Saxophone for diploma clarinettist with no sax experience Options

[Pixie*Porsche]

After some thought and more battles fought with flute, to be frank I've given it up as a bad job now. I have decided I fancy giving the sax a go but don't have a clue what to look for!

Would like to play in a local windband but not with clarinet as to be frank I want a challenge. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Don't have a lot of money to spend, will certainly be a used instrument but don't mind buying something needing a bit of work.

What sax and mouthpiece would you recommend and sheet music / tutorial books?

[barry-clari]

I suspect you'll progress pretty quickly, P*P : having said that, it isn't a metal clarinet - the embouchure is looser and rounder than on clarinet. Probably wise to have a sax player check on this at first.

Good makes of sax : loads, but they include Yamaha, Yanagisawa, Cannonball and Keilwerth. Trevor James and Jupiter do good bottom end price-wise instruments.

Many sax mouthpiece names you'll recognise from your clarinetting, but there are a few others too, Jody Jazz are one of these.

First thing I'd think of is which sax to play as your major study, though (alto, tenor, bari, whatever (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) )

[Pixie*Porsche]

I suspect you'll progress pretty quickly, P*P : having said that, it isn't a metal clarinet - the embouchure is looser and rounder than on clarinet. Probably wise to have a sax player check on this at first.

Good makes of sax : loads, but they include Yamaha, Yanagisawa, Cannonball and Keilwerth. Trevor James and Jupiter do good bottom end price-wise instruments.

Many sax mouthpiece names you'll recognise from your clarinetting, but there are a few others too, Jody Jazz are one of these.

First thing I'd think of is which sax to play as your major study, though (alto, tenor, bari, whatever (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) )

Fortunately, I know quite a few sax players (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) Also would like to start with an Alto, has a lovely range and is not too big and heavy!

Not really too sure on what style I would like to play, maybe some Jazz??? I do know NOTHING about Jazz though so it'd be something really different for me. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) Certainly not going down the Jazz route on piano or clarinet at any point so would be nice to explore a different genre.

[barry-clari]

I suspect you'll progress pretty quickly, P*P : having said that, it isn't a metal clarinet - the embouchure is looser and rounder than on clarinet. Probably wise to have a sax player check on this at first.

Good makes of sax : loads, but they include Yamaha, Yanagisawa, Cannonball and Keilwerth. Trevor James and Jupiter do good bottom end price-wise instruments.

Many sax mouthpiece names you'll recognise from your clarinetting, but there are a few others too, Jody Jazz are one of these.

First thing I'd think of is which sax to play as your major study, though (alto, tenor, bari, whatever (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) )

Fortunately, I know quite a few sax players (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) Also would like to start with an Alto, has a lovely range and is not too big and heavy!

Not really too sure on what style I would like to play, maybe some Jazz??? I do know NOTHING about Jazz though so it'd be something really different for me. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) Certainly not going down the Jazz route on piano or clarinet at any point so would be nice to explore a different genre.

A question : do you want to play 'jazzy' pieces, or do you want to learn about the mechanics of jazz, improvising 'n' all? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[TSax]

If you're going to go down the "sax that needs some work doing to it route" then go for one of the names such as Yamaha, Yanagisawa etc. That means it should be fairly decent once you've done the work. imo there's no point in going for something ultra-cheap and secondhand - saxes have improved so much and have become so much cheaper in recent years that you could get something new for ?200 that will be better than a 10 years old lesser known student instrument on ebay. I've got a 1980s student tenor at home that is more or less worthless (I paid ?500 for it 15 years ago, it was secondhand then), because even the not very good cheap Chinese saxes are better than this one.

[barry-clari]

If you're going to go down the "sax that needs some work doing to it route" then go for one of the names such as Yamaha, Yanagisawa etc. That means it should be fairly decent once you've done the work. imo there's no point in going for something ultra-cheap and secondhand - saxes have improved so much and have become so much cheaper in recent years that you could get something new for ?200 that will be better than a 10 years old lesser known student instrument on ebay. I've got a 1980s student tenor at home that is more or less worthless (I paid ?500 for it 15 years ago, it was secondhand then), because even the not very good cheap Chinese saxes are better than this one.

Especially for someone who's as ace as you are at instrument repair P*P, this is excellent advice (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Pixie*Porsche]

I suspect you'll progress pretty quickly, P*P : having said that, it isn't a metal clarinet - the embouchure is looser and rounder than on clarinet. Probably wise to have a sax player check on this at first.

Good makes of sax : loads, but they include Yamaha, Yanagisawa, Cannonball and Keilwerth. Trevor James and Jupiter do good bottom end price-wise instruments.

Many sax mouthpiece names you'll recognise from your clarinetting, but there are a few others too, Jody Jazz are one of these.

First thing I'd think of is which sax to play as your major study, though (alto, tenor, bari, whatever (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) )

Fortunately, I know quite a few sax players (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) Also would like to start with an Alto, has a lovely range and is not too big and heavy!

Not really too sure on what style I would like to play, maybe some Jazz??? I do know NOTHING about Jazz though so it'd be something really different for me. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) Certainly not going down the Jazz route on piano or clarinet at any point so would be nice to explore a different genre.

A question : do you want to play 'jazzy' pieces, or do you want to learn about the mechanics of jazz, improvising 'n' all? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Honestly, not sure at this moment in time!! Just fancy giving sax a go and seeing how I get on at first.

Was thinking of starting off buying a tutor book e.g. saxophone basics and stuff from grades 1 -5 lists, scale book etc. Can't get my head round scales to the length of a 12th! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ohmy.gif)

If you're going to go down the "sax that needs some work doing to it route" then go for one of the names such as Yamaha, Yanagisawa etc. That means it should be fairly decent once you've done the work. imo there's no point in going for something ultra-cheap and secondhand - saxes have improved so much and have become so much cheaper in recent years that you could get something new for ?200 that will be better than a 10 years old lesser known student instrument on ebay. I've got a 1980s student tenor at home that is more or less worthless (I paid ?500 for it 15 years ago, it was secondhand then), because even the not very good cheap Chinese saxes are better than this one.

Especially for someone who's as ace as you are at instrument repair P*P, this is excellent advice (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

I was looking down the lines of jupiter, yamaha 2x, 2xx series or trevor james. Also have played an Elkhart before - well "played" more had a go on could get all the low notes though (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) Not sure they are great saxes or not though??

Yanagisawa's are probably a bit expensive at the moment!

[barry-clari]

Elkharts I find are OK, but a bit brittle : I think you might find the Elkhart would be reclining quite a bit at the Pixie*Porsche repair facility...

[Pixie*Porsche]

Elkharts I find are OK, but a bit brittle : I think you might find the Elkhart would be reclining quite a bit at the Pixie*Porsche repair facility...

hahaha (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif) thank you for the advice! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

It tends to be if they make good student flutes they make good student saxes (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif) and the clarinet seems to be on it's own! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ohmy.gif)

Do you play sax, Barry? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[clarijo]

I've only been learning sax for a year (tenor) but I've played on three saxes during this time. The first was a borrowed Yamaha student model YTS 25, I then hired a John Packer for a few months before buying a Yamaha 61, which was the predecessor to the 62.

I believe that Yamaha stopped producing these in 1978, so it's probably nearly as old as I am (!) but in its day it was the top of the range professional model. It was professionally owned and definitely has a 'vintage' look about it (it's not very pretty!!) but there is absolutely no comparison between this and the previous student models which I've played. I still have a long way to go before I achieve the sound which I'm striving for but on this I think I may eventually get there!

For me, the tenor is for jazz and I have no interest in playing classical music on it. I've worked form the Bob Mintzer Easy Jazz Etudes book (as recommended by TSax) and would also recommend the Randy Hunter Complete Jazz Styles books - both have backing CDs too. Sax is great and very addictive - my biggest problem is finding the time to practise two instruments effectively but I enjoy trying! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

EDIT - Just to add that I bought a tutor book initially (A New Tune a Day) but I didn't use it for long - I think I put it on Ebay after about three weeks! You will probably find a fingering chart is all you need to get you started. You might also find chromatic scales and arps more useful if you want to focus on jazz.

[Tenor Viol]

I've recently taken up alto sax. From what I've read on various forums etc. the quality of modern Chinese / Taiwanese instruments is very good (once you get away from the really cheap 'saxophone shaped objects' that lurk on various sites etc etc).

Other makes which seem to get good reviews are Hanson and Bauhaus Walstein.

From the comments you are evidently a dab hand at tech work and there is of course a Haynes manual for saxes.... and the author who is a sax tech has a web site with a lot of info about different brands, old vs new etc

There are some outlets that specialise in second hand instruments

I'm unsure about policy of putting links to web sites here - send me a PM if you wish and I'll pass on some links.

Mouthpieces, ligatures and reeds - endless choice! Reliable inexpensive mpc include Yamaha and Grafton. I have a Selmer S80 C* with an LG leather/fabric single screw lig

[barry-clari]

Do you play sax, Barry? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

21 years and counting, P*P! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) I find it's a good, fun instrument to play. I know I lapse into clarinet technique on saxophone quite a bit, but I am aware of that at least! It's well worth doing the Royal Northern's sax day sometime, and there's also a sax day each year in Nottingham that saxgirl eulogises over : I think that's usually in late March/early April.

I'm unsure about policy of putting links to web sites here - send me a PM if you wish and I'll pass on some links.

To be safe, avoid any links that involve retailing of instruments, otherwise, pretty much anything goes. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Pixie*Porsche]

Thank you all so far (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

I have seen a Yamaha 23 and a Jupiter 767, which would you recommend?

[barry-clari]

Thank you all so far (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

I have seen a Yamaha 23 and a Jupiter 767, which would you recommend?

The Yamaha, from those two. But do have a play of it. Gut feeling says you'll outgrow the Jupiter fairly quickly. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Pixie*Porsche]

It's a confusing one as the Jupiter seems to be marketed as an intermediate instrument but I know yamahas are really good instruments! Arrgh, I think I'm going to go and have a nose round a local music shop and have a try of a few! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)