Just starting out.... Alto vs. Tenor

    
Just starting out.... Alto vs. Tenor    03:12 on Wednesday, March 21, 2007          

colehole
(8 points)
Posted by colehole

Hey I just started learning on the alto sax, but want to switch to the tenor. Just wondered what the biggest diffrences are and if its a difficult transition.


Re: Just starting out.... Alto vs. Tenor    14:21 on Wednesday, March 21, 2007          

Toptrump04
(349 points)
Posted by Toptrump04

I started sax on alto and switched to tenor with ease. The only differences are the size, the amount of air you need to support, and a slight embouchure change. Overall it's not a hard transition. I love the sound of tenor sax, so good luck.


Re: Just starting out.... Alto vs. Tenor    20:05 on Wednesday, March 21, 2007          

colehole
(8 points)
Posted by colehole

the biggest thing i was confused about is on fingering charts the notes are the same for alto and tenor... but they are diffrent keys. so i don't see how they could be the same note on the same finger positions?


Re: Just starting out.... Alto vs. Tenor    07:30 on Thursday, March 22, 2007          

cjbass
(180 points)
Posted by cjbass

Saxophone is a transposing instrument, meaning that if we play a note it will not be the same in concert pitch. Adolf Sax did it this way so there would be an easy transition between the saxes, and you wouldn't have to learn new fingerings.
Alto and Bari are Eb
Soprano and Tenor are Bb
This translates to when you play a C on a tenor it sounds like a concert Bb and when you play a C on an alto it sounds like a Eb.
That being said alto and tenor music are not interchangable (unless it is unaccompianied) and you will have to transpose. That is why there is always separate music for alto and tenor.


Re: Just starting out.... Alto vs. Tenor    15:10 on Tuesday, April 10, 2007          

tenorsax13
(534 points)
Posted by tenorsax13

Exactly. I learned this the hard way. I was per forming a solo with a piano last year, thought it would be cool to play it on both my alto and tenor. The piece was meant for Bb Tenor, not Eb Alto. At the time, i didnt know the difference. So when i got to the repeat, i picked up the alto and started playing.

I think you see where this is going.


Re: Just starting out.... Alto vs. Tenor    18:30 on Tuesday, April 10, 2007          

catsax93
(19 points)
Posted by catsax93

going from a sax to a tenor is just the same notes as a sax's notes....but the tenor has a deeper voice then the sax does...


Re: Just starting out.... Alto vs. Tenor    21:17 on Tuesday, April 10, 2007          

asound777
(14 points)
Posted by asound777

fingurings are the same you fingure a G on the tenor the same way you do on an alto. They're just in different concert pitches.


   




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