How to play the Baker Street alto sax line. Song by by Gerry Raferty (1978).
Originally played by Raphael Ravenscroft.
Baker Street is in Raphael Ravenscroft’s book but not in D major. So you could get that music and then transpose it (down a whole step) if you want. Or you could play it in the other key.
The glissando sounds like a D major scale to me. And to make it sound right, you’ll have to bend some notes.
Hope you like it!
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my 1st attempt after watching your instruction video, i dont use the octave key as it made my sax screech a bit so until i master it this is the best i got lol
Not bad, considering that you’re not too comfortable with the octave key. You’re probably going to want to spend some time working through all of the notes. Start with the mid range. There’s a video I did with just the mid range on alto. And play some songs using the midrange to make things more interesting. Then maybe come back to Baker Street.
Hi Neal, i’ve been asked by a friend to learn a 12 bar blues on saxophone to play with his band! I can’t find any material online….help please?!
Hey Lori,
Check out ‘Tenor Madness’. You might want to learn it by ear. Should be on youtube, it’s on the Sonny Rollins recording ‘Tenor Madness’ too.
-Neal
Thank you Neal! i’ll check it out 🙂 p.s your videos are really helpful! 🙂
Hi Neal, Baker Street was the tune that got me into the sax and being a beginner I found it hard getting music I could follow, your video tutorials makes it so easy .. Thanks for what you do 🙂
Thanks for saying so Val.
Where can I get sheet music for Baker Street for alto sax in D major as you played it in this video?
Baker Street is in Raphael Ravenscroft’s book but not in D major. So you could get that music and then transpose it (down a whole step) if you want.
Yes, Tenor version please!
Neal
Baker St on Tenor please
kev
Love this song and would love to learn to play could you upload a video like this on tenor plz
could you please post a video for the intro section of “heat is on” glen frey
Possibly
Tenor version , please. Many thanks
Tenor version of Baker Street , please.
Thanks
Hi neal,
I cant find any video with this post ??
Regards
Dave
It’s here now, needed to update something.
I can’t seem to find the tenor version of Baker Street…am I just not seeing it or has it been taken down? Thank you…
Basically, in the original key, it goes up somewhat high on alto sax. That means to play it in the same on tenor you need to play some altissimo.
Or you can play it down an octave, but it will sound fairly different.
Or if you don’t care about playing it in the original key, you could just use the notes that are written for alto.
Which of those options would you want to do?
I have just played this on alto.
Let me play around with those options and see how it works…thank you for the quick response!
Hey Neal, that song sounds really fun to play. I probably won’t be able to play it though since I’m kind of bad at moving my fingers fast enough to make it sound like a smooth scale up. I mostly play clarinet, although I’m trying to learn alto as well, and there are lots of songs that I have trouble playing because it wants me to move my fingers way faster than it seems to be physically possible. Do you have any tips on that or is it just up to more practice? thanks
A lot of it has to do with the positioning and movement of your fingers. I have spent quite a bit of time working on that. Let me know if you want to pay for some lessons.
Yeah I’ll keep that in mind when I practice from now on. Thanks
Baker Street in Tenor please! I appreciate your help.
I already left this reply to the same comment left by someone else,
Basically, in the original key, it goes up somewhat high on alto sax. That means to play it in the same on tenor you need to play some altissimo.
Or you can play it down an octave, but it will sound fairly different.
Or if you don’t care about playing it in the original key, you could just use the notes that are written for alto.
Which of those options would you want to do?
I have only played this one on alto.