Low A

[Mime]

There's actually a way to reach Low A on Alto\Tenor.
What you gotta do is press the Bb keys and then put the bell in your left knee so it's mostly covered.
It's "abit" hard to use this while playning but it's nice and fun :D

[JayLaczSax]

Chris Vadala was a guest with the MU jazz band this past year. During his performance he did this to sound the Low A!

[Mime]

I think that Charley Parker used to do the low A too.

[sax_appeal]

I can get to a low G# on bari doing this. Uncomfortable though, and I often have to lean on something.

[Bubba924]

I bring my foot up, but then again Im only 5' 7''. I can do it standing or sitting. :shock: :D

[Saxaholic]

That's kinda scary.... :lol:

Saxaholic

[Kritavi]

I used to see Dexter Gordon do this. Being so tall he had no problem hitting the low A. I also have to say that Dexter always used this most musically and never as a gimmick although it was great showmanship.

[lowguy]

Hi everybody !
Some altos have a low A extension like he baritone ; do you know which ones ?

[Helen]

Hi everybody !
Some altos have a low A extension like he baritone ; do you know which ones ?

To my knowledge Selmer Mark VIs are the only ones. But perhaps someone here knows of others as well.

[wersax]

I saw Sonny Stitt do the low "A" trick, too. He was kinda tall like Dexter.............

[Black875]

I saw Michael Brecker do the low a 'trick' 6 weeks ago, but he did it so fast you really had to be paying attention.

[Rubel]

I've been doing this for a while. When I first learned the lower register (table keys) my teacher, another David, explained to me how everything works. He took apart my sax (to my horrer) and showed me the physics of how the air works, and to an extent, taught me altissimo, although I couldn't get it then, as I had only been playing 8 months. It was the most important lesson I ever had. Then he showed me that by covering more of the bell, the A could be produced. When I teach students, I teach them about how the air works. Jody Espina talks about how Steve Goodson teaches growling this way, explaining how the larynix works, and the air stream. I believe that this is is extremely important for students, and veterens to understand. It's also probably responisble for me passing grade 8 biology!

Rubel

[prodigal]

I had been playing a horn part on a certain tune with a certain band for about a year, when they went into the studio to record. They decided they liked the tune a half step lower for the vocals and did all the tracks except mine with their axes tuned down 1/2 step.

Imagine my suprise when it was mine turn to lay down tracks!

I had to do it through a lot of the tune, and it had to be in tune... sheesh!