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Sax on the Web Forum Archive / Altissimo & Multiphonics / Altissimo sucks

Next 20 Messages

Harrell
User ID: 2511854 May 29th 4:43 PM
What is the point? Nobody likes it, it is just screeching... squeeking... crap. It isn't pleasing... it isn't melodic... it is just crap. If you want altissimo, why don't you play a piccolo?

Harrell
User ID: 2511854 May 29th 4:44 PM
Yeah, yeah, there's gonna be the usual reply of "you suck". Yeah, yeah ... don't bother.....

Harrell
User ID: 2511854 May 29th 4:45 PM
LOL!

danmcb
User ID: 1682844 May 29th 5:05 PM
When done well, you hardly know that it is altissimo. It can be extremely effective. Just because some people overuse it (mostly people who can't control it properly), doesn't mean everyone does. And you only have to suck if you choose to, Harrell ... ;-)

Harrell
User ID: 2511854 May 29th 5:16 PM
Thank you, Dan! Very well written! I didn't believe anyone on this site had such literary talent! Of course, this was a joke, but most here will be offended! LOL! I am impressed with your post, Dan!

Kevin
User ID: 9753653 May 29th 6:05 PM
I agree with you Harrell...sort of... I think most people that play altissimo ought to play piccolo instead. Many don't get it, that it is supposed to sound good....

ChristopherD
User ID: 1592424 May 29th 7:10 PM
I was walking in a park with a friend several years ago. A group with 2 saxes, alto and tenor were playing. They each took a solo one after the other, and both used altissimo. My friend, a non-musician (but so what?), remarked negatively wondering why they played those screechy (sorry, Screech) high notes.

It didn't bother me, but at the same time I wasn't really impressed either. Seemed they were doing it just to do it, just to prove they could do it and were better because of it. It didn't really add anything musically.

I guess I like altissimo when it's well done, when it is used in a way that makes sense in the context in which it's being used, by someone who really knows how to make it sound right.

Sherry
User ID: 6354283 May 29th 11:22 PM
I have friend, a professional musician, with a terrific ability to play altissimo. When he plays it the notes are just more notes on the saxophone in a higher register. No more squeeky or screechy than the same notes when played on a soprano.

danmcb
User ID: 1682844 May 30th 3:08 AM
You got me going Harrell! LOL! Thanks, maybe I'm in the wrong career ... That's how it should be, Sherry. I don't even always like all of Sanborn's altissimo stuff (and he ain't the worst, by far). Spends too much time wailing up there, for me it sometimes spoils a good solo. I have a recording of Gene Ammons playing Lester Leaps In. There is *1* altissimo note in the solo - a high C. Bang on pitch, very sweet, very very effective. Listen and learn ...

King Coitus
User ID: 8228423 May 30th 7:17 AM
The single, most effective use of altissimo in the History of R&B is Clifford Scott's high "G" at the end of "Honky Tonk (Pt 1)."

It makes me smile every time I hear it, and I've heard it a LOT! It also points up the fact that, for the most part, listeners feel, "If it sounds hard to do, it IS hard to do, and, therefore, worthy of praise. If it sounds easy, who cares?"

Perfecting a flawless altissimo is, in my opinion, one of the greatest wastes of time a saxophonist can engage in. Unless you're playing for the other guys in the band, of course (and there's no shortage of that mentality)! Earl Bostic was a master of the top tones and played the hell out of them. But, he never made it sound easy!

Screech
User ID: 9753653 May 30th 11:11 AM
Harrell the point is to get a rise out of people one way or another. It works.

ChrisD - a guy I work with is a jazz buff and he asked me once why sax guys always wind up making "elephant" noise towards the end of a long solo. Got me - the players probably thought it sounded good. Or maybe they just got lost in the soloing and started playing crazy stuff hoping for something to pop out.

Dijaldi
User ID: 7984023 May 30th 2:29 PM
I'm sure Harrell "gets it," since he started this thread to get a rise out of all of you.

Didn't cha Harrell? Harrell likes written altisimmo.

Ian O'B.
User ID: 8924643 May 30th 2:36 PM
I had my HS jazz band audition today, auditioned on both alto and tenor sax, will choose whichever is 1st chair, or alto if both second chair... Only 4 altos and 3 tenors tried out, mostly not very skilled...

Well, I had been practicing my altissimo for weeks before this. On alto I am a LOT better at it, the instrument just seems to want to do it more. The scale we had to play was a G dorian. So I decided to be risky and go for 2 octaves. Only person trying out to do this. Keep in mind I have semi-good control of the altissimo register up to the Bb! And of course, I squeak the high G, on both alto and tenor. ARGH!

It's fun to learn but once you're put under pressure it becomes twice is hard to accomplish!

Screech
User ID: 0624334 May 30th 10:25 PM
OK Dij now that I've had my rise for the day I'm going back to sleep now, zzzzzzzzzzzzz.

The Martin
User ID: 0631424 May 31st 8:34 AM
Saw James Carter live in Fano (2001).
The man playes a soprano also, but when he goes altissimo on his tenor you wonder why.
It just sounds like a soprano to me.

Very intimidating............

(JOH DANMCB, it arived (i think. The postman left a note that there is a package from Antwerp, think I'll have nice weekend *;o)

Honk Williams
User ID: 8228423 Jun 7th 8:18 AM
When players can't seem to compete in the normal, vocal range of the horn, they resort to the comedy relief of altissimo. Funny hats and rubber noses are optional!

Screech
User ID: 9753653 Jun 7th 1:39 PM
ROFLMAO all of a sudden I got the urge to change my nick to Bozo...

ChristopherD
User ID: 1592424 Jun 7th 3:08 PM
Brrrrrrrrreeeeeeeeeppp!!!

ALI
User ID: 9544623 Jun 7th 4:20 PM
STOP GUYS ALTISSIMO IS A GOOD THING WHEN DONE RIGHT.

Screech
User ID: 1390494 Jun 8th 7:03 AM
Kinda like a root canal, eh? Sounds similar too.

Next 20 Messages

Harrell User ID: 2511854	May 29th 4:43 PM What is the point? Nobody likes it, it is just screeching... squeeking... crap. It isn't pleasing... it isn't melodic... it is just crap. If you want altissimo, why don't you play a piccolo?
Harrell User ID: 2511854	May 29th 4:44 PM Yeah, yeah, there's gonna be the usual reply of "you suck". Yeah, yeah ... don't bother.....
Harrell User ID: 2511854	May 29th 4:45 PM LOL!
danmcb User ID: 1682844	May 29th 5:05 PM When done well, you hardly know that it is altissimo. It can be extremely effective. Just because some people overuse it (mostly people who can't control it properly), doesn't mean everyone does. And you only have to suck if you choose to, Harrell ... ;-)
Harrell User ID: 2511854	May 29th 5:16 PM Thank you, Dan! Very well written! I didn't believe anyone on this site had such literary talent! Of course, this was a joke, but most here will be offended! LOL! I am impressed with your post, Dan!
Kevin User ID: 9753653	May 29th 6:05 PM I agree with you Harrell...sort of... I think most people that play altissimo ought to play piccolo instead. Many don't get it, that it is supposed to sound good....
ChristopherD User ID: 1592424	May 29th 7:10 PM I was walking in a park with a friend several years ago. A group with 2 saxes, alto and tenor were playing. They each took a solo one after the other, and both used altissimo. My friend, a non-musician (but so what?), remarked negatively wondering why they played those screechy (sorry, Screech) high notes. It didn't bother me, but at the same time I wasn't really impressed either. Seemed they were doing it just to do it, just to prove they could do it and were better because of it. It didn't really add anything musically. I guess I like altissimo when it's well done, when it is used in a way that makes sense in the context in which it's being used, by someone who really knows how to make it sound right.
Sherry User ID: 6354283	May 29th 11:22 PM I have friend, a professional musician, with a terrific ability to play altissimo. When he plays it the notes are just more notes on the saxophone in a higher register. No more squeeky or screechy than the same notes when played on a soprano.
danmcb User ID: 1682844	May 30th 3:08 AM You got me going Harrell! LOL! Thanks, maybe I'm in the wrong career ... That's how it should be, Sherry. I don't even always like all of Sanborn's altissimo stuff (and he ain't the worst, by far). Spends too much time wailing up there, for me it sometimes spoils a good solo. I have a recording of Gene Ammons playing Lester Leaps In. There is 1 altissimo note in the solo - a high C. Bang on pitch, very sweet, very very effective. Listen and learn ...
King Coitus User ID: 8228423	May 30th 7:17 AM The single, most effective use of altissimo in the History of R&B is Clifford Scott's high "G" at the end of "Honky Tonk (Pt 1)." It makes me smile every time I hear it, and I've heard it a LOT! It also points up the fact that, for the most part, listeners feel, "If it sounds hard to do, it IS hard to do, and, therefore, worthy of praise. If it sounds easy, who cares?" Perfecting a flawless altissimo is, in my opinion, one of the greatest wastes of time a saxophonist can engage in. Unless you're playing for the other guys in the band, of course (and there's no shortage of that mentality)! Earl Bostic was a master of the top tones and played the hell out of them. But, he never made it sound easy!
Screech User ID: 9753653	May 30th 11:11 AM Harrell the point is to get a rise out of people one way or another. It works. ChrisD - a guy I work with is a jazz buff and he asked me once why sax guys always wind up making "elephant" noise towards the end of a long solo. Got me - the players probably thought it sounded good. Or maybe they just got lost in the soloing and started playing crazy stuff hoping for something to pop out.
Dijaldi User ID: 7984023	May 30th 2:29 PM I'm sure Harrell "gets it," since he started this thread to get a rise out of all of you. Didn't cha Harrell? Harrell likes written altisimmo.
Ian O'B. User ID: 8924643	May 30th 2:36 PM I had my HS jazz band audition today, auditioned on both alto and tenor sax, will choose whichever is 1st chair, or alto if both second chair... Only 4 altos and 3 tenors tried out, mostly not very skilled... Well, I had been practicing my altissimo for weeks before this. On alto I am a LOT better at it, the instrument just seems to want to do it more. The scale we had to play was a G dorian. So I decided to be risky and go for 2 octaves. Only person trying out to do this. Keep in mind I have semi-good control of the altissimo register up to the Bb! And of course, I squeak the high G, on both alto and tenor. ARGH! It's fun to learn but once you're put under pressure it becomes twice is hard to accomplish!
Screech User ID: 0624334	May 30th 10:25 PM OK Dij now that I've had my rise for the day I'm going back to sleep now, zzzzzzzzzzzzz.
The Martin User ID: 0631424	May 31st 8:34 AM Saw James Carter live in Fano (2001). The man playes a soprano also, but when he goes altissimo on his tenor you wonder why. It just sounds like a soprano to me. Very intimidating............ (JOH DANMCB, it arived (i think. The postman left a note that there is a package from Antwerp, think I'll have nice weekend *;o)
Honk Williams User ID: 8228423	Jun 7th 8:18 AM When players can't seem to compete in the normal, vocal range of the horn, they resort to the comedy relief of altissimo. Funny hats and rubber noses are optional!
Screech User ID: 9753653	Jun 7th 1:39 PM ROFLMAO all of a sudden I got the urge to change my nick to Bozo...
ChristopherD User ID: 1592424	Jun 7th 3:08 PM Brrrrrrrrreeeeeeeeeppp!!!
ALI User ID: 9544623	Jun 7th 4:20 PM STOP GUYS ALTISSIMO IS A GOOD THING WHEN DONE RIGHT.
Screech User ID: 1390494	Jun 8th 7:03 AM Kinda like a root canal, eh? Sounds similar too.