Hello I am a pianist (just done the Dip) and have just started playing the sax. I was going to learn by ear, but not too sure about the wisdom of that since I have perfect pitch and want to learn what the notes actually are (rather than hearing them and hearing the 'wrong' thing!).

I want to do jazz. So can anyone recommend a tutor book that might be good for me? I could do with one which shows me where the notes are on the sax as I want to keep lessons to a minimum. Playing along with a cd appeals too.

Thanks.

I can't help with the tutor book (sorry!) but although I don't have perfect pitch, I started learning the clarinet by ear, and though it can sort of help when playing with non-tranposing instruments (because you don't worry so much about the transposing bit) my sight-reading on clarinet is appalling, and I think it's at least partly to do with being used to playing it by ear.

Have you looked at the AB Jazz syllabus books? They might be useful especially if Jazz is where your interests lie.

As you can already read music, try "Saxophone Basics" by Andy Hampton. It's jazzy and fun, and goes a bit too fast for some of my beginners who've never read music before. If you don't like the silly pictures, ignore them - it really is a good book. It goes just beyond grade 2 so you'll get through it quickly. You can even buy it with a playalong CD! It has diagrams of all the notes and fingerings, and incorporates some pieces for grades 1 and 2.

I used "Learn as you play saxophone" by Peter Wastall when I was teaching myself. It goes up to grade 3 and I did it in 4 days because I'm a clarinettist!! It wasn't an interesting or fun book at all though.

Not really jazz but Abracadabra can come with a CD and it shows you the notes

Perfect pitch, as you seem to have realised, may not help so much with a transposing instrument. Since you can read to a high standard already, you could maybe get away with getting just a saxophone fingering chart (e.g. Dr. Downing), and put some hours in to practice your basic scales and chords. If you want to play jazz and like the idea of CD playalongs, then the Jamey Aebersold series (www.jazzbooks.com) are the definitive jazz CD playalongs. Vol.42 'Blues In All Keys' is a must, then maybe Vol.54 'Maiden Voyage'. Some lessons with a good teacher will help with technique. I could offer my services here if you live in Surrey or S.W.London.