Seated Tenor Sax

saxydad2 said:

Hi ,does anybody have problem playing a tenor sax seated? All I mean is when you play it on you right and you just don't feel alright like playing in a standing position . I have to play my sax between my legs when seated , so i have to sit a bit forward to let my tenor sax dingle infront of the chair . but my right hand gets tired playing like that after 30 mins. Share with me your experience with this . Thanks .( a guy in our community band plays his alto on his right , instead ?!?!?!?!? )

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I always play standing up but with tenor, the best seated method is down the right hand side but adjust the crook so it meets your mouth, don't turn your head sideways (unless your name's Lester Young!). WIth alto, between the legs or down the right works.

Centered: If I had tried to play like that in concert band, my teacher would have rapped me on the head with the baton!! (that was back when teachers could do those sort of things!)

The problem is that if you are sitting straight forward, you are forcing your right wrist to an unnatural bend backwards. You are getting something close to carpal tunnel syndrome.

Try rotating your body and legs over slightly to the right (not much, 10degrees or so), so that your wrist is less bent. See if that helps.

Just try whichever is least uncomfortable, and eventually you will get used to it while playing, I really don't pay attention to my comfortability, (That is, unless I don't have a neckstrap).

I do a four hour gig at least once a month with a 9 piece "little bigband". Sitting with the tenor on the right side works for me. I do adjust the neck slightly to the left as was mentioned above.

<self deleted> no longer relevant since the post I was arguing against has now been removed