Selmer Prelude AS711 Student Alto Saxophone w/ Bonus Instrument Store Starter Kit with Tuner
The AS711 Prelude Alto Sax is Selmer’s newest student model alto saxophone and replaces the AS700/AS701. It is an excellent beginner instrument for players of all ages. Top notch construction, payability and intonation. Teachers can confidently recommend them to their students. Selmer has set the standard for more than 80 years and they have done it again for the student market with the AS711. Comes with a zippered canvas case, mouthpiece, ligature, cap, neckstrap and reed.
Alto Saxophones – Alto Saxophone For Beginners
Many people play the alto saxophone as a matter of occupation playing the instrument professionally and making a living out of it. For some, playing the saxophone may just be a habit or a hobby, a matter of interest that has developed over the years. Whatever may be the reason for one’s interest in playing the musical instrument, it is for certain that to be able to play any type of saxophone, one must acquire the skill and techniques necessary. Thus, learning the basics is important. Knowing about alto saxophone playing in a theoretic level may also prove beneficial as it provides for a groundwork in furthering one’s interest and knowledge about the instrument. But then again, all these are not sufficient if one really intends to play the saxophone with ease. To develop one’s skill and acquire the techniques necessary to be able to practically play the instrument and eventually, play it with ease requires practice. This simply means that one has to start playing the instrument for real.
Since there are different types of saxophones available to enthusiasts in the market, choosing the right saxophone to play is crucial. For beginners, the primary motivation or purpose for purchasing or playing the saxophone is to learn how to play it. The main focus therefore is the acquisition of basic skill and technique, which of course would eventually lead to the acquisition of advanced skill and techniques for a more adept playing of the instrument. In this regard, altos are best recommended to beginners and to those who only have minimal or elementary skill level in playing the saxophone.
The key for alto saxophone is in E flat (or Eb). There are two main reasons as to why they are considered the best instrument for beginners or absolute beginners in saxophone playing. First, most musical and practice pieces are written within the alto range. This means that the range or the key is the same as that of the alto saxophone. Hence, one can use them in playing practice pieces without the added difficulty of adjusting the key or the range of the instrument or of the piece. This further means that people with these saxophones have more opportunity playing the instrument. This allows them more opportunity to practice and more time spent honing one’s skill in saxophone playing. If it were for anything, the learning process is actually accelerated and reinforced given the availability of practice materials or musical pieces.
Second, the structure of the saxophone also makes it a good instrument for absolute beginners. The bell of the instrument is located up compared to the other types of saxophone. This means that the person playing the instrument will have a better hearing of the music or sound produced from the saxophone played than the other saxophones which other people may be simultaneously playing. The benefit of this is that the beginner will easily spot some notes which may sound off and therefore he may easily track his mistakes during practice. And the more the person realizes his mistakes, the better opportunity for him to correct himself and practice correctly. Thus for these reasons, alto saxophones are recommended to beginners.
Looking for an alto saxophone? You can find one for the lowest price ever offered by visiting http://www.bargainsaxophones.com/Saxophone/Alto
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Selmer Series III Tenor Saxophone Review
By Derek Yeung
The Selmer Series III throws a big punch.
The ergonomics of the buttons are amazing. You actually play faster because of the layout of the keys. Your fingers just fly on this instrument. They are placed on the saxophone in such a natural position. One note flows on your fingers to the next. The side D, E flat, and F keys are positioned so that you can just roll your fingers on them. The G sharp, B, C sharp, and B flat keys are easy to move the left pinky finger on.
The sound that comes out of this saxophone is huge. It can be very loud if blown to its fullest. This saxophone gives out a nice round sound. The notes sound full. You do not even need a mic with this instrument. Of course having a mic would make it sound even better. It is a nice bright sound.
The altissimo range is beautiful. They come out crisp and clean. There is no fuzziness to the altissimo notes. They are clear as a bell. You can play a G, and G sharp really clearly. Whereas on a Yamaha student model tenor saxophone you would get some distortion.
The lower notes are beautiful. When you play the B flat on a sub-tone it can come out really loud but controlled at a sub-tone sound. It is easy to sub-tone a B flat on this instrument. It comes out warm and fuzzy.
This saxophone comes with the option of engraving. The engraving is done by hand and is beautiful. If you get one of these saxophones I would suggest to get the engraving. It is beautiful you can look at the engraving by searching through the internet on Selmer saxophones.
This Selmer series III model comes in five colors:
-polished brass, clear lacquered
-polished brass, matte lacquered
-black lacquered
-brushed, clear lacquered a.k.a. Matte
-silver plated
The polished brass matte lacquered only comes without engraving.
There are many cases you can get for this saxophone. I would suggest to get one with a lock so that no one else can get into your saxophone case.
When playing jazz with this saxophone the saxophone seems to speak to you. You play differently because it gives off a different sound. You feel different notes. You hear different notes. The saxophone tells you what it wants to play.
If you are looking at getting one of these look to spending anywhere from $5,000 for a matte lacquer finish and $15,000 for gold plated.
Derek Yeung is founder of http://www.livinglifefullywithbipolar.com Please visit my site and subscribe to my newsletter.
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Buying a New Saxophone – Things to Consider When Buying a New Saxophone
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By Will Thompson
Buying a new saxophone requires minimal knowledge of the types of saxophones available in the market as well as the differences that distinguish them from each other. Saxophones are generally categorized into four types. The first would be the soprano saxophone which is in the key of B flat. Its sound or pitch is higher compared to the other saxophones and is therefore generally considered as the hardest to play. This is not recommended to beginners who are not yet adept at playing the instrument. The second type is called the Alto Saxophone and is in the key of E flat. It is the one commonly played most especially by beginners. This type of saxophone is recommended to beginners because most of the practice materials and compositions for beginners are in the alto pitch. The third one is called the tenor saxophone. It is in the key of B flat and is mostly used for playing jazz and blues as well as rock music. However, the neck of this kind of saxophone is longer than the other types of saxophone making it more prone to damage. The fourth kind is the baritone saxophone. It is usually played for jazz solos. It is the largest among the other three types of saxophone that its players will have to wear a harness to support its weight.
The person buying a new saxophone must determine first the exact purpose(s) for which the instrument is to be purchased. For instance, if one is looking at buying a new saxophone to play mostly jazz or rock music, then the best choice would be the tenor saxophone. But if the person using the instrument is a beginner and wishes to learn more about playing the instrument, then the Alto Saxophone is the best pick. Since these saxophones also come in different shapes and sizes, one who intends to use the saxophone regularly and wishes it to be more handy and manageable as opposed to heavy and sturdy will have to do away with baritone saxophone.
After delimiting one’s choice to any particular type of saxophone, the next consideration would be the price. This is very important especially if one has to work with a limited budget. Nevertheless, price consideration is also important vis a vis the market value of the instrument. One would not want to purchase an extremely cheap saxophone as it may render the quality of the instrument in doubt; neither is it wise for anyone to just rush and purchase a new instrument for a price twice its real market price. That would be a total rip off!!
Checking out the manufacturer of the saxophone may also help in ensuring that the saxophone is going to be good quality. This is especially important to ensure that one does not buy an instrument which is difficult to tune, has bad or weak tone, or is easily broken. The model of the instrument may also be helpful in buying a new saxophone. However, for students who wish only to purchase new saxophones for practice and casual playing as opposed to professionally using the instrument, being particular with the model may not be necessary. Finally, when the questions on the type of saxophone, its price, manufacturer and model have been settled it is important to make sure that the instrument is in its best condition. Check for faulty hardware, breaks, leaks, or bent parts. When all these have been observed, one may then proceed to purchase buying a new saxophone.
Buying new saxophones? You can find them for the lowest prices available by visiting http://www.bargainsaxophones.com
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