NTSD

[ralphy1976]

As some of you know, i self banned myself from any GAS for 2011 choosing instead to re-direct my energy (and non-implicitly my $$) towards DIY project, namely pickups, amps and pedals (this by the is still going on in the development phase)

However out of all instruments i like, there is one which to me is more a sculpture than anything else. i have always wanted one and now i HAVE one, and it is a tenor one too.

Thanks to The Armada for suggesting a Tenor one, it is truly badass and weight a freaking ton!!!! ($120 on ebay, picked it up from a guy leaving 10 minutes away from my flat!!!)


So here we go (i need some new socks!!!!! ) :









NO i can not play it

NO i can not read music

but i am planning on playing a jazz version of RATM by Xmas...:golf: yeah!!

[Hybrid138]

Very nice. Good luck on learning.

[SirMyghin]

Very nice, if you don't mind me asking how well does it handle low Bb. Cheaper phones can have a lot of trouble generating that well/easily. It has been about 6 years since I played a sax, I used to really enjoy it but never owned one.

[ralphy1976]

Originally Posted by SirMyghin

Very nice, if you don't mind me asking how well does it handle low Bb. Cheaper phones can have a lot of trouble generating that well/easily. It has been about 6 years since I played a sax, I used to really enjoy it but never owned one.

as soon as i know how to do a Bb i will tell you.

right now i have the reeds on order, so i will try blowing my own trumpet next week!!!

so i have a bit of time to (re)learn how to read music

this things is beastly and the strap is so cheap that it stop blood flowing through my neck within 10 minutes, so i have ordered a better one now!!!

i am really really looking forward to trying it, really a childhood dream..i hope it will turn into a nightmare!!!!

[JamesM]

Sick!

[SirMyghin]

Originally Posted by ralphy1976

as soon as i know how to do a Bb i will tell you.

right now i have the reeds on order, so i will try blowing my own trumpet next week!!!

so i have a bit of time to (re)learn how to read music

this things is beastly and the strap is so cheap that it stop blood flowing through my neck within 10 minutes, so i have ordered a better one now!!!

i am really really looking forward to trying it, really a childhood dream..i hope it will turn into a nightmare!!!!

Start with thin reeds, it will make your life easier.

[Bevo]

That is so cool!

I always look at them and wonder what it would be like to play.

[GATA4]

This is the corniest, most pathetic joke I will ever make in my entire existence on this Earth but I MUST say it:

That thing kicks brass.

[ralphy1976]

ok, question to those of you who know their music theory (ie not me)

this instrument is based on playing notes rather than chords (it seems).

i know i can play major and minor scales and i understand how they are linked.

now on a guitar / bass i can play chords and variation of chords, major, minor, 7th..etc..

so i play a Cmaj7 on my guitar, what is the rule to find out which notes are the Cmaj7 scale so i can use those on my sax?

thanks
ps : still no reeds, so i am just reading music right now!!!

[Tomo009]

Well soon SchecterWhore will give you an essay on everything you could possibly need on the subject, I'm not great with theory but....

Just look at the notes in a Cmaj7
CEGB, yo ucan basically play any scale that includes those notes, so for example just straight C major. The B reduces your options a bit though. No C Mixolydian for example as it has a b7, Bb not B.

I'll try and come up with some options in a minute, but my feeble brain doesn't work all that fast.

[ralphy1976]

yeah , problem with shecterwhore is that he is way beyond my league, and his explanation hurt my brain, but i am always thankful and amazed at what that guy nows!!!

so there isn't really a Cmajor 7 scale as there is a Cmajor scale. i must find scales which incorporates the notes used in the chords played...bummer...

[Tomo009]

Originally Posted by ralphy1976

yeah , problem with shecterwhore is that he is way beyond my league, and his explanation hurt my brain, but i am always thankful and amazed at what that guy nows!!!

so there isn't really a Cmajor 7 scale as there is a Cmajor scale. i must find scales which incorporates the notes used in the chords played...bummer...

There's a heap of 7 chords in jazz as far as I know, so generally your options on each chord can be quite strict. But obviously if you are changing chords every half bar or bar or so, 7 notes will seem a lot anyway.

I would suggest just a major scale from the 1st over a maj7 chord. The most important thing to learn and remember I believe is the major scale from different degrees, modes, though you probably wont be using them in any modal music.

I still refer to them as modes for ease of conveying what I mean but some elitists will get annoyed at that. But just remember for example, D dorian is C major from the 2nd, E phrygian is C major from the 3rd etc.

[shanejohnson02]

Actually, from a theory student standpoint, you're learning it in reverse. Most Theory 101 courses start with rhythms, then go to scales, keys, and chords, followed by simple cadences and progressions. (of course there's overlap, but it sure helps to know what a C major scale is before you try to figure out what a C major chord is...)

My suggestion is to learn how scales are constructed, and then apply that to what you already know about chords. That way you'll easily be able to figure out the notes you need to play just from your knowledge of how the chord is made. If you have the time and money, some community colleges offer basic theory courses for pretty cheap. If you try to teach yourself, it's not impossible, but you'll be at a disadvantage from the beginning.

And Tomo, modes are nice, but for a beginning theory student can get mega confusing (then again, what isn't at that stage?). I'd stick to major and the different flavors of minor (natural, melodic, harmonic).

[ralphy1976]

thanks for pitching in Shane.

I know how scales are built as well as chords, i understand the idea behind lydian, eolian and all this. Eventhough i am not totally verse i still manage (with time) to get my head around it!!!

i shall investigate further!!!

[ralphy1976]

update : i have found a website which talks about 7th / others scales for saxophons..great!!!!!

[NickCormier]

Sax is hard, ive been trying to learn it for afew years now, although obviously not alot of time spent (due to guitar/bass) but I eventually want it to be my main instrument. Its just the best. Altho I will miss some of the speedy shred stuff you can do on guitar, which is gonna be SUPER hard to do that fast on sax, I think it'll replace all my complaints about guitar as an instrument.

As far as the sax itself, looks nice and shiny but its hard to say how it compares as a player.. One thing I found out unfortunately is that Sax isnt like guitars; you cant just buy a cheap $100 sax and get it to play decent enough like cheap guitars can.. Although maybe that one is fine, obviously cant tell until you try multiple sax's. I will say my $200 Vito Alto (which is made in the Yamaha factory apparently) is very hard to blow thru, compared to the Selmers and other horns I tried at the store recently.

Sax is a very expensive instrument to pick up, if you want a super easy-blowing strong tone sound =[ Im about to drop $2000 on one soon, and its not even a pro model lol

My advice as far as learning to play; Get a teacher.. You can blow into it and it will make notes, but getting the proper embrochure and exact way to use your breathe (almost like singers need training) is the key, and that is where I fail right now since I havent taken lessons yet.. I can play every note up and down the sax, but without that proper training I dont think I can go much further than this.. Teacher is quite important for improving fast on Sax, esp if you already know enough theory because the hard part of the Sax is actually playing it, unlike guitar where the hard part is the theory/knowing every chord position.

[NickCormier]

As for right now, practice rhythm/"tonguing".. that means, you use your tongue to stop your breath to make it rhythmic and fit into the phrases.. Longtones are nice and fun, but when you get to playing melody (which I assume is your goal) you need to be able to accent the notes with perfect timing, not just slur everything together.

Metronome it up as always, and try to play 4 notes separated in time to the metronome by stopping the airflow with your tongue. Keep increasing the speed until you can do it quite fast. Then mix up the rhythms so its not just quarter notes, etc. Add in actual notes eventually and then try easy songs (mary had a little lamb/etc)

[jymellis]

early INXS has some good sax parts

[aiur55]

Not wanting to derail the thread but I saw the thread title as NSTD...(new std).

[ralphy1976]

Originally Posted by aiur55

Not wanting to derail the thread but I saw the thread title as NSTD...(new std).

yeah i know, that's why i wrote it like that!!..good eyes sir!!

Originally Posted by NickCormier

Sax is hard, ive been trying to learn it for afew years now, although obviously not alot of time spent (due to guitar/bass) but I eventually want it to be my main instrument. Its just the best. Altho I will miss some of the speedy shred stuff you can do on guitar, which is gonna be SUPER hard to do that fast on sax, I think it'll replace all my complaints about guitar as an instrument.

As far as the sax itself, looks nice and shiny but its hard to say how it compares as a player.. One thing I found out unfortunately is that Sax isnt like guitars; you cant just buy a cheap $100 sax and get it to play decent enough like cheap guitars can.. Although maybe that one is fine, obviously cant tell until you try multiple sax's. I will say my $200 Vito Alto (which is made in the Yamaha factory apparently) is very hard to blow thru, compared to the Selmers and other horns I tried at the store recently.

Sax is a very expensive instrument to pick up, if you want a super easy-blowing strong tone sound =[ Im about to drop $2000 on one soon, and its not even a pro model lol

My advice as far as learning to play; Get a teacher.. You can blow into it and it will make notes, but getting the proper embrochure and exact way to use your breathe (almost like singers need training) is the key, and that is where I fail right now since I havent taken lessons yet.. I can play every note up and down the sax, but without that proper training I dont think I can go much further than this.. Teacher is quite important for improving fast on Sax, esp if you already know enough theory because the hard part of the Sax is actually playing it, unlike guitar where the hard part is the theory/knowing every chord position.

Yes i agree with you on everything. I am under no illusions that it is not a hard instrument. I am still waiting for my reeds, which should arrive this week, but in the meantime i have been practising the fingering for A B C D E F G and it is very simple..so i guess everything comes from the blowing...

If i progress well and i like it i will invest in a more expensive one for sure, but this time i will go and try one!!!

[SirMyghin]

Remember Ralphy, Playing C on that thing isn't C, it is a transposing instrument (just as no one has mentioned it yet).

Tonguing notes will come with practice, I personally never had trouble with it. Sax overall I did not find terribly difficult in the 4 years I played. Got to do In The Mood the one time, breaking the octave (you are playing above and below on the main line) was the challenge there. It has a lot to do with air pressure applied (you can do it without the key too, but that is more work).

[ralphy1976]

yeah i know ..C isn't C!!! it is a transposing instrument.

[SirMyghin]

^ just making sure. Good Stuff

[shanejohnson02]

Originally Posted by ralphy1976

yeah i know ..C isn't C!!! it is a transposing instrument.

How could I forget this stuff? I was a trumpet player for marching band in college...Concert Bb instrument. Not a hard transposition, really.

[ralphy1976]

from what i read on the 2 books i have a tenor sax is 9 notes lower than a standard instrument. O joy!!!

is a guitar classified as a standard instrument?