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

[MikeMorrell]

Back around 1999, I was with the 44th AB out of Albuquerque. We were tasked to play ceremonial and patriotic songs for either Memorial or Veterans Day weekend, at the Vietnam Memorial in Angel Fire, NM. There were a few state politicians giving speeches, a representative from the National Guard Bureau in DC came to speak also.

NM Memorials - New Mexico Department of Veteran Services

www.nmdvs.org

When we arrived, there were about 400 motorcyles parked nearby. They were riders of a nation wide association (ABATE?), don't remember the details. Many came to pay their respect. Similar to your band, we were set up similarly.

It was kind of neat to at first seemed like a bunch of rough looking bikers, but many were former service members, some were combat veterans, a very friendly bunch.

I've learned over time, that you cannot judge a book by its cover. Some of the roughest looking people are the nicest. Some of the nicest looking people are not nice but quite the opposite.

OT but at our local jazz festival yesterday, I saw a man covered in tattoos. I mentioned to my (female) friend that the bass player in our rock/band is also covered in tattoos, has a shaved head, big beard and earing but is a real 'softie' He's very active in the local 'scouting group' and he brings his daughter back and forth to horse riding classes. Both his wife and daughter are lovely, warm (if untattooed) people. As is he.

My friend agreed, saying her brother's friends (all bikers like him) all had tattoos, wore earrings, dressed in 'Biker Black', etc but were some the nicest and most considerate people you could wish to meet. Through various 'biker events' they raised funds for local charities.

So yes, I agree, you cannot (and should not) judge a book by it's cover.

 

[cappers]

........."patience and persistence", I would add "pleasure" and (gradual) "progress". Enjoy what you can play and enjoy the feeling of gradually being able to play better.

I reflected on my playing and came to the conclusion that I am as good as I am at present and with "patience and persistence" will improve gradually. So no more beating myself up over my progress and comparison with others, just play, learn and enjoy.

It may be because I've started later in life (70 now 71) that I feel in a hurry......how many years have I left before I become physically and/or mentally unable to play?

 

[Ghr9204]

I'm at the same age as you, @cappers so as age related issues appear, we just deal with it.

Starting at a later age means that being more mature, you can be more focused and patient.

I know at least one other saxist in his 90's who continued playing 1st Alto in the community band. Then dropped out last 2 years before passing. The 2nd Alto his friend was about 8 years younger, passed away about the same time.

We both have about another 20 to 30 years left. So we just enjoy playing while we can.

Same token, if I had been more faithful in practising, I'd be closer to @Pete Thomas 's level than where I'm at. But I'm further along than others.

As @MikeMorrell alluded to, main thing is to have fun where you're at. The improvements in playing develop over time. One day you pull out the old music sheet, and notice how much better you sound now than before, how much easier time you have in playing that more challenging part.

It's all in fun.

 

[skeller047]

I reflected on my playing and came to the conclusion that I am as good as I am at present and with "patience and persistence" will improve gradually. So no more beating myself up over my progress and comparison with others, just play, learn and enjoy.

It may be because I've started later in life (70 now 71) that I feel in a hurry......how many years have I left before I become physically and/or mentally unable to play?

Tomo Fujita, the wonderful guitarist, has a stock phrase he repeats on every video, and presumably every lesson and class he teaches:

“Don’t worry. Don’t compare. Don’t expect too fast.”

Patience and acceptance, and practicing every day, are key.

 

[Dr G]

Tomo Fujita, the wonderful guitarist, has a stock phrase he repeats on every video, and presumably every lesson and class he teaches:

“Don’t worry. Don’t compare. Don’t expect too fast.”

Patience and acceptance, and practicing every day, are key.

Thank you, Steve, for mentioning Tomo Fujita here. He has so much to share and is such an inspiring and gentle teacher.

TomoFujitaMusic

Musician, author, educator sharing my guitar wisdom. On this channel, I share simple, practical guitar lessons focused on building a strong foundation—ear training, rhythm, feel, and understanding the instrument. We focus on basics: triads, blues, timing, technique, and learning intervals and...

www.youtube.com

Highly recommended for all levels.

 

[skeller047]

Thank you, Steve, for mentioning Tomo Fujita here. He has so much to share and is such an inspiring and gentle teacher.

TomoFujitaMusic

Musician, author, educator sharing my guitar wisdom. On this channel, I share simple, practical guitar lessons focused on building a strong foundation—ear training, rhythm, feel, and understanding the instrument. We focus on basics: triads, blues, timing, technique, and learning intervals and...

www.youtube.com

Highly recommended for all levels.

Thanks for sharing that channel here. I am on a slight Japanese kick lately, and have been looking at guitar content (not just YouTube) actively for a couple years, as my daughter is getting back into it. And I’m about to visit two old guitar playing friends.

Also, since my recent accidental fall, I am looking hard at the concepts behind kintsugi - i.e., embracing, showing and celebrating the places where I have been broken. This fits well into my determination to make a little progress every day. No matter what that progress is.

It’s funny, isn’t it, how whenever we are challenged in some way, it brings into relief the philosophical requirements needed to prevail.

@cappers sorry for the slight derail, but I never pass up an oppo to gain philosophical context.

 

[cappers]

@skeller047 No problem, an interesting aside.

Sorry to hear about your fall, I must have missed that. Hope it all mends soon.
I have used kintsugi to repair a couple of Japanese bowls, and I found the process very meditative.

The Tomo Fujita vids (thanks @Dr G) are great to watch. I know nothing about guitars but I could follow his ideas about chords and liked his style and approach.

“Don’t worry. Don’t compare. Don’t expect too fast.” I am going to put that on my music stand!

 

[ESJohn]

Here's a sample of one of the tunes we are working on, played by another community band. Johnnie Vinson arrangements seem to be very popular with bands at our level.
Rehearsal last evening was fantastic. I especially enjoyed Best of the Temptations. The altos and tenors have a background conversation during the melody of My Girl for "I've got sunshine...on a cloudy day". I had been playing part 2 (the contrast with part 1 is fun to play) but was told to play these measures of part 1. Our maximum strength of three altos and three tenors were present.
We'll be playing an outside concert on July 13.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zO3Ziv_nA04

 

[cappers]

Nice! Much bigger band that ours, more 'Big Band' style.
This is SJB last year.

17 reactions | Saltdean Jazz Band what a delight !! Last night xx | Whitecliffs Saltdean

Saltdean Jazz Band what a delight !! Last night xx

www.facebook.com

Sorry for the link to FB, I can't seem to embed the video?

 

[Ghr9204]

@Pete Thomas , your Café software has now some "smarts". 😀 (I know, its our wonderful edumacation system across the pond.)
I see how it converted and simplified @cappers quoted lengthy link above to:

[URL unfurl="true"]https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1AVXuw9wey/[/URL]

Also I didn't know that one could simply take the FBk video serial number and plug it into the BB Code:

[MEDIA=facebook]8044887885597283[/MEDIA]

that your software automatically did, when I made the post. Fantastic!

Nice! Much bigger band that ours, more 'Big Band' style.
This is SJB last year.

17 reactions | Saltdean Jazz Band what a delight !! Last night xx | Whitecliffs Saltdean

Saltdean Jazz Band what a delight !! Last night xx

www.facebook.com

Sorry for the link to FB, I can't seem to embed the video?

Following was my post before I did the +Quote and simply highlighted the link for quoting:

@cappers , I truncated your link to:

https://www.facebook.com/NurbyTina/videos/8044887885597283

This is how it now displays:

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=8044887885597283

View: https://www.facebook.com/NurbyTina/videos/8044887885597283

Don't mean to ➠

place a burden on you if you are not familiar with ASCII characters (normal text letters and symbols) represented in hexadecimal (example, %3A&2F&2F = "://"). (Those who've done done software and HTML coding would understand.)
When I did that, now the Café software can convert the link (I didn't even use any menu link functions) to an in-line video.

 

[cappers]

My first gig is tomorrow afternoon and after Thursday evening's rehearsal I was ready to pull out 😱
I was playing better, faster and more accurately than before but still got lost several times and could hear every missed or fluffed note and poor tone. I thought come on man, it's too much too soon, trying to run before I can walk, egotistical delusions........

This morning I noticed in the band's dropbox a recording of the rehearsal and to my surprise it sounded good. Good in as much as my faux pas weren't noticeable or if they were, were so brief and passing it didn't matter. I did hear myself a couple of times and was at least in time and in tune.

So I'm going tomorrow, play what I can and enjoy it. It's "all grist to the mill".

 

[Pete Thomas]

and to my surprise it sounded good. Good in as much as my faux pas weren't noticeable or if they were, were so brief and passing it didn't matter. I did hear myself a couple of times and was at least in time and in tune.

It’s often the case, you can be hypercritical in the spur of the moment, but often it all turns out fine. Good luck and have a great gig!

 

[PiccoloPirate]

Sometimes it can be too much too soon.
Still great that you try.
Sad that the band director or accomplished member, could not take the time to write a chart, that is within your current skill level.
Bad Band. 😱
It would benefit them to do that for early beginners, increase membership, can be shared with other bands, and maybe monetized.
I have Blue Moon, on page 7, of this ancient fake book.
When I can, I'll write a part and post it.
What key is your Blue Moon in?

Would be nice of you posted a line that you can play, of any tune, and one that is difficult for you, from the bands book.
Just a bit and the key signature.
For educational purposes, some things are okay, with respect to copyright laws.

 

[Ghr9204]

Sad that the band director or accomplished member, could not take the time to write a chart, that is within your current skill level. Bad Band. 😱

Having played in various bands to include church worship bands, what you are asking is rare, indeed. One just adapts to their methods and mind melds in. The other choice is not play with them.

Often the only thing one receives is the song, a photocopy from a hymnal, fake book or other book in concert pitch. One is left to figure the rest out. Use that copy and a pencil to mark the director's notes and comments, and your own personal comments.

Not all have a background of an educator.

 

[cappers]

Sometimes it can be too much too soon.
Still great that you try.

@PiccoloPirate I'm never quite sure if you're taking a dig at me or not.........reads as slightly condescending?

Sad that the band director or accomplished member, could not take the time to write a chart, that is within your current skill level.
Bad Band. 😱
It would benefit them to do that for early beginners, increase membership, can be shared with other bands, and maybe monetized.

As mentioned previously this is an amateur band not a training band. They are helpful and have suggested how I can fit in, but we are expected to practice and get up to speed in our own time. I'm happy with that as I have a teacher to guide me.

I have Blue Moon, on page 7, of this ancient fake book.
When I can, I'll write a part and post it.
What key is your Blue Moon in?

Thank you; for now I'll stick with the version I have to play. It is in F# Maj or maybe Dm? The first notes are E D...........D EF and ends on A., and many of the chords are Dm7 so I'm guessing it's Dm? Got a minor vibe to me.

Would be nice of you posted a line that you can play, of any tune, and one that is difficult for you, from the bands book.
Just a bit and the key signature.

Cold Duck Time FMaj - I can do this now but at first I found the transition from DEGBb to DEG lowBb difficult, mostly getting both pinkies down together.

Another one I found difficult was in St Thomas in bars 1, 4 and elsewhere, transition from D to C#. At first I was doing all-open C# but that made my DC#DB clumsy. The I recalled a thread on here discussing this and just opening the top stack with D. I tried both fingerings and didn't hear much difference in tone but the latter was much easier for me. As it's in eighths it'll be fleeting

So there you go.

Apologies for the long post.

 

[PiccoloPirate]

No condescending ever.
Just trying to help.
Blue Moon please.
Just a bit, from the start and the key.
Thx

Good to have an idea of your current skills.
Will write a play along to make Blue Moon a duet.

 

[PiccoloPirate]

Here's page 7 in the Bb book and another one from the web.
When I have time I'll write it in one flat and 4/4 time.
Whole, half a some quarter notes.
In the meantime, get the right hand to close properly, when needed.
Old fake books were filled with errors.

 

[cappers]

No condescending ever.
Just trying to help.
Blue Moon please.
Just a bit, from the start and the key.
Thx

Good to have an idea of your current skills.
Will write a play along to make Blue Moon a duet.

My paranoia, online comments can be misinterpreted not being face-to-face, thanks for you help

 

[cappers]

First ever gig done and dusted and it was great! Better and far less daunting than I anticipated. 🙂

There were a few people listening us and MrsC one of my daughters came along. We got a clap after each tune and the two sets flew by and it was over.

I managed to play most of the set, in time and in tune. I bluffed what I couldn't do or added some base line by ear. To think a month ago I was overwhelmed at all the 8ths, dotted and tailed notes, sharps and flats and their speed of playing but today it seemed to come together.

I'm not saying I was good because I'm really not, just a 6 month's novice. But it felt OK all things considered. MrsC and daughter both said they could hear me, that I was on time, in tune, didn't make any bum notes, and sounded good!

I really enjoyed myself

Next gig 26 June and I have two lessons and one rehearsal before to prepare.

 

[Pete Thomas]

Great to hear that!

Btw I just noticed the Blue Moon sheet music, I’m not sure but maybe this still has a copyright? We need to be careful please let me know, thanks.