[MeeLee]

Hi all,
I've bought a sax around 2005, played with it, got it to work to play notes etc.. but sold it after about 6 months due to moving.
I bought another one around 2012, played with it, even took it live, wasn't that good, learned some embellishments, but again, due to moving (and it being stolen by my ex), I had to let go of it.
Now, almost 7 years later again, I'm picking up 2 of them again.
A Tenor and an Alto.

Planning on playing live, and I've been practicing at home a bit.
For the music I play, the Tenor sounds best.
But taking both on the stage, I wondered if anyone has any experience with what style of music is the best for the Tenor, and what style for the alto?

I'm not a solo player, so I'm mainly being the only sax in the background of a band.
The band is mostly about the lead singer singing songs.

I'm thinking Tenor for upbeat small little notes, and alto for the softies (love pop or rock music)?
Just trying to figure out how or when to switch between both of them, while on stage.

Another issue I'm having, is I don't want to play 'too much'.
Meaning, no constant sax drone during the entire song, for all the songs.
I need to figure out where's a good balance between moments of the sax being louder, and moments where they're preferred in the background.

 

[Dr G]

Pick the voice that you best connect with, then set the other aside. Commit.

If you want another opinion, listen critically to the music you enjoy. What voice best fits?




P.S. The correct answer (for me) is tenor - has been for 50+ years.

 

[lydian]

I think it mostly comes down to your personal taste. Both can do it all, just one goes a little higher or lower than the other. But, since you have a singer, I'd go for the one that's farther away from his/her vocal range if you're doing fills or hits behind them. Also sounds like you feel tenor is more percussive and alto more lyrical. Each can do both, but if you're more comfortable doing it the way you're doing it, stick with it.

It's no secret is the tenor is historically more popular sound due to it's gutsy, sultry low end and powerful high end. But alto can really scream if that's what's called for.

I might think a particular tune sounds best on soprano and the next person thinks it sounds best on bari. Everybody's tastes are different. Bottom line, play whichever is YOUR voice and sounds better to you, and SELL that to the audience with conviction.

In the pop/rock bands, I've been in, I mostly play tenor because that's my voice, not because I think it fits better on certain tunes. Heck, there are tons of threads on this board where people have a hard time telling if certain recordings are alto or tenor. That tells me that it doesn't really matter. It's how you play and what connects with you as a musician.

EDIT: I see the doctor said basically the same thing.

 

[LostConn]

Here's a thought: Ask the other members of the band what they think. You have a lead singer; surely he or she will have an opinion about what sax sound will best complement his/her voice on a given tune, be it a ballad or a burner. The other musicians may have input worth considering too.

If you were a top-flight professional soloist, the rest of the band probably would rely on your judgment about which sax voice works best in a particular musical context. But it seems to me that you and your band could benefit from a collaborative approach.

 

[soybean]

I find that tenor blends better underneath a vocalist. On the other hand, alto does a better job of "singing" out proudly on top of the band.

 

[adamk]

Since February I haven't played my alto.
My tenor playing never felt or sounded personalized to me and was pitchy.
Finally I have a voice on it.
Next year I'll play the alto again.

 

[notes_norton]

For me it depends on the song. I generally use the tenor when I want to be bolder and the alto when I want to be sweeter. But that general preference can change if the song warrants it.

Insights and incites by Notes

 

[JL]

"Alto vs Tenor, when to switch?"

Just responding to the title, assuming you mean switch from alto to tenor, my answer would be: As soon as possible.

Having got that out of the way, I agree with the posters above. Pick the one YOU like best; also pay attention to which one you mostly want to listen to (hopefully you are listening to sax players!). I much prefer tenor, but that's me. However, I also think tenor is the more versatile of the two and will fit a wider range of genres (again, just my opinion). Especially for playing background riffs, lines, punches, etc, that you mentioned, the tenor seems more suited than alto.

 

[rzzzzz]

is there some over-riding reason why you can't hold onto both? i don't knock anyone who feels strongly about dedicating themselves to just one horn. but i surely love the flexibility of owning a couple of different horns.

 

[LostConn]

is there some over-riding reason why you can't hold onto both?

He IS doing that. The OP is just talking about switching horns between tunes. The stuff about giving up one sax entirely is someone else's idea.

 

[ving]

I played alto before tenor seriously in school but when I switched to tenor that felt more at home quickly. It wasn’t until I played in a band where I would play both horns that I got comfortable switching between the two, and only more recently playing original music on alto in a two sax/rhythm section quartet that I feel I’m developing my own voice on alto. I sometimes think about just playing alto, ideas sometimes feel more fresh for me on alto and tenor almost seems too defined. Seems like everyone and their brother plays tenor and is a badass!

 

[dexdex]

Interesting question. I’m a hobby player, and don’t spend 6 hours per day on my horns. I played a lot of alto in the past, both in small settings as in big bands. Lately it has been more tenor and baritone. What criterion to play this or that horn ? There could be quite some overlap in the kind of music I play, specially jazz standards in small bands.

My experience: I’m most comfortable when 1 band = 1 horn. I do double, like tenor and clarinet in one band, or baritone and tenor in another. But tenor and alto in the same gig doesn’t work that good for me. Every switch back and forth makes me lose some time in readjusting embouchure and ears. Playing strictly written stuff wouldn’t be an issue, but playing things by ear, and soloing just needs more continuity on either horn. I feel like a different person with each horn. Certainly something more time on the horns at home would help to overcome.

Ancient civilisations considered the world to be made from 4 elements: water, earth, air and fire. I often associate the 4 saxes with them:
Soprano = air
Alto = water
Tenor = fire
Baritone = earth

Food for thought....

 

[rzzzzz]

Ancient civilisations considered the world to be made from 4 elements: water, earth, air and fire. I often associate the 4 saxes with them:
Soprano = air
Alto = water
Tenor = fire
Baritone = earth

Food for thought....

my initial post on this forum was 7 saxes for 7 chakras. Sapranino-crown Soprano-eyes Alto-mouth Tenor-heart Bari-gut Bass-pelvis Contrabass-feet
(sorta like 7 brides for 7 brothers.)

 

[soybean]

Ancient civilisations considered the world to be made from 4 elements: water, earth, air and fire. I often associate the 4 saxes with them:
Soprano = air
Alto = water
Tenor = fire
Baritone = earth

Food for thought....

that's a very interesting comparison. We need air and water to live… and probably fire too.

 

[LostConn]

The elemental scheme also implies this:

• Soprano = Blood
• Alto = Phlegm
• Tenor = Yellow bile
• Baritone = Black bile

Makes you want to grab a mouthpiece, doesn't it?

 

[Jazzoetry]

Sometimes I start with Tenor, then go higher on Alto, then even higher on Soprano. Then Low notes on soprano sound full and Tenor plus Alto have good high notes with good altissimo. I like the sound of all three saxes.