. only problem is, I don't play it...yet. I'm determined to learn it some day (hopefully soon). my brother has been playing for about 8 years. he plays a beautiful 50s selmer alto (inherited from my grandfather). I'm very envious. I'd love to play the tenor. I just haven't got that type of money lying around. I'll keep dreaming until then.

canada dry rules.:smash:

[Jonny Greenwood]

Anyone here play Bari sax? i quite enoyed the couple of years playing that in my school band
I played it when I was in jazz band because I was the only one that knew how to play it good but I perfer the tenor sax even thou I don't own one :upset: I own a alto. Funny thing is I'm better at tenor.

[mutant!]

I DO!!!!! and tenor too.... but bari just rules it
That song "War" by Edwin Star ("War, huh, yeah/What is it good for?/Absolutely nothing...") has some wicked bari licks. Just listen to the second chorus. And crank the volume, the sax isn't very loud.

[lit_girl11]

That song "War" by Edwin Star ("War, huh, yeah/What is it good for?/Absolutely nothing...") has some wicked bari licks. Just listen to the second chorus. And crank the volume, the sax isn't very loud.

cool ill have to do that. tower of power also has some sweet bari lines and theyre pretty predominant in the music.

[kevbud187]

Well I'm sure my sax is making the ugly noises because, well, its a Jupiter. Mouthpiece is a Vandoren T20.

Buy a C*(mouthpiece)

[SaxyFROgirl]

Its the carpenter and not his tools that define his craftsmanship ;)

Ive sold a few Jupiters, and the Vandoren is prolly the best budget mouthpiece for it (though hey.. Otto is FTW imo!)

Have you had it serviced recently? Give that a go and see what happens. Maybe the cork and/or the pads are making the instrument slightly off? Or, go to a Sax shop, say you're looking 'in the market' and give some of their newer saxs a go. If the sound continues.. sorry, but its you. Which may mean more diaphragm excercises!

i don't know how many others would recommend this, but one of the easiest diaphragm exercises that was ever taught to me when i was taking lessons (as opposed to teaching them) was to buy a package of balloons and just blow them up- you'll be able to feel your diaphragm muscle using the pressure to inflate the balloon and then you will be able to pinpoint that muscle to use on your sax...it's particularly good for hitting the low notes

also, i will second the above comment and say yes, buy yourself a C* mouthpiece made by Selmer, they're great...i've also heard the argument for plastic reeds over wood for better tone, but i've personally never tried the plastic

[gotheadbanger 642]

I used to play saxophone in fifth grade, then forgot and lost interest by 6th grade I just recently became more interested in other instruments. I found somewhere by my dad's new place with a guy who teaches sax and clarinet (both of which I wanted to give a shot at)- I think I'm ready, but I'm not sure...

[mutant!]

I used to play saxophone in fifth grade, then forgot and lost interest by 6th grade I just recently became more interested in other instruments. I found somewhere by my dad's new place with a guy who teaches sax and clarinet (both of which I wanted to give a shot at)- I think I'm ready, but I'm not sure...
Go for it! How old are you now?

[mutant!]

Can anyone here explain to me the difference in tone and playability (and price) between plastic/hard rubber/whatever and metal mouthpieces? I see all the jazz cats playing metal but I want to know what I'm in for before I spend $$ on one.

[SaxyFROgirl]

i've never tried metal, but going from a plastic to a rubber mouthpiece was one of the best choices i ever made...the rubber ones have a much warmer tone, and it seems to be holding up a lot better than any plastic one i've ever used...price wise, they're going to be more expensive, but definitely worth the money (i went from starting on a $20 plastic to now using a $150 rubber, a Selmer C*)

[treekoel]

Has anyone some scores of good jazz music for sax?
I d like to play it but i don't find scores...

[Lady Lex]

i don't know how many others would recommend this, but one of the easiest diaphragm exercises that was ever taught to me when i was taking lessons (as opposed to teaching them) was to buy a package of balloons and just blow them up- you'll be able to feel your diaphragm muscle using the pressure to inflate the balloon and then you will be able to pinpoint that muscle to use on your sax...it's particularly good for hitting the low notes

also, i will second the above comment and say yes, buy yourself a C* mouthpiece made by Selmer, they're great...i've also heard the argument for plastic reeds over wood for better tone, but i've personally never tried the plastic

ooo another sax crazed chick! :) (I hopes!)

Plastic Reeds are more reliable. Once you find a great one - thats it. Its a matter of finding it though.

And there is actually an easier one - though that is good. Lie on the floor with an empty bottle or something rounded - like a broom handle without the actual broom on the end. I used to use my flute. Lie on the floor and simply by 'straining' your diaphragm - breathing in and out - watch the 'rounded thing' rise and fall. a few excercies of these a day will get that diphragm energised! :)

And yes: Bari rocks. also.. sorry cant member who: if youre a natural tenor player, it has something to do with your body I think. If one were to base their preference purely on image alone - Im a tenor chick. alto just looks too.. small and ineffectual :lol: But then again - the curved sop looks pretty sexy too

[LewsTherin]

Hey everyone, I don't play sax, but my brother just started. Any tips for him, and is there any way to tone it down(it's very loud, and it seems the worse he plays, the louder it is....)


my band director used to say:

"Saxaphones have two volumes...off and loud."



I used to play tenor, then alto, then tenor again, then baritone. I loved the baritone, but I havent played since I started playing bass in my schools concert band. I have an alto at home, but I havent even taken it out of the case in a year or two.

[mutant!]

"Saxaphones have two volumes...off and loud."
Vin Diesel has two speeds: Walk... and Kill. lmao

But on a more serious note: do you mean bass sax or bass guitar? My bass guitarist also plays alto sax and he wants to get another sax, and he's torn between tenor and bari. I'm trying to convince him to get bari so he could swop the bass for the bari in some of our songs - we play jazzy/funky stuff, see.

[Janeway]

Hey everyone, I don't play sax, but my brother just started. Any tips for him, and is there any way to tone it down(it's very loud, and it seems the worse he plays, the louder it is....)
Control will come with time, but for now just stick it out.
Of course, if you want to be really mean, just stick a small blanket or a heavy towel in the bell.


And I would tell him to get a tenor.
You get a lot more usage out of a tenor than a bari in most situations. It's cheaper and a lot easier to stand up with.

[mutant!]

And I would tell him to get a tenor.
You get a lot more usage out of a tenor than a bari in most situations. It's cheaper and a lot easier to stand up with.
Stupid, subjective comment. It's equivalent to saying, "Don't play guitar, play bass, it's much cooler." If he likes bari let him play bari.

[LewsTherin]

Vin Diesel has two speeds: Walk... and Kill. lmao

But on a more serious note: do you mean bass sax or bass guitar? My bass guitarist also plays alto sax and he wants to get another sax, and he's torn between tenor and bari. I'm trying to convince him to get bari so he could swop the bass for the bari in some of our songs - we play jazzy/funky stuff, see.


guitar, sorry.


and tell him to get a bari. they >> tenors (which pwn everything else)

[mutant!]

guitar, sorry.


and tell him to get a bari. they >> tenors (which pwn everything else)
About half an hour after I posted that, he phoned me and told me his new sax teach convinced him to play bari. :thumb: I mean, with songs like War, how could anyone not like bari sax? I mean really.

[Janeway]

Stupid, subjective comment. It's equivalent to saying, "Don't play guitar, play bass, it's much cooler." If he likes bari let him play bari.
Riiiiight.
How often do you see a funk/jazz band with a bari? Not as often as a tenor.
There's a reason for that.A baritone would work on some songs, but I would think it'd sound totally ****ing redundant in quite a few situations.Tenors are way more versitle, and they're cheaper, and it's much more practical. If you're going to drop 3k on a sax, atleast make it one that's going to fit better. Also, if you want to transpose bass parts to fit a sax, have fun doing it with an Eb instrument. Bb is a lot easier to transpose to.
Oh, and did I say it was cool?
No, I didn't. I was simply stating MY opinion.
And I would tell him to get a tenor.
See? That implies that it's my ****ing opinion.

[Janeway]

About half an hour after I posted that, he phoned me and told me his new sax teach convinced him to play bari. :thumb: I mean, with songs like War, how could anyone not like bari sax? I mean really.
WAIT A ****ING MINUTE!
Wasn't my comment about him buying a tenor "stupid and subjective"?!
How did his comment not qualify?
He didn't even have any reasoning behind it.

This is why I don't venture out of the D&P stronghold.
e.e

[mutant!]

WAIT A ****ING MINUTE!
Wasn't my comment about him buying a tenor "stupid and subjective"?!
How did his comment not qualify?
He didn't even have any reasoning behind it.

This is why I don't venture out of the D&P stronghold.
e.e
Yes he did. Money. Making a living from music. He's not going to make any money at all if he plays guitar or piano - way too many people do that. Bari is often used but rarely played. That's only part of the reasoning.

See? That implies that it's my ****ing opinion.
Exactly.

[kevbud187]

you people get worked up about your sax. I get very sax-ually active myself sometimes.