Band teacher wants my son to play Tenor Sax? (Updated, p 2.)

[louey]

My daughter was in band since the 4th grade. It was about the 8th grade when she thought she may not want to play the clarinet anymore. The band teacher suggested the Bass Clarinet and she played until she graduated and loved it Sometimes change is good, maybe if he tells the teacher he will give it a try but if he ultimately is more comfortable playing what he is use to can he go back to that. Encourage him to just give it a try you never know

 

[pat fan]

Tell your son that sax players are better kissers, too.

Ummm....I really don't want to think if my DS is a good kisser or not
But thanks for sharing

 

[Magpie]

No, no, no. Do not drop in on band practice. You will embarass your ds by showing up. The other kids will laugh at him for having mommy/daddy show up at practice. Call or email the band director tomorrow instead.

Actually, as it happens, I decided to send a letter in this morning instead, asking the teacher to contact me. Now, if my boy does not deliver that letter, THEN I will drop in and embarrass him.

 

[LSURyan]

Hi guys,
I'm an actual, real life band director. Middle school too! Maybe I can help.

Though I don't speak for every band director I can share with you my thought process when asking students to switch instruments.

I NEVER ask a student to switch instruments unless it is for the direct benefit of the band. I stress often, that OUR goal is to have the best sounding band possible. One way to achieve that is to have a balanced instrumentation.

I NEVER ask a student to switch instruments unless they have shown that they can play their current instrument well. If you didn't take the time or put in the effort to learn ONE instrument, what would make me believe you would put in the effort on a new one.

I plant the seed for instrument switching from the very beginning. I only start students on the "big 5" (flute, clarinet, alto sax, trumpet, and trombone). I let them know that I'm always looking for bass clarinets, tenor and bari saxes, percussionists, tubas, etc. and how they can be CHOSEN FOR THAT HONOR!!!

By ask a student to switch, I really mean tell. I usually do a good enough job and "sell" the switch to the kids so that they are excited.

In the rare event that a student or parent is not convinced.....well, that's never happened, but it would be just like when I land a student on their first instrument. I explain that it's like a football team. I land kids on instrument that they would be most successful with while keeping in mind the balance of the band. Therefore creating the best band. "Which is what we really want all along, right?" What would happen if you told the football coach that Little Johnny, though he's the slowest person on the team, but very strong, that he really wants to play running back instead of offensive line. What if the coach listened, and put Johnny in at RB and because there is no back up players on the bench had to remove the fastest kid from RB and switch paces with Johnny on the line? What would happen to the TEAM? Band is the ultimate team. We don't have a bench.

I hoped I helped a little, and I' sure there is a run on sentence or two. If you look at the time stamp, I know what you're thinking.....shouldn't he be teaching?!? I'd rather be teacihng, but we have Election Day off.

 

[Katy Belle]

No saxaphone players here, but thought I would share my experience. My DS started on the trumpet in 5th grade. Did very well. In 6th grade the Director approached me and asked if he could switch to Tuba. I said No, because this was the first thing he EVER showed interest in and was good at it, I didn't want to derail it. Ok. 7th Grade, the Director approached me again. He really, really, wanted him to try. He said he could play both... so we started that. After a very short time he phoned and said, "He needs to play tuba, he's great!" A few weeks later, he'd been playing for about 4 weeks total, he qualified for Honor Band Alternate! A kid had to drop out and DS went to Honor Band!

He is now a Sophomore and still playing Tuba. Tries out for District music this weekend. It has been a huge boost to play a more rare instrument. Now my middle son plays tuba too!

Good luck!

 

[VisionPilot]

I think staying with Alto in Concert Band and playing Tenor in Jazz Band would be the win-win if he's looking for the "good parts." Alto's have the harder parts in Concert Band, as more of a lead of the section. In Jazz Band, the tenor is more of the star. Granted, the alto gets the higher line, but the lead tenor gets the ad-lib solos and is seems to be featured more in the sax line than the alto is.

Personally, I never played alto because I didn't like the tone. I think it's harsher than the tenor, so when I switched from clarinet in 8th grade, I went to the tenor and bari saxes because I liked the sound better and just had more fun playing them.

 

[Magpie]

I just talked to my son's music teacher!

Since playing tenor sax is her idea, she's willing to provide the instrument. She wants me to provide reeds. I'm cool with that!

As far as his progress in class... she says he has "occasional flashes of brilliance and the rest of the time he's in the middle of the pack".

She wishes she could see some enthusiasm from him; just a "moment of real happiness" would be nice. She says my son is "a problem", but then clarified that she meant "if there's a potential problem, your son is always the first to spot it, no matter what it is!"

So... while I don't get the sense that she doesn't like my son, I can see how he came to that conclusion. He probably does irritate her! I told her that my son's moments of joy are low key and subtle. You have to know what to look for. Also, I pointed out that he has diagnosed anxiety issues, so what she may be reading as him being negative is just the boy having an attack of nerves.

However, on the plus side, I told her that music is his favorite class. Also, that he never has to be reminded to practice. I take THAT as a much more accurate sign of his engagement than whether or not the kid ever cracks a smile. He does love music, even if he doesn't always show it.

(His violin teacher has commented to me, "He does not seem enthusiastic at first, but when he plays he is all focus, all business. You can see the love there." She's Ukrainian, though, so maybe she gets his personality better. )

So it looks like my boy will be playing Tenor sax! And I'm going to have to increase his practice time. I'm looking forward to that, actually. I love hearing him play.

 

[Dax]

Good luck to him..

When my little bro was in HS band he was asked to play Soprano Sax...HE LOVED it..he was the only one asked to do it...and my mom told him he sounded like Kenny G..LOL

 

[yellowlabforever]

I play tenor sax in my college's marching band, and I love it

There were multiple reasons why I switched to tenor in middle school. For one thing, there was only one other tenor player. He was graduating from middle school the next year, so I would be the only tenor player in the band the next year (meaning pep-band solos). Another reason is that tenors get AWESOME parts in pep-band. From 7-12 grade I was pretty much the soloist since we had no trombones or low brass. (For example, in one arrangement of crazy train the tenor gets the amazing melody solo in the beginning). My mom also had a tenor, and I was switching because my sister would be in 5th grade band the next year and would use my alto.

Now I am in college marching band, and I play the bassoon as my main instrument in band and orchestra (sax is my secondary). Playing multiple instruments, especially rarer ones, is good. Don't worry about the transition, all the notes are the same as alto. It is just getting used to the new b-flat instrument (same as trumpet and clarinet), and getting the embouchure down right. It has treated me very well, and I think he'll like it.