L3F1 MUSIC

Alto Saxophone

Famous Saxophone Players – Who Are They?

Who are the really famous saxophone players? It can be hard to make the difference between good saxophone players and the really great ones as it's also a matter of personal taste and subjectivity. Some, however, become famous on a world wide scale. This article discusses three of them.

John Coltrane

The American saxophonist, jazz band leader and composer John Coltrane was born in Hamlet, North Carolina, in an extended family led by his grandfather who was a reverend. Coltrane was especially influential in the jazz music scene of the 1960s and 1970s.

Coltrane played the tenor saxophone and is remembered especially for his huge dark tone with body and clear definition. He was a master of the high registers. His difficult piece "Giant Steps", which is seen as having the most difficult and complicated chord progression of all the widely played jazz compositions, stands as a supreme demonstration of his skills.

Coltrane struggled with alcohol and drugs. He was able to beat his addiction and recorded the album "A Love Supreme" to give voice to his victory. Coltrane died early, at the age of 40, from liver cancer.

Charlie Parker

Born in 1920 in Kansas City as the only child of Charles and Addie Parker, he was one of the greatest improvising solo players in jazz and had a major influence on the emerging "bop" scene.

While in public school, Parker took music lessons and at the age of 13 he switched to the alto saxophone. At age 15, he left school and started to play for a living by joining groups in his hometown.

During the 1940s, the music press began to write about him while he was a member of leading bands that toured throughout the United States. In 1945, he started his own band and worked with the famous music artist Dizzy Gillespie.

In spite of his talents and success, Parker had his own demons to combat, which included heroin and alcohol. He struggled with addiction and, especially during his final years, went through financial and personal crises. A year before his death, he tried to kill himself twice. In 1955 he died in New York.

Stan Getz

Born in 1927 in Philadelphia in a family that originated from Russia, his real name was Stanley Gayetzy. He had such a perfect control over his sax that he was nicknamed "The Sound". All in all, he recorded over 300 pieces. As one observer put it, for Getz, the saxophone was a direct expression of his heart. He had had a superb technical skill and could get any music from his saxophone that he wanted.

Following his amazing solo "Early Autumn", which he recorded with the group of Woody Herman at the age of 20, he started getting public attention. In the early 1960s, he helped to grow the popularity of the bossa nova genre. In 1964, his notable piece "The Girl from Ipanerma" was a best seller. Among his most famous albulms are "The Steamer", "Jazz Samba", "People Time" and "Focus". Like the two other famous saxophone players described here, Getz too struggled with drug addiction. In 1945, he was incarcerated for a drugs offence and had other drug related problems with the law in 1969. He passed away in 1991.

About the Author

Roger Charles is the editor of The-Saxophone.com, covering everything about saxophones. Find more about the baritone saxophone at his site.

What accessories do you need for a Alto saxophone?

What are all the accessories you can get for a Alto saxophone?
Examples:
Mouthpiece holder
Jazz mouthpiece
A cap for the sax that is connected to something that cleans the inside of the sax
Sax stand
Neck Strap
Cork grease
Something to clean the outside of the sax (pad and liquid)
and more.

If you know of any more accessories for the Alto sax. please state them.
Thanks.

Well u dont nessicarilly need some of those... expessially if your a beginer. Like you don't need a jazz mouthpiece unless thats your maine thing or your really good. Plus you really dont need a sax stand unless you play more than one instument, such as that durring a preformance you would need to switch off. And the "cap for the sax that is connected to something that cleans the inside of the sax" is actually something you SHOULDN"T have. It actually doesn't clean the sax, it bulids up all that gunk, then is kept being put in there, and even the people at the music store told me to never use one..
i would say the only accessory u missed is a reed holder.

Alto Saxophone
Georgia On My Mind (Alto Saxophone) By Bryan Smith

Concerto For Alto Saxophone $22.99 Concerto For Alto Saxophone

Ray Charles with His Alto Saxophone Backstage $59.99 Ray Charles with His Alto Saxophone Backstage - Wall Decal

Learning To Play The Saxophone: What You Should Consider To Get Started

Like starting any other musical instrument, learning to play the saxophone will take some time to get the hang of how it works. With a little time and patience, you will start to enjoy sax music before you know it.

There are a few things to keep in mind before you start learning to play the saxophone. First, ask yourself whether it's you (assuming you're an adult) or a child that wants to learn, since there are different saxophone types on the market. Some are better suited to young children because of their size, while others are more preferable for the adults. Some tend to be easier for beginners to learn, while others are an excellent choice for advanced players. Ask your saxophone/music shop to share with you what they think may be your best option.

Most people will either want to learn in a classroom setting or work with a private instructor to begin learning how to play the saxophone. If you have no idea where to start looking for these classes and instructors, check out your local community centers, music shops or local phone directory to start investigating where these classes are held.  There are also online saxophone lessons available that utilize Skype video conferencing.

For those adventurous types who are looking to learn on their own, you can buy yourself some good quality instruction books. There are a  few beginning saxophone self teaching books available online but almost all of them with play-along CD's are written for the alto saxophone in e-flat.

Once you are comfortable with this positioning, the next step is to learn how to control your breath, since it is important to allow a steady flow of air as you play. As you blow air into the saxophone, the air will hit the reed and create various sounds depending on which key you were pressing at the moment.

Learning the saxophone is a skill that will take quite some time to master. It is also going to take time to learn how to breathe comfortably while you are playing, so try not to get too frustrated in the beginning if it seems tiring or a slow process. It takes time to master these skills. If it seems tiring in the beginning, you might want to consider some basic breathing exercises to strengthen your stamina.

By practicing every day, you will improve your skills over time. As you are learning the basic techniques, and if you decide to learn on your own, you may want to consider purchasing or borrowing DVDs which will show how the techniques are being performed correctly. This can be a very helpful tool for some beginners.

About the Author

Garrett Hypes is a professional saxophonist with 30 years of showroom experience. He is the founder and owner of Saxophone.com, where their brand instruments are built to their own stringent specifications. The goal of his company is to give saxophonists the best prices, quality, and service on a wide variety of saxophones and accessories.

Ultimate Beginner Series: Alto Saxophone 2 [VHS] $3.21 In Volume II, students advance to learning a complete one-octave scale. Additional music theory and valuable tips will acquaint them with the possibilities of music and what they may encounter in the future....

Ultimate Beginner Series: Alto Saxophone 1 [VHS] $1.99 Alto Saxophone, Volume 1 with Ed CalleFrom Warner Bros. Ultimate Beginner Series comes Alto Saxophone Volume 1 with Ed Calle. This video takes you from opening your sax case to playing your first song. You will learn important tips on assembly and the parts of your instruments, care and maintenance, posture and the proper way to hold your instrument. Get tips on breathing, forming the embouchure, ...

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Stagg Alto/Tenor Saxophone Stand $19.99 This simple and functional saxophone stand is ideal for tenor and alto saxophones. It features all metal construction, and the 3-legged base makes setup a snap! Whether you're playing on stage, concert band, jazz band, or honing your skills at home, this stand provides a safe and reliable cradle for your instrument....

Alto Saxophone