Tenor Saxophone for Alto Saxophonists

[@ethanmaruyama1149]

Man this channel is seriously underrated. So much good content you're posting :)

[@saxnoobplayer9710]

True!

[@seanhurlburtmusic3061]

Was expecting, “loosen your embouchure,” instead got a treatise on saxophone acoustics, overtones, and equipment recommendations. Thanks for these

[@dannyboylan2342]

"oooo that G is gonna cause you some problems" lololol. So true.

[@damienvalenzuela6786]

Bro thank you! I grew up on alto played it a majority of my life. Got to the point my buddies were pushing me to go for the tenor. I got blessed with someone giving me their tenor. Borgani Jubilee. So now I’m over here trying to hit the same stuff in altissimo and just coming up with nasty sounding stuff. Had me laughing when you talked about the high G. You ain’t joking man that high G is tough to land on with the same fingerings I was using on alto damn near impossible. Appreciate this video made me feel like it’s possible to make the switch.

[@Sirvalorsax]

Cool, thanks for watching

[@ronglennproductions5416]

A big difference is that on tenor you’re kind of expected to be able to play to double G. The subtone range is larger in my experience on tenor. I’ve been spending over a year trying to not sound like an alto player on tenor and you’re right-it’s a totally different animal

[@daniellifschitz6280]

Mr Sirvalor I'm a pro flute player also play alto and tenor I want to thank you for your great job translating your vast experience into very precise and practical information. The best for you

[@YannsKitchenUK]

I play both. Like yourself, Can’t let go of alto tho. It was my first instrument. Don’t have a favourite . Love them both the same.

[@marcospintor1333]

This was a huge help. I’ve been an alto player since I was 12 and played some tenor in high school. I’m 20 years old now and I want Tenor to be my main sax.

[@THESAMMUSIC]

That's what exactly I meet the problem now, sometime friends of mine told me, my Tenor sax sound not bad but, I still feel that Tenor sound like Alto, and would like to improve it, Thanks for sharing and teaching.

[@stepanxol]

This sounds like it's been made for me personally :) I bought a nice tenor (Selmer SA II, like new) years ago, but I'm still playing exclusively alto and some soprano... thanks a lot!

[@Sirvalorsax]

Cool

[@PhinAI]

Sir, sincerest thank you for this video. Thank you for the tips, help, and advice. This is one of the few channels for which I will allow advertisements to play. I'm looking forward to your book -- and future channel content!

[@Sirvalorsax]

Wow thanks. That helps a lot!!!

[@nicolasmatherne8574]

I got a jean paul tenor sax to start with recently, and I had my heart jump a little but when I saw that in his avoid category. However, it's been treating me well so far and it'll hopefully give me some longevity until I would want a real upgrade

[@Sirvalorsax]

This is why I don't just say something negative in my reviews but I show exactly what issues I have had. I'm glad that it worked out for you and if you have issues, take advantage of the warranty or just return it.

[@Captain-mz6mg]

I just got a tenor for Christmas and this video was really helpful.

[@Sirvalorsax]

Sweet, thanks for watching

[@MrSaago]

I wish I had seen this three years ago. It would have saved me a lot of disappointment, time and money 😁 on my way from alto to tenor. Thanks for this video, great job again!

[@Sirvalorsax]

Cool, thanks for watching

[@bucklaser__inf8950]

Just started trying tenor out today, anything below an alto a is pretty hard to get out. Nice video

[@poullamhauge5863]

Thank you so much for uploading this video you are a fantastic saxophone guide and guru. I got this alltisimo G working using a Meyer tenor mouthpiece with 7 opening legere 2 1/2. All the best from Denmark

[@Sirvalorsax]

Thanks

[@champion2550]

Thank you so much I was wanting to switch from Alto to Tenor and my friend that plays tenor says tener is way harder to breathe and it requires more air

[@christopherdevita5608]

I really needed this video! Thank you so much for the consistently fantastic content!

[@Sirvalorsax]

Cool.

[@HB-ve4wi]

So helpful. I'm an alto player. I sound like a steamboat on the tenor! Thanks!

[@Sirvalorsax]

Lol

[@lifeboy3253]

Relatable

[@davideiotti9725]

Thanks very helpful

[@super20dan]

opposite for me. most of my carrier spent on tenor. last decade of my playing spent on alto and i love ! . never even pick up th tenor anymore and would sell all mine in a heartbeat. need a kingsuper 20 silversonic or conn 10m or selmer radio improved or buescher 400? i will sell all of them. keeping the mk6

[@khaosxy2122]

How much for each one?

[@Kholdster]

Could you elaborate on how the tenor is less resistant than the alto? How does this affect your embouchure? Thanks!

[@sauron1427]

Been waiting for this!

[@wongsoondumrong5955]

Thank I try high G so many time but it didn'T work.

[@zacchaeuswilson6116]

I actually started on tenor in the 6th grade. And I didn't even TOUCH an alto until my freshman year in college.

[@michaelrowe1907]

Very informative thank you 😊

[@Sirvalorsax]

Cool, thanks for watching 👀 😀

[@manuelramirezmagic]

Thank you ! ♠️🎷

[@Livesaxmusic77]

love your video pls send me some fingering charts from f sharp altissimo

[@DynamixWarePro]

Could you do another video on going from playing alto/tenor to soprano sax? I have played alto sax for nearly 2 years and a week ago I got my first soprano sax, a Conn-Selmer DSS 200 and its 1 piece straight soprano with a straight neck. I have never played or held a soprano sax before and found the ergonomics a bit tricky to deal with, especially the weight of it on my right hand/arm. I am using a neck strap with it. I may also not have had the proper embouchure or position of the mouthpiece in my mouth as I ended up with a sore bottom lip, tuning issues and the low Bb doesn't want to play straight away. I am playing on a Vandoren SL3 as I play on a Vandoren AL5 on my alto and wanted to use the same mouthpiece but smaller tip for easier control and using same reeds, Legere Signature but 2 1/4 strength instead of the 2 1/2 I play on my alto as I found they played the best for me.

[@Sirvalorsax]

I will look into it. Thanks for the suggestion.

[@RFingaz69]

What is re-padding a sax? I just got a cheaper end tenor sax on impulse but i havent played in a decade (i played alto for band in highschool)

[@Sirvalorsax]

Underneath the keys are pads that make contact with the body of the saxophone. Over time, they can deteriorate and will need to be replaced. This is called a repad. Cheaper saxophones use inferior quality pads and may have tone holes that destroy the pads also

[@RFingaz69]

@@Sirvalorsax thank you for your response and for the informative video. You the goat

[@mahasetrarabezanahary3979]

Thank you guy. This vidéo help me a lot

[@Sirvalorsax]

Thanks for watching

[@belibeki]

What saxsophon is a better choice for playing the blues music, tenor or alto? What do you think? I would like to hear your opinion.

[@Sirvalorsax]

Which ever one you like the most. I prefer tenor. Tenor is the more solo oriented music for Big Band if one is available.

[@twjamjam]

i wish i had this last year

[@HonestSaxSound-unEdited-]

Good work friend. Many thanks.

[@parker550]

Great vid ad ever, on a recent mobley transcription the transcriber has written 'side D', over a bar/lick... What exactly is a side d? Never seen this referred to before🤔🎷

[@lisawanderess]

Its probably the top D (3rd octave) thats the first top left palm key with the octave key?

[@KrisVComm]

Good stuff

[@glenfordtanwing5085]

Please show the front fingering from high d to f# again. Thank you

[@sebastianbartholomew8521]

Weird question but, what reed strength would best for a 8* tip opening?

[@Sirvalorsax]

I would use 2.5 to #2 reeds. Keep in mind, every reed manufacturer is different. I also use a lip out embouchure which requires lower tip opening mouthpieces. Also, a very aggressive baffle will make a mouthpiece tip opening feel smaller than what it is. For example, on an Otto link 8* I'd use a #2 , for a theo wanne Shiva 2, I'd use a #3.

[@sebastianbartholomew8521]

Sirvalorsax okay thanks, what are some go to reeds besides vandoren?

[@aaaaaa-aaaaaaaaaaaaaaa]

Sorry for offtopic but i think you are the right person to ask that i would definately trust. I am looking for dark, mellow mouthpiece for under 100$, was looking at otto link HR 5 star. What would you reccommend?

[@Sirvalorsax]

I don't think you can get one for under $100 but they usually aren't very expensive. Around that same price are the V5 T35s and the V16 HR from Vandoren and also from E. Rousseau the JDX series. Keep in mind that the link and the jdx needed to be worked on and the JDX didn't play at all. Make sure you understand the return policy on the piece before you buy it in case you get the wrong tip opening or if you just don't like it. Before you switch mps's I would try a stiffer (darker) cut reed. This can make a HUGE difference and save you a lot of money. I'm loving the V21 2.5 Vandoren reeds with my lower tip opening mouthpieces these days

[@aaaaaa-aaaaaaaaaaaaaaa]

@@Sirvalorsax Thanks! Im actually on alto, sorry, forgot to mention that. And Otto link tone edge HR is 100 euro where I am. Its my first upgrade so I will spend some years before thinking about expensive ones.

[@Asupertramp685]

Have you heard of Phil Barone tenor saxophones? I've heard nothing but good things about them.

[@marlon6030]

You left out lasax company. I got a all black nickel plated big bell and it plays awesome! only set me back $900 on sell half price 3 years ago.

[@Sirvalorsax]

Wow. They are now Sax Dakota. They seem to be making much better quality stuff nowadays

[@abedinsubashi]

4:52 “The easiest high G” Me: Still can’t play this G with consistently and either gets a squeak or a multiphonic

[@overthetarget9401]

This man is the King of Altissimo so don't get discouraged.Seriously great content from the Altissimoter, he's a good man.

[@gangofgreenhorns2672]

I learned how to hit the high G bc of this channel actually. It's the only altissimo note I've practiced so far. Making sure my aperture is loose enough as I increase the airspeed with the rest of my embouchure/throat is key. I used to overshoot it all the time too. Coming up under the note is how it feels. Like there is a non-note (okay its a note but it sounds muted and un-sax like) coming out at first and then if you just push that non-note louder it becomes the G. This is for that alt-F fingering on its own, at least--the fingering I learned first. Think that feeling of coming up from below is why so many people have to scoop into it--the only other option for them is to overshoot the note, or maybe split it like you're having happen. Adding the G# key (and to a lesser extent the side Bb key) help eliminate some of that "up from below" feeling for me. Also how tight my ligature is makes a difference too; so now when I begin to play I start with a low Bb, and then the next thing is the high G and I hold it while adjusting the screw on my lig until its as easy feeling as possible--this may only work on Rovner/1-screw ligs. Hope any of this helps, stay safe!

[@bluegoose555]

again..at the expense of mass embarrassment Adriene... Ive CONFUSED myself "no end" (switching around) Alto ... Guitar and now Tenor and Soprano...(my original idea was to work with concert pitch as ear training... and so I found myself playing all my instruments in concert pitch context ( Im never on a band stand...and my Aebersold charts are transposed) I was wondering how you pros do it ?..... when I asked you yesterday about a low G on Bb instruments (to get that G in EbM as 7 in AbM (Misty) I was meaning in concert...and your answer seemed to acknowledge that (ie..Ab concert as lowest tone (Ive only recently been able to sound that bottom note with a relaxed embouchure...with this new metal V16 T6 (thanks for the mouthpiece stuff...totally awesome on that ship !!! ) I love the idea of the top 123 as.. F(A)...or Bb but I guess that aint going to fly in a band situation (ie...one is a fool to play EITHER horn as concert context ) ...so again F is G .... E open is great on alto (A blues) ...so hey man..my pitch stuff and intonation stuff is resolved... and I guess my question is with your circle knowledge...and as you read a lot...its just taken for granted that the alto voice is a miii above .. ie...one just perceives the intervals...and sounds...and not so much key centers.. I never really knew about that F# button !!! (the Alto has one as well (so hidden ) Ive always perceived Alto Eb up to Eb concert..as C - C... my point ...is...if Im on alto playing unisons with a trumpeter...or a piano..I have to do the brain shift... so I guess my question is... don't confuse horns via the structural sameness ... just think in circles...in comparison to the piano or other concert etc?...as by design...they are 3 different voices etc... (or everyone would be playing the same thing etc) ...the Big Duh ?...my feeling is ..these confusion issues ...will disappear...as I get more accomplished.. by transposing for all three ...its an easy whole tone shift...so my Dm..is simply a Cm etc ...you can see Im still confused...maybe its as simple as playing in concert...sometimes (the blues) ... and sometimes not (jazz) I started as a blues harp guy...1st 2nd 3rd positions etc.. its crazy shifting... yet required...I would appreciate your take on this...or other commenters...again thanks for all the knowledge you have shared...its altered my universe... articulation..intonation..max beat reduction.. mouthpieces...Im just about ready to address the altissimo and all this fingering knowledge...but yeah..alto and tenor..two different beasts..I feel I was a fool to collate them !!!

[@bluegoose555]

conflate them

[@bluegoose555]

I think Ive worked out whats happening (when you call the B natural key 5:07) I am hearing that as A ...thats how I learned both horns (bis as Bb (C-C (C# open) my tuning app(doesn't transpose)...the confusion .."the seeing" ...the brain seeing the buttons as concert note labels . it seems sax language is "already transposed" Ill simply get a tuning app that transposes (tonal energy etc) I apologise for wasting time..take care

[@bluegoose555]

yes...that woks (tonal energy as transposed etc) ... so yeah...Ill play each horn as transposed ...and do the concert pitch modulation in my head (ie...back to one button scheme for both horns (bis key as Bb etc)

[@therudolftyler7670]

Certain moments I close my eyes, and feel like Tyler the creator is giving me saxophone advice?

[@SkylersRants]

What website is giving those financing options? I don't see that on Amazon. Where were you looking?

[@SkylersRants]

Seriously, where are you seeing those financing options for a tenor sax?

[@pimpovic2]

Local music stores

[@karoblazenko]

I sent this to my son who's just trying out tenor after alto (and struggling), and immediately he called me and said "why did this guy have Morgan Freeman voiceover his video!?!"

[@Sirvalorsax]

Lol, I hear that so much I really need to do a video on that.

[@alaf0lie]

You seem to play on a Cannonball sax, but it is not in your suggestion list at the end of the video. Why not ?

[@Sirvalorsax]

There are many great saxophones on the market to choose from. Cannonball only sells through authorized dealers. I don't know if the have made changes recently but they are a little difficult to get a hold of. If you are interested in getting one I would suggest that you check their website to see how. I'm also not endorsed or paid by any of these companies so I don't benifit from your choice of saxophones or mouthpieces.

[@alaf0lie]

@@Sirvalorsax Thanks for your answer. I actually have one, a big bell stone series hotspur (live in Belgium, can tell its difficult to get one). I noticed you play with one from this serie as well. So I was just wondering. Thank you for your videos, this so generous !

[@eboyeman8457]

I'm a drummer why am I here😂

[@Sirvalorsax]

LOL

[@kathleenbrown9212]

Tenor saxophone sounds deeper than alto

[@linkjohn4650]

Are you an empath?

[@Sirvalorsax]

😃