Whats wrong with choosing an Alto instead?

[Michael]

😎 This past weekend I had a few minutes to get with my Nephews who stopped by the local music shop because they needed a few things in the way of the Guitar. He gets to talking with the guys who work there and he brings up that I play the Saxophone. They asked me which Saxophones I play and told them what I have but that I’ve only been playing for, coming this spring, what will be 2 years. I brought up that, soon after I get back home, I would be replacing my Student Model Alto with a Pro Model Trevor James Alto, but that I’ll be using the same MP/reed combo. that I use now. The guy asks me why I would “waste” all that money on an Alto when, for just a few hundred dollars more, I could get a pro-model Tenor instead and sound “twice as good”? I asked him what makes him say that and he says “all of the best Saxophone players have Tenors”. I asked him “Have you ever heard of Earl Bostic or Michael Lington?” and his answer was “No” LOL I encouraged him to do a little bit more research before making statements like that– I said I have a Tenor back home and was getting a Professionally-made MBII for it soon also…..because “90% of our tone is produced with the MP/Reed v.s. thinking we have to have a pro-model Sax to sound good–I have no reason to change my Tenor.” “So, why are you getting a Pro-Model Alto if that’s true? Why not just stick with your Student Model Alto too?”……..My reply was “because I like that Alto and so does my wife; anything wrong with that?” 😉

[Anonymous]

All said and done – pro models are superior to student models!
Not just in the sound department, but better built.
When i was buying my alto i was going to buy the
student yamaha model, but when i tried the intermediate
yamaha model, i could tell a difference and went
for the intermediate. I didn’t go for a pro model in case
i found the sax wasn’t for me!

[john]

That’s a good decision sxpoet.
Funny story Michael, and sad too. Imagine if you’d have had walked in there about 18 months ago, you might have bought the BS he was dishing out. My first question would have been “which one do you play? and pretty sure he would have said he didn’t, probably a guitar player (working in a music store and so not even a pro but a salesman) trying to sell you on one of his horns.

[Michael]

Hey Sxpoet: There’s no question about a Pro Model Sax like I’m soon to have being superior to a student model Sax. When you’re ready for it, and if you know you’re going to stick with the Sax, then by all means go for it if you can! The point I’m making is that it’s a mistake to think you HAVE to get one to sound good. Nothing, but NOTHING can beat the right MP/reed combo + our own ability to play, tone, embouchure, embellishments…..and of course the Altissimo range 🙂 Get all of these things under your belt FIRST, and then when you make that transition to a pro-model Sax then you’re just that much better…….I wonder how many players there are out there who do have a pro-model Sax but can’t play in the Altissimo range? My understanding is that many players see the Altissimo range as a “mystery” of sorts?!? Speaking from personal experience, Johnny’s Altissimo course “demystified” that whole saying and without him making such a great, comprehensive course available to us all; I don’t know if I would have ever been able to play up in that range–or it may have taken me YEARS of trial and error. Johnny’s course just helped me make it happen. The experience I relayed above is just making a long story short….it was too long of a conversation to type here on the forum.

That’s a great question Johnny! Too bad I didn’t think about that….it would have made him look even more stupid LOL. My nephew is a Guitar player, not a Sax player and I assured him that kind of thinking is nothing short of garbage and junk.Yeah, 18 months ago I may have fallen for that line or maybe not. 18 months ago, I was too occupied just learning the fundamentals of the Sax, let alone thinking about a Pro Model Sax LOL.

[Anonymous]

I went into a guitar shop a few months back & tried out a taylor costing $5,000 – the way it was built was fantastic,
when i played it with my hands it was effortless,
compared to my $300 yamaha i play it and my hands start to ache after a while.
But guess what – i still preferred the tone of my guitar.
Now if i was playing the guitar every night in a gig – it doesn’t take a genius to work out which one i would rather play with.

[Dazza]

I am finding the more I listen to Johnny and others the more I crave playing a tenor. I absolutely love the sound and feeling that the tenor produces and am thinking of selling my 62 alto to go TENOR!. The tunes I hum in my head and the songs that I imagine I could be playing just feel like they are in the tenor range. I was discouraged to take up the tenor by my original teacher with him convincing me the alto is more versitile as it is more of the “vocal” pitch. Then I discovered Johnny’s site…too late! The budget won’t stretch to even allow a $1000 “cheapie” tenor so I think I might have to jump ship and upgrade. So a sell and rebuy might be on the cards. I was browsing the Net and found the link below and actually have the discs on their way. Wow, the last 50 years seems to be full of tenor! at least as far a top 40 hits go. I know the alto is everpresent across all music types but something is just drawing me to the Bb beast. Anyone else struggled with this dilema. For those that have both do you find the tenor takes precedent?

https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-History-of-Top-40-Saxophone-Solos-1955-through-2011/648315608542027

[Anonymous]

I only have an Alto & the beast is so complex i love it too much to change ships to a Tenor.
I can go out and by a pro model alto now, but i’ve decided to reward myself with one when i get to grade 5 level.
For now i’m just going drool over them – i want a reference 54….

[john]

I can’t imagine ever trying to talk someone into choosing to play a type of saxophone. They each have their thing and anyone can argue that this one is better than the other but it’s all a very personal thing so there’s never a point in doing so unless you want to start an argument.
I’ve played the 4 most popular types and enjoy something different from each. I prefer the tenor because it fits rock and roll the best. There’s bari in a lot of that music too as well as alto but they’re used differently. Not soprano but if you’re a fan of what Kenny G plays then it’s a great choice. Saying the alto has more of a vocal pitch is wrong. Elvis was a baritone, does that mean his voice didn’t have a vocal pitch?

[Anonymous]

lol – this time last year, if you had asked me how many famous Sax players i could name, the answer would have been only one!
Kenny G – why? because when my wife was feeling romantic she would play Kenny G in the background! lol
Similarly the only flute player i know is James Galway.
The only trumpet player i know is louis Armstrong.
6 months ago my Sax Teacher asked me who my favorite sax player is? and told me who his son’s favorite sax player is, and described how his son had to have the exact setup of his idol, thinking that would make him sound like him. Just like singers who like Elvis, love to sing his songs, try to sing like Elvis, and even go one step further to dress like Elvis when they sing.

For me i can honestly say there is no specific sax player i wish i could play like – too many to pick, and they all play great!

The only thing that floats my boat is – i wish i could play this or play that.

Thats why i love this website – you get professionaly made backing tracks! and sheet music to go with it!

Give me a good backing track, fitting sheet music – and i can lose myself into a different world were time stops and i can feel the music all round me.

Trying to play like someone else doesn’t give me any kicks – what gives me kicks is if i can play a piece of music…

[Author]

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