Anyone Play Brass/Wood Wind?

[Dog--]

I'm taking music class all 4 years in high school, I'm in my 2nd year with Tenor Saxophone, I was wondering - Anyone else play brass/wood wind?

I'm one of the best in my group of tenor players (although most of them suck), so I might get one eventually.. I can play most songs pretty fast, I can play Smoke on the Water with no mistakes... it's hard..

 

[Qhartb]

I can play Smoke on the Water with no mistakes... it's hard..

Saxophone Hero... hehe.

Anyways, I'm piano primary, but also play percussion (I perfer marimba), clarinet, and recorder. (That is, I play recorder pretty well, and have performed songs much harder than Hot Cross Buns.)

 

[Dog--]

lol, recorder is for noobs (no offense) I learned it in grade 7...

I also play guitar, but recorder ftl..

We play "May It Be" in class (theme of Lord of the Rings), and we have no flute players, and that song is nothing without Flute, the teacher plays the Flute part with piano, but it just doesn't work, I wish we had flute players... point is: Flute ftw.

 

[DrDevin]

Clarinet, tennor and alto sax, here. Although I don't really play much anymore.

I've actually played a little bit of flute but it was seriously hard, especially comming from the 3 (similiar) instruments I mentioned. It is quite a change and I wasnt especially patient but I agree it does add a lot to some music.

We did have a large and talented flute section, so thats another reason why I didn't put much effort into it.

 

[Que-Ever]

I once taught myself how to play trumpet a few years ago.. I've been thinking about doing it again, my brother also plays trumpet.

 

[Hectic Glenn]

I'm just starting to learn how to play Sax now, so if you guys could give me some information on it, and how you find it etc, that would be great.

 

[Dog--]

Which Sax? Small one is Alto, big one is Tenor (Lisa Simpson Sax).

They have the same fingerings, but the Alto sounds alot higher pitched, and usually is used to play the melody. The Tenor is mostly used for backround/bass, accompanied by the Baritone Sax (Big ass Saxophone).

We only have 1 Baritone in our class, and you can hear it over all the other instruments, that's how loud it is.

I don't know how far into it you are yet, Glenn, how long have you been playing? Do you know any notes yet?

 

[mastag]

trumpet, was great in middle school, average in high school.

 

[Qhartb]

lol, recorder is for noobs (no offense) I learned it in grade 7...

Dude, recorder is so freaking underestimated. Really freaking easy if you're playing in D, G, C, F, Bb. Seriously playing in other keys is actually a lot harder than, say, sax or clarinet, since those instruments have key mechanisms to help you out, whereas on recorder you're working directly on the holes.

Seriously, give me two octaves worth of Db major scale on recorder before you poo-poo it.

 

[Jangle]

lol, recorder is for noobs (no offense) I learned it in grade 7...

I also play guitar, but recorder ftl..

No. You can't just 'learn' an instrument. Even the best players in the world are still learning how to improve. You may have learned how to play a couple of notes, but the recorder really is a great sounding instrument when it's played well. I agree with Qhartb.

Saxophone is a great instrument to start learning, Glenn. It's one of the easiest instruments to pick up and play. I recommend joining a band, it's the best way to get better quickly even if you feel out of place at first.

I took up saxophone a few years ago, but I prefer playing brass like my trombone and tuba, I dunno why really.

 

[Hectic Glenn]

Which Sax? Small one is Alto, big one is Tenor (Lisa Simpson Sax).

They have the same fingerings, but the Alto sounds alot higher pitched, and usually is used to play the melody. The Tenor is mostly used for backround/bass, accompanied by the Baritone Sax (Big ass Saxophone).

We only have 1 Baritone in our class, and you can hear it over all the other instruments, that's how loud it is.

I don't know how far into it you are yet, Glenn, how long have you been playing? Do you know any notes yet?

No i'm only at the point of looking to start lessons and buy a Sax, i've been looking at the different types. The alto one is impressively small, i'm still not sure what one is ideal to play. I do really enjoy jazz, so i suppose being able to play melodies is important for that. But, yes i'm right at the start because i'm in love with the sound, and you sax players look great with that clip around your neck i must say.

 

[Jangle]

Oh, you haven't got one yet? I'd reccomend an Alto if you're not sure, seeing as they're the most widely used and generally considered easiest to play.

edit: and least expensive

 

[Hazar]

I was fairly good at trumpet in hs, don't play now though.

 

[Dog--]

I tend to think Alto sax's are harder, because with higher notes you have to bite down harder, and at the start it can get really tiresome for your mouth, the notes are played the same on both instruments anyway, so if you want a bass-ish melody pick the Tenor (I prefer Tenor (bass), myself), if you want a more high toned melody pick the Alto. If you can play one, you can play the other because as I said, notes are the same. It's not actually that hard to learn the notes, the hard part is going fast, and being able to change the pressure on the reed quick enough, once you've got the speed, the rest is cake.

Also, I never said the recorder was easy, I said it was for noobs, I meant it's a little kid instrument, if you are going to play an instrument like that, play the Clarinet, Flute, or Soprano Sax (Similar to a Clarinet in looks), I just could never get into recorder..

 

[Stigmata]

Also, I never said the recorder was easy, I said it was for noobs, I meant it's a little kid instrument, if you are going to play an instrument like that, play the Clarinet, Flute, or Soprano Sax (Similar to a Clarinet in looks), I just could never get into recorder..

It's just hugely prevalent because a) it's extraordinarily easy to pick-up-and-play, and b) you can get them very, very cheap compared to pretty much any other worthwhile instrument.

 

[Jangle]

Also, I never said the recorder was easy, I said it was for noobs, I meant it's a little kid instrument, if you are going to play an instrument like that, play the Clarinet, Flute, or Soprano Sax (Similar to a Clarinet in looks), I just could never get into recorder..

What Stigmata said. Listen to some professional recorder players and then say it's a little kid's instrument.