Patent application for combination soprano/tenor sax.
yes, really - click the pic for the link to the office itself!

another crazy dream. This idea turned out not to be a go-er though...

I have a [crazy?!] dreeeaaaaaamm...

like I said yesterday, I like my sax a lot. I like practising it and working on it - and although I sound minging, it is getting better. I think it is anyway.

I had a thought (well, have had it for a while, trundling along on the back-burner here)...

what if I got going on Tenor Sax too?

now - before you shake your head in disbelief and roll your eyes or the words "run", "walk" and "before" start to form themselves into a well-worn saying on the tip of your tongue... wait a second.

here are the pros of starting Tenor Saxophone now:

1. I've got the burning enthusiasm of novelty and setting out on a new journey afire within my soul now - best conditions for me to learn anything!
2. One of the things I've enjoyed most about recorder playing has been being able to move from one family member to another and appreciating their different characters and the feelings of being in a particular place in the harmonic tapestry one minute, then on another one in the next piece. The sax was conceived as a family instrument, so it makes sense to learn the saxophone, not just the "---" saxophone
3. I haven't had much difficulty in adjusting to the keywork or learning the fingerings so far on the alto. Part of this is because there are some similarities with descant recorder fingering, and part is because the mechanics don't seem as alien to me as I was worried they might (all those buttons, AAARRRGH syndrome!). If I start learning tenor now, the thought of a new set of fingerings won't be as much like hard work as it would be in a year or two's time
4. I think the embouchure's the same (or very similar) on both. I have the impression that the tenor needs more puff through it though - so that would actually improve my diaphragm / breathing / airflow on the alto as a side-effect
5. I think I do want to carry on with the sax and learn to pla it well. This may be some time away - but I'm 26, not out. Surely I've got time to get some sort of proficiency going?

Here are the cons of starting Tenor Saxophone now :

1. I've just bought an alto. How am I going to buy a tenor?
2. what if there's a big difference in embouchure?
3. will everyone on the planet think I'm an utter nutter?
4. will I have time to practise both well

I think, however that if I were to go for the yes vote, I'd have to get a tenor on a rent-to-buy or other spread-payment basis. I'd dearly love another Yani so that it handled similarly to my own, and because I love my little shiny critter, but that might be a bit too much money this soon after the first (and when I'm going to be getting furniture for my bedroom around now too). In that case, the Trevor Jones option might be the one to go for - that one would have won the alto contest had my second-hand friend not galloped up the final furlong and left it behind.

hmmm.
maybe it is a crazy idea...
but that doesn't necessarily mean it's not a good one...