This is a great question! Like many other items we shop for it’s smart to consider a used saxophone over a new one. Fingering is identical and so is the embouchure so picking up a different one is not very different, except for the feeling of size difference.
SET UP SELMER REFERENCE 54 ALTO HOW TO
A good thing to note is that once you learn how to play one type of sax, the others are very much the same. These two types are also easier to find as rentals because of their popularity. Do you like the feel and sound of a tenor or an alto, baritone, or soprano? Most students start with alto or tenor. Also, renting a few different models or types of saxes is a good idea. Renting is a good option for students who are not 100% sure if this whole playing saxophone thing is going to work out or not. If you follow this solid advice you’ll choose an instrument that will suit your needs for years to come.
SET UP SELMER REFERENCE 54 ALTO PROFESSIONAL
We’ll check out your best cheap saxophone choices, to the very best professional saxophone models of several different brands. So whether you’re looking for the best alto saxophone for beginners or a vintage Selmer tenor sax, we’ll look at several here. We’ll start by looking at a few of the top brands and their most expensive models just in case money is not a problem for you. There are a LOT of choices today when searching for a saxophone to buy. If you’re still undecided about which type of saxophone to play I have written another article about that here: Now that I'm back into the swing of things, All I really need is my tried and true mouthpieces and a well set-up horn to make me happy, apparently.I’m going to talk about some tips for buying a saxophone today in 2021, meaning the make and not the types of saxophones such as alto or tenor. I think that the III made me sound better than I really was (if that makes any sense) and it helped me get back into the habit of playing more often. I've also got pictures of my III now.Yeah - the III is incredible and all, but for what I do musically, it's like using a Ferarri to deliver pizzas. They were done by a professional photographer. You can fit a bumper sticker on that thing!I've got awesome pictures if anyone wants to see the 23. Maybe it's the one really large key guard that covers all the bell keys. This old one I've got is a different animal.Don't know if it's the 'ol "dont make 'em like they used to" thing or what. Practiced a bit and used it at church yesterday.I'm going to make this 23 my main horn and sell the Selmer III.I played a new 23 in a local shop last year and didn't like the way it felt or sounded at all. Check me into the looney bin, call a doctor, call a priest.I set up and tweaked the YAS-23 this weekend. Their soprano is from Taiwan (a great horn for the price), and their alto is out of Germany and is, too, an outstanding horn though not as cost competitive as their soprano. At least Yamahas play in tune.I was very impressed (once again) with the Accent brand horn. Better off with a YAS23 than with a Cannonball. Who knows - maybe the III will go up for sale.BTW, I absolutely hated the Cannonball. When I get the chance, it will be Iron Chef time. unlacquered or silver plate is simply a matter of appearance and upkeep in my opinion.So I'll gladly keep my III for now.I just wish they had a Yamaha 82Z or 875EX to try out. Maybe colored lacquer dulls things to a noticeable amount, but standard lacquer vs. I like the feel of unlacquered horns, so silver works for me. Maybe Selmer's C# tonehole is specifically for some inherent flaw in their bore design or something.The lacquered III had a touch less brightness, but nothing terribly significant. The Ref's C# had that hint of flatness to it but was better than I've experienced on other horns I've played. The LH pinky table played the same between the two as far as I could tell.And I'll attest that the III's middle C# tonehole most certainly DOES make a difference. I also like the larger plafrom of the III RH pinky table. The Ref high E is flat as the palm keys are below it. The high E on the III has a little bit of a lip to it which I've come to rely upon, apparently. High A rang nice and clear on both the Ref and the III.Maybe it's because I'm used to it, but I like the III's keywork much better. The tenons are the same size but the III neck was a bit longer with the octave pip slightly closer to the mouthpiece. I swapped necks between the horns and didn't notice any difference at all. So close to the lacquered III that I'd say that there was no noticeable difference as a player tone-wise. I played both a vintage LT and a Vandoren JJ A55.The Ref played only slightly warmer than my III (which plays brightly anyhow) and played about identical to the lacquered III. my silver plate III and a standard lacquered III. Well, I just took the Pepsi Challenge (with the blindfold off - anyone know what I'm talking about?)I played the Ref vs.