Wish I'd never got rid of mine. In 1988 I was involved in a long running (as it turned out) mass strike at the company I then worked for. I had been saving for a year for a planned road trip to Australia and so, ironically, I was quite well heeled when the strike took place. Over the previous couple of years I'd started to get into Jazz: Parker, Coltrane, Davis and, although I was a guitar player, I fancied learning Sax. Accordingly, with some of the cash I'd had saved for the Australia trip - which never happened - I purchased a Jupiter Alto from the local music store (don't know if it was a 500 series). Unfortunately, having, - at that time, - little theory and no ability to sight read (still don't - although I've got much more theory under my belt now), I found the horn a much different proposition to the guitar when attempting to self teach. I only ever got as far as being able to blow a few melody lines (It was no doubt awfully executed, but I recall being pleased as punch when I managed - by ear and trial and error with no real grasp on what I was doing other than very basically, - to cobble together the head to Coltrane's rendering of "Afro Blue" from "Live At Birdland") and a single "party piece" scale (no idea which scale, just where my fingers naturally fell one day and I was able to repeat thereafter via muscle memory). The teachers in my area stated they couldn't attempt to commence any tuition that would develop me past the point I'd already attained under my own steam until I'd learnt to read music first. Accordingly, after a couple of years of playing my "party piece" scale and the head to "Afro Blue", I admitted defeat and sold the horn. In all honesty, I do believe I could have got further than I did - even on my own, if I'd applied myself. The problem was, irrespective of not being able to read, not having any theory worth talking about under my belt at the time made the task seem insurmountable. I'd realised this within a couple of weeks of buying the instrument. Within four weeks, therefore, I'd probably already given up hope. I'm self taught on the guitar and probably thought it'd be just the same with the sax. A big difference was that - with a guitar - you can lay on the sofa whilst watching the t.v and noodle in near silence until you progress. You can also see what you're doing by simply looking at the fretboard. You can't do this with a horn. Or, at least, I couldn't. I had to stand to play, I couldn't properly see my hands and I couldn't make all the horrible noises you make when first learning ANY instrument QUIETLY!. You even had to struggle to get a sound out of the Sax in the first place as a beginner, - with a guitar, of course, anyone can get a sound out of the instrument just by strumming the strings. Finally, the sax takes physical EFFORT to play!!!! This was certainly a shocker for a skinny, twenty something guitarist!!! Along with a lack of available tuition (who could blame them) if you couple the reasons in the above paragraph with the lack of theory and inability to read and it was never going to happen. Ironically, I have never, however, stopped regretting getting rid of the horn!! I love Jazz sax and, now I'm in my 50s, - and, - unless you are famous and have made your name in your youth, - rock guitar isn't something you can publicly undertake without a certain level of self conscious embarrassment at this age, - I would now love to learn to play the instrument properly. Who knows, I may take the plunge and purchase another Jupiter at some point. As I say, I have much more theory available to me now and with the likes of UA-cam for tutorials, I may even get passed the head to "Afro Blue" this time!
I've had this sax for 5 years. Do you think i need to upgrade?
Is it good for a beginner?
Is jupiter 500 better than buffet 400?
It absolutely is a good beginner
Wish I'd never got rid of mine.
In 1988 I was involved in a long running (as it turned out) mass strike at the company I then worked for. I had been saving for a year for a planned road trip to Australia and so, ironically, I was quite well heeled when the strike took place.
Over the previous couple of years I'd started to get into Jazz: Parker, Coltrane, Davis and, although I was a guitar player, I fancied learning Sax. Accordingly, with some of the cash I'd had saved for the Australia trip - which never happened - I purchased a Jupiter Alto from the local music store (don't know if it was a 500 series).
Unfortunately, having, - at that time, - little theory and no ability to sight read (still don't - although I've got much more theory under my belt now), I found the horn a much different proposition to the guitar when attempting to self teach.
I only ever got as far as being able to blow a few melody lines (It was no doubt awfully executed, but I recall being pleased as punch when I managed - by ear and trial and error with no real grasp on what I was doing other than very basically, - to cobble together the head to Coltrane's rendering of "Afro Blue" from "Live At Birdland") and a single "party piece" scale (no idea which scale, just where my fingers naturally fell one day and I was able to repeat thereafter via muscle memory).
The teachers in my area stated they couldn't attempt to commence any tuition that would develop me past the point I'd already attained under my own steam until I'd learnt to read music first.
Accordingly, after a couple of years of playing my "party piece" scale and the head to "Afro Blue", I admitted defeat and sold the horn.
In all honesty, I do believe I could have got further than I did - even on my own, if I'd applied myself. The problem was, irrespective of not being able to read, not having any theory worth talking about under my belt at the time made the task seem insurmountable. I'd realised this within a couple of weeks of buying the instrument. Within four weeks, therefore, I'd probably already given up hope.
I'm self taught on the guitar and probably thought it'd be just the same with the sax. A big difference was that - with a guitar - you can lay on the sofa whilst watching the t.v and noodle in near silence until you progress. You can also see what you're doing by simply looking at the fretboard.
You can't do this with a horn. Or, at least, I couldn't. I had to stand to play, I couldn't properly see my hands and I couldn't make all the horrible noises you make when first learning ANY instrument QUIETLY!. You even had to struggle to get a sound out of the Sax in the first place as a beginner, - with a guitar, of course, anyone can get a sound out of the instrument just by strumming the strings. Finally, the sax takes physical EFFORT to play!!!! This was certainly a shocker for a skinny, twenty something guitarist!!!
Along with a lack of available tuition (who could blame them) if you couple the reasons in the above paragraph with the lack of theory and inability to read and it was never going to happen.
Ironically, I have never, however, stopped regretting getting rid of the horn!!
I love Jazz sax and, now I'm in my 50s, - and, - unless you are famous and have made your name in your youth, - rock guitar isn't something you can publicly undertake without a certain level of self conscious embarrassment at this age, - I would now love to learn to play the instrument properly.
Who knows, I may take the plunge and purchase another Jupiter at some point. As I say, I have much more theory available to me now and with the likes of UA-cam for tutorials, I may even get passed the head to "Afro Blue" this time!
@@beefheart1410 Cool story.
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