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 Tenor Sax: The Forgotten Instrument
Author: BHO Tenor Sax 
Date:   2002-09-18 00:06

Is it just me, or does it seem that nobody cares about the tenor sax? In my band, the director always forgets to tune my section (there are three of us, out of approx. 80 people)...also, if there is an important part, and the tenors are one of the instruments that have it, the director doesn't seem to notice it on the score...plus, the T. sax gets some of the worst parts sometimes...if it wasn't for jazz, I don't know what'd I do...

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 RE: Tenor Sax: The Forgotten Instrument
Author: BHO Tenor Sax 
Date:   2002-09-18 00:09

Plus, why do the saxophones have to have such a ridiculously small range...2 1/2 octaves...what's that all about...I see these trumpets playing 3, 4 octaves...and I feel like a inadequate horn player...

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 RE: Tenor Sax: The Forgotten Instrument
Author: BHO Tenor Sax 
Date:   2002-09-18 00:10

What's the deal with the slashes before the commas...

maybe this<>'ll get rid of <>'em

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 RE: Tenor Sax: The Forgotten Instrument
Author: BHO Tenor Sax 
Date:   2002-09-18 00:11

guess not...

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 RE: Tenor Sax: The Forgotten Instrument
Author: Torus Tubarius 
Date:   2002-09-18 00:26

Well, as an oboist that has played in bands before, I know exactly what you mean. If ever the director wants to hear a part that we're doubling with the flutes or trumpets or somebody, we usually get left out. On our case, it's simply because the band world generally isn't a hospitable place for double reeds. They don't know what to make of us, and often I don't know what to make of them. In a lot of band music you see, I'd say at least 80% of it, the oboe and bassoon parts are written as afterthoughts, as if the composer was like, "Oh yeah I gotta throw the double reed players some parts, we'll just double the oboes with the flutes and the bassoons with the tubas." Perhaps in concert band music the tenor sax is treated similarly.

I suppose we each have our respective havens to which we can flee however, orchestras for me and jazz for you.

I used to be a saxophone player, and the range is not limited to just two and a half octaves. Add altissimo and the sky is the limit.



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 RE: Tenor Sax: The Forgotten Instrument
Author: BHO Tenor Sax 
Date:   2002-09-18 00:50

And what exactly is "altissimo"?

I can only play from low B flat to a high F sharp, plus an extremely high C...it is actually a squeak, but it is in tune...

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 RE: Tenor Sax: The Forgotten Instrument
Author: Torus Tubarius 
Date:   2002-09-18 02:58

Well, have you ever watched Saturdady Night Live and listened to their tenor sax player during the intro and exit music? Those ludicrously high notes he's hitting? That's altissimo. It's the next range up on the saxophone above the high F-sharp. It is produced by forcing higher harmonics out of the horn with odd combinations of fingers and changes in emboucure. Actually I wouldn't be surprised if that "squeak" you are talking about is some sort of altissimo note, since sometimes altissimo notes just boil down to controlled squeaking.

There's a fingering chart for altissimo on saxophone here on this site, just hit the link at the top of the page that says, "Back to the Woodwind Fingering Guide Home Page." Look for the saxophone fingering charts on the left.

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 RE: Tenor Sax: The Forgotten Instrument
Author: Gnomon 
Date:   2002-09-18 07:38

Before you launch into trying all the altissimo fingerings for your tenor sax, be warned that the embouchure needed to play these notes is quite different. It is recommended that you start by practising the "Front F" fingerings for high E and F (Octave + f + L2 + L3 and Octave + f + L3). When you can get those notes to come out every time, then try the higher ones.

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 RE: Tenor Sax: The Forgotten Instrument
Author: priit part 
Date:   2002-09-24 20:24

from where to get the exact fing.-ing chart for weltklang tenor B&S?
How to polish/clean the Sil. Plated body very cheeply/Quickly?
What does the B&S mean?

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 RE: Tenor Sax: The Forgotten Instrument
Author: Benny B 
Date:   2002-10-14 18:59

ok 1st of all what kind of a band are you in?
80 freeking people????????
maybe your just pissed because tenor saxs arent the type of an instrument to be a leader in that kind of band. if the music is orchestral then tenors are not needed.
sax are made for jazz/dixy music.
further more its NOT a forgotten instrument
your band director is just a moron.
tell me what kind of music you play.

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 RE: Tenor Sax: The Forgotten Instrument
Author: Clement 
Date:   2002-10-29 12:22

Don't think like that , i can understand u , coz i haad the same problem in my band too . But , it's depends on the director . Tenor sax also a very important part in a band . Then , u have 2 tune it youself , train your ears 2 listen 2 others pitch .

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 RE: Tenor Sax: The Forgotten Instrument
Author: Cletus 
Date:   2002-11-13 22:46

Well, the deal is that Tenor Sax is not usually played by people like starting, so if you are, its because Most good tenor players started on Alto, Tenor just doesn't really get parts in certain bands

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 RE: Tenor Sax: The Forgotten Instrument
Author: Werix22 
Date:   2003-06-09 21:56

Cletyus is completely wrong. I happen to know that John Coltrane, Lebby Pickett, George Young, and Phil Woods all started on tenor. Also, i know SO many pewople who start on tenor.

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