🎷 Chasing the Sound I Longed For — Why I Chose the Saxophone

憧れの原点はオーボエだった

憧れはもちろん、フィル・ウッズの『Just The Way You Are』の伴奏を聴いたことがきっかけだったけれど、もともと吹奏楽をやっていた僕にとって、一番好きな音色の楽器は実はオーボエだった。楽団の中で最初に音を出すチューニングの中心的な存在であり、ソロやメロディも多く、その高くて軽やかな音色には強い憧れがあった。僕は当時金管楽器だったし、ユーフォニアムやトランペットではなかなかメロディを吹くことがなかったから、オーボエは特別な存在だった。

アルトサックスへのシフト

でも、Billy Joelの『Just the Way You Are』という名曲に繰り返し触れるうちに、心を奪われるようになったのは、間奏でソロを吹くアルトサックスの音だった。その音に引き込まれるような感覚、フィルの演奏の美しさに心を打たれて、何度も、何百回もLPに針を落とした。あれほどオーボエに惹かれていた僕の気持ちは、いつの間にかアルトサックスにシフトしていったんだ。そしていつしか、自分もあの音を吹いてみたいと思うようになった。

Axosとの出会い

今の相棒『Axosくん』と出会ったのは、東京の木管楽器専門店「ドルチェ楽器」だった。各メーカーが値上げ直前というタイミングで、11本もの楽器を試奏用に用意してくれていた。YAMAHA、YANAGISAWA、そしてSelmer――圧倒されたあの光景は今でも忘れられない。中でもSelmerの『Signiture』は飛び抜けた吹きやすさだったが、予算的に断念。その中で、同じ製造元のSignitureに近い吹奏感と素直な扱いやすさを感じたのが、『Axos』だった。エントリーモデルながらも、将来的にも付き合っていけると確信し、頼もしい相棒に迎えたのだった。

今、音をともに紡ぐ存在

最初に惹かれたのは音そのものだった。艶やかであたたかく、時にざらついた質感を残す一音。CDで聴いたあのフレーズを自分の息で再現できたら――その想像が、決意に変わるまで時間はかからなかった。最初の頃は、思うように音が出ずにくじけた日も多い。それでもリードを替え、角度を変え、呼吸を変えるたびに、ほんの少しだけ理想の音が近づいてくる。上達は直線ではないけれど、昨日より今日、今日より明日へと積み重ねられる。その少しずつの手触りこそが、楽器を続ける理由になっている。

それからほぼ毎日、Axosは僕と一緒にいて、僕の音を出し続けてくれている。彼は僕の音の再現者であり、そのポテンシャルをどれだけ引き出せるかが僕に問われているように感じる。少しでもいい演奏をさせてあげたい。そう思いながら、今日もまた、彼と格闘しながら音を紡いでいる。

🔗あわせて読みたい記事

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　日々の練習と楽器との距離を描いた記事です。

Chasing the Sound I Longed For — Why I Chose the Saxophone

Starting with a few thoughts…

My First Fascination: The Oboe

Of course, my admiration began with Phil Woods’ accompaniment in “Just The Way You Are,” but for someone like me who originally played in a wind ensemble, the instrument I loved most for its timbre was actually the oboe. Among the woodwinds, which are known for producing colorful sounds, the oboe — with its core-centered tone and distinctive presence in orchestras or concert bands — held a special allure for me. At the time, I played brass instruments, and since I never had a chance to play melodic lines with instruments like the euphonium or trumpet, the oboe stood out as something truly special.

The Shift to Alto Saxophone

It was through repeated exposure to the famous song “Just the Way You Are” by Billy Joel that I became captivated by the alto saxophone solo, especially during the interlude. The emotional pull of that sound, the beauty of Phil’s playing — it hit me like magic each time I dropped the needle on the LP. Though my first admiration had been for the oboe, before I knew it, I had completely shifted my focus to the alto saxophone. Eventually, I found myself wanting to try playing that very sound I had fallen in love with.

Encountering Axos

I met my current partner, “Axos-kun,” at the Tokyo-based woodwind specialty store, Dolce Instruments. It was right before a price increase, and the timing was perfect — they had 11 different instruments from various brands ready for testing. YAMAHA, YANAGISAWA, and Selmer — the brilliance of each brand’s unique tone left a vivid impression. Among them, the Selmer Signature stood out, its rich sound and refined response blew me away, though it was well beyond my budget.

However, even among those high-end models, one instrument — Axos — gave me a similar sense of expressive ease and tonal beauty. Even though it’s considered an entry-level model, I was confident we would get along for a long time. That’s how we met.

You might also enjoy It’s Not Just About Writing, where I reflect on why I keep playing even when it’s hard.

Now, We Weave Sound Together

What first drew me in was the sound itself—warm and glossy, yet occasionally leaving a grainy trace. I imagined recreating that phrase I heard on a record with my own breath, and that imagination soon became resolve. In the beginning, I failed to produce even a stable tone. Still, each time I changed the reed, adjusted the angle, or altered my breathing, my ideal sound came just a little closer. Progress isn’t linear, but it does accumulate—yesterday to today, today to tomorrow. That tangible sense of “just a little closer” is what keeps me playing.

Almost every day since then, Axos and I have been making sound together. He expresses my feelings through his sound, and I feel as though he draws out my emotional tension and transforms it into music. Even if just a little, I want to continue making music that touches the heart. That’s why even now, I continue weaving sound — quietly, together with him.

For more about my current relationship with the saxophone, please refer to this article. 🎷

🔗Related Articles
• [My Relationship with the Saxophone, Now]
　An essay on daily practice and the bond with the instrument.
• [Reunion with the Alto Saxophone: Until the Dream Turned into Sound]
　An essay about returning to the saxophone and rekindling passion.