Am I too old to learn saxophone?
Is the saxophone difficult to play?
Can I self-learn the saxophone lessons?
Errr! Enough hesitation. With the rise of more and more free online courses, you have all the freedom and time in the world to pick up any musical instrument. Especially when it comes to saxophones, the learning curve might be steeper than that of guitar and piano, because at least you don’t have to play multiple notes at the same time.
If you are still a newbie to this instrument, here we provide you with the guide to ‘’saxophone for beginners’’.
Table of Contents
Saxophone For Beginners – Where To Start?
Before jumping into any saxophone lessons, you should have some general knowledge of this single-reed woodwind.
What Is A Saxophone?
Saxophone, or sax, in short, is a woodwind instrument, and usually has a brass color. The sax uses a reed and a mouthpiece to make a sound. Players create a melody by using the keys and specific fingerings which correspond to the music sheets, and notes. If you want to play the saxophone, you will have to learn the ‘’tongue’’ technique, which means to let go of a stream of air continuously while using your tongue to stop it.
However, don’t be scared of it! The scales run up and down the keys so it won’t be that hard to figure out the notes, especially if you are switching from the piano or other woodwind instruments as you are already used to the technique.
What Are The Main Types Of Saxophone?
There are up to 14 types of saxophones. The highest one is the soprillo, but it is not quite common. In fact, there are only four most common saxophones from lightest to heaviest. Knowing them will help you figure out which one suits your style.
Soprano: This is the lightest and highest-pitched in the family. It is often used as a solo and chamber instrument in classical music. However, when it comes to the saxophone for beginners, the Soprano one is not recommended because the mouthpiece is too tiny to navigate.
Watch video: Somewhere Over the Rainbow – Soprano Saxophone
Alto: The alto sax is heavier than the soprano but lighter than the tenor. It is usually played in military bands, marching bands, jazz, and even pop music. While the Soprano has a straight I shape, the Alto has a J shape. This is the most recommended saxophone for beginners since it is the easiest to blow.
Tenor: The tenor sax is a heavier version of the alto and is commonly played in popular music. The mouthpiece and reed are larger than the soprano or alto. It is nearly always tuned to the key of B-flat. Besides alto, the tenor is also a good start for saxophone beginners.
Watch video: Alto or Tenor? Deciding the best beginner saxophone!
Baritone: Opposite to soprano, this is the lowest and biggest one in the family. The baritone is mostly played in a big band or jazz orchestra, and features in the saxophone quartet. However, it is quite heavy and expensive in price, therefore, if you are tight on budget, you should consider Alto or tenor instead.
Watch video: Baritone & Bass Saxophone Duet
Six Best Online Saxophone Courses For Beginners
You can use these online beginner saxophone lessons as a stand-alone system to learn how to play the sax. Or, you can use them to supplement and as an addition to the sax lessons, you might be having privately or at school. Either way, these beginner sax lessons will jump-start and turbocharge your playing. In case you prefer a face-to-face experience with a real teacher, do remember to google Saxophone lessons near me and find the studio you want to come to! For online classes, here are the most highly recommended:
Beginner Alto Saxophone Lessons | Udemy
If you can only spend a little time for saxophone lessons, consider taking this course offered by Matthew Saxophone, which receives pretty good reviews on Udemy. The syllabus is quite short, yet practical and well-explained. There are video lessons, backing tracks as MP3 files for you to practice. The instructor will teach you how to play several familiar songs, scales, and play by ear (an important skill for music jamming). According to Matthew, he wants to teach saxophone lessons for beginners that help them become musicians, not merely being able to play an instrument.
Course fee: $11.99
Teach You How To Play The Saxophone By Power_music | Fiverr
For around $10, you can also take saxophone lessons for beginners with an instructor named ‘The Power of Music’. He is a professional arranger, saxophone player, and director in ‘Power Up Orchestra’. Throughout the course, he will guide you on how to learn the correct technique, read music, and learn to improvise. ‘The Power of Music’ will empower you to be a powerful musician with the provided syllabus.
Course Fee: $10
Best Saxophone Lessons – Best Saxophone Online Lessons
If you want to learn different genres of music like rock, blues, metal, country, and classical styles with professional music teachers from prestigious institutions like Berklee College of music, and New England Conservatory, you should really check out this course!
As a beginner, you will work on chords, simple songs and melodies, sight-reading, and theory. Sounds quite challenging right? But it will end up with something fun because the course based its lessons on student needs and preferences. Plus, you will be able to discuss face to face with your instructor through online platforms.
Course Fee: Varied. You have three options: 30-minute/week, 45-minute/week, 1-hour/week
Online Saxophone Classes | Start Learning for Free | Skillshare
Click here and explore THIRTEEN SAXOPHONE COURSES for yourself! Skillshare offers lots of saxophone lessons for beginners with different instructors. You can read each syllabus and figure out which one you like the most.
Course Fee: If you enroll in the monthly membership, you get the first month for free. After the trial, you will pay $32 per month or $168 annually.
SaxTuition – Learn Saxophone Online
For anyone looking to learn the saxophone from scratch, this course is here for you! The unique thing about this website is that after you purchase the series through it, you will immediately receive an email to download the entire series! Yayyy!
Course Fee: $149 if you want to purchase a complete package
Watch video: Beginner Saxophone Lesson #1 | SaxTuition Beginner Series
The Final Thought
Saxophone is one of the easiest instruments to learn how to play, therefore, don’t stress out too much!
With five recommended courses, saxophone lessons for beginners have never been that affordable! You will be able to manage your learning time, and lessons, and have fun at your own pace.
For more reviews about other types of online classes, like The Best Online Computer Graphic Courses, please check out our website jobandedu!