Hi!! I have been wanting to play the alto sax. I wanted to know if it is really hard. I am planning to teach myself. Do you think i should get a teacher? or teach myself? is it hard to blow on the mouthpiece to make the sound come out? I really need some advice

thanx ^_^

you should REALLY get a sax teacher incase you do anything wrong and start bad habits. It`s not very hard, it`s just breathing but its a great instrument to play. I would strongly advise a teacher.

I`ll second that comment about not teaching yourself how to play. Definitely take some private lessons if you want to learn to play the sax (and any other instrument, for that matter). You can learn to do a large number of things the wrong way if you don`t start taking private lessons right away. I know this, having played for 5 years, and only having started lessons in my 3rd year.

The sax is actually one of the easier instruments to learn. However, like most other instruments, it takes years of practice to play well. If you are serious about it, and you have good mentorship, then you`ll do just fine.

Thomas

I have been playing the sax for about 5 years and i didnt have a private teacher. I am 1st chair in my band and am also in the jazz band. Private lessons may be nice, but if your on a strict budget, from my personal experience, you wouldnt need a teacher right away. But i guess every person developes sax skills at different times.

^i`m assuming you took instrument music in school? that counts as a teacher. this person wants to self-teach herself. i`m self teaching myself the bassoon (b/c my teacher knows close to nothing about them) and i must be doing 1000 things wrong...

*instrumental lol...

im with sax_guy if you want to take it really seriously then i`d get a teacher but i play as a hobby and i taught my self (with the help of a book)the basics and after about a month someone told me i was grade 1 standard so... hope it helps

That may be true, but if you don`t have a professional musician mentoring you, then you will definitely form bad habits, and not learn how to take care of your instrument properly. I see sax players at my school laying their instruments down the wrong way, leaning it face up against their cases, and other misdemeanors. My opinion is that you should get some private lessons.

i just bought a sax and im curiouse to know wether it was a good prise. i would like to know the average prise of a brand new alto sax.

The title of this thread could be misunderstood easily

i have been playing the sax for about 7 years and i strongle advise you to get a teacher. The basics of the sax are simple but will get more advance. So get a teacher. i have alot of experience being a band teacher. lol.

i have just started to learn to play the alto sax 2 months to be exact i strongly recomend you get a teacher.

errr.. i have been playing the sax for about 4 to 6 weeks now. and i pretty much teach myself everything. BUT. i went to a summer band school camp for about 1 week. then i had to leave. now i just teach myself everything else. i need help though. how do u play a G sharp????

Definately get a prvate lesson teacher.

forumofthesaxes.myfreeforum.org

now i have a band instructor even tho its not better than private but o well!!