Alto Saxophone
To get started on your alto saxophone, it will REALLY help to click on the link below and go through the playlist of videos to learn about how to play your alto saxophone. If you do this in your first few practice sessions, it will help you be more successful!
Another great help is to look at your band book in the first few pages it will give you a lot of information about your alto saxophone that will be really helpful!
Quiz Yourself on your Alto Sax Fingerings! Open the Slides in the link and click on the edge of the text box with the word "Alto Saxophone" in it and then click on the slide link that pops up to begin your quiz. Each time you answer, click again on the edge of the box to find which slide to go to next.
Play Along with the songs in your book! Click the link and then click on "Audio" and pick the accompaniment tracks you want. The numbers correspond to the numbers by each song in your book.
Access Videos to see how your instrument is played and watch a professional play the songs in your book!
- You will need to click the link above, then click on "Exercises."
- Then you select which book you have "Habits of a Successful Beginner Band Musician" and make sure at the end of that title is has YOUR instrument name (flute, clarinet, alto saxophone, trumpet, trombone, or percussion).
- Then enter an email address (it could be a parent email or you can use your school email if your parent says it is OK).
- Then you open your book and look to the bottom right corner and enter the activation code.
Saxophone Embouchure: It is really important to get a solid embouchure going to make the best sound on the saxophone. Read this linked article and watch the videos to get some tips to help you.
Tuning: Get a free tuning app and work on playing with a tuner during some of your practice. Use the chart below to see what note you play and what it shows on the tuner. As an example, when you play a G, it should show as a Bb on the tuner. If you play an A it is C, or a B it is D. The way you figure this out is to look all the way to the left (on the C instruments side) in the same row of the note you are playing on the Eb instruments side. There are many free tuners, but I suggest paying a small fee ($3.99) to purchase the "Tonal Energy" app which is a really helpful tool to use while practicing.
