[JazzTrumpet]

Hello! This is my first post in these forums.

I'm going to pick up my first reed instrument tonight . It's always been kind of a dream for me to play sax. It's a tenor.

I'm a senior in high school - all-state jazz trumpet player as of a week ago, from Missouri. I've got a solid grasp on the trumpet, and jazz music in general, but I have never touched another band instrument to play in my life (with the exception of the flugelhorn :mrgreen

I purchased a Buescher (~1955) Series III ("Big B"?) Aristocrat. I looked at it of course, and the guy played it for me - sounds great. I'm going to make the payment and pick up the horn tonight. (It was $750, talked down from $800. It has great original lacquer, needs the low Bb snap in pad replaced. It has two dents on the curve, but I have never seen one at my high school without dents there, so I'm not worried about it.

I really need some tips. I'm meeting with one of my friends who is an alto player in college to teach me some things he thinks I should know, but that's in a week. When I sit down to play the tenor for the first time tonight (never played a reed), what do I need to know?

Embouchure? Head position relative to the instrument? Jazz tips? Could having strong trumpet chops help me play it?

And a somewhat stupid (possibly) question... I have large lips... Hahaha will that hurt my sax learning?

And at what rate/timeframe should I expect to be able to play some simple jazz melodies, with a good tone? I'm going for a more laid back style, not aggressive and sharp tone.

Thanks in advance guys! I'm so excited to play saxophone. I've always wanted to. It's such a great instrument.

Also, great forums. Good to see one with so many active members that give more than one sentence responses. :bluewink:

 

[bandmommy]

Welcome!

I would suggest that you start by paying attention to the sax players in your HS band. Watch how they hold their head, horn, all that outwardly visable stuff.
Get one to show you how to put the reed on the mouthpiece, form a 'basic' embouchure, put the horn together, and adjust the neck strap.
OR... Watch some 'instructional' videos on youtube.
Then you will have a few of the basics when your friend comes to get you started.

Trumpet chops are different than sax chops so don't worry about not being able to play for hours at a time when you start out.
Big lips won't hurt or help. You'll learn how to use what you have effectively.

Your 'rate of learning' will depend on how much time you are willing to spend practicing. There is a lot remember when you just start out. Fingerings, new 'face', throat/tongue position, not squeaking, making your new sax sound like a sax....
It will be frustrating for a while. You will sound horrible for a while. Be patient with your progress and don't try to rush anything.
Remember... You weren't as good on trumpet 4 years ago as you are now!

 

[jlima]

Just remember to put a reed on it ...

P.S. Sorry for this being a just one sentence reply. I was actually teasing you, just my way of saying hi and welcome to the forum. You couldn't have chosen a more fascinating instrument (the tenor, mean)!

 

[jlima]

Oh, I almost forgot, another very important piece of advice: make sure you change your nickname quickly!!!

 

[bandmommy]

Oh, I almost forgot, another very important piece of advice: make sure you change your nickname quickly!!!

Why? I don't have any kids in the school band program now but I'm still 'bandmommy'. Should I change my nickname to something else?
With the one the OP has now we will be more patient when they ask a newb question that we've already answered 509 times in the past year!

 

[jlima]

Why? I don't have any kids in the school band program now but I'm still 'bandmommy'. Should I change my nickname to something else?
With the one the OP has now we will be more patient when they ask a newb question that we've already answered 509 times in the past year!

I see your point, but I'd still switch it to frustratedtrumpetplayerwhowantstobecomearealmusicianandthereforechosestoplayarealinstrumentthatistenorsaxophone
On second thought, maybe it's a bit too long, we could probably leave "frustrated" out...

 

[JL]

I purchased a Buescher (~1955) Series III ("Big B"?) Aristocrat. I looked at it of course, and the guy played it for me - sounds great. I'm going to make the payment and pick up the horn tonight. (It was $750, talked down from $800. It has great original lacquer, needs the low Bb snap in pad replaced.

"Big B" refers to the engraving. A Big B horn has a rather large B engraved on the bell. Yours is probably a bit later horn with a script engraving. Those are great horns and you got an excellent deal! It's still a great deal if you have to spend some money getting it in top playing condition.

First thing I'd do in your shoes would be to have a good sax player try it out and let you know how well it is playing. If it needs a new low Bb pad, it probably needs some other pads replaced. Better yet, just take it into a reputable repairman and have it put into good playing condition. A horn with leaks is very frustrating to play even for an experienced player, let alone someone just learning! All the best in your sax-playing future.

 

[JazzTrumpet]

Welcome!

I would suggest that you start by paying attention to the sax players in your HS band. Watch how they hold their head, horn, all that outwardly visable stuff.
Get one to show you how to put the reed on the mouthpiece, form a 'basic' embouchure, put the horn together, and adjust the neck strap.
OR... Watch some 'instructional' videos on youtube.
Then you will have a few of the basics when your friend comes to get you started.

Trumpet chops are different than sax chops so don't worry about not being able to play for hours at a time when you start out.
Big lips won't hurt or help. You'll learn how to use what you have effectively.

Your 'rate of learning' will depend on how much time you are willing to spend practicing. There is a lot remember when you just start out. Fingerings, new 'face', throat/tongue position, not squeaking, making your new sax sound like a sax....
It will be frustrating for a while. You will sound horrible for a while. Be patient with your progress and don't try to rush anything.
Remember... You weren't as good on trumpet 4 years ago as you are now!

Awesome, all good points! And I did watch the sax players in our jazz band just now. And I had them explain to me how exactly to hold the horn, and position the head relative to the mouthpiece. Thank you for the advice! I think the thing I will have trouble with most is not rushing. I like to think I could pick it up and bang away learning tunes like I can with my trumpet. But I just keep reminding myself that's not going to happen. I'm not going to give up.

Jlima - Hahahahaha thank you! And yeah... I debated whether to make this my nickname but hey, it works. I'll change it when I decide I'm not a complete beginner!

JL - Awesome . I don't think I could've found a better horn to start learning jazz on. I'm really excited about it! It looks pretty great. I'll definitely have one of my tenor friends play on it and see how it plays. The guy I bought it from told me that the Bb pad was the only one that leaks, and the other ones are good - BUT is leaking the only reason to replace pads? Or am I pretty safe to take his word for it? (He played around on it for me, sounded good, except for that one note.)

Thanks for the quick, detailed responses you guys!

 

[SaxTMan]

I see your point, but I'd still switch it to frustratedtrumpetplayerwhowantstobecomearealmusicianandthereforechosestoplayarealinstrumentthatistenorsaxophone
On second thought, maybe it's a bit too long, we could probably leave "frustrated" out...

+1 to this

Also see how your new colleagues can play soft :mrgreen:

 

[sirspinbad]

...somebody please post a link of the no embouchoure embouchure for him

Im a trumpet player who plays a little sax.. first thing i had to learn is not to use too much muscle in the mouth....the reed has to be free to do its work

use a tooth plate on top of the mouthpiece and stick your teeth right on there.... stay relaxed and blow!!!!

 

[Canadiain]

Best advice I can think of is to spend the $50 you negotiated off the horn on a lesson or two to get you started without bad habits.

 

[Grumps]

Sounds like you're a promising young trumpet player. Just realize that the time you put into learning the saxophone could be time spent on improving your trumpet playing. Almost twenty years ago I picked up a trumpet on a whim and learned how to play it. Though I thought I was hot stuff on saxophone, I hardly touched my saxophones while learning to play the trumpet, though I didn't have regular gigs at the time. Then opportunities came for me on saxophone and I realized the time I was putting into learning the trumpet could be better spent improving my saxophone playing. Believe it or not, my skills on saxophone really took off from that point to a whole 'nother level once I rededicated myself. I still have that trumpet... though my wife hasn't made me angry enough to take it out in over ten years.

 

[SaxTMan]

...somebody please post a link of the no embouchoure embouchure for him

Im a trumpet player who plays a little sax.. first thing i had to learn is not to use too much muscle in the mouth....the reed has to be free to do its work

use a tooth plate on top of the mouthpiece and stick your teeth right on there.... stay relaxed and blow!!!!

 

[retread]

The most important tip -- write the following on a piece of paper and keep it in your pocket so you can refer to it in case of emergency:

"Left hand on top."

 

[SaxTMan]

The most important tip -- write the following on a piece of paper and keep it in your pocket so you can refer to it in case of emergency:

"Left hand on top."

Isn't better if he writes that on his right hand?

 

[harmonizerNJ]

Great advice above in posts #11 and #12.

You did not say whether you play the piano. If not, putting the investment into piano skills (even if your keyboard skills are weak right now) might do more for you as a musician than learning the sax.

I can't understand why some sax players poke fun at trumpet or trombone players, even if it is in jest. I would rather have a trumpet player join our covers band than another sax player - sax and trumpet are so wonderful together as complimentary instruments.

Maybe it's because I was spoiled from grades 5-12 by having a trumpet player in my grade level as one of my good friends. He was a great player (he finished in the top 3 in All State band for NJ for 3 years in a row - he really had it together), so I tend to think of trumpet players in the band as an asset.

 

[jlima]

Great advice above in posts #11 and #12.

You did not say whether you play the piano. If not, putting the investment into piano skills (even if your keyboard skills are weak right now) might do more for you as a musician than learning the sax.

I can't understand why some sax players poke fun at trumpet or trombone players, even if it is in jest. I would rather have a trumpet player join our covers band than another sax player - sax and trumpet are so wonderful together as complimentary instruments.

Maybe it's because I was spoiled from grades 5-12 by having a trumpet player in my grade level as one of my good friends. He was a great player (he finished in the top 3 in All State band for NJ for 3 years in a row - he really had it together), so I tend to think of trumpet players in the band as an asset.

Where has the sense of humor gone? of course trumpet players are cool! Luckily the OP isn't a guitar player ... he would have a hard time surviving here. I am a guitar player myself but if anyone here asks me I'll never confess, for the sake of reputation... Sssshhhhhhh...

 

[gary]

JazzTrumpet, if you want a good perspective on the kinds of things you'll need to be learning about the sax and some of its basic concepts, I suggest getting ahold of Larry Teal"s "The Art of Saxophone Playing". If you go to Amazon, you can probably pick up a used one for under ten bucks. It's a standard resource.

 

[patmiller]

Welcome to SOTW and to the prince of instruments. I have played both and the tenor wins hands down. The trumpet is a very exciting and expressive instrument, but at the end of the day you have to exercise those embouchure muscles every day to keep your chops up (or give up playing above G). The muschles you use for trumpet were not meant to do the things a trumpet player asks of them.

Tenor is much more forgiving in this regard. It seems to me that the jaw muscles are always strong enough from other exercise to do the job; and the lip muscles really only have to give you an airtight seal.

Good luck!!

 

[SaxTMan]

Great advice above in posts #11 and #12.

I can't understand why some sax players poke fun at trumpet or trombone players, even if it is in jest.

Is it that difficult to figure out?.. he is a 'freshman' sax player... our job is to make fun and pressure on him... it's fun :mrgreen: if you go to 'tumpenontheweb' forum they will be doing the same thing with some ex-sax player... :bluewink: