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Music

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Saxophone Question.

8 replies

ChaosTrulyReigns · 15/09/2010 20:51

I'm guessing this is the right topic.

DD3 can have woodwind lessons soon at school - I would like her to learn the saxophone.

After a few searches there seems to be many different types - could someone point me in the right direction of which one to pick?

TIA.

OP posts:
Othersideofthechannel · 15/09/2010 20:55

Do you mean Alto or Soprano or Tenor?
Or do you mean which brand?

How old is she?

ChaosTrulyReigns · 15/09/2010 21:03

See I'm lost at sea.

She's a small 7.

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Othersideofthechannel · 15/09/2010 21:12

Alto is considered the easiest to learn (fingering very similar to flute and recorder) but it may be too big and heavy for her.

Soprano is smaller and lighter (and higher pitched) than the Alto but supposed to be harder. (Never tried it!)

Tenor will definitely be too big.

Othersideofthechannel · 15/09/2010 21:14

Wouldn't the music teacher be able to advise?
Lots of children start off on clarinet which also has a reed and then graduate to saxophone when they are bigger.

ChaosTrulyReigns · 15/09/2010 21:20

There's a funny system in our school- you need to provide an instrument, then they audition, if they can get a note out of it them they are picked to have lessons. Confused

DD1 plays flute.
DD2 plays clarinet.

So I'd like something different for DD3.

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Othersideofthechannel · 15/09/2010 21:27

How ridiculous!

fluffyhamster · 15/09/2010 21:30

I think saxophone would be too big for your DD.

Alto is the 'normal' size that you see played in wind/jazz bands, but it's really quite big and heavy.

DS1 who is 10, big for his age, and now 5ft, started learning Alto sax last year and found it heavy. I play too, and still find it makes my neck/hands ache after holding it and standing.

Good advice about learning the clarinet, and then moving onto sax (which is what I did...).

But I see you said,
"DD2 plays clarinet.

So I'd like something different for DD3."

Perhaps, more importantly, you need to ask your daughter what she'd like to play? She needs to be enthusiastic, and want to play whatever she learns.

Personally I'm a big fan of young kids learning to play the recorder properly. It IS a proper woodwind instrument, and can really be quite beautiful when played well... (look up Piers Adams...!)
Learning to read music on any instrument will help any future instruments, and the descant & tenor recorders use the same fingering as a saxophone.

Otherwise, what about the oboe? Smaller than a sax, and always in demand in orchestras (whereas flute/clarinets are ten a penny!)

ChaosTrulyReigns · 15/09/2010 21:31

Tell me about it.

Been through it twice already with a big Hmm face.

May go in tomorrow to speak to the peripatetic see what she recommends - but traditionally there's never any communications between them and us.

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