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Saxophone beginners Come on now, join the band....(Beginners blog)

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cappers said:
Had a 40 minute gig at a local fete today and it went well.
It was bit windy, quite sunny and warm and despite the grey clouds it didn't rain.
Lots of families milling around and probably about 50+ sitting on the grass listening with a few young kids bopping away which was sweet. Got applause after each tune and a big round at the end, the fete's MC roused them on.

I'm slightly embarrassed but here's a short clip; I'm the tenor at the back.
I must stop bobbing about though!

View: https://youtu.be/VpPvuLn46QE
Read more…
Sounds great. Using my awesome powers of deduction, I can tell exactly what time you made this recording - Cold Duck Time.
 
Pete Thomas said:
True but performance is also visual. So how you move, what you look like and behave on stage can all be relevant and important.
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No issues, Pete, but that presumes the music is solid. If the visuals are bad, I can at least close my eyes and listen. If the music is a fail, I don't care how well you dress and move.
 
cappers said:
Had a 40 minute gig at a local fete today and it went well. [...] I'm slightly embarrassed but here's a short clip; I'm the tenor at the back. I must stop bobbing about though!
Read more…
Sounds like you had fun! :thumb: The type of music you're playing, IMO in an informal environment playing pop music, some bobbing is acceptable, appears you are getting into the music; plus you are in the back so it is not as pronounced as it would be in the very front. Unless your bandleader mentions otherwise, focus on the music, intonation, etc. As you get more comfortable, I think your "bobbing" will settle down. 😉
 
ghostler said:
Sounds like you had fun! :thumb: The type of music you're playing, IMO in an informal environment playing pop music, some bobbing is acceptable, appears you are getting into the music. Unless your bandleader mentions otherwise, focus on the music, intonation, etc. As you get more comfortable, I think your "bobbing" will settle down. 😉
Read more…
Or - heaven forbid - you'll enjoy it even more and be more free to bob as you feel like it. Oh no, the back line is bobbing in time!
 
MikeMorrell said:
Two months ago, I had a back injury (lumbago). ... I decided to attend my 'Blues/Rock' band's rehearsal at the end of the 2nd week, ... I took my sax ... I could play ... (with some back support while 'sitting out'.) ... 3rd week, I decided to re-join my 'jazz improvisation workshop' on Monday and - if that went well - my Big Band rehearsal on Wednesday. My back ... would quickly stiffen up if I sat for more than 15-30 minutes (even with 'back support'). So for a couple of weeks I stood ... while all other sax (and other players) were seated.

I really enjoyed standing and 'bobbing about'. 'Movement' initially helped my back from stiffening up but I quickly enjoyed 'movement' just for its musical advantages. I found that it was a much better 'playing experience' when my whole (moving) body dynamically responded to the music than in a 'static' standing/sitting position.

So my humble advice is that you just let yourself go (without any 'internal constraints'), including 'bobbing about'. ... Having a few players 'bobbing about' adds IMHO to the audience perception of 'enthusiasm' and 'authenticity' were seated
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I've had back herniations before, recovered without surgery except for the last episode, 3 years ago, which I had major back surgery. So, I know what you are referring to, @MikeMorrell . I am very familiar with the healing you went through until it resolved itself. Speaking of "lumbago", I found this interesting jazz song with a sax solo in it called, Lumbago:


I love the Hammond organ solo in it, too. 😀
 
cappers said:
Firstly I hope your back improves soon. I suffered from sciatica for years because of a twisted vertebra resulting from a herniated disc. I had an intensive course of physiotherapy a couple of years ago because I was getting numbness in my nether region (!) and was scanned for cauda equina syndrome Cauda equina syndrome. Fortunately it wasn't that and the improvement has been remarkable. Still get tweaks if I overdo it though.

Back to 'bobbing', I found a pdf of Universal Method for the Saxophone by Paul de Ville and he states:

View attachment 29435

Larry Teal also states:
1. Stand or sit erect, but relaxed.
2. Keep both feet flat on the floor
etc.

I'm just a bobber! The other tenor player stands stock still and I think he doesn't like my swaying to the music, but I don't feel, no disrespect, any emotion or passion even though he is technically a good player.
Read more…
Hi @cappers, thanks for this! Yes, it makes sense. Unless (IMHO) 'staying deliberately still' - while parts of your body really just want to move naturally - creates more tension than 'keeping still' is worth. I'll leave it to my betters to comment on this.

For myself, I can only say that there are Big Band numbers (for example ballads, trad. Big Band numbers, vocal numbers) for which I feel no physical inclination to 'move'. The same applies to my 'Blues/Rock Band'. But there are also numbers in both bands (more in my blues/rock band) in which I physically feel the 'beat' (or 'pulse), even during the bars when I'm not actually playing. So for these numbers, I 'move' both when I'm playing and when I'm not playing.

FWIW, I'm aware of some the pitfalls. When setting up, I'm always conscious of finely adjusting my sax strap so that the mpc falls easily into my mouth. Not too high and certainly not too low. The same applies to the fine adjustments to the position of my reed on the mpc. IMHO, as long as I keep the position of my sax, neck, mpc and reed in exactly the same position relative to my head and neck, the 'damage' is limited. 'Moving around' can certainly affect your breath control and throat 'openness' Maybe even your embouchure. But my guess is that you'll figure out what works best for you.

I repeat that 'struggling to keep still' - while you just want to move naturally - may well create tension that affects things like breath control, throat openness and your embouchure. In general, I would suggest that the more relaxed you feel (even with 'bobbing'), the better you'll play.

It might well not be your thing but back in the day (via the café), I learned a lot from this (not for profit) video series by Harvey Pittel.

PS. Thanks for your best wishes regarding my 'back problem'! I'm pretty sure that it's cleared up now. I started my 'weekly exercises' again 2 weeks ago without any negative effects. But I did have a herniated disc (with sciatica) some 20 years ago and it's the worst. It took me almost a year (on the advice of a surgeon) without an operation. But I had never imagined just how painful and depilating a herniated disc (with sciatica) could be! I can't imagine how you managed to cope with this condition for years!
 
I'm not sure which other countries have this, but The Netherlands has a tradition of 'Show Bands' whose members perform (while playing) all sorts of geometric formations, moving sideways and backwards to achieve the formations. One of the most extreme is the band that starts their performances on bicycles. It's The Netherlands: what else?

Yes there are sax players too.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMj-vaV54t8
 

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