SOTW new member introductions, October 2009- - Page 3

Hipsax · 10-29-2009, 10:57 PM

Hi everybody here!
I fond this Forum looking for some information on my old "Diamant" from Gebr. Mönnig. I play it for fun since 1985 in a little amateur jazz formation.
I hope to find here tricks and hints for playing the horn and its maintenece.
Kind regards to all.
Heiner

edwin · 10-30-2009, 06:46 AM

G'day all. I'm a late starter - played recorder for a couple of years as a kid, then some desultory piano as a teenager, sang a bit then lapsed into years of wishing I could play an instrument but assuming I had missed the boat. In 2006 my kids were refusing to practice their instruments and I had a stroke of inspiration - if I started playing something then they would be motivated by my example and would practice too. Some friends who were musicians suggested I try the alto. Then at a family gathering at Christmas 06 I was banging on about my wonderful plan and my brother-in-law said "you want a sax? I'll give you a sax!" One of his sons had upgraded from a Beuscher BU-4 (Taiwanese student horn, not an actual Beuscher) and it was still sitting round the house. So I went and found a teacher and was instantly hooked.

Oh, and the kids were inspired. It was brilliant - group practice sessions, spontaneous playing by them...an amazing success.

However, after the first week things kinda went back to where they were.

But I won that year's star prize - the realisation that it was not too late to learn, and the enormous pleasure I've had not just from playing myself but from all the wonderful music I've been introduced to (Art Pepper, Sonny Rollins, Cannonball Adderly et al).

Just picked up a tenor a few weeks ago and it looks like I will be playing both alto and tenor from now on.

I've been lurking for quite a few weeks now and really enjoy the forum - it is a marvellous resource.

magical pig · 10-30-2009, 09:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by edwin

Art Pepper, Sonny Rollins, Cannonball Adderly

Some heavy weights right there.

Jazz House · 10-30-2009, 10:24 AM

Welcome everyone!!!!!!!

Wind WoodWorker · 10-30-2009, 07:18 PM

Like several other posters here, I've been away from the sax for a long time. When I went to college, I wasn't a music major, and the music program at the university I attended was so large that the ensembles were reserved for "serious" musicians (e.g music majors) only.

Laying down the horn is one of the biggest regrets I've had in my life. Not the only one, for sure.

Finally with the support of a great spouse, I'm back to playing a bit. I was able to locate a nice Yani 880 for sale locally, and I've been playing now for about a month. My chops are nowhere near back, and my fingers still get tied in knots.

For people situated like me, I have a recommendation. While I always liked practicing, ensemble playing is so much better. There is a software package that offers both, which I've been using now for about a month, called SmartMusic (www.SmartMusic.com) I am not affiliated with the company in any way, other than being a user of their package, and it is terrific.

No matter your preferred ensemble (or instrument, for that matter) there is music and accompaniment for you in SmartMusic. The yearly subscription is very reasonable ($30 annually) and a mic for your horn costs another $15 or so.

The best advice I could offer if any of this sounds interesting is to visit their web site and look at the vidoe aimed at students. Disregard all the stuff about getting lessons from your band director, but pay attention to the descriptions of the music and technology. They work as advertised.

There may be other "Play-along" programs on the web that I don't know about. But this one works, and it makes practice a lot more fun for me.

thadnoland · 11-02-2009, 04:37 PM

Hello. I have been playing saxophone for 18 years, starting on alto when I was 12. I played alto through high school eventually going to college on a music scholarship. In 2002, I earned my Bachelor of Music Performance (Classical Saxophone) from the University of Louisiana at Monroe. I doubled on tenor and soprano while in college and quickly realized I wanted to play these primarily.

Near the end of my college career, I began to fall in love with Jazz. I had been the Lead Alto in the college jazz Ensemble and got hired to be Lead alto for a local professional Jazz Orchestra. After college, I started to double on Baritone professionally as well, playing in a Sextet, Big Band, and a Funk group. This all lead to me understanding the need for a Jazz education - which I had not received up to this point.

In 2003, I decided to check out Berklee College of Music in Boston. I knew immediately this was the school for me but it would have to wait. I played professionally on sax and piano/keyboards (have played since early childhood) for the next 6 years. I learned some things on my own, listening to gobs of Jazz = Coltrane, Miles, Adderly, Rollins, Pepper, Parker, Getz, Monk, Wynton, Brubeck, etc... But I needed more.

I tried out for Berklee on tenor in the spring of '09 and got accepted. I am currently enrolled and am learning tons. Jazz Tenor is now primary and I love it. Thanks for the great forum!!!

zonepeter · 11-02-2009, 07:15 PM

Hi there. I have been lurking for a while and figured it was time to say hello. I am a returning player, having been away from the horn for about 25 years. I wasn't that good before, so I have a very long way to go. Previously almost all of my playing was on alto, but now I am playing mostly tenor. I am playing a Barone tenor (thanks to SOTW) with a Ponzol M1. I also have a King Super 20 alto. I am taking lessons which is helping greatly. Between that and net resources, I am beginning to understand elements of theroy that previoulsy eluded me entirely. That is really exciting, and for the first time in my life, I think it may be possible to play a solo that is remotely coherent at some time in the future. Hopefully there will be occasions where my sharing my struggles will help someone else.

Peter

CaillouSax · 11-02-2009, 07:29 PM

Welcome to all of the new members!

Kristaps Bergs · 11-02-2009, 09:42 PM

Hi. I'm new to this forum.
My name is Kristaps, i'm from Latvia, and i'm playing Tenor sax for a year.
I hope to search here for some new advices from profs and other player's.

Harri Rautiainen · 11-02-2009, 10:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kristaps Bergs

Hi. I'm new to this forum.
My name is Kristaps, i'm from Latvia, and i'm playing Tenor sax for a year.
I hope to search here for some new advices from profs and other player's.

Welcome on board, Kristaps:

~Harris Rautiainens

CJ Dan · 11-04-2009, 07:55 PM

hi there friends,

Im Dan, new to sax, though not a spring chicken at 40 yrs old! ha. I intend to start learning soon, my Dad passed away in April, he was a saxophonist and a great inspiration to me!

I hope to learn and meet cool new friends..

Saxylizbeth · 11-06-2009, 11:23 AM

Hi! My names Lizbeth and I'm at Tenor & Bari Player. And Alto if I really have to....

I play mostly reggae and ska, and big band. I live in Cambridge UK and gig in Cambridge and London.

I play a Buescher Tenor (1960 something) with a runyon Quantum mouthpiece, and a 1928 Buescher Alto, still not settled on the right mouthpiece for me on this one...

My bari is a beaten up old Jupiter, basic model that I didn't so much mind getting kicked around the storage cupboard at uni. I haven't been able to afford to replace it yet

Again, its the Runyon Quantum mouthpiece.

You can hear me here www.myspace.com/saxylizbeth

Looking forward to learning lots of stuff.....

schweet
lizbeth

artstove · 11-06-2009, 03:22 PM

Hi-
I have been reading this forum for information for awhile, but just joined. There is a ton of information on here! Not to mention wildly divergent and strongly held opinions (especially about equipment). Thanks to all of those truly knowledgeable folks who share their knowledge and experience with the rest of us!

I have played clarinet since elementary school (35+ years), and at one time was a very good amateur classical/show tune player. I picked up my wife's old alto sax about a year ago, took a couple classes at the Jazz School in Berkeley (a great place, with world class instructors) and went to Jazz Camp West (another great place) last summer. A couple months ago I decided to spring for a tenor (from Kim Slava, who was easy to deal with and looked to have reasonable prices). Now I'm figuring out how to play tenor.

Here are my set-ups:
Clarinet - 1970's wood Evette & Schaeffer, Portnoy BP-01 and 02 mouthpieces, Gigliotti ligature, Vandoren Classic 2.5-3 reeds

Alto Sax - vintage Vito Kenosha, Meyer 5m mouthpiece, stock ligature, Vandoren Java 2.5 reeds

Tenor Sax - Yamaha YTS-21, Otto Link NY 7* and Jody Jazz Classic 7 mouthpieces, Vandoren Java 2.5 reeds

Thanks for all the info!

Peter

jdbridges88 · 11-06-2009, 04:12 PM

Hey all!

My name is Joseph, and I recently found out about this site through a friend who works for wwbw. What a great forum!

I've always had a love for Jazz, which led me to playing in state jazz bands throughout high school, continuing to play in college. With the busyness of my schedule (and a soon-to-be family) I am not as able to keep up my skills.

But boy do I still love the music! I recently posted up my Series III France matte-finished in the alto forum for sale if anyone is interested!

Butter Knife · 11-07-2009, 01:31 AM

Greetings to all. Like some others have so aptly stated before me, I've been "lurking" for a while now - reading as much as I can in an effort to learn from so many out there who are not only very knowledgeable, but also very willing to offer advice/commentary on almost anything under the sun, saxwise.

What's brought me to the point of joining, rather than simply continuing with the read-only approach, is the desire to engage in some helpful conversation, particularly as I'm actively looking to acquire a new horn. I'm torn between vintage and new(er), and would like to get in on the discussion, and ask questions regarding particular models, etc. as I attempt to narrow the field.

Admittedly, I probably won't be posting often in the future, but will continue to read the discussions of others. I'm just being honest. At this point in my musical development, I have a lot more to learn (from listening to the many others out there, more expert than myself) than I do to contribute. In time, that will change, I'm sure, but for now I'm content to talk less and listen more.

I'm glad to be aboard, finally. Thanks, SOTW, for being the best resource out there for people like myself, seeking to learn and improve ourselves as musicians, through the help given by community members who walk the same road, and who are willing to help guide the less-traveled.

P.S. In case anyone's wondering about my choice of user name - for what it's worth - I've seen so many refer to their horns as "axes" (and here I thought that term was only used for guitars (see - one more thing I've learned already)), but the only horn that I've ever owned and played, believe it or not, is a King 613 alto. You know the one ... the "my parents bought this for me when I was starting out in band half a lifetime ago, and I've just never bothered to upgrade it in all these years" horn. So with this in mind, I just didn't feel it was justified referring to my sax as an "axe". It's hardly even a "hatchet". Hence the name, "butter knife".

And now you know.

Cheers.

CaillouSax · 11-08-2009, 12:50 PM

Welcome to all you guys!

MrRatty · 11-08-2009, 04:16 PM

Hi there,

I've been lurking for a while, making the most of the fantastic information available here - I've not failed to find an answer to any of my questions so far, in fact I usually find many excellent answers to each one. Thank you all. At last though I found something in which I thought I could help so I've registered to be able to post and here I am!

A bit of history for anybody who might be interested. I learnt clarinet then alto saxophone at school, played in the local wind band then formed a band with some mates. They all played guitar and had no drummer and didn't really want a sax player anyway so I took up the drums. I still have my alto and have played it on and off over the years (more off than on to be honest) but it isn't the most sociable things to practise - too loud for everybody else in my house at least (don't even mention the drums)! So I've just bought a second hand clarinet so I can get my reed fix and keep the household happy at the same time.

All the best,

Max S · 11-09-2009, 05:19 AM

Hey I'm Max. I'm a junior in highschool and I've been reading this forum for about two years. There is alot of good info here and just decided to join. I play alto mainly but once in a while tenor. Next year when I become a senior, i'll be first chair for concert and big band. I've been playing since 7th grade and really became interested by the saxophone and music when I found this forum. Here, I leanred how to do different things on the saxophone like growling, low "A", and other stuff that I didn't get to learn from my old director that plays trombone, trumpet, and sousa. Even from my new director that plays trumpet. So I hope to learn alot more new things here in the future.
-Sorry for the double post earlier. I thought I pressed clear.

TokyoRain · 11-09-2009, 03:06 PM

Hello all,
I've been a member on here for a while, but just decided to actually introduce myself. I'm 16 and I've been playing sax since I was 11 (alto for 3 and half years and bari from the middle of 8th grade till now). I'm originally from Colorado, but as of recently am at the amazing boarding school called Kent School in Connecticut playing in a series of pretty awesome bands. Oh, and I was lucky enough to play with the Colorado Mountain College Jazz Project for 3 years.

Allie

1987cp · 11-09-2009, 04:04 PM

Hi, my name is Michael. I'm 29 and I've been playing the saxophone (sort of) on and off for about 20 years. I haven't trained seriously since I was 17 or so when I auditioned at Indiana University, but I did spend a year with the jazz band at a small private college after learning (again) that my combined talent/interest for improve really wasn't that strong.

More recently, some folks from church prompted me to get out the el cheapo China special soprano I bought on eBay several years back. It was an OK value for $250, and sounded better than a LA Sax model I was able to compare it to at that time, but the horn I borrowed back in high school (and managed perfect scores at the Indiana state solo and ensemble contest in '96 with both solo and sax quartet) was a later Mark VI with the high F-sharp, so getting my cheap thing back out got me interested in learning a bit about some of the older French and American models as well as the newest offerings from Yanagisawa and others (I had been extremely impressed with a YN2100A back in '92 before I ended up buying the YAS-62 that I played seriously in high school and still own), and some Internet poking eventually led me to SOTW.