Absolute Beginner.

[Alice]

Hi Alice,
I can really relate to what you are saying here, I remember when I had just started playing I started off with lessons every week and realised I did not have enough time to do homework, I then decided on fortnightly lessons. After a while I felt this was slowing me down, I then decided to join a concert band. Although I enjoyed it I felt I couldn't catch up and ended up going back to weekly lessons, I still had no time for homework and went back to fortnightly lessons. I did this for a while before doing a jazz course at citylit for a year which I really loved and enjoyed. After this I began self teaching with music books and had fun doing my own thing but felt I was not advancing as I stayed within my comfort zone and avoided doing scales. I later abandoned this method and decided I wanted to do grades, got myself another teacher and this put me under so much pressure, I then decided I was going to learn to play by ear and put all the books down. Since learning to play by ear I have had so much fun.

Now my dilemma is I have now returned to the concert band and since returning I have gained a lot of confidence, but I have found out when I do get lost on the music sheet (tends to happen when there are too many quavers or semi quavers) if it is a song I am familiar with I find I unconsciously begin to play by ear. Although I am having fun doing what I do now, I still question whether I should do grades, keep playing alongside songs I like, stick with the concert band or get myself a teacher? I sometimes think I am going round in circles.

I must say I have been to John Seeley's workshops and have had a fantastic time, I have also had occaissional lessons with him and he is a very good teacher and a very lovely person but distance and work life do not permit me to have lessons with him on a regular basis.

It sounds to me like you're progressing brilliantly!
I don't really know what is meant by "playing by ear" .. Is that when you hear a note and know exactly what it is? I can't recognize notes yet, I have to perform with trial and error until I find it and then memorise it. For that reason alone, i'm learning how to read it.
I think perhaps you would gain from having a teacher again just so that you can progress on to even more stimulating and rewarding music, as reading your post, I think that's what you'd like.

 

[Nick Wyver]

I don't really know what is meant by "playing by ear" .. Is that when you hear a note and know exactly what it is?

No, that's having perfect pitch. I've only ever known one person with it (a trombonist).
"Playing by ear" does seem to mean different things though. I regard it as being able to pick up tunes easily without the aid of dots - something I'm not exactly a whizz at. I have some trouble singing them too so I expect it's related. On the other hand, I go to gigs without a sheet of music in sight so I either memorise stuff or just make it up. Some might regard that as "playing by ear".

 

[Alice]

Well I emailed my tutor in the hopes that he could answer my questions and he replied that he was too busy "on the road" and he would talk to me about it during my next lesson. I had hoped that it was simple enough to chat about in writing because I hate the lessons to be rushed and that's what happens. My sax is barely warned up before the lesson is over I actually think I want another teacher now and have found one, but have yet to contact him.

 

[Jeanette]

Well I emailed my tutor in the hopes that he could answer my questions and he replied that he was too busy "on the road" and he would talk to me about it during my next lesson. I had hoped that it was simple enough to chat about in writing because I hate the lessons to be rushed and that's what happens. My sax is barely warned up before the lesson is over I actually think I want another teacher now and have found one, but have yet to contact him.

No harm in trying another teacher. But all lessons can pass quickly, you could do some warm ups before your lesson starts.

Also from the teacher's point of view if all students start trying to cover things with them by email or text outside of lessons that could eat into their time which for the self employed is money

Jx

 

[Alice]

Yes, I know and I did think of that which is why I was hesitant to do so in the first place. I don't want to whinge or be unreasonable. The lack of warm up referred to time spent not playing. Oh well, never mind.

 

[trimmy]

The lack of warm up referred to time spent not playing.

Warm up is playing unles your doing star jumps and squats

 

[Megajoy]

It sounds to me like you're progressing brilliantly!
I don't really know what is meant by "playing by ear" .. Is that when you hear a note and know exactly what it is? I can't recognize notes yet, I have to perform with trial and error until I find it and then memorise it. For that reason alone, i'm learning how to read it.
I think perhaps you would gain from having a teacher again just so that you can progress on to even more stimulating and rewarding music, as reading your post, I think that's what you'd like.

Hi Alice,
What I mean by "playing by ear" is playing a song or tune without the music sheet. It might not be the best way to learn but I seem to learn faster this way.

I think you are right I probably would gain from having a teacher again, thanks for the advice.

 

[Alice]

Warm up is playing unles your doing star jumps and squats

I know, I don't think i'm explaining myself very well... I don't think i'll say anything more because it's too personal really.

 

[trimmy]

I was joking.......

 

[Alice]

I was joking.......

I kind of thought so! But you were right... ! Thanks for cheering me up anyway! I was feeling quite glum. Blue in fact! Which is arguably a positive thing for me.

 

[trimmy]

I was feeling quite glum. Blue in fact!

Nowt wrong with feeling a kind of blue !

 

[Alice]

Hi Alice,
What I mean by "playing by ear" is playing a song or tune without the music sheet. It might not be the best way to learn but I seem to learn faster this way.

I think you are right I probably would gain from having a teacher again, thanks for the advice.

I thought that's what you meant but wanted to be sure. I can do that with very simple tunes. When I get ready to practice (and i've gone through the various scales several times over) my mind goes blank and I can't remember one single tune that I have had in my head playing on repeat. I can't understand that. That's why I am training myself to read music but i'm at a very simple stage.
When there are several notes which are all the same being played over at least two bars, I don't know how to make that sound good. I have no idea how it should sound. "Blue Moon" is an example. When I play the track, the vocals take on those notes... how does the sax do it? I don't want to play a string of monotonous hoots.

 

[Alice]

Nowt wrong with feeling a kind of blue !

Awwwww thank you I love that

 

[Colin the Bear]

my mind goes blank and I can't remember one single tune

That used to happen to me when I was busking before I got the backing track machine. I just noodled till a tune came.

Start building a repertoire. It's surprising how inventive you get when you've played a tune for decades.

 

[Alice]

That used to happen to me when I was busking before I got the backing track machine. I just noodled till a tune came.

Start building a repertoire. It's surprising how inventive you get when you've played a tune for decades.

Thanks Colin

 

[Jeanette]

I can't remember one single tune that I have had in my head playing on repeat.

I can't play one single tune without the music in front of me, that is my next thing to work on, learning a tune without reading but so many other things to learn too....

Just enjoy the journey set yourself small targets and don't expect to get there overnight

Jx

 

[Alice]

Oh I don't, but you know how it is! I am enjoying the journey very much, it's been many things.

 

[Colin the Bear]

Starting late can rob you of playing all those simple little dittys, nursery rhymes, hooks from pop songs etc that you can get away with and enjoy playing on recorder when you're eight. London's burning, Go and tell aunt nancy, even three blind mice all help to build the direct connection between fingers and ears. Start simple.

 

[Alice]

Starting late can rob you of playing all those simple little dittys, nursery rhymes, hooks from pop songs etc that you can get away with and enjoy playing on recorder when you're eight. London's burning, Go and tell aunt nancy, even three blind mice all help to build the direct connection between fingers and ears. Start simple.

Yes that's where i'm at and it does make me happy, I don't want to give the impression that it doesn't... Also "Puff the Magic Dragon", "Saxophone Bells", "The song of the Volga Boatmen" "Twinkle Twinkle little bat" I had an Egyptian dance number as well but I haven't played that for my teacher yet.
It's like being the proverbial kid in a candy store, me and my Alto with every sax solo i've ever loved raining down on us and my Alto can play it all just fine, except that it has to be channelled through me first.... which must be disappointing haha!

 

[Alice]

If I make stuff up it will all sound pretty promising and then I go and spoil it all by hitting a bum note.