Interesting comment, Neil. I think the tie-in to my educational stuff is that my message for improvisational performance is for it to be free from the constraints of scales, memorized licks & patterns, and the technicality of the printed page. I think improvisation is a journey of musical freedom. It does take work to get there, but is worth the effort. Thanks for that!
You've definitely piqued my interests Mike! I love the tenor and the bass but they can be untameable monsters at times🧟♂️ Yes, I've pretty much given up on the bass (and my Tuba too) but definitely not the tenor. I've decided instead to grab the bull by the "horn" in this case and bent my bell up like Dizzy. It gives me a more novel and exciting approach however, no surprise it can be even more of a monster🧌 I'm going to give your encouragement serious consideration. Do you find is easier to read treble clef and does that approach lend itself to reading alto or bari sax charts?
Hi, I'm a trombone player and have a bass, tenor and alto. The two lower horns no problem reading and I'm no good at transposing on the fly. So do you know how I can write music I can play so that it's natural for me just like sax players
Clarence, I'm not sure what you are asking me. Keep in mind that the alto and tenors have completely different positions and partials for notes. Does that relate to your question?
@mymusicsavvy Hi. Thanks for the fast response. I'm 67years old and would like to play my alto trombone like it's a bass clef tenor. I'll be pushing it a bit to learn the instrument anew. If I could write it so that a Bb first positions sounding Eb tenor bone would work for me. Maybe I've solved my problem. Does that seem logical to you or am I kidding myself? I'd really like to know your opinion.
@@ClarenceDavis-c3m The tenor and alto trombones are typically used and thought of as not transposing like saxophones where the fingering on one is the fingering on all. But even though the fundamental of the tenor is Bb, we call it a C instrument. So I consider the alto to also be a C instrument. The challenge that causes (with me when I first learned alto 40 years ago), is that you must learn a completely new instrument - new positions and partials for every note. That's why I sold my tenor early on because I couldn't play both with equal skill, especially for jazz, and wanted to commit to alto as my main horn. Haven't played tenor in 40 years, as a result. Pasrt of my decision to treat the alto as a C instrument and to learn to play it in treble, bass, and alto clef was so that I could play with other trombone players. If I had required transposed parts in alto clef, how many big bands or combos with written music could I have played in? Zero. My book Alto Trombone Savvy has several exercises for learning the new positions - partly by training your ear to hear the alto, not just follow dots on a page, which is what many tenor players do when reading for alto. You have to HEAR the horn, but that takes time. One quick exercise I commonly share is to use the tenor positions on the alto but recognize and hear what you are playing is a fourth higher. So for example, Rochut #1 starts in fourth position, but instead of that first note being concert G, it is concert C. Try that using the very same tenor positions. I used that early on as a sanity break when struggling with the alto positions. At least I could play music without stumbling over finding middle C in third position! It gave me hope. This is why my early dream of turning tenor jazz players into alto jazz players fizzled. To much work for most. A friend was with J.J. one night when someone handing him an alto. He played a couple notes and then, looking disgusted, handed it back saying "What the f*** is this sh**?" That says it all!!!
Dear Michael, I'm a French horn player with a strong low range and a fairly dark sound, hesitating between alto and tenor trombone. I would especially like to have a brighter tone but I'm afraid the alto will lack a nice low register. Which one would be best for me? And what about the mouthpiece size, because French horn has a small mouthpiece. Thank you for your time!
It's a difficult question. Since your low register is as important as it appears to be, tenor would give you that. Remember that the lowest note on a straight alto is A and the lowest note on a tenor is E. The question is: what is your purpose for learning a new brass instrument? If you've seen this and other videos touting the benefits of the alto, you've heard me talk about the shorter slide, quicker response, and higher overtones for greater presence. Maybe borrow/rent one of each and see what most pleases your ear?
You did miss something around four years ago when I bought an Adams silver alto at that year's ITF. I had worn out my Yamaha and was looking for a new horn. Right across the isle from my table was this beautiful horn. I tried many others at the festival and there was a huge difference between this and everything else. I'm not a gear junkie, so I'll probably have this until I wear it out. A little darker but I love the sound and responsiveness. Thanks for asking.
Would you recommend starting on alto (without learning tenor first)? Most alto resources out there assume that you already play tenor, so it doesn't seem like it's a good idea, but I wonder if, for example, your book is useful even for complete beginners.
First, I've never really considered tenor to be a prerequisite for my book on playing alto. However, Alto Trombone Savvy does not talk about embouchure so you'll have to learn that first, perhaps from a local teacher. One of the challenges with starting off on alto is the lack of teachers who know the instrument. My book will teach you the positions and how to maneuver around the instrument, but you'll need someone to teach you basics like how to hold the horn, blow it, tongue. These fundamentals are not included in my book. I've never really thought of it this way, but I guess it does kind of assume familiarity with some other form of trombone. BUT, once you gain some skill with these fundamentals, my book will get you the rest of the way.
That IS tough. What is the fundamental? Eb? I've never play that and I'm afraid I can't help you. Maybe it's best to go back to your baritone? Good luck!!
Man, my brass band bought me a new tenor, but i still wish we had alto in the band, it just sounds so good.
I keep telling myself I don't need an alto (I have four tenors)...but I see you post one of these again and I start itching.
Com'on, get an alto. Just sell three of your tenors. Once you get a feel for the positions and partials, you'll never go back!!
I’m a tenor sax player but I always hear “freedom” when you play your alto.
Interesting comment, Neil. I think the tie-in to my educational stuff is that my message for improvisational performance is for it to be free from the constraints of scales, memorized licks & patterns, and the technicality of the printed page. I think improvisation is a journey of musical freedom. It does take work to get there, but is worth the effort. Thanks for that!
Great video, Mike!
You've definitely piqued my interests Mike!
I love the tenor and the bass but they can be untameable monsters at times🧟♂️
Yes, I've pretty much given up on the bass (and my Tuba too) but definitely not the tenor. I've decided instead to grab the bull by the "horn" in this case and bent my bell up like Dizzy.
It gives me a more novel and exciting approach however, no surprise it can be even more of a monster🧌
I'm going to give your encouragement serious consideration.
Do you find is easier to read treble clef and does that approach lend itself to reading alto or bari sax charts?
Hi, I'm a trombone player and have a bass, tenor and alto. The two lower horns no problem reading and I'm no good at transposing on the fly. So do you know how I can write music I can play so that it's natural for me just like sax players
Clarence, I'm not sure what you are asking me. Keep in mind that the alto and tenors have completely different positions and partials for notes. Does that relate to your question?
@mymusicsavvy Hi. Thanks for the fast response. I'm 67years old and would like to play my alto trombone like it's a bass clef tenor. I'll be pushing it a bit to learn the instrument anew. If I could write it so that a Bb first positions sounding Eb tenor bone would work for me. Maybe I've solved my problem. Does that seem logical to you or am I kidding myself? I'd really like to know your opinion.
@@ClarenceDavis-c3m The tenor and alto trombones are typically used and thought of as not transposing like saxophones where the fingering on one is the fingering on all. But even though the fundamental of the tenor is Bb, we call it a C instrument. So I consider the alto to also be a C instrument. The challenge that causes (with me when I first learned alto 40 years ago), is that you must learn a completely new instrument - new positions and partials for every note. That's why I sold my tenor early on because I couldn't play both with equal skill, especially for jazz, and wanted to commit to alto as my main horn. Haven't played tenor in 40 years, as a result.
Pasrt of my decision to treat the alto as a C instrument and to learn to play it in treble, bass, and alto clef was so that I could play with other trombone players. If I had required transposed parts in alto clef, how many big bands or combos with written music could I have played in? Zero. My book Alto Trombone Savvy has several exercises for learning the new positions - partly by training your ear to hear the alto, not just follow dots on a page, which is what many tenor players do when reading for alto. You have to HEAR the horn, but that takes time.
One quick exercise I commonly share is to use the tenor positions on the alto but recognize and hear what you are playing is a fourth higher. So for example, Rochut #1 starts in fourth position, but instead of that first note being concert G, it is concert C. Try that using the very same tenor positions. I used that early on as a sanity break when struggling with the alto positions. At least I could play music without stumbling over finding middle C in third position! It gave me hope.
This is why my early dream of turning tenor jazz players into alto jazz players fizzled. To much work for most. A friend was with J.J. one night when someone handing him an alto. He played a couple notes and then, looking disgusted, handed it back saying "What the f*** is this sh**?" That says it all!!!
Dear Michael, I'm a French horn player with a strong low range and a fairly dark sound, hesitating between alto and tenor trombone. I would especially like to have a brighter tone but I'm afraid the alto will lack a nice low register. Which one would be best for me? And what about the mouthpiece size, because French horn has a small mouthpiece. Thank you for your time!
It's a difficult question. Since your low register is as important as it appears to be, tenor would give you that. Remember that the lowest note on a straight alto is A and the lowest note on a tenor is E. The question is: what is your purpose for learning a new brass instrument? If you've seen this and other videos touting the benefits of the alto, you've heard me talk about the shorter slide, quicker response, and higher overtones for greater presence. Maybe borrow/rent one of each and see what most pleases your ear?
Did I miss something or is that a new horn? I thought you used a Yamaha 871?
Ooh looks like a shires maybe?
You did miss something around four years ago when I bought an Adams silver alto at that year's ITF. I had worn out my Yamaha and was looking for a new horn. Right across the isle from my table was this beautiful horn. I tried many others at the festival and there was a huge difference between this and everything else. I'm not a gear junkie, so I'll probably have this until I wear it out. A little darker but I love the sound and responsiveness. Thanks for asking.
Would you recommend starting on alto (without learning tenor first)? Most alto resources out there assume that you already play tenor, so it doesn't seem like it's a good idea, but I wonder if, for example, your book is useful even for complete beginners.
First, I've never really considered tenor to be a prerequisite for my book on playing alto. However, Alto Trombone Savvy does not talk about embouchure so you'll have to learn that first, perhaps from a local teacher. One of the challenges with starting off on alto is the lack of teachers who know the instrument. My book will teach you the positions and how to maneuver around the instrument, but you'll need someone to teach you basics like how to hold the horn, blow it, tongue. These fundamentals are not included in my book. I've never really thought of it this way, but I guess it does kind of assume familiarity with some other form of trombone. BUT, once you gain some skill with these fundamentals, my book will get you the rest of the way.
@@mymusicsavvy Thanks a lot, it's pretty useful to know that.
❤ sounds slide fun
fun slide sound?
Sounds like fun … 😅 … I really enjoy your alto and improvisation „content“ - all the best from cologne
I play marching baritone but now I got a valve alto trombone and I’m VERY CONFUSED to say the least
I don’t know if someone can help me out
That IS tough. What is the fundamental? Eb? I've never play that and I'm afraid I can't help you. Maybe it's best to go back to your baritone? Good luck!!