Heavy metal alto

[Vortex]

Anybody ever considered using an alto in classical/melodic heavy metal songs? I've tried this a few times with a well-projecting classical tone, and the sax actually blended quite well. I was able (in a live concert) to take over after a guitarist soloed, and had an excellent improved solo. The band's sound is comparable to Dimmu Borgir, if anybody's heard of them (classical thrash metal, not exactly easy-listening).

If anybody else uses a sax for this type of music, post your experience(s) here!

[tubbycub]

I once experimented soloing in a friend's death metal band. I remembered they called it something like ambient or gothic or something in that line.

Although the band liked it and wanted me to be part of them, I dropped the idea as it sounded strange to me.

[raoul duke]

Alto blends very well with electric guitar. Check out some old King Crimson, especially "In The Court of the Crimson King". "21st Century Schizoid Man" is a great example.

[pfox]

Great to hear there are other King Crimson fans here. The sax isn't just for jazz, thank god. Ian McDonald was the sax player in early Crimson, he has a new album out, sound clips remind me more of Phil Collins (yuck) /http://www.camino.co.uk/ian Be sure to check out the band Morphine for some interesting use of saxophones, especially baritone.

[ilovejazzmusic22]

wow, that's a good idea, no i don't think I have heard anything like that before.

[singlereed]

... and later on, Mel Collins played some great sax in later King Crimson - often soprano in the quieter moments. I am pretty sure it was the same Ian McDonald that went on to play keyboards in Foreigner, though much water has gone under the bridge since then! Two other great Britsh Rock bands - Supertramp and Thin Lizzy also used a bit of sax in their music, the latter either borrowing John Helliwell from Supertamp or John Earle from Graham Parker & the Rumour. OK, not metal, but they did rock once in a while.

[Martinman]

There is a Cinderella song with a sax solo (I think it's called "Shelter"), not exactly classical metal; it was more of a really heavy rock and roll song. Great solo too.

I think to solo was on tenor though

[ssleb]

I played along with a Dream Theatre song once, they are a progressive metal band by the way. It sounded quite cool. They actually have a song with a soprano sax in it called 'Another Day'.

[Doctormyeyes]

I've been thinking about miking my alto through my Mesa/Boogie guitar amp, with distortion and feedback, and playing some rock solos (I'm a 60's relic). I can't be the only one with this idea. Anyone know of anyone doing this?

[ssleb]

I tried it once, but there is way too much feedback when using distortion, unless you have some really expensive hardware.

[Doctormyeyes]

One of the beauties of the sax, of course, is that you can play with distortion and sustain with just your mouth and lungs. Who needs electronics?

[Hurling Frootmig]

There's a number of guys who played with wah pedals and effects in the late 60's and early 70's. Some of it with fusion groups. Some of it was just experimental.

[prof nutbutter]

Saxaphone fits in very nicely with metal. An Italian band by the name of 'ephal duath' do some nice work. I think they use an alto, but I cant be sure, Im pretty new to the saxaphone world. A much better band using saxaphones is Mr Bungle. 'Carry stress in the jaw' uses a tenor (I think). Its an amazing song from an amazing band.

Oh and to be pedantic, Thin Lizzy were an Irish band. We dont export much we can be proud of, so I cant let Thin Lizzy's legacy be colonised

[sinkdraiN]

I played along with a Dream Theatre song once, they are a progressive metal band by the way. It sounded quite cool. They actually have a song with a soprano sax in it called 'Another Day'.

WOW, I love Dream Theater!

I've often wondered how saxophone would fair in a heavy metal setting. Dimmu Borgir is pretty dark yet I can definately see how a sax would work with their sound.

Now that you have me thinking about...I'd like to hear someone with Bobby Malach's concept play in an extreme metal settng

[cleger]

Ken Vandermark has done a few dates with some cats who fall more on the rock than the jazz side of things. Check out some of the Zu Spaceways Inc. recordings and DK3 trio (with Duane Dennison and James Kimball). Also Peter Brotzmann has done some fun stuff in this area (Marz Combo for one). These are just off the top of my head out of what is in my limited collection, I'm sure there is a ton more out there in this vein if you look beyond the mainstream labels.

[Gene]

How are these guy's being mic'd or amplfied to compete with the harmonic's from the guitars, I sat in a heavy metal jam and was droned out, of course they have no experience useing a tenor sax .Would a alto stick out better I'm useins a silverbullet from K&K Sound.Any time I sit in with loud bands I get feed back on my mic.

[Dr_sax]

Here´s a german heavy metal band with sax:
http://www.panzerballett.de/

[Martinman]

Here´s a german heavy metal band with sax:
http://www.panzerballett.de/

I listed to the clips on their site.

Not bad.

[saxgirl9]

Didn't Ernie Watts start the whole saxophone used in Rock thing? I think he has some cool stuff out that could fall into the category maybe.

[Jason DuMars]

I've done a ton of progressive and heavy projects with sax... both effected and uneffected. Specifically, check out the cuts on my site (http://www.jasondumars.com) I did with Nick Didkovsky. I built my own special setup that involves a pressure mic in the mouthpiece, so I can play through pedal/effects with virtually no feedback. My current setup utlilizes 2 different AKG mics... one is uneffected, and the other is through a rather complicated loop. I've been working on a good heavy metal sax sound for almost 20 years!