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Date Posted: 11:25:02 06/14/03 Sat
Author: Keough
Author Host/IP: h169.33.40.162.ip.alltel.net / 162.40.33.169
Subject: Im an alto player
I have been playing alto sax near all my life, and Im actually pretty good at it as one might expect. Tomorrow Im going out to my local music store to pick up a soprano sax, but i was wondering how the transition is between the two. Pretty similar? How's the ranges compare, and weight? Just curious and thought id get some info. Thanks in advance.
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Re: Im an alto player -- Renee, 14:23:23 08/14/03 Thu [1] (66-42-123-67.lsan.dial.netzero.com/66.42.123.67)
the soprano sax is an octave higher than an alto. the transition between the two isn't difficult. the differences are that the soprano is in the key of Bb and the alto Eb. the soprano has a very nice mellow timber. the soprano is lighter than the alto and can be played with the neckstrap of with out. overall the alto and soprano as well as all the other saxes are relatively similar. play the soprano and you will discover this.
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Re: Im an alto player -- david, 08:42:06 03/08/04 Mon [1] (cache-dl10.proxy.aol.com/205.188.209.46)
take the notes of the alto music and move them up to get the new notes for the saprano. D on alto = G on saprano
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Re: Im an alto player -- mark VI, 11:37:05 03/08/04 Mon [1] (NoHost/202.73.1.98)
I play alto and saprano saxes.
Here is my personal experience.
Alto is much easier on the breath, hands, arms, lips, teeth(upper) and jaw.
Saprano is a pain. May be it is the angle of muouth piece bite (it is like the clarinet; it is straight). If you hold it high like Kenny G your hands and arms get tire easily. If you let it down vertical your upper teeth get tire easily. I suspect that it would deform my upper teeth as the mouth piece is pryiny them open as I am biting on the mouth piece.
I spend so much effort/concentration/force in the control that I do not enjoy playing it. At least not as I do on the alto where I just balance the horn with the neck strap and thumbs. reral easy, and on the teeth too.
Intonation is difficult. Tone control is haphazard. Some one on this forum commented that the saprano tone is like that of an oboe. Other peolple on 8 note forum said that it is like the clarinet. I'll say that it is not like the sound of sax, Kenny G notwithstanding.
By the way, Kenny G also play tenor. The Bb Saprano register is a fourth higher than the Eb alto, not an octave.
Just my personal opinion.
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Re: Im an alto player -- Steve, 13:30:04 03/08/04 Mon [1] (csc0g02prb.net.cuhk.edu.hk/137.189.4.4)
Mark VI,
How about a curved soprano? Opinions from various forums regard it's a true member of the saxophone family. It sounds like an alto in the high register, unlike the straight ones. It's thus much more suitable for ensemble work. What I don't really like is its appearance - a "toy" saxophone, and not cool enough.
Steve
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Re: Im an alto player -- Lawrence, 06:15:53 03/09/04 Tue [1] (cm61-10-7-158.hkcable.com.hk/61.10.7.158)
Hi Steve
Do you means that the "curved" one is the true member of saxophone family rather than the "straight" one? I haven't try any curved one before, but I totally agree with you is the "curved one" really seems not cool enough.
Lawrence
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Re: Im an alto player -- whatever, 08:14:42 03/09/04 Tue [1] (NoHost/193.129.76.82)
personal opinion......sopranos.......hard to control...tonality defects easily with shaking hands or unstable embrouchure...but but but sopranos sound nice once u can play it well...and for one thing, I didnt realise much difference in using different mpc on a soprano at least not that much for an alto...anyone agrees? I think the very important thing on a sop is its quality...far outweights than that on an alto...one question here, can anyone tell me that how does a series 3 compare with a top Yamaha sop?
And anyone tried the unlacq.82z alto with the ref 54 alto....any suggestions on which is better or more versatile?
thx
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Re: Im an alto player -- mark IV, 09:06:19 03/09/04 Tue [1] (NoHost/202.73.1.98)
Steve,
I have no experience with the curve/bend/folded type sop sax so I don't know. The the different angles of the alto and straight sop saxes mouth piece just struck me. I feel it in my upper teeth (bending my teeth outward) and I'm uneasy about the sop. I think alto and sop require diferent embouchure techniques.
Did anyone notice that Wayne Shorter plays a curved neck sop, letting the sop down easy, and hangs his head! He is looking at his own feet while playing. I can't imagine myself playing the sop with my head facing the ground. Very strange posture. Right? On the other hand if I play it high (horizontal) like Kenny G my arms get very tired. Worst, the bell/horn hits the music stand if I get carried away playing the music.
mark VI
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Re: Im an alto player -- man, 11:37:46 03/09/04 Tue [1] (cm61-10-7-156.hkcable.com.hk/61.10.7.156)
is it no different between in alto and tenor for breath,
teeth, lips control ???
in my view, i think use curve sop looks funny !!
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Re: Im an alto player -- tk, 18:01:13 03/09/04 Tue [1] (NoHost/210.0.231.246)
I use to play alto and have a taste of sop recently. I've try the curve sop and feel that the sound is out of my expectation of an ideal sop mellow tone. Some of the model offer straight & curve neck for the sop sax. They really give different texture to the voicing: Curve neck sound a bit gentle and dim in comparison.
The holding posture...I think it somehow affect my lip positions on the mcp and hence the outcome voicing. Need more experience to say.
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Re: Im an alto player -- Steve, 18:25:16 03/09/04 Tue [1] (csc0g02prb.net.cuhk.edu.hk/137.189.4.4)
TK - Oh, sorry. I've forgot to define my concern - the curved "body" soprano. But it's good to hear from you what the curved "neck" sop would sound. (^^)
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