All things old are new again ...

[Harrell]

I didn't really know where to put this - It is saxaphonic, but very diffuse at the same time.

My 12 year old has been playing alto for about 1.5 years. A large part of our relationship is founded on music and saxomophones.

When I was his age, my practice (clarinet) was pretty boring - just scales and etudes et cetera. Now, I go out of my way to try to make his music study more interesting than mine was at his age. I have already turned him on the the Music Minus One stuff, which he likes very much and he can already play a lot.

Since he is an alto fanatic, I bought him some Paul Desmond and Dave Bruebeck. I have the sheet music to "Take Five" which is a really cool tune. He can already do a pretty good job on that one - he is coming along very nicely.

I guess my point is that I never really appreciated much alto. My efforts to "turn him on to music" is also turning me on to other various artists, particularly the alto players. I still don't like alto much - the horn sounds puny to me and the horns are to tiny. But, on the Dave Bruebeck CDs I have, there is really nothing there that I don't like. Every track is very nice. Even the tune where they do nothing but clap and click drumsticks is nice.

I do pick up his alto and play, but it just aint the same - not the rich, full, warm tone that my tenor has - but, I am less a bigot than I used to be.

[Grumps]

My boy is ten and on his second year of sax playing (alto). Last Christmas I gave him an old Martin stencil tenor which was given to me not long before that. He really loved it, exclaiming it was the best present ever; that old beat up, but still kickin' horn. His band director asked him to use it in their new jazz group and he is. He was so excited that he also switched to tenor for the concert band as there were no other tenor players. After a week, he went back to alto for concert band (not for the jazz group). He told me it was because the tenor parts were all harmony and background; i.e., boring. Well, I'm sure when he's older, and his friends are putting together rock bands he'll make the switch to tenor.... just like I did.

[Harrell]

We experience that too - my youngest boy (11) is playing tenor and he is already complaining that the altos get all the good stuff to play in band. In the orchestra I play in, the tenor parts are very often the same as the trombone parts. It is as though the arrangers don't know what to do with tenor sax. He wants to play sop sax but if he did the band directors would just give him clarinet and trumpet parts to play.

[Oakleaf]

just keep him away from rap and you'll be alright.

also, let him make up his own mind what he wants out of it. kids always wanna defy thier parents, i know i'm a kid. lol. put some music out there, that means listen to YOUR music, on your stero, but make sure he can hear it. dont incourage bad pop, rap, or new metal or anything, but do encourage music that uses instruments. almost any instrument is a good one. music's a journy, so maybe you wanna start out with some old rock stuff, just so he can get into it. i didn't discover music myself until i started listening to led zeppelin, let him grow at his own rate to get up to the more suffisticated stuff, like jazz. he has to do it on his own, he nor you wouldnt want it any other way. incourage playing as much as possible, but never say it's the right thing. all you gotta do is act proud when he's doin good, always incourage. and if he starts to lean to something that you dont like so much dont nessisarily tell him it's crap ALL the time, but once is ok so he knows how you stand. then instead of saying negitive stuff just dont say anything at all. he wants to please you, so he'll try to do whats best cause i'm sure he's a good kid. dont push too hard, but always offer ideas.

I guess i have alot to say on this subject because i am in the present tense. i'm just 16 and my father too is a musician. i almost gave up playing when i was a kid because my dad didn't like what i was doing. he ment best but i took it the wrong way. it took playing guitar to really get back into music. (he's a drummer)

Try to keep his intrest, and dont let him get discouraged.

sorry if i sound somewhat snobby. i'm just trying to prevent all the problems that i had with my father from happening to you. i mean only well.

best of luck, hope i could help!!
thanks for your time!

[morgan]

I guess my point is that I never really appreciated much alto. .. I still don't like alto much - the horn sounds puny to me . ..

Johnny Hodges. Cannonball Adderly. Hank Crawford.

[Jazzophone]

Trane! Coleman Hawkins! Gerry Mulligan!

[alabamapinksax]

We experience that too - my youngest boy (11) is playing tenor and he is already complaining that the altos get all the good stuff to play in band.[/quote]


i play the alto and tell your son that we do not have the most wonderful parts to play. i think that the soprano would have more "good stuff" to play any way :!:

[alabamapinksax]

sorry i do not know how to use the quote thing


the quote was from Harrell

[justbari]

Harrell,

You want full and rich? Why not play the alto parts on bari?


what else would I suggest...
justbari