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  • #79146
    James McCann
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      #79147
      James McCann
      Participant

        I’m new to this site.
        Not sure how to use it yet.

        I play tenor sax in a “Motown” covers band. I was the only horn player but I have an alto sax player joining and I’ve been trying to write horn parts. So far my attempts have been pretty bad. Anyone got any tips on writing parts for alto and tenor sax for this type of music.

        #79209
        john
        Keymaster

          depending on the song of course, but there’s a couple ways to go about it…
          Playing as the only tenor sax and now adding an alto you can simply double his part to be the same as yours, but it’ll add a lot since it’ll sound higher. This method is even used when there are even more horns because unison can be pretty powerful.

          Also, the two saxes can play simple harmony instead of unison. this would be a 3rd apart… so if the tenor line is C D E the alto would play E F G.

          If the arrangement utilizes a bigger horn section, the other way is to give the alto the trumpet part and you play the lower part (whether that’s the same line with a harmony or a different moving part)

          these are general ideas and only working with each individual songs would I make a decision on which way to go.

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