How to Double a Guitar Part on an Alto Sax
Doubling guitar parts on other instruments is possible, but it requires some preparation. Since the guitar is able to play many notes at once, playing a guitar part on another instrument, particularly one that is able to play only one note at a time, requires simplification of the guitar music. The alto saxophone can double a guitar solo or can play one note for each guitar chord.
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Instructions
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Write out the notes of a solo on a piece of staff paper if you want to double a guitar solo. Most guitar music you will find on the Internet will be in tablature, so unless you already have the written music, you will have to write out the music by ear or from the tablature.
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Transpose the music. Since the alto saxophone is a transposing instrument, the notes you have written will sound different when played on the saxophone. The alto saxophone is an E-flat instrument, so transpose your transcription up a major sixth or down a minor third. If you have a C written from the guitar part, it will become an A. Write the transposed music on a separate sheet of staff paper.
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Play along with a recording of the music. You may choose to notate in your transposed music places where the guitar uses elements like bends; you may be able to bend a pitch on the saxophone to achieve a similar sound as the guitar.
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Pick one note of a chord to play if you want to double guitar chords. You may choose to play the root of each chord. For instance, if the guitar is playing a G chord, you will play a concert-pitched G or an E on the alto sax.
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Play other notes besides the root in a chord for more variety. For example, you can play the third or fifth. Whatever note you play should be a note in the chord. Write out the part you wish to play in concert pitch on a piece of staff paper and transpose it for the alto saxophone on a separate sheet of staff paper.
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References
- Photo Credit saxophone image by TEA from Fotolia.com
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Comments
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how do you tune the guitar to play with an alto sax - my nephew is picking it up - I have never played with wind instruments before. And can we play with alto and soprano sax in the band? how is it done...thanks.
