[jaker]

I've been playing sax for one month now. And I've played guitar for 11 years. I'm fairly new to the jazz idiom alltogether. but I have purchased a couple of books on the subject aimed at the guitarist. So far I've been using the guitar books for the sax aswell (doesn't matter that the keys are wrong when I play by myself and I don't use the recordings when I play sax.)

The books I've used are Complete jazz guitar method (mel bay) and jazz improvisation for guitar a melodic approach (garrison fewell).

Since I've seen a couple of sax/guitarists like myself here on the forum I was wondering if I'm missing out by not bying "saxbooks" is there alot of info that I don't get? So far I've been using the books mostly for scales and general theory bla bla bla. But as I'm digging deeper and deeper I was thinking that there might be some aspects of sax playing I can't learn from guitar books. Or do I cover the gap by listening and transcribing saxophone players??

Would appreciate a sax teachers take on this

 

[saxpiece]

I'm not a teacher but I do play guitar and sax with guitar being my main deal.

Guitar books will have nothing about voicing in them or breathing or certain sax tricks and the guitar licks might not always suit the sax but that might be an advantage as well ie to get out of familiar sax licks that everybody seems to play.

Voicing is using the oral cavity and airstream to produce notes and tones especially overtones which may extend into the Altissimo range higher than high F.

Studying a book written for a Eb Alto is probably easier than a guitar book as the guitar has a different range but transposing can be done.

Otherwise a guitar book can be useful for a lot of things as it's all just music in the end.

 

[FawltyTenor]

I'm not sure what your referring to when you say "saxbooks." Texts on jazz theory and improvisation by Haerle, Baker, Levine, Coker, Oliver Nelson, Yusef Lateef, etc. Aren't generally saxophone specific. Sure, a lot of sax trascriptions are written in the trasnposed keys, but I've also seen sax solos transcribed in concert key.

I don't play guitar, but a guitar book that I would recommend to anyone playing jazz is Mick Goodrick's The Advancing Guitarist. A lot of interesting theory/harmony stuff in there, although there is a lot of guitar specific stuff too. The commentary at the end is great....

Shawn

 

[hgiles]

You should be able to use your guitar books and adapt the theory to the saxophone. It might likely give you a unique approach to the horn. Many folks study piano books and adapt the lessons to saxophone. Its not unusual.

Having said that, you should know that some lines are idiomatic to certain instruments and you will need to know some of those patterns and motifs on sax. Easy enough to do. Go forth!

 

[tjontheroad]

While the theory is obviously the same, the approach to learning sax is very different than guitar. I've played guitar for 30 years. Everyday since I started playing sax about 6 years ago I realize more I need to stop thinking like a guitarist when playing sax. Guitar technic is focused first on the faculty of your hands. Sax technic is focused on your lungs, throat, tongue, lips, and lastly your hands. Books written by sax/wind players will offer challenges and exercises meant to improve what a sax player needs to work on first. Really, you'll learn more about playing guitar from a sax oriented instruction book than the other way around IMO.

Also, don't waist time and frustration. Get a teacher. Good luck.

TJ