Saxophone question?

Question

I am an advanced guitarist and a classically trained pianist but I got turned on to Jazz while living in new orleans from 98-05 and I have decided to pick up the sax (and then that's it, no more instruments unless I win the lottery) I understand that the tenor is bigger and more difficult to learn than the alto, but it is the one most used for Jazz...should i start on an alto then go to tenor? I have been told I can't get anything but a junk sax unless I am willing to shell out 1500+ dollars...so should i rent? any advice would be helpful and if you have already answered one of my sax questions sorry for the redundancy it's just that i wasted so much money as a beginning guitarist because I didn't know what i was doing.

Answer 1

If I were you I would definitely RENT for the time being- until your proficient and ready to make that big a commitment.

Answer 2

Tenor is prized for it's rich tone quality, but alto is of equal popularity. Both instruments are going to be costly if you want a quality one, so go with the one you feel most attracted to and connect with. The tenor isn't more difficult to learn---it requires different air speeds and control simply because there is more instrument to blow through, it's pitched in b-flat instead of e-flat, but the fingerings are still the same

But, if you already play guitar and piano, why not play jazz on those instruments? You won't have to start from square one. I would LOVE to play jazz piano simply because it has more versatility.

Lastly...if you look hard enough, you can find quality used altos or tenors. eBay, Craigslist, or myspace classifieds have instruments listed. A lot of people don't know what they have and sell them for cheap:) You can also visit your local music shop--many sell used quality instruments and jazz mouthpieces (different style mouthpieces are needed for jazz to get that desired tone quality), and if nothing else, check their bulletin boards--some musicians sell their old instruments that way as well.

I would recommend learning jazz piano or guitar (a cheaper route), but that's my opinion. Do what you feel is best for you, and visit the websites below!

Answer 3

If your long term goal is to play the tenor, then thats what I'd start with. I found the transition from alto to tenor harder then actually learning the tenor (change of embouchure and breath support). And also, just rent to start off with, you may not even like it, so you don't want to waste money on a crappy saxophone. Definitely start with the tenor, especially since we need more tenor players in the world, theres to many altos.