Great reading for someone thinking about playing the sax

[Alpina]

http://www.mindworkshop.com/alchemy/saxophone.html

[potex]

Thats was great!
Thanks for that Alpina
Cheers
-Ben

[candiceartisan]

Took a long time to read it, but it was great. Very helpful and informative. Aha! I missed my practice session.
Candy

[Gandalfe]

Next in the saxophone syllabus may I recommend 'The Devil Horn - The Story of the Saxophone, from Noisy Novelty to King of Cool' by Michael Segell (release Spring 05). The history of the saxophone and its creator is fascinating. You can read about it on amazon.com.

[DeltaBlues]

I second the recommendation of "the Devil's Horn". Got it for Christmas and it is a great and informative read.

[jivemutha]

The website article you've refered us to claims that smaller tip openings are better for jazz and larger tip openings are better for classical music. My sense from what I've read on the soprano part of SOTW is that most SOTW people would not agree. What say you experts?

[Razzy]

I disagree with that part of the article, but not quantitatively... I think that classical music favors smaller tip openings but isn't necessarily limited to them. Likewise, jazz and commercial music favor larger tip openings but aren't necessarily limited to them. There is also much more involved than simply the tip opening in stylistic preferences on a given mouthpiece. Baffle design, facing length, and chamber design are all much more important IMO. That article is very humorous but some of the information provided is sketchy conjecture at best.

[jivemutha]

. . . I think that classical music favors smaller tip openings but isn't necessarily limited to them. Likewise, jazz and commercial music favor larger tip openings but aren't necessarily limited to them. There is also much more involved than simply the tip opening in stylistic preferences on a given mouthpiece. Baffle design, facing length, and chamber design are all much more important IMO. That article is very humorous but some of the information provided is sketchy conjecture at best.

Thank you. I believe your view is in line with the vast majority of stuff I've read on this website and in contrast with the "very humorous" article we're both referring to. Thanks again.
Jivemutha

[knightlycomic]

Thanks Alpina, it was a great read with new tips thank you for the link.

[saxofunk]

The Devil's Horn is a must read. (yes, I know Gandalfe and Delta already said that)

Just in case you don't know what sax album to buy, get one from every artist mentioned in the book.

[pth]

I second the recommendation of "the Devil's Horn". Got it for Christmas and it is a great and informative read.

I third that recommendation. I just finished it.