2 Responses

1. goldengal221

   August 22nd, 2010 at 12:13 pm

   1

   The baritone sax (also called "bari") is in the key of E flat…..that means that when you play a "C" on the sax, it sounds a concert E flat.

   Therefore, on a bari sax, if you want a concert B flat scale, you must play a G major scale on your horn.

   Whatever concert scale you want to play, for the bari (and alto) saxes, you must play the scale on your sax that is a minor third lower than the concert scale you want.

   Use this table:

   Concert ———————You play
   Bflat ——————————G
   B ———————————-G sharp
   C ———————————-A
   C sharp ————————- A sharp
   D ———————————-B
   E flat —————————–C
   E ———————————-C sharp
   F ———————————-D
   F sharp ————————-E flat
   G ———————————E
   G sharp ————————F
   A ———————————F sharp

2. bob41862

   August 22nd, 2010 at 12:13 pm

   2

   My wife’s answer earlier should be all you need to learn the various scales you need to know. (I do admit I did help her a bit with the table in the answer).

   To ge the best sound out of the bari sax:
   First and foremost, if you are a smoker QUIT NOW!!! The bari sax requires a lot of air to fill that long tube from the mouthpiece to the bell. Before you start playing, take a few deep breaths to circulate the air in your lungs. Then, breathe as deep as you can and let it out as slowly as you can. This will help your diaphragm control your playing and your note sustainability.

   Next, always start with a clean mouthpiece and a moist reed. When you are done playing, rinse out the mouthpiece and wipe it with a dry cloth or paper towel. Wipe the reed as dry as possible and put it in a plastic reed case. Do not leave it on the mouthpiece, as this will cause warping.

   And remember, a lot of practice will always help. It’s like the old joke about the musician walking down the streets of New York and asks a guy "How do I get to Carnegie Hall?" The guy answers, "Practice, kid…a lot of practice!"