Alto Saxophone vs Soprano Saxophone

wassup?

One sucks, one doesn't.

Neither sucks, alto is just more versatile.

Soprano has the Kenny G thing going against it.

In good hands, though, it is a truly beautiful sound. For more all-around playing, I prefer the Alto, and the Tenor moreso.

that's about as well put as it can be, SSB. The strange irony in that is Steve Lacy should be known as THE soprano man, bar none...well maybe Dave Liebman, too. It is an awesome sound, especially if you can be very selective to certain tones that can be realized beyond the one that everyone seems to associate with it (the hyper oboe or English horn sound).

It can sound like other wind instruments such as trumpet and flute, but not clarinet. Alto has the fuller, more beautiful voice and obviously the superior altissimo range accessibility.

Between those two, I'd have to go with tenor.

Edit: 999th post! Snuck up on me there!

One more and you're a senior member...

Anyone else notice that Benson transformed from being Cedric the Entertainer into Butthead...???:eek:(scary stuff)

Wha' happened, bro?

That sounds right to me. Clarinets have a smoother tone than saxes. Even sopranos have a slight "buzz" to my ears.

And above about a Triple C, most of the instruments start to sound pretty much the same!

*squeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee, squeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee*

SBB, I wouldn't sat it's the smoothness of tone that differentiates sax and clarinet it's more brightness and dynamic power values. Players can control the buzziness or not have it at all when approaching sax tone because it's all a matter of mouthpieces and reeds. Clarinet on the other hand is far more demanding in mastering a basic good tone with all of the proper phrasing and dynamic control that goes into it. The quality of actual high end wood instruments itself almost always ensures a mellow and round tone, even played very loud, that's when the somewhat brighter, harder tone of the clarinet becomes evident. Embochure effects (glissandi, growling, multi-phonics) however are very demanding as well.

My college's old woodwind teacher retired this year. Most of her students weren't very good; clarinets were often referred to as "Klingon Torture Sticks" because many of the players didn't really sound good.

In good hands, woodwinds are some of the most beautiful tone-makers out there.

My college's old woodwind teacher retired this year. Most of her students weren't very good; clarinets were often referred to as "Klingon Torture Sticks" because many of the players didn't really sound good.

That's why I always hated the Clarinets and Flutes in high school; their tone was terrible. Luckly we have some pretty decent sounding wind sections at my college.

My high school had a pretty good woodwind section all around, but aside from a few trombone players we didn't have any really good brass players my senior year.

Difference between a Sax and a chainsaw?

The grip

let me guess...you play flute...only.......(just kidding )

Welcome aboard, fellow flautist.

BTW, nice Miyazawa you posted on the other thread, 301 or 401? Good luck with it!

A couple of years back I played a great Haynes in-line G w/B foot but at this point I can't justify buying either a Haynes, Miyazawa or any other high end soldered tone hole flute.

Thank goodness my 70s vintage Pearl is a very good instrument as it had some Marimatsu handywork put into it.

Tee hee... just kidding about sax. I taught high school band for a number of years and still wake up in the middle of the night with the screeching whirring in my head - and yes, beginning flautists sound like prank phone callers, stepping on the occasional tail of a cat... but it's all good fun.

My flute is a Miyazawa MC-350 RH - b foot...

What's the definition of a minor second?

Two flautists playing in Unison - that always makes me laugh...it's so true.

and of course the classic:

What's the difference between a flautist and a seamstress?

A seamstress tucks the frills.

Anyway, thanks for the nice welcome.

You're welcome, Flute Girl and please except my apologies for butchering up the good name of Muramatsu in my last post. My Pearl has the same type of Powell style open keys and no pointed arms on the remaining keys, solid sterling silver head, body and foot with platinum springs, a good drawn tone hole instrument, and an excellent vintage for Pearl. Maybe I'll be able to seriously look at some top vintage Haynes, Powells or the newer Japanese models, similar to your Miyazawa, in a year or two.

Good jokes there and I'm sure there pretty much the whole truth; it must be a nightmare to deal with instrument set up as a band teacher at the middle and high school band level, especially flutes, YIKES!!:eek:

Small ensembles FTW. Tuning is much easier to fix between a group of 12 than a group of 50-60.

Beginning wind players, wood or brass, are something that most people, let alone musicians, can simply not put up with!

Think about all those farts and fluffs in the trumpets.

It definitely takes a heck of a person to teach kids to play. You have my respect Flutegirl!

Beginning wind players, wood or brass, are something that most people, let alone musicians, can simply not put up with! Think about all those farts and fluffs in the trumpets. It definitely takes a heck of a person to teach kids to play. You have my respect Flutegirl!

IMO, beginning string players are worse.

Oh, and oboe players

elementary and high school orchestra is POW style torture

Even a good oboe player still makes it sound like an oboe. And that in itself isn't really always that great.

Disagree. A well-played oboe is actually beautiful. But even some major symphony orchestra players (shan't name any names) can't play oboe WELL.

I resemble some of these remarks as I get ready to go into a new school with no idea what to expect to show up in my band room. Teaching beginners (or JH/HS) does require a good bit of patience.

that's an astute observation, IFC. The best oboe players I'm aware of almost invariably are in smaller ensembles where the music is more challenging and that baroque to classical repetoire basically demands a virtuoso player. I'm sure there are modern chamber compositions that showcase oboe as well, but the essential sound is Bach to Mozart. Blending in and taking a few solo bars here and there in a huge, post-Beethoven symphony orchestra set up doesn't do the instrument justice, imho.

Tee hee, besides beginning band, I also taught grade 4 recorder...now that is horrific There was once a southpark episode where they went to a recorder conference for grade 4 students - gosh that was funny. Rude, but really funny.