Is Alto Sax Harder to Play Than Tenor Sax? And the Answer Is:
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- Опубліковано 17 жов 2024
- Friends, let us dispel the notion that alto is the kid's saxophone. Just because they are easier to hold and easier on the wallet doesn't mean they are easy to make sound good. Indeed, quite the opposite. Have a look, and tell me what you think and share your experiences, okay?
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You are correct; both tenor sax and alto sax are difficult to play really well. Having played both, I could say the tenor sax offers one advantage: a "wider gamut" to carve out a tone and find a "tonal niche" to sound unique. The breath can do a lot more in a wider bore than in a narrower bore. Maybe that's why many good tenor sax players can be easily recognised by their signature "tone quality" even if playing a few notes only. But alto players are recognised by their melodic virtuosity and specific phrasing, which asks for more than a few notes being played.
I agree -- and I love the way you have defined and categorizrd the big difference between each horn.
You are speaking the truth. I’m an alto player ever. I have to practice it constantly to sound good. Tenor saxophone not so much. It’s always been a mystery as to why. Thanks for the peace of mind. 😊
Alto sax gives you nothing. But when tamed, what a sound, yes?
I wish my dogs would sleep through my practice. It's a really good time for them to sing along with my playing.
LOL. My guys are learning to harmonize, dog-style...
Interestingly, I played bari sax when I was in the 6th grade and marched with it in the “A”band in the 7th, 8th, and 9th grade. That monster was bigger than I was! I started playing alto in high school. After about 35 yrs of not playing, picked the sax up again. Now I LOVE my tenor!
I'm glad you are playing again! Bravo on your tenor. A wonderful, forgiving voice. Thanks for watching, and keep in touch.
From alto to bari was my transition, but only concert and stage band for the bari - would've likely passed if the marching unit called for my lugging that load and huffing in hot wool uniform in Midwestern sweltering heat.
@michaelhorton1350 agreed. I am willing to admit that I very likely played on the reed that the school provided with that loaner bari...for at least a year. Oy.
45yo adult learner, started for the first time last year, played alto for a month and progressed quickly, moved to tenor as I tend to be bothered a bit by high frequencies, found the mouthpiece of the alto more comfortable (Yamaha 4C in both styles) though but liked the tenor sound and resonance in my body.
Started getting locking jaw in the morning and TMJ sx with tenor, didn’t get a lot of constructive recommendations from my instructor and decided it wasn’t worth the physical issues.
Now I have the bug again and looking at Saxophone again…now I’m wondering and cannot get much of an answer anywhere - Does one vs the other tend more towards jaw/TMJ issues?
I’m hopeful that some Invisalign for the teeth and jaw, and then maybe mouthpiece changes and a different/receptive instructor for embouchure work might just get me through it, but wondered if alto/tenor/bari in general has lends more of a TMJ risk.
Really liked your video and approach!
Hey, thanks for your comments. First, I think this is an issue for your doc to have a look at. TMJ is a real problem and I'm sorry it has limited your playing. Let's put it out to the group: have any of you dealt with sax related TMJ? If yes, what cured it? My 2 cents: I haven't seen you play, but I'm guessing we'd start with your embochure. Relaxed, or tight? Reed strength too stiff? 4C is a good piece. Look at a #2 reed setup....and limit your playing time to 5 and 10 minute sessions throughout the day. And call your doc!
@@davegoodsax thanks so much! Ya, I’m going to break in slowly this time and gauge things as they go, one step at a time. Picking out a horn right now - tried a Conn 10M today from the ‘50’s but might go for ergonomics of a modern horn - love the sound but comfort and sustainability need to be high consideration!
Great! Let us know which horn you get
Watched again and get confused with the point on less resistance on alto. Maybe it’s an old Conn feature?
Good point. The tenor swan neck can build a little more resistance than the 90 degree bend of an alto neck...
Have you tried the Saxholder neck strap? It balances the weight of the horn extremely well and you don’t need to use the thumb rest…
Yes! By Jazzlabs? I use one for everything except recording videos...I think it's too bulky. Is that the word I'm looking for? Anyway, yes, I totally agree with you. Thanks!
You just made a very good point. So what do you think of Playing a Soprano and an Alto because I am learning both. I bought a straight Sop and then the alto but I also like the curved Sop so I bought one. I was advised the soprano is the best one for me the way I played it, but most people in the shops always recommend the Alto is best to start with WHY? People always recommend the Alto is best to start with WHY? What do you think of the straight Alto & tenor?
Great questions! Experts are rarely behind the counter at retail stores. I mean no disrespect. For better advice, ask someone who plays. Alto is a challenge to learn but is easy for smaller and younger hands...my adult learners have all enjoyed tenor sax. Tone and ease of sounding like music to their ears. Soprano is not a forgiving horn....but if it works for you, go for it. My 2 cents? Focus more on one of your two horns...it will help you build tone, and those skills will translate to your other horn.
Do you ever play any of the Soprano's One things i have never seen anyone done online is have a piece of music they never seen and explain hot to go about playing it ?
No, I don't play soprano sax...great idea you posted -- an explanation of how to sight read a piece? I think much could be gained, but, I'm not tech-savvy enough to know how to post the sheet and me working it out.....
Thanks Dave this was a really helpful video. I'm new to the sax but have been a guitar player for many years and also play regularly in a recorder consort. I've been learning sax on a soprano which I know is not ideal. Couldn't decide between an alto or tenor. Taking your advice and going to tent a tenor. Thanks again.
Cool! Let us know how it works out.
Thank you for being here !
Very kind of you, Ray. I hope my diy channel helps.
Great video ! I play Alto, playing jazz improvisation, and I find the alto has a better ‘ Cutting Edge ‘ than tenor for what I do, and is certainly no ‘easier’ than tenor…..
Very informative video. Not musically inclined but I would love to learn to play a sax someday. I like the deeper sound of a tenor over the alto, but the alto seems to be more affordable and has easier portability over the tenor. My favorite band has 2 ladies playing baritones when marching, that thing looks like a beast but there is something magical about watching the young ladies play them with ease. They make it look effortless which is pretty amazing esp when they have to march long distance like in the Rose Parade.
Let us know which horn you get, ok?
@@davegoodsax I ended up getting the Selmer Prelude AS711 as it was on a cyber Monday sale and I couldn’t pass it up lol.
@@paulready8897 awesome!!! Play the heck out kf that horn and post a review here one of these days...
Spot on. I’m an alto player and play occasionally with a small pop/contemporary Christian. Very hard to blend in and play anything other than solo time. Need a tenor so I can sit back and play chord tones throughout the song. Lots of downtime on an alto.
Any advice on what to play on an alto when not soloing?
Great question! What to play when not soloing depends on the material. Is there room for backing horn line parts? Can you comp behind the vocalist? Or, maybe chop it up with some rhythm instruments...clave, tambourine, cowbell....etc.
If not soloing on an alto, you may approach it as if you were playing a "rhythm guitar". If a tenor sax is a rough equivalent of a bass guitar in your case, and you play some basic chord notes on a tenor to imitate the work of a bass guitar, then an alto can be your "rhythm guitar", in between lead and bass guitar, playing rhythmical parts and accents. You could play your chord notes as duplets, triplets, quadruplets, ornamented rhythmical parts, with accents etc, predominantly in the lower octave of the instrument.
I play both and for me the tenor is easier to make sound good especially in the higher register. I sound Horrible above octave A on alto but it's effortless on tenor. I play a Yanagisawa T-991 with a Hard Rubber Ambika 3 in a 6*. Still looking for my ideal setup on Alto. I learned on a YAS-62 with an S80 C* years ago and sold it to pick up tenor and I just recently bought an alto again.
Agreed. In my experience, alto sax gives you nothing. You have to pick up your alto every day and love blowing those long tones....with massive air support and a loose embochure. Let me know how it works out with your new alto.
I have a Conn New Wonder 1. It’s a very unique in many ways. I see you have a micro tuner on yours as well. Is it something you use a lot. I don’t play it out much on gigs because it’s in near mint condition. I play mostly tenor, and with some of your points you made in this video. The table key layout is way different between between the two. I rarely play that low on the alto. Usually it’s just with overtone exercises. But still it really throws me off. Either way love the vintage horn sound. I play an old Martin alto as well. It’s a little better with table key layout. But still not as ergonomic as a modern horn. Oh and lastly, with selling horns off. The New Wonder was my first instrument. I got it from a family friend when I was in 5th grade. I had no idea what I had then. So thankful I never sold it.
Good to hear from you. Likewise...I don't play the alto anywhere except in the lesson studio. I may take it out in a few more months and play at a gig if I like my sound and my ideas....
I am 79 and grew up on b flat clarinett
Was 1st chair in high school and all city band
Played in swing band as well
Picked up Tenor sax and played it in my Rock band in the late 50’s early 60’s
Played baritone sax in 60’s big band and jazz band
Discovered that in the 60’s I sang well enough to be lead singer in a doorpost group and layer the horns down
College came and I drifted away except for occasional Doo woo woo and folk singing groups
After that my Buffet clarinet sat in its case as well as my Lamont Tenor
Recently have had the urge to play again. I have an Alto I picked up, taught a very musically inclined and talented grandchild to play and she gave it back this year in like new condition
So I want to start playing again
Do I go tenor first or Alto?
Then I need to organize my time to practice an hr a day
When young I played 6-8 hrs daily
But I ain’t young anymore and hope my expectations do not lead to disappointment and I quit and leave them to kids
Doo wop not doorpost lol
Great question...I say, grab wichever horn is closest, and get back to making music. Your ears will tell you. And keep in touch. Let us know how it goes!
I STARTED TENOR SAX 11 MONTHS AGO . I DONT WANT KILL ANY TIME IF ALTO SAX IS MORE HARDER .I LIKE TO PLAY BLUES .SO I NEED TO KNOW BEFOR I BUY A ALTO SAX THANK YOU.
Great question. Do you like playing your tenor? But something is leading you to alto, yes? Suggestion: rent an alto for a couple of months before you buy any horn. Let me know how it goes.
Imagine someone back in time saying to Cannonball Adderley that alto is sax for kids 😅
LOL
Beautiful Conn. You don't get that kind of fat sound on most modern alto saxes.
I got lucky with the 6M....thanks for watching.
I use to play reeds 2 and a half I went down to 2 because my lips are starting to hurt
How's that working for you?
Neither. I spent most of my youth playing alto, but it was fairly easy to adopt to tenor aside from more air in lower register and slightly different altissimo feel. Now in my 40s, my main focus is tenor but just personal presence.
I always called the tenor neck a goose neck, swan neck is much more sophisticated haha
Goose neck it is!
I have and play both. And yes alto is actually harder to play. Lately I haven’t touched my tenor I’ve been playing alto for a few months.
Do you feel like you're a different person on each horn? Does one help create ideas than the other?
@@davegoodsax funny you ask yes I do. The nuances that make my sound mine still remain and my friends definitely know it’s me playing but I have found that the alto makes me think out of the box and my licks are different. I started late in life after moving on from trumpet but I work very hard at the craft and have kept the same teacher for several years. I’m not content with being an average player. But the alto helped me pass a plateau I was stuck on and now I don’t feel like putting the alto down.
I played alto for a whole year, then played tenor this year, I find tenor to be harder but my tenor is in poor condition so I can't really tell
It’s depends on what you mean by “harder”. All instruments are hard to play.
Granted. But...do you play? Have you experience with the various horns? Alto sax is smaller and has a higher voice that takes mastery to smooth and keep in tune.
@@davegoodsax I’m playing the tenor and the clarinet. Which one is hardest to play? It’s impossible to are a general comparison.
I find alto a bit like a toy to me - Tenor and Soprano are so much harder:-)
The only thing I can say is that the soprano is a lot harder to play than the alto. So by inference, I expect the tenor (which I don't have yet) is easier than the alto
I think you are correct....I once owned a soprano sax, for two weeks. End of story. :(
Was your soprano straight or curved? I have a curved one and find it the easiest to play out of all the saxes. But I have found that straight sopranos are not quite as easy.
@@dibbymau I have a curved one too
@@dibbymau mine was straight...
I play the tenor I think it’s the easiest because of free blowing
I think a lot of our sax pals will agree with you...
As an Alto player, I only can say, that the higher-range tones above g2 are very hard to play. It's hard not to sound like a flute...
Or a tomcat.....:)