Play the Alto Saxophone

The alto saxophone is one of the most common saxophones in modern musical groups, and is often the instrument that people picture when they hear the general term "saxophone". It is pitched in E flat and is larger and lower than the soprano sax, but smaller and higher than the tenor. A great instrument for young children to adults to learn to play, the alto sax offers many opportunities for musical learning and expression.

Steps

  1. Get an alto saxophone and the accessories necessary to play it. You probably want to borrow or rent one from a school or music store unless you're absolutely sure you're going to stick with the instrument. Many beginners prefer models like the Yamaha student alto (YAS-23), or a Conn New Wonder that has been overhauled but on a beginner level, but anything available from a respectable source like Sam Ashe or eBay should work. The best way to find a saxophone that's right for you is to go to a saxophone warehouse where you can try them out to see which is best for you. You'll also need the following accessories, if they don't already come with the instrument:
    • A mouthpiece Don't buy the cheapest one available, but don't splurge on a professional one yet, especially if you may not even stick with the instrument. You'll probably want one made of plastic or hard rubber.
      • Claude Lakey 6*3 Original, Meyer 5, Selmer C* and S-90 series are still popular with instructors and all levels of players from beginners to professionals. Many other brands offer good beginner mouthpieces as well. The Yamaha 4C is also popular.
      • Generally, a good hard rubber mouthpiece will run around $100-150 US. When starting off don't worry about getting a good mouthpiece, a decent student model will suffice.
      • Metal mouthpieces are not suggested for beginners. The worst mistake a beginner can make is to buy an expensive mouthpiece because of advertising, including endorsements by the pros. Preference in mouthpieces is very personal. What a professional like Dave Koz uses might not be suitable for a beginner or novice player. Unfortunately, you just have to try a bunch to find something you like and metal mouthpieces are expensive!
      • To find the best mouthpiece for you, do some research. Learn what the shapes and sizes do to the response and sound. Large bore mouthpieces react differently than smaller bore ones. This is easier to understand after you've played both kinds. Some mouthpieces are made to achieve certain tonal qualities, and if you don't know what you are looking for yet, you should look for mouthpieces which do not lean too far into the classical and jazz, or dark and bright genres. Rousseau, Selmer, Vandoren and Meyer all make good products.
    • A ligature, if not included with the horn/mouthpiece. The ligature is the device that holds the reed to the mouthpiece. A metal one is fine. Some performers prefer the sound of a leather ligature, but these cost more than the metal ones.
    • Reeds: As a beginner, you'll probably want to experiment with reeds a bit, but start with anything between a 1.5 to a 2.5, which shouldn't be too easy nor too hard to get a sound with and should produce a decent tone. Good brands to start with are Rico and Vandoren.
    • Neck strap: Alto saxes aren't usually back-breaking, but you'll need something to help support it while you play. Neck straps come in a variety of styles, and you should choose the one that's most comfortable for you.
    • Swab: A swab is a piece of fabric (often silk) on a long string with a weight on the end that is pulled through the instrument to remove moisture that has ended up in the horn from playing.
    • Fingering chart: A fingering chart shows how to play all the notes in the range of the instrument, and you'll want to have one when learning to play.
    • Method book(s): While not required by any means, if you're learning on your own or would like some extra help, they are an excellent investment.
  2. Assemble the saxophone. Attach the neck (the short, slightly curved piece that's angled wider than 45') to the top of the body of the instrument (the part with all the keys), which is the smaller end of the body and secure with the neck screw which is right next to the top of the body. Remember that your octave key (the long triangular thing along the top of the neck) is sensitive; take care when assembling the neck. Place the wooden reed on the mouthpiece so you can see a very tiny bit of the mouthpiece showing up top. Place the ligature (the small, open metal cylinder) with the screws on the side on the mouthpiece over the reed. If it doesn't seem to fit, turn it upside down and try again. You should be able to see the screws when you're putting it on. Attach your neck strap to the loop on the back of the instrument, put it around your neck, and stand up.
  3. Make sure you're holding the instrument correctly. Your left hand should be on the top and your right hand should be on the bottom. Your right thumb goes under the curved thumb rest towards the bottom of the instrument. Your right index, middle, and ring fingers go on the mother of pearl keys that should be easy to find. Your pinky will move the other keys at the bottom of the sax. Your left thumb should go on the round piece at the top of the instrument. You will see five mother of pearl keys at the top. Your index finger goes on the second one down, and your middle and ring fingers go on the fourth and fifth, respectively.
  4. Form your embouchure. There are many different variations of embouchure. Beginners are sometimes taught to curl both lips over their teeth (like grandpa). Most people curl their lower lip over their bottom teeth slightly, and rest their top teeth on the top of the mouthpiece. Some people even press firmly with their lips without curling them over their teeth. Each method produces different tone quality. Play around with what works for you. It's important to make a good, firm seal around the mouthpiece, so that when you blow the air goes through the instrument and not out the corners of your mouth. However, the embouchure does not have to be extremely tight.
  5. Without covering any holes or pressing any keys, blow into the instrument. If you've done this right, you'll hear a C# (concert E). If you're not getting a sound or you're making a squeaking noise, adjust your embouchure until the tone improves. You may need to put more or less of the mouthpiece inside your mouth. You can also try playing just the mouthpiece: it's sometimes easier to make your first sound with just the mouthpiece. Then just do the same thing with the mouthpiece on the neck!
  6. Move on to the next notes.
    • Press the second mother of pearl key down with your left middle finger, leaving the others uncovered. This produces a C (concert Eb).
    • Press the first mother of pearl key down with your left index finger. This produces a B (concert D).
    • Press down the first and second mother of pearl keys. This produces an A (concert C).
    • Continue covering more holes, going down the scale. Three covered is a G, four is an F, five is an E, and six is a D (concert pitches Bb, Ab, G, and F). You may have a little trouble with the lower notes at first, but it'll improve with practice.
    • Add the octave key (the metal key above your left thumb) to any of these fingerings to produce the same note, but an octave higher.
    • With the help of a fingering chart, move on to altissimo (really high) and really low notes in the range, as well as flat and sharp notes. In time, you will be able to play every note your saxophone can reach from bottom Bb up to top F#.
  7. Find some music to play. If you're learning for a school band, you'll definitely get something to learn from there. Otherwise, visit a music store to buy sheet music and/or method books to begin to play from. Once you get more advanced, it's fun to buy books with pop songs that you recognise, or to play along with a CD.
  8. Keep practicing. With a lot of hard work and dedication, you'll get better and better at playing. You can branch out into all kinds of specific types of music, especially jazz.



Tips

  • Don't assume that you can learn an instrument quickly or easily. Learning to play an instrument well can take years of patience and practice.
  • You can prolong the life of your mouthpiece by purchasing mouthpiece pads that stick onto the top of the mouthpiece to prevent indentations from your teeth. These pads also protect your teeth from the vibrations of the instrument.
  • You should always be relaxed and comfortable while playing your sax.
  • Adjust the neck strap so when you tilt the saxophone toward you, it goes to your mouth. Make sure you aren't hunching over to get to the mouthpiece; this is important or you could hurt your back.
  • Take your alto in for a Know when It's Time to Clean Your Musical Instrument or COA (Cleaning, Oiling, Adjusting) about once or twice a year, just to make sure it's in good working order.
  • Make sure you sit up straight and breathe from your diaphragm, not your throat (if you are doing this, your stomach should inflate when you inhale and deflate when you exhale).
  • Join a local band it will give you an opportunity to make great music and learn with others.
  • Keep in mind that the alto sax is a transposing instrument. It is pitched in the key of Eb, meaning the note you hear sounds nine half-steps (a major sixth) lower than the written note.
  • For the best possible sound, you'll want to tune before you play. Refer to this article for more information.
  • Once you've learned one saxophone, you can learn to play any of the others fairly easily. They all feature the same key system and fingerings, but are larger or smaller than the alto. Many saxophone players, particularly in jazz, play more than one saxophone.
  • Pick your saxophone up by the bell so you don't damage any of the valves.
  • When playing in the altissimo range of notes (advanced high notes) tighten your lips to get out the note.
  • Join your school or local band. There are community orchestras too.
  • Try to push the saxophone away from you slightly with your right thumb instead of having it leaning against your body. If sitting down, rest the saxophone either between your legs or to one side - whichever is more comfortable for you.
  • If your lips start to hurt make a motorboat sound and relax your lips to help relieve the pain.

Warnings

  • Be sure to swab your sax every time you play it. If you don't clean it, the pads inside will swell from your saliva, causing the keys to not seal all the way. If this happens, take your sax to a repair center right away.
  • Similarly, do not forget put cork grease (which comes in a twisty tube that looks like lip balm) on the brown cork part of the neck so that the mouthpiece will slide on and off easily without getting stuck. The best time to do this is before you put the saxophone away so that it will absorb the grease before you next play it.
  • Under no circumstances should you play your sax right after eating. The enzymes in your saliva will cause your sax to deteriorate over time. Make sure you rinse your mouth out with water before you play, just in case.
  • If the neck starts to get stuck in the body of the saxophone, rub the end of it and the inside of the body firmly with your swab or a handkerchief so it can slide in and out smoothly.
  • Do not pick up your saxophone by the neck, or upper portion of the body. Many student's have bent keys doing this. Instead, pick up your saxophone by the bell, gripping where there are no moving parts.

Things You'll Need

  • Alto saxophone.
  • Mouthpiece and ligature.
  • Reeds. (1.5 - 2.5 strength at first)
  • Neck strap.
  • Swab
  • Fingering chart
  • Method book(s) - optional

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