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| Did you originally start on Saxophone? |
| Yes |
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26% |
[ 8 ] |
| No |
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46% |
[ 14 ] |
| I was born with a sax in my hand! |
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26% |
[ 8 ] |
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| Total Votes : 30 |
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 Posted: Mon Aug 31, 2009 7:48 am
toco clarinet Peutaiite Hi. On my Alto, I've looked many things about it on the internet. I've learned how to go an octave above the high D, like the highest note is F or F#, and then I looked up a whole other octave on the internet. (not in tune, of course) and I do fluttertonguing, use my foot or low A and stuff. When I do that in band, people say its gross, annoying, etc. Are those effects actually gross, or are they just jealous? 'Cause I don't think it sounds gross at all. Has anyone else done this, or is it just me? first of all, they are all valid and acceptable techniques...if done CORRECTLY...in all honesty, if you've learned them from the internet you're probably not doing them extremely well. that is probably why people say it's gross. if you really want to make them sound good, you should get a GOOD private teacher who can teach you how to do them correctly...(personally, i prefer growling over flutter tonguing though.) i wouldn't recommend using your foot to play a low A...because that really IS a meaningless trick. it doesn't sound good, it's practically impossible to play in tune, and you, as an alto sax player, will never have to use it in a song. your altissimo(notes above the written range) probably sounds gross to people because, again, you're probably not doing it entirely right. altissimo notes require a huge amount of effort and practice, as well as a full understanding of your written notes.(this means being able to make those sound awesome, and not just "ok") all these things sound awesome to you because, honestly, it's a lot of fun. but if people say it sounds gross, it probably does from a musical viewpoint...as Duke Ellington once said, "if it sounds good, it is good."(the reverse is true, if it doesn't sound good, it isn't good.) don't give up though...just don't try to perform using those techniques until people tell you that they sound good smile Okay, thanks. The fluttertonguing I learned on my own, but then I was on some site and they mentioned it. With the low A, I just got that from a Facebook group a few months ago so.... lol. A few years ago I looked up how to play the altissimo notes, and I found a site. It took me a really long time to even get above F#. (Unluckily, G is, apparently, the hardest one) but after long practicing I got it. I know they sound bad, but most people don't realize they're notes. My friend, who is 10x better than me or anyone at my school, (she goes to a special "art" school) noticed they were notes though smile so I guess you have to be musical enough to get it. and we had fun playing with her tuner. I really want to get them sounding good. I've tried to play some songs up an octave, but the fingering is really hard, as is switching embouchures. PS. I talked about people at my school being less musical. I mean no offense to them, but it gets annoying. On my friends Facebook page, it said, "What the E#??" I found that hilarious, but most people at my school (actually IN music) didn't get it until I showed them on the piano.
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Posted: Mon Aug 31, 2009 7:55 am
Terra of the Lilies Actually, for our winter concert last year, the saxes had to play a low A...but since only one person could play it well (well-enough, at least), it had to be taken up the octave. But that's probably not a common occurrence. xd
If anyone hasn't noticed, I like to ask people questions! Yaaaay. xd What fingering do you usually use for Bb, and which one do you use for the F#/Gb scale? I usually use the normal fingering with the little key that's near the A...is there a name for that? I don't remember. >_> It's kind of awkward for playing the F# scale in sixteenth notes, but the other ways just make my brain explode. Using B and F makes me think that I should be playing a C (stupid oboe mindset), and using the side key with A just doesn't really work for me in a natural way. For Bb? well for the higher ones I use the B key, and the smaller one right under it that you don't normally use. I used to use the B and F key to play it, but it didn't sound as good on my new sax, so now I use the other one as frequently as possible. (Its a lot easier to play the B and F fingering, so I use that too) Omg. That's my least favourite scale! Ya for the F# scale, I use the easier fingering I don't know how to do this, I'll try 0 O--- Hard fingering that sounds better o---- (Just those notes with lines beside them) O O O O O D ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 0 O---- Easier fingering. o O O O----- O O D
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Posted: Mon Aug 31, 2009 12:13 pm
Peutaiite Terra of the Lilies Actually, for our winter concert last year, the saxes had to play a low A...but since only one person could play it well (well-enough, at least), it had to be taken up the octave. But that's probably not a common occurrence. xd
If anyone hasn't noticed, I like to ask people questions! Yaaaay. xd What fingering do you usually use for Bb, and which one do you use for the F#/Gb scale? I usually use the normal fingering with the little key that's near the A...is there a name for that? I don't remember. >_> It's kind of awkward for playing the F# scale in sixteenth notes, but the other ways just make my brain explode. Using B and F makes me think that I should be playing a C (stupid oboe mindset), and using the side key with A just doesn't really work for me in a natural way. For Bb? well for the higher ones I use the B key, and the smaller one right under it that you don't normally use. I used to use the B and F key to play it, but it didn't sound as good on my new sax, so now I use the other one as frequently as possible. (Its a lot easier to play the B and F fingering, so I use that too) Omg. That's my least favourite scale! Ya for the F# scale, I use the easier fingering
I love the F# scale! It's my favorite on saxophone. =D We have to play it crazy fast as a warm-up for marching band, and it's so much fun...:]
About the sort of "less musical" thing, I understand that. I think a lot of people that I know just don't understand music theory as well as I do, it just kinda clicked for me. A friend of mine in my section has a shirt that says, "E=Fb", so that helps a lot of people I know for that problem. xd
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Posted: Mon Aug 31, 2009 2:07 pm
Peutaiite Terra of the Lilies Actually, for our winter concert last year, the saxes had to play a low A...but since only one person could play it well (well-enough, at least), it had to be taken up the octave. But that's probably not a common occurrence. xd
If anyone hasn't noticed, I like to ask people questions! Yaaaay. xd What fingering do you usually use for Bb, and which one do you use for the F#/Gb scale? I usually use the normal fingering with the little key that's near the A...is there a name for that? I don't remember. >_> It's kind of awkward for playing the F# scale in sixteenth notes, but the other ways just make my brain explode. Using B and F makes me think that I should be playing a C (stupid oboe mindset), and using the side key with A just doesn't really work for me in a natural way. For Bb? well for the higher ones I use the B key, and the smaller one right under it that you don't normally use. I used to use the B and F key to play it, but it didn't sound as good on my new sax, so now I use the other one as frequently as possible. (Its a lot easier to play the B and F fingering, so I use that too) Omg. That's my least favourite scale! Ya for the F# scale, I use the easier fingering I don't know how to do this, I'll try 0 O--- Hard fingering that sounds better o---- (Just those notes with lines beside them) O O O O O D ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 0 O---- Easier fingering. o O O O----- O O D It's called the bis key that does the alternate Bb fingering There shouldnt be any difference in tone when you use either fingering. It's just an alternate fingering depending on what your playing, either can be more convenient.
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Fashionable Conversationalist
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Posted: Mon Aug 31, 2009 2:21 pm
Terra of the Lilies Peutaiite Terra of the Lilies Actually, for our winter concert last year, the saxes had to play a low A...but since only one person could play it well (well-enough, at least), it had to be taken up the octave. But that's probably not a common occurrence. xd
If anyone hasn't noticed, I like to ask people questions! Yaaaay. xd What fingering do you usually use for Bb, and which one do you use for the F#/Gb scale? I usually use the normal fingering with the little key that's near the A...is there a name for that? I don't remember. >_> It's kind of awkward for playing the F# scale in sixteenth notes, but the other ways just make my brain explode. Using B and F makes me think that I should be playing a C (stupid oboe mindset), and using the side key with A just doesn't really work for me in a natural way. For Bb? well for the higher ones I use the B key, and the smaller one right under it that you don't normally use. I used to use the B and F key to play it, but it didn't sound as good on my new sax, so now I use the other one as frequently as possible. (Its a lot easier to play the B and F fingering, so I use that too) Omg. That's my least favourite scale! Ya for the F# scale, I use the easier fingering
I love the F# scale! It's my favorite on saxophone. =D We have to play it crazy fast as a warm-up for marching band, and it's so much fun...:]
About the sort of "less musical" thing, I understand that. I think a lot of people that I know just don't understand music theory as well as I do, it just kinda clicked for me. A friend of mine in my section has a shirt that says, "E=Fb", so that helps a lot of people I know for that problem. xd
Really? I find C# easier, F# is just too awkward. My favourite scale is E though. I really like Bb because I love the sound of the really low notes. (well, really low for alto at least) No wait... F# isn't that bad, I still don't like it though. It was Eb I was talking about hating. Ya, I was lucky, before band I took piano lessons (and still do) which made it a lot easier.
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Posted: Mon Aug 31, 2009 3:00 pm
Peutaiite Really? I find C# easier, F# is just too awkward. My favourite scale is E though. I really like Bb because I love the sound of the really low notes. (well, really low for alto at least) No wait... F# isn't that bad, I still don't like it though. It was Eb I was talking about hating. Ya, I was lucky, before band I took piano lessons (and still do) which made it a lot easier. ...you hate CONCERT Eb...or instrument EB O.o....concert Eb is like the easiest on alto xD
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Posted: Mon Aug 31, 2009 3:05 pm
Peutaiite Okay, thanks. The fluttertonguing I learned on my own, but then I was on some site and they mentioned it. With the low A, I just got that from a Facebook group a few months ago so.... lol. A few years ago I looked up how to play the altissimo notes, and I found a site. It took me a really long time to even get above F#. (Unluckily, G is, apparently, the hardest one) but after long practicing I got it. I know they sound bad, but most people don't realize they're notes. My friend, who is 10x better than me or anyone at my school, (she goes to a special "art" school) noticed they were notes though smile so I guess you have to be musical enough to get it. and we had fun playing with her tuner. I really want to get them sounding good. I've tried to play some songs up an octave, but the fingering is really hard, as is switching embouchures. PS. I talked about people at my school being less musical. I mean no offense to them, but it gets annoying. On my friends Facebook page, it said, "What the E#??" I found that hilarious, but most people at my school (actually IN music) didn't get it until I showed them on the piano. o.O well...technically anything played on an instrument is a note, whether or not it is in tune or played well is another story. and...switching embouchures? you mean you have to change your embouchure to hit altissimo notes?..because ideally, you shouldn't have to..
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Posted: Mon Aug 31, 2009 4:15 pm
toco clarinet Peutaiite Okay, thanks. The fluttertonguing I learned on my own, but then I was on some site and they mentioned it. With the low A, I just got that from a Facebook group a few months ago so.... lol. A few years ago I looked up how to play the altissimo notes, and I found a site. It took me a really long time to even get above F#. (Unluckily, G is, apparently, the hardest one) but after long practicing I got it. I know they sound bad, but most people don't realize they're notes. My friend, who is 10x better than me or anyone at my school, (she goes to a special "art" school) noticed they were notes though smile so I guess you have to be musical enough to get it. and we had fun playing with her tuner. I really want to get them sounding good. I've tried to play some songs up an octave, but the fingering is really hard, as is switching embouchures. PS. I talked about people at my school being less musical. I mean no offense to them, but it gets annoying. On my friends Facebook page, it said, "What the E#??" I found that hilarious, but most people at my school (actually IN music) didn't get it until I showed them on the piano. o.O well...technically anything played on an instrument is a note, whether or not it is in tune or played well is another story. and...switching embouchures? you mean you have to change your embouchure to hit altissimo notes?..because ideally, you shouldn't have to.. Yeah, your embouchure shouldn't change. Your larynx just tightens, that's all. If you're screwing with your embouchure, you shouldn't be. If you pinch the mouthpiece with your embouchure, all it does is constrict your tone and make it harder to play. Try playing the altissimo notes with the same embouchure as your lower notes; just use your larynx to hit the notes instead of using your embouchure to play high.
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Fashionable Conversationalist
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Posted: Tue Sep 01, 2009 3:52 am
megamanfan66 toco clarinet Peutaiite Okay, thanks. The fluttertonguing I learned on my own, but then I was on some site and they mentioned it. With the low A, I just got that from a Facebook group a few months ago so.... lol. A few years ago I looked up how to play the altissimo notes, and I found a site. It took me a really long time to even get above F#. (Unluckily, G is, apparently, the hardest one) but after long practicing I got it. I know they sound bad, but most people don't realize they're notes. My friend, who is 10x better than me or anyone at my school, (she goes to a special "art" school) noticed they were notes though smile so I guess you have to be musical enough to get it. and we had fun playing with her tuner. I really want to get them sounding good. I've tried to play some songs up an octave, but the fingering is really hard, as is switching embouchures. PS. I talked about people at my school being less musical. I mean no offense to them, but it gets annoying. On my friends Facebook page, it said, "What the E#??" I found that hilarious, but most people at my school (actually IN music) didn't get it until I showed them on the piano. o.O well...technically anything played on an instrument is a note, whether or not it is in tune or played well is another story. and...switching embouchures? you mean you have to change your embouchure to hit altissimo notes?..because ideally, you shouldn't have to.. Yeah, your embouchure shouldn't change. Your larynx just tightens, that's all. If you're screwing with your embouchure, you shouldn't be. If you pinch the mouthpiece with your embouchure, all it does is constrict your tone and make it harder to play. Try playing the altissimo notes with the same embouchure as your lower notes; just use your larynx to hit the notes instead of using your embouchure to play high. *cough* overtones *cough*
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Posted: Wed Sep 02, 2009 8:35 pm
I play the alto sax and i am really good I have first chair and I am about to play in my first football game so I'm really excited and thisis like the only one bout sax so i like this forum
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Posted: Thu Sep 03, 2009 12:06 pm
iiSexii Kitty6 I play the alto sax and i am really good I have first chair and I am about to play in my first football game so I'm really excited and thisis like the only one bout sax so i like this forum
My first football game was...boring. Very boring. Good luck, though. =D
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Posted: Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:49 pm
Terra of the Lilies iiSexii Kitty6 I play the alto sax and i am really good I have first chair and I am about to play in my first football game so I'm really excited and thisis like the only one bout sax so i like this forum
My first football game was...boring. Very boring. Good luck, though. =D
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Posted: Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:08 pm
Silver Eye Snake er...I have an alto, but I don't know how to play it yet (I'll be learning that this year). I've been wanting to play it forever though ^^ Hm...I feel so out of place/stupid. I don't suppose you would have any tips for me, would you? sweatdrop i've been playing alto for 2 years biggrin 2 chair biggrin some tips for you would be to alternate your reeds and practice alot ..
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Posted: Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:13 pm
is sax hard or easy to play
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Posted: Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:02 pm
brinagirl77 is sax hard or easy to play e.e seriously...that is one of the most...ridiculous questions to ask about ANY instrument. i'm not even going to dignify it with a proper answer.
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