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I have noticed a big jump in quality when buying Vandoren reeds in comparison to daddario and rico. I have heard that these are solid brands but at least for me I get a far better sound out of vandorens. The 'blue box' vandorens are a good choice for classical, but if you play jazz or really if you have any excuse for a more fun sound, i recommend trying a variety pack of Vandoren jazz reeds.
I think people generally prefer the 'greens' or 'reds'.
So, not knowing where you are it's a little hard, but here are some options:
(1) Hunt around for a local spot that already has jazz. There are sometimes community jazz ensembles who are looking for players. Or there might be jam sessions nearby. This may take some sleuthing.
(2) If you really just want to play at home for fun, your friends are an Eb Real Book (there are also other volumes available with different tunes) and a copy of Band-in-a-Box. Band-in-a-Box is software that lets you enter chord changes (and melodies and lyrics if you want) and will generate an accompaniment for you so that you can play along. If you can't afford the software (but can find a CD player) you can get Jamey Aebersold CDs and play along to those. They're basically just accompanying tracks to play over. But Band-in-a-Box gives you more options.
Easiest way is to email your local university's/ies' sax professor/s. They'll either be willing to take you on or know people who will (probably the latter).
As for altissimo, it's something you kind of eventually "get", but these two books are probably the best foundation for it and are what your teacher would probably have you do exercises out of anyway. I haven't used the fingering charts on the sidebar, but I'm sure they're fine. Just keep in mind that altissimo isn't a fingering thing, it's a voicing thing.
https://www.amazon.com/Voicing-Approach-Saxophones-Register-Revised/dp/B007BPJ3UK
Top Tones For Saxophone by Rascher (pdf is on the sidebar under articles/books/etudes).
I use the Neotech super harness. Been using it for 15 years, still works perfectly, plastic hook strength has not been an issue with tenor.
I got neck strain playing with a traditional strap, like abnormal amounts tension and cracking, and I kept straining my neck all the time. No problems with the harness
Hi, welcome.
The usual advice is to look for a used Yamaha. The entry-level horn was the 23 (model YAS-23 for alto, YTS-23 for tenor) until eventually it was replaced with the 26. Expect to pay $400-500 for one in good working order.
There are cheaper options, but the quality will be questionable i.e. Amazon chinesium brands.
Btw soprano is usually not recommended as a starting point. In theory you could begin on soprano; it's just a lot less forgiving than the others. Intonation is problematic even for experienced players.
For jazz basics, there are great books by Jamey Aebersold to give you a foundation.
Here's a couple options from Amazon.
Neotech 2501162 Soft Harness, Black, Swivel Hook -- https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002E1NS2/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_b901xbDRT8AP5
Pro Tec A306M Large Universal Saxophone Harness -- https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AF40QAU/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_k-01xb1G5TKJA
bravo, i started when i was like 10 or so for the same reasons, i couldnt afford all the music books i wanted and when i got them sometimes they wouldnt have all the songs i wanted.
id buy blank sheet music books and take stabs at all sorts of things, tv themes, pop songs.
i think what helped is i didnt care if i wasnt good at it at first and i didnt expect to be perfect at it fast and i kept it pretty private.
and really it simply is the more you do the better/faster you get at it. it greatly helps your ears.
try to think of it as fun so you never think of it as work, i use finale now so i constantly remind myself that its very much like a video game now.
if you think of it as work that engages a chain reaction of slowly losing your chops because the less you do the rustier you get and soon you cant finish your charts for the gig.
oh and be careful who you have check your work, its a cliche trademark of morons that they are SURE they know their stuff.
if you want to post here ill be glad to look it over. i did this transcription recently for someone here who needed it:
https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0BwZgIGUMAJdoSnNFd1cyRExyaGM&usp=sharing
and that was from this thread:
http://www.reddit.com/r/Saxophonics/comments/1vbfic/is_anyone_here_any_good_at_transcribing_music/
thx. all done now:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BwZgIGUMAJdoUkZURTBWWDNOZWc/edit?usp=sharing
i'm certain i missed a few ties and hey what would be helpful to me is to know where i'm getting my octaves wrong/right.
i don't do a lot of for real Eb bari charts and in between i forget how. so if you, and everyone else, can correctify my errors thatd be helpful.
thx.
https://www.amazon.com/Rico-Padded-Saxophone-Strap-Soprano/dp/B005FKF6BI/ref=mp_s_a_1_7_mod_primary_new?dchild=1&keywords=rico+neck+strap&qid=1621611759&sbo=RZvfv%2F%2FHxDF%2BO5021pAnSA%3D%3D&sprefix=rico+neck&sr=8-7 That's the neck strap that I've been using for several years now. I love the padding, and since the clip is plastic it won't damage the neck strap ring on your horn.
Ignore the Selmer and Yamaha recommendations - they aren't curved and I don't think Selmer makes student models. Ebay is full of cheap curved sopranos, but the quality is a crapshoot. You might find a vintage Conn somewhere ( http://www.ebay.com/itm/Conn-New-Wonder-Soprano-Sax-Curved-Bell-/150713289477?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2317364b05 )or a "stencil" by Conn (they made many saxes under many names, all quite similar to their pro horns - like my Wurlitzer American). I recommend checking websites of usahorn.com , wwbw.com , sax.co.uk , and do some googling - there are sax forums where you can get lots of info and tips.
One of my personal faves is The Sky Ringing In An Empty Bell by David Mott if you're looking for a lot of different tones, timbres and melodic concepts. See also Libation For The Baritone Nation for a record with not one but FOUR of the world's most heavyweight bari players and a drummer. Good sh!t, my friend.
I use lilypond. http://lilypond.org/index.fr.html
It's a text-based partition editor. The soft I use to help me type it is frescobaldi : http://frescobaldi.org/
It's free, totally free.
Transposition is really easy to do.
I bought a new Jupiter student sax for around that price point back when I was starting out. Served me well for quite a while.
Just get a patch/cushion, they are cheap and last for a while, I used to use very tall ones and were very good at removing vibrations, although my embouchure felt very weird when it broke and I couldn't find that measure anymore, so maybe try the thin ones since they don't add that much change to your embouchure.
I also recommend branded ones, since they are only double the price (of not so much a cost) and last much longer, to my knowledge there exist D'addario, BG and Vandoren but there are probably more reeds and mouthpiece brands that make their own, I never played d'addario, but the other two are great and can recommend them easily.
I know that you may not want to hear this, but Sheet Music is pretty much bread and butter imo. If you don't know how to read notes, try Essential Elements. I know it's a very basic book, but it teaches you the exact fingerings of each note and how it appears on the page. I used that book on my first year of learning Tenor Sax, and it actually helped out a lot. I didn't need this book after my first year, but man is it informative. It also has some very, very basic beginner tunes imo (yet, I'm not sure what your definition of a beginner tune is).
Edit: You can also find a Tenor Sax version on Amazon as well. The link I provided is alto.
Are you doing the minor repairs yourself?
If not, and if you are a little bit handy, then buy a book instead. Buy a copy of The Saxophone Manual and learn a new skill!
https://www.amazon.com/Eastar-Student-Saxophone-Carrying-Mouthpiece/dp/B07HL8YNJH
Saxologic did a review of this beginner saxophone and it seems worth the price. Not the best in the world, but solidly built and will get you through the basics fairly easily. The keywork was good. I’d give it a chance.
Also alto is in Eb so if you do happen to do some more research I’d recommend looking out for Eb editions
Here’s amazon which I bought mine from
https://www.amazon.com/Eb-Real-Book-Sixth/dp/0634060759
Here’s Ebay which I found for much cheaper but not sure how reliable it is
It's on amazon
https://www.amazon.com/PBTRIALT-Saxophone-Clarinet-Combination-TRI-PAC/dp/B001BAMOUW?th=1&psc=1
A bit pricey but well worth it. BD has had hers for a few years and its held up nicely. They also have one that holds a soprano sax instead of a clarinet
That is a boxing glove deodorizer:
Actually work super well for boxing gloves
See this auction: Sax
I don’t know what you mean, they’re selling basically the exact same thing on Amazon for a very reasonable price. Dex would SHRED Blue Bossa on this baby! 😀👍
evidently what I didn't know is, they make them in different thicknesses.
So try a standard .08mm and go from there
That is a ridiculous price. I could get a YAS-480s for that! And still have leftovers for a new ligature aha !
I don't have a VPN to check, but any luck with this xD?
Honestly it was the medium brand form Amazon. "Infurture" I think. ($59 Canadian). It's a popular choice apparently.
I didn't want to spend a few hundred if it didn't work.
Easy to use, USB charge port, great battery life. Remember over ear is the way to go, not in ear noise cancelling buds (I tried them too).
I think it's a worthwhile investment. The examples are clearly written, and even if it's above your head, you'll grow into it.
https://www.amazon.com/Jazz-Theory-Book-Mark-Levine/dp/1883217040
Check out the images from inside the book and see if you think it's a good fit... Ultimately, with youtube and the internet, you can probably get everything you need to learn your major scales, and Patterns for Jazz will give you an abundant amount of material to practice them inside-out and upside-down...
So you don't really need Levine's book... but it seems like a standard for folks who want to go deeper.
A good day is a good reed lol 😝 hey these lights are inexpensive will let you know if and what is leaking.
Alnicov Sax LED Leak Light Tester Lamp Detection Light For Saxophone Flute Parts,Red Light https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07TLXFNZD/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_AHFY9W1CZK1VFM582CRW
https://www.amazon.com/Durapore-Medical-Tape-Silk-yards/dp/B000C4O7GC?th=1
I use two layers of this doubled over, and it works really well. I've been doing this since about 2008-9 or so, and have gone through three or four rolls since then.
The idea behind the Silverstein thing seems good, but the price is... excessive.
I'm looking at this 1RVS ligature. It's not that expensive and it looks decent, and it comes with a mouthpiece cap. What do you guys think about this one?
I downloaded an Alto mouthpiece in SolidWorks format so I could get an idea of how to model a tenor mp from scratch. I am hoping to model it in a way that will allow me to create multiple configurations for different tip-facing and/or baffles, it is a lot more complex to model than I had (naively) assumed.
I will post the SolidWorks part files once I get them up to snuff...
I'm really hoping to get it all modeled out by the end of the month, as I will be testing new builds of SolidWorks Simulation Premium and Ansys (mech and polyflow). If I can get a good quality model created, I should be able to run a flow analysis on the design.
heres something i did quick:
https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0BwZgIGUMAJdoTkJ6VFY3YTlSWVU&usp=sharing
its just the lead alto sax, i could do the rest of the section if you find more players.
my followers are spread across many sites, including foreign social media like facenama, cloob, wechat, qq, bilibili, tiktok, afreecatv, vk odnoklassniki etc so the average viewer cant see it easily but if you look for awhile youll see im everywhere also i stream daily with restream.io to 30+ sites
Join Musescore. The software is free and fantastic. And if you want sheet music, the cost of a membership is well worth it, since most anything you want will be there for downloading and printing.
Look for a program called MuseScore. I learned everything I know about music notation in the 3rd grade, but it looks like it could be very useful for someone who knows what they're doing. I'd call it a "word processor for music notation". I'm very impressed with it, and my first few pokes at it were actually more productive than I expected.
EDIT: Here is MuseScore's homepage, w/download link. It's open source, btw. And Here is a Wikipedia article on it. I'd be interested in hearing what educated musicians think of it.
It may be out of print. It is published by Kendor and it is not listed on their site. Interlibrary loan may be your only option. This info should help. http://www.worldcat.org/title/modern-art-suite-for-saxophone-quartet-quartet-for-b-soprano-sax-e-alto-sax-sub-e-alto-sax-b-tenor-sax-and-e-baritone-sax/oclc/4440026&referer=brief_results
...I've actually already did the research for this. I'm getting my Conn New Wonder II repaired, so I guess I'll pass on the link. Warning it's facebook, so make sure to pay with Paypal Good and Services for the buyer protection
It kind of sounds like what you're looking for is a Real Book, you can buy it in both Bb for your tenor sax and C for your piano-playing fiance. Lots of the standards she's asking about will be in there, and there will always be new things for you to work on.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07PZBT1B2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_glc_fabc_JJYCJVPC11VHYPQSANPZ
Might need to find one for bari, but this is an really replaceable part. Your local repair shop would also have it.
Definitely buy a proper wall mount. I got these for mine and they’re solid https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BAYRLBG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_CB303KAXN7G4Z3ZWDEBA?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
Find a stud too for maximum stability
XTUGA J-3 Professional True Diversity UHF Instrument Microphone Wireless Transmission System for Saxophone Transmitter Receiver 492ft Transmission Range,Plug and Play https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07Z7YK2XK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_91M77DZECRD5DK8MP1HJ?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
Right off the bat, you are doing what I did when I started back after 40 years. You need to learn to tongue again. You are breath tonguing. I am going to post some links to books I used to get back into the sax for you.
I still have the books if you want to buy them from me for the cost of shipping only.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1540052427/ref=cm\_sw\_em\_r\_mt\_dp\_0ZY68KNPZRHJBDK1CQYN
The audio tracks and tips were of great help to me. I can hear you are playing an alto so these books should work.
I would be happy to chat with you as well and share experiences.
A company called Legere makes really good synthetic reeds using very precise measurements. They have a 2.75 option. The only thing you’ll have to get used to is a fully synthetic reed rather than plasticover which is kind of half and half. You might end up liking it through. It’s worth a try and has the strength you’re looking for along with a ton of others in increments of .25. Here’s the link...
Legere Tenor Saxophone Signature Series Reeds 2.75 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004I8Y38A/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_fabc_U89VFbK97WJ80
First of all, you'd be surprised at how good phone mics can be....try yours out.
If you want a USB mic that works with Android, the Blue Yeti is the standard "cheap good enough condenser mic".
Hey man, Im also a beginner, doing the same exercises as you and having similar problems. One app that I has helped me a ton is Tonal Energy Tuner. Its not free but omg its been so helpful with proper embouchure.
Among other things it has a tuner that will tell you if you are playing sharper or flatter than expected.
You should learn to read sheet music in tandem with learning the instrument. This will help you form a really solid connection between the notes on the staff and the fingerings which will make sight reading really easy down the line. Music notation will also help you develop your rhythm to work within an ensemble setting in a way that playing by ear doesn't. When playing by ear you feel the rhythm whereas when playing sheet music you think about the rhythm. Both skills are important to a saxophone player, especially if you aim to be able to play in any type of band. I learned to play my first woodwind instrument (flute) using the "Tune a Day" method books, they start from the very beginning up till you've learnt the entire range of the instrument and all basic notation practices.
Some people suggest using a dollar bill, which works but isn't ideal. Dollars are incredibly dirty usually so it's a bit of a band-aid fix.
You don't have to pay for expensive pad paper though - use ungummed cigarette paper (the ungummed part is very important). I use these: https://www.amazon.com/Ungummed-Single-Wide-Rolling-Papers/dp/B089XZG8G5/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=ocb+ungummed&qid=1597331516&sr=8-1 450 pieces should last any hobbyist player a few decades.
Also invest in a Hodge silk swab. I use one for each size of body, and I also have a clarinet swab I use for all my necks (the body swab will get stuck in the neck, despite the company's claims). Get in the habit of swabbing your horn every time you pack up, and it will really help keep the pads and body clean.
And one last thing. Don't ever eat or drink anything but water, just before or during a playing session.
When you practice can also make a difference. Your brain rewires itself every night. It will rewire based on what you focused on the most that day. A quick 5-10 min practice session before bed can trick your brain into focussing on that material.
I teach high school music and have two defrees in education, but have really gotten a lot more out of Harknett’s book. It is easy to read and written by a musician who is also a neurologist.
I use a basic Neotech padded neckstrap for my tenor. It’s mad cheap and a solid option if you’re on a budget but definitely has some caveats (which is why I’m also considering upgrading). It’ll definitely be comfortable with an alto and it’s a great option if you mostly play indoors/stationary, but if you‘re outside in the heat and move around a lot, it’ll really collect sweat. It is machine washable though!
For bari I use the Jazzlab sax holder. May be excessive for an alto but it bears a surprising amount of weight and it’s way easier to put on than a harness. That said, I don’t really play my bari out and about like I do my tenor so same deal, not sure if it’d work as well if you move around a lot.
I'm in the "play what you have until you can afford what you really want" camp, but...
You can get Rico mouthpieces on Amazon Prime for less than the cost of a box of reeds. They play well enough and they go from pretty tame (Graftonite A chamber) to very extreme (Metalite).
I have a C5 and an M9 I bought for tenor a long time ago. They're not my favorite pieces but they do play and sound pretty good. I'd say they're easily good enough to hold you over if its going to be a long time before you can budget for something nicer. Plus with the options they have you should be able to get something fairly close to the V16 if that's what you really want.
Start with some basics and focus on learning triads in all 12 keys on the piano. There are 4 triads, major, minor, diminished and augmented. Each triad can be inverted 2 times. So with 12 keys, that is 144 positions on the piano. Use this app to help you learn this: Fast Piano Chord Scale Trainer.
After you learn these you can start learning about different chord types. Creating these other chord types, involves adding or removing or substituting or rearranging notes in your basic triads. Once you get the hang of that you can start create voicings, and maybe start improvise sax lines over them. Start with the basics to give yourself the foundation on the piano to learn more.
I would say get one of these just to be sure -
Ended up finding out my low c# leaks and even though my a key does not leak, it has to be pushed harder than normal to not slightly leak.
I got back into saxophone after 40 years. This is the book I used to relearn the basics. There is a level 2 book as well.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/063402891X/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
It covers all the basics to get you started in a self teaching mode.
Good luck!
Ligature: Something from Jupiter, I don't quite remember.
Can't you play electric bass?
This is the new hotness in the realm of harnesses. Here's one of my favorite sax players using it
A cigarette paper will absorb liquid, and that's what double-reed players use it for.
United States paper currency will absorb liquid more slowly, but they are sort of sticky and sort of slick as the ink will slightly transfer to a clean piece of paper. They're strong enough (made with silk) to be able to pull a minute amount of gunk off of the pad.
A longer-lasting cure for stickiness is "powder paper", which is hideously expensive (but cheaper than an emergency visit to your tech) from Yamaha. It is the same as powder paper for makeup according to a friend who examined my Yamaha powder paper.
Thank you! Several have recommended it and it's cheap so I think it's worth trying. Is this the version you're referring to? It looks like they also have something called a super harness.
As many others have said, the black cushions do tend to wear out quickly and I stopped using them years ago. The thin, clear plastic ones are much more durable. And don't listen to the haters, it's totally normal to have a firm grip with your top teeth: biting with your bottom teeth is definitely not good for your tone and intonation, but just about every good player I know wears through mouthpiece patches eventually. And through the black rubber ones pretty swiftly.
That being said, I hate paying a bunch of money for clear plastic with an adhesive back. A mouthpiece maker friend of mine tipped me to a pretty excellent life-hack: use Scotchgard paint protector film and just cut off a little square every time you need a new patch on any of your mouthpieces. I bought one roll five years ago and I've barely made a dent in it. It'll last you for, like, ever. To me it's just as good as the clear Vandoren patches but for a penny a patch instead of a buck a patch.
Hey there! Our suggestion is to purchase a new mouthpiece. Here's why: D’Addario mouthpieces are incredibly consistent from mouthpiece to mouthpiece, plus mouthpiece repairs are costly and you never know how the final product will turn out. D’Addario’s pricepoints are so reasonable it’s not worth the risk.
In case you're interested, the Select Jazz mouthpiece is available in a limited edition marble finish through the end of the year only!
https://www.amazon.com/DAddario-Woodwinds-Saxophone-Mouthpiece-MJS-D6M-MB/dp/B07DTMP5S2
Happy playing!
What I have right now is a Selmer S80 "C star" mouth piece. I'd rather spend the least amount possible. I'd be okay with buying some reeds for her. A mouth piece is what I'm reluctant about. I'm assuming you mean the v16 mouthpiece and not the v16 reeds that I saw when I googled "vandoren v16 ". It's just a lot of money for a mouth piece that may end up not being used. Would the C star be okay too?
Not sure why this isn't with the rest.
Looks like you found it? I just meant the YouTube video posted below.
Here's a Jamey Aebersold book that covers some standard tunes.
It is new horn, I got it tested for leaks they replaces some of the seals or something like that.
the Mouthpeice is .. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00QICJYZG/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I am playing on rico style V-3
Definately Larry Teal, but I also would recommend Claude Delangles Sax Method. Teal is more informative and there is much more of reading material (which I think is better for beginner who has played for a while or intermediate and higher level players). Delangle on the other side is more of a fun and I think that's what is quite important-to actually enjoy your playing, especially when you are just starting or in this case, picking it back up. https://www.amazon.com/Saxophone-Method-Beginners-DELANGLES-Christophe/dp/B000ZGDYFM/ref=sr_1_27?ie=UTF8&qid=1515412338&sr=8-27&keywords=claude+delangle
Don't know, I've only had this Propac and a cheaper Gator alto hardshell. I've flown with the Propac as my carry on and never felt worried about it being bumped while carrying it. But I wouldn't feel safe using it as checked luggage.
Really depends on what you need it for. I went with the Propac b/c it was relatively cheap, easily available, and still a hard case. I have no complaints other than the fabric cover being harder to clean than hard plastic.
This is the one I got https://www.amazon.com/Protec-PB305CT-Tenor-Saxophone-Case/dp/B0002FO5YU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1512570656&sr=8-1&keywords=protec+tenor+case
And does it come with a bag so it does not scratch the inside of the bell?
Amazon has some Vandoran Jazz Reed Samplers which come with a V16, Java Red, Java Green, and ZZ reeds. Get one of those and see what you like. I would get it after the concert though. Adjusting to a new type and strength of reed (I would go for a Vandoran 2.5 which is a step up from the Rico 2.5 so that you can build up your embrocure muscles.) can be hard right before a concert.
Hal Crook's "How To Improvise" deals with practicing and applying voice leading in depth, among other things. Quite a pricey book but well worth it. Great demonstrations/exercises that you can use as the basis for further study. It's the kind of book that presents concepts and approaches that you would be able to refer to over the course of a lifetime.
Otherwise, this video masterclass deals with voice leading, how to practice it, and how to build from it.
Lots of what Will talks about can also be found in the Hal Crook book, although not all, and the info is presented a bit differently. I'd say that Vinson's video is probably faster to start working with, but Crook's book will get you further, although it will require more time digesting.
To the OP: if you want to figure this trick out for yourself, try starting with the Don Sinta voicing book or the Sigurd Rascher top tones book.
The problem is that whatever you use, you'll keep hearing your horn relatively loudly because of bone conduction. Mouthpiece vibrations are transmitted through your teeth, skull and into your inner ear. Deep, custom molded in-ear monitors will reduce this effect, but it will still be there.
For a relatively cheap solution, get a set of drummer's headphones like THESE or THESE.
However:
> I'd like to monitor the input to get a better idea of what I actually sound like, since obviously it sounds very different from what I think I sound like.
this won't really work anyways. A lot of information is lost when recording a saxophone. That's not only true for professional studio recordings (which use top of the line spaces with carefully controlled acoustics, and very expensive gear), but even more if you use a cheap mic in your home. I've had the opportunity to hear Chris Potter, Donny McCaslin and Ben Van Gelder up close, unaccompanied, and none of them sounded like how they do on tape.
If you want a more "true-to-life" recording of your horn, place the mic as far away from your horn as possible so it picks up a lot of room sound and resonance.
The Standard of Excellence Book 1 is a great method book for beginners of any instrument. You should be able to find the alto sax version at a local music shop, but it can also be found here: https://www.amazon.com/PW21XE-Standard-Excellence-Enhanced-Saxophone/dp/0849707560.
Just get an SKB.
Once you put a horn in a contoured case like this, it molds to the horn. Putting more than one completely different horn into the case could lead to weird shifting and the horn bouncing around.
So, yeah.
Get one of these: https://www.amazon.com/SKB-140-Contoured-Alto-Case/dp/B003AYNFSC/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1475783967&sr=8-2&keywords=skb+alto+sax+case
EDIT: I have a Conn 6m VIII and a Selmer Balanced Action alto that I keep in SKB cases. My tenors are a VI and a Yamaha YTS61 that I would never interchange the cases for - they both have their own (an SKB and the stock cases, in this example).
I've found these swabs are the only thing that can get moisture out of the top curve of a bari:
The version I am familiar with should say "for oboe or saxophone" on the cover.
These have a slow (lyrical) and a fast (technical) study in each major then relative relative minor key (i.e. Cmaj slow, Cmaj fast, Amin slow, Amin fast).
This might work well for you, since you can pick out a key you like, then decide whether to showcase your tone and lyricism, or your technique (not that they are mutually exclusive).
With the technical ones, don't worry about playing them as fast as they are written if they are too hard, just play as fast as you are comfortable.
If you have more questions, feel free to PM me - I had to pass a playing test on each of these damn things.
I own a Protec lightweight max which I got for under 60$ (usd) on amazon and have no complaints. More than enough room for current parts book.
If you have Amazon Prime, check this out. This is the Schwartz Tuning CD, and it is available to stream to Prime customers.
Would you recommend this saxophone for a beginner such as myself?
I'd like to get something cheap and progress throughout the years, and then purchase a better quality one.
Here's the link I'm intrigued but I wonder what the return policy is if I don't like it.
I have arthritis in my lower back among other places and I was really struggling with playing bari for long periods of time. I asked my sax professor about harness recommendations and she said I should check out the Vandoren harness. I know it has been mentioned in here previously, but I just wanted to give it another vote of confidence. This thing is probably the best piece of equipment I have ever purchased. It drastically reduced my back pain/discomfort. It is a little on the expensive side, but it is well worth the investment for anyone struggling with back issues.
The Yamaha 4C is weak. Order a Rico Metallite from Amazon (or where ever). They're around 30 bucks, plenty of power, reed friendly. Also, try out some synthetic reeds, they last a looong time and don't get messed up by the elements, perfect for playing outside in a marching band. I use Legere Signatures and they work great for me. Good luck!
Rico Mouthpiece on Amazon -- http://www.amazon.com/Rico-Metalite-Tenor-Sax-Mouthpiece/dp/B002QLBZ5A/ref=sr_1_sc_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1436889760&sr=8-1-spell&keywords=tenor+rico+metallite
Candida Connolly wrote a pretty interesting study book for Indian-style sax with accompanying CD, if you're interested in Carnatic music. Link.
You might want to take a look at Larry Teal's book, The Art of Saxophone Playing. You can look at the Amazon link below -- click on their "Look Inside" link for a look at the Table of Contents:
www.amazon.com/Art-Saxophone-Playing-Larry-Teal/dp/0874870577
You might be able to find it in your local library. If not, it's well worth the price to buy a copy. (I own a copy myself.) It's a standard and highly cited text, and loaded with detailed information on breath support, embouchure, articulation, intonation, etc etc.
You may also find some helpful articles on how to form your throat and tongue, on Doron Orenstein's website (see links below). His "Tips & Techniques" pages -- 18 pages in total -- are pretty good:
http://www.bestsaxophonewebsiteever.com/
http://www.bestsaxophonewebsiteever.com/category/best-saxophone-tips-and-techniques/
I briefly worked in a music store and we sold a few books from a series called "I Used to Play X" Haven't used one myself but they're designed around people in situations similar to your's. http://www.amazon.com/I-Used-Play-Alto-Sax/dp/082588358X
If you want to go the extra mile, use ONE OF THESE on the worst offenders (palm keys, G#, low Eb & C#) or any pad that has a tendency to accumulate moisture. I've been using them for a few years and they've extended the life of my pads quite significantly.
I always recommend this album as a fantastic place to start. Once again amazed at this subreddit for zero mention of Lester Young. How can you learn to play if you don't spend time with Prez? I don't get it.
Contrary to the major opinion here - I have positive experience with my pad saver.
Though, when I'm cleaning my alto I use both swab and the pad saver. My saxophone pads are less sticky than they used to be when I just used a swab. Even if I'm in a rush and just pop the pad saver back in without using the swab the pads are much less stickier compared to not using anything at all which almost always guaranteed sticky pads the next day.
A good pad saver that doesn't shed is what makes this work. I use this one. http://www.amazon.com/HWProducts-U-ALT-Alto-Sax-Saver/dp/B0007XE8YO/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&m=A1WSD1LH3I5EQK&s=generic&qid=1204560294&sr=1-2
Also check this out. http://www.shwoodwind.co.uk/Testing/Padsavers.htm
Before I bought it I was also really skeptical,but hey - it actually works.