sax players?

Maynard's Dick · 01-12-2006, 01:53 AM

discuss

Dolly In, Zoom Out · 01-12-2006, 12:59 PM

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 · 01-12-2006, 07:56 PM

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

mip07 · 01-13-2006, 06:07 PM

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

??? 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 · 01-13-2006, 06:19 PM

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

QuentinB · 01-13-2006, 06:21 PM

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 · 01-13-2006, 06:37 PM

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 · 01-13-2006, 08:21 PM

i like coltrane. and parker. and sonny rollins.

QuentinB · 01-14-2006, 08:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 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.

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 · 01-15-2006, 05:35 AM

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 · 01-15-2006, 06:07 AM

*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 · 01-15-2006, 11:17 AM

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 · 01-15-2006, 12:15 PM

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 · 01-15-2006, 01:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Herbert_da_fish

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 · 01-16-2006, 04:30 PM

i play alto sax, its fun to mess around with

MY HEART LIES WITH THE DRUMS THOUGH!

Midnight · 01-16-2006, 06:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 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.

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 · 01-16-2006, 07:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Midnight

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 · 01-18-2006, 06:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by edhara

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 · 01-18-2006, 07:24 PM

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 · 01-20-2006, 09:06 PM

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.

01-12-2006, 01:53 AM	#1
Maynard's Dick Registered User Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 50	sax players? discuss Last edited by Maynard's Dick; 01-12-2006 at 01:56 AM.

01-13-2006, 06:07 PM	#4
mip07 Registered User Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 3	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??? Actually, i think the best saxaphone player is either Charlie Parker or my private instructor(he's crazy good. Even has his own CD).

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01-12-2006, 12:59 PM	#2
Dolly In, Zoom Out Registered User Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 14	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.

01-12-2006, 07:56 PM	#3
even if they were canadian lolcat Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Watertown, NY Posts: 2,195	I'm a sax player. Not a great one, although I did make first tenor in bi county stage band.

01-13-2006, 06:19 PM	#5
faelun Can i touch ur BasS Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Toronto Posts: 1,033	I play Alto sax.. i wana try some of the other ones somtime...

01-13-2006, 06:21 PM	#6
QuentinB Howdoyougetmorespacehere? Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: A missing piece of Hell called "Minnesota" Posts: 425	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....)

01-13-2006, 06:37 PM	#7
mip07 Registered User Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 3	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.

01-13-2006, 08:21 PM	#8
jake plays guitar Dig Jazz Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 1,429	i like coltrane. and parker. and sonny rollins.

01-15-2006, 05:35 AM	#10
edhara Registered User Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Orange County, Ca Posts: 17	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.

01-15-2006, 06:07 AM	#11
Chameleon Team Sober/FackYooBerklee Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Glasgow, Ecosse Posts: 3,372	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.

01-15-2006, 11:17 AM	#12
edhara Registered User Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Orange County, Ca Posts: 17	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.

01-15-2006, 12:15 PM	#13
Aklerc Alex, previously a fish. Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Somewhere near Wales. Posts: 9,844	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?

01-16-2006, 04:30 PM	#15
Little Android Man bjorn "WenchFister" Finda Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: a button factory Posts: 9,462	i play alto sax, its fun to mess around with MY HEART LIES WITH THE DRUMS THOUGH!

01-18-2006, 07:24 PM	#19
edhara Registered User Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Orange County, Ca Posts: 17	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.

01-20-2006, 09:06 PM	#20
Vanhalen234 I've killed people Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: England Posts: 1,801	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.