Which Saxophone Should I Play?

Which Saxophone Should I Play?

The question of which size of saxophone one should play is frequently asked and sometimes the answer is very straight forward depending the size of the player, the budget available, any previous instrumental experience, etc. Often however other factors also enter the frame and perhaps a discussion would be helpful.

When a potential player is quite young or very small the options are limited. Some teachers, with the best of intentions, will recommend starting on the fully curved soprano sax. I do not agree with this, as the soprano, being so small, is more demanding and far less tolerant of initial learning efforts. I would recommend that a keen young player start either on the recorder (never a bad suggestion for any future woodwind player), the standard Bb clarinet (or C clarinet if necessary) as this is such a common double later in life anyway, or wait until the alto sax can be comfortably held and operated.

IF ONE SIMPLY MUST GET STARTED ON THE SAX STRAIGHT AWAY then I would recommend beginning on a Trevor James Alpha alto sax which is purpose designed with fewer keys for lightness, smaller finger stretches and key work positioned for easy reach by the small beginner. It is ideal for the purpose and introduces the player to the 'proper' Eb alto straight away. The upgrade to a fully keyed alto can happen with ease when growth and experience allows.

Assuming one is not limited by age or size then the full SATB range of the saxophone options could be considered. In a quick summary here are my thoughts:

• The ALTO sax is the MAIN MEMBER OF THE SAX FAMILY with most of the educational and performance literature written with it in mind. The alto features most strongly in the classical solo repertoire with many original works and transcriptions now available, the wind band or in the orchestra as a solo instrument. Its position leading the traditional Big Band and as a jazz solo instrument is well established. Rock and pop, funk and reggae use in horn sections is also common.

•  The TENOR sax is often thought of as THE JAZZ SOLO INSTRUMENT as a result of the many superb artists who have made this instrument their 'voice'. It is too big for most beginners (other than adults) but is easy to either add to the alto sax when ready or to learn on, with some repertoire challenges, when a player is physically big enough to manage the tenor. Deeper and richer in tone quality than the alto, it figures in the same classical ensembles but less frequently and with much less literature written specifically for the tenor. The tenor sax has a huge range and the high altissimo register is easier to exploit than that of the alto or soprano.

• The SOPRANO sax is usually added by an experienced player to augment their established alto or tenor sax playing. It is a REGARDED AS A SOLOISTS INSTRUMENT and as such has a small classical repertoire and a growing use in a wide variety of jazz settings. It is the highest sounding member of the sax quartet (and other sax ensembles) and is usually played by the strongest, most musically knowledgeable player of the group as it is used to carry the melody and lead the ensemble. I personally prefer the double crook soprano as having the option of either a straight or curved top crook to use depending upon your desired holding position seems a very sensible choice. Some players prefer the fully curved instrument and others choose the straight, one-piece body version. I do not attribute a tonal difference to the shapes but the player does hear them differently due to the position relative to the head and ears.

• The BARITONE sax is a very important COLOUR INSTRUMENT providing the foundation of an wind band or sax ensemble offering great power and facility. It has a limited role in classical music but has a much more established role in the jazz band and has some outstanding examples of players who have pushed to instrument to marvellous extremes as a jazz solo instrument. Instruments with a low A (Concert C) bell are now most common but some lovely instruments extending to only low Bb are still available. The baritone is a valuable sax to be familiar with and there are often opportunities to join groups if one can provide this instrument.

•  The remaining members of the modern saxophone family, the SOPRANINO, the BASS, the CONTRABASS, the older C MELODY, and other even less well known instruments are all about COLOUR and specific ENSEMBLE ROLES. These should never be considered 'first choice' saxophones upon which to learn but may prove to be valuable additional instruments to play and own as they are rare and often welcomed in ensembles.

Many sax players end up playing multiple saxophones for the sheer joy of the variety of sounds and musical opportunities that playing and owning these different saxophones make available. Players eventually learn to move freely and with minimal effort between their different saxes and often undergo a change of and musical 'attitude' and 'personality' while they play their different instruments. The usual pairings as I have experienced them are:

• Alto adding Soprano
• Alto adding Tenor
• Tenor adding Soprano
• Alto adding Baritone
• Soprano adding Sopranino
• Baritone adding Bass

The tone quality, sensitivity, projection and playing response of all saxophones can be altered dramatically by the choice of mouthpiece used. To get the most out of any sax it is a good idea to select a mouthpiece suited to your abilities and comfort as well as the requirements of the music you wish to play. Owning a number of mouthpieces for each saxophone is not uncommon and can be a great source of inspiration keeping oneself freshly engaged and fully idiosyncratic in a wide variety of styles on the same instrument. More than anything else it help make all your playing MORE FUN!

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The tips and comments above are the result of many years of providing help and advice, my personal interest and study, and the teaching that I have done during my career. I have many colleagues and teachers to thank for sharing their thoughts and suggestions on this and other topics. In addition I am indebted to Woodwind & Reed, Cambridge ( www.wwr.co.uk ) where, in the course of helping customers, many of these concepts have been refined and have proven helpful. 

Thomas Dryer-Beers

A Concept for Blowing - Jazz vs Classical

A Concept for Blowing - Jazz vs Classical Saxophone and More

In the shop environment, and throughout many years of teaching, I have frequently been asked to help players resolve their issues with sound and blowing in order that they may produce the type of tone, and gain the requisite control, for the style of music that they wish to play - or a multitude of styles if they are interested in many. Saxophonists are usually familiar with the dichotomy of Jazz versus Classical playing and often struggle with this. For many other wind and brass players it is matter of producing a personal sound that is appropriate for the style of playing desired.

While I certainly acknowledge that some players quite happily find a 'hybrid' personal approach that bridges the various established styles and may even build their careers from such a position, I believe that  most players are seeking to find how they can manage to separate their approaches and equipment to facilitate and to better define the differences between styles.

I suggest below a couple of concepts that I have developed and players have found helpful.

Since 'Classical' styles of playing are primarily concerned with:

• accuracy of pitch
• control of fine subtleties of tone
• a variety of articulation demands
• focus of the sound
• blend and the ability to balance dynamics

I therefore believe that a player should look for a set-up that allows them to 'blow up to'  a resistance that offers the stability and predictability to meet these criteria. For me this implies the creation of a reliable and manageable 'platform' where if I do 'my bit' to meet the tone generation requirements of the set-up I know that everything I desire to produce is achieveable with as little additional manipulation as possible.

Since 'Jazz' styles of playing are primarily concerned with:

• projection in loud environments
• excitement
• individuality of tone
• flexibility of control
• comfort of sound production

I therefore believe that a player should look for a set-up that allow them to 'blow through' a resistance and in doing so create the desired result. For me this implies a comfort and directness of response without unnecessary additional effort or restriction - where the mouthpiece is free to generate a sound 'propelled', as it were, by the player - while retaining maximum flexibility and ability to influence the tone.

These are concepts not just words

They imply finding the correct balance of resistance from the mouthpiece (and reed where present), the provision of a fundamentally correct and well supported air column, an understanding and application of focus in the oral cavity to the airstream itself, a well considered use of an appropriate embouchure and a choice of equipment that is designed to facilitate the achievement of the desired end result.

• Doing everything 'right' but on the wrong equipment will surely lead to dissatisfaction.
• Doing anything 'wrong', to varying degrees, will likely lead to disappointment with even the very best equipment.

In my opinion it is vital to view the choice of equipment and the player's readiness for physical/musical change as a whole, as ones abilities and requirements are constantly changing.
Furthermore, while there are undoubtedly many good and possibly excellent equipment suggestions to help meet the demands of a particular situation or stage of musical development there is almost never a 'magic mouthpiece' or perfect solution that will last forever.

Perhaps the best we teachers can seek to convey to our students is an understanding of the elements that go into the choice of equipment and their relationship to various playing styles. Players and pupils would do well to understand that what they 'bring to the party' (in terms of their ability to use the equipment and adapt their playing habits to suit the requirements of the desired style) is a very large part of the likely success to be found in any equipment choice - and this should be a continuing focus throughout anyone's playing career.

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The tips and comments above are the result of many years of providing help and advice, my personal interest and study, and the teaching that I have done during my career. I have many colleagues and teachers to thank for sharing their thoughts and suggestions on this and other topics. In addition I am indebted to Woodwind & Reed, Cambridge ( www.wwr.co.uk ) where, in the course of helping customers, many of these concepts have been refined and have proven helpful.


Thomas Dryer-Beers

Jazz and Classical Reeds. A Brief Comment on Jazz and Classical Single Reed Design

What makes a JAZZ reed? 

Why are some reeds designated CLASSICAL for use?

In truth almost any type of reed can be used for any type of music, after all, jazz and classical music are playing styles and as such they not specific to an narrow or exclusive sound palette or technical demands. However, in anticipation of the expectations of players, reed manufacturers make great efforts to offer products more likely to perform well on the type of equipment, i.e. mouthpieces and instruments, used and therefore more likely to meet the repertoire requirements for the different playing styles and as a result satisfy the needs of their diverse customers.

In general it is fair to say that JAZZ use reeds will have greater flexibility, less subtle (thicker) tip regions and less wood in the central heart region. CLASSICAL use reeds are generally the opposite having greater rigidity, thinner tip regions for greater subtlety of articulation and more wood in the central ‘heart’ region.

Many jazz reeds are designed to impart an ‘edge’ quality to the sounds to aid projection and achieve a distinctive ‘personality’ to an individuals tone. Classical reeds are intended to warm and round out the tone quality providing a more focused quality with an emphasis on stability and accuracy as these are most important aspects of performance for classical playing. Having said this there are many reed brands which are used successfully by musicians for both styles of performance, notably those by Vandoren (Traditional Blue Box) and various Rico brands, but even within their ranges some products are much more likely to succeed for one type of playing style over another.

In my personal opinion it is best to identify what one wishes to achieve from every set-up and for every style of music and select the best performing reeds for the purpose - even it this means having multiple brands and/or strengths always to hand.This is a relatively small price to pay for getting the best possible results from your equipment.

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The tips and comments above are the result of many years of providing help and advice, my personal interest and study, and the teaching that I have done during my career. I have many colleagues and teachers to thank for sharing their thoughts and suggestions on this and other topics. In addition I am indebted to Woodwind & Reed, Cambridge ( www.wwr.co.uk ) where, in the course of helping customers, many of these concepts have been refined and have proven helpful.

Thomas Dryer-Beers Consultant to Reeds Direct Cambridge
Compiler of the Reeds Direct Cambridge Reed Strength Comparison Chart
www.reeds-direct.co.uk