Is tenor the general progression?

[Frosty]

Do most people eventually move onto the tenor sax as they improve or is it a matter of preference?

[JfW]

it's preference.

There is nothing inherently more difficult about the Tenor.

[SaxMomQuest]

My son, age 10, has been playing Alto for 5 months & is progressing nicely. He was required to play clairnet for 1 year prior to Sax. Now they are switching him to Tenor for the Jazz band, but he can still play Alto for concert band. My questions is: Will he become a jackel of many trades and a master of none? Should I be concerned?

[larry]

Hey Mom,

I wouldn't worry - the fingerings are the same from sax to sax, so the skills used on one are transferable to all of them. Many sax players own several different horns which they pull out as needed for various occasions. Consider it a testament to his playing that his director is willing to trust him to play many roles.

Good luck!

[SaxMomQuest]

Thank you Larry.

[Media Lint]

I played in grade school and high school. Then I started on alto and they doubled me on baritone. Eventually Bari became my main instrument. Now that I took it up again 20 years later I play alto and tenor. That they are in different keys is a twist, but musically I think in intervals so that never bothered me. In my rock band I like alto, and for my own practice and composition I tend to favor the tenor. Also in the rock environment I play keyboards, often simultaneously, in addition to saxophone (yes, left hand on the sax, right on the board) then I have to think in two keys at once, but since I think in intervals it's really just a matter (for me) of keeping trabk of only two roots. I think it all depends on one's musical inclination and how one approaches it. Likely in the case of the 10 year old, he will adapt easily. I sure did going from alto to bari (and I had braces! then). It might confuse some people though switching around keys if you're inclined to think in perfect pitch. Fortunately, I was never cursed with such a "gift" as that :)