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

[cappers]

@lydian Thank you, that's very kind.

Not all of the band was there last night. Currently the full wind section comprises:
3 tenors
5 altos
3 flutes
1 cornet
1 clarinet.

Cheers.

 

[Ghr9204]

Not all of the band was there last night. Currently the full wind section comprises:
3 tenors
5 altos
3 flutes
1 cornet
1 clarinet.

I had to look at your list twice, @cappers . For a minute there it looked like GAS list. 😉

 

[cappers]

But ... tcappershe video is posted under the name @cappers_SJB., Although when I click on your name on Youtube, your 'channel' shows that you have 'no

Not sure why they aren't showing up. They were set to Private so the link should work but the content only shows up when listed as Public?
This links to my channel seems to work:
YouTube

 

[Vlad]

Love the bit where our lad was frantically leafing thru his part !

 

[cappers]

Love the bit where our lad was frantically leafing thru his part !

Perdidio!

 

[PiccoloPirate]

One of our favorites.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vcjWUYm4Hls

 

[MikeMorrell]

Wow @MikeMorrell Thanks for liking it but you didn't have to repeat it three and a half times (computer glitch?)

I am very fortunate being in this band. All the positives you mentioned plus for me the sheer enjoyment.

Musically I think the band is strong, hence my panic when I first joined. But it has pushed me along and I think I'm making progress. Still dislike my sound

The band has also another alto sax, an occasional tenor sax, another two flutes, a cornet, clarinet, another guitarist, and second drummer. Too many for some venues.

Side note, the first guitar solo was by the band leader, an old pro who also plays the sax.

Hi @cappers , it's maybe just your personality but I notice that you're often 'modest' about you performance and progress. Yes, for any amateur sax player there's always 'more to improve and more to work on'. We always tend to focus on 'how much there still is to learn/improve'. IMHO this is never-ending. The more you learn (at anything), the more you learn about what you still don't know or still can't do.

So I personally think that it's (periodically) well worth reflecting on, being satisfied with, and celebrating just how much you've learned over the past 3,6,12 months and how much progress you've made.

As a (very speculative) metaphor:
Continually being 'hungry' (to learn more, play better, etc.) doesn't provide much 'nourishment'. Occasionally pausing to reflect on - and enjoy - the fruits of everything you've learned and improved over the past period does IMHO provide more 'nourishment'. Some sax players feel 'satisfied' at this level (whatever that may be). Others take more energy into their next learning/improvement cycle.

 

[cappers]

@MikeMorrell
Again thank you. I don't know about 'modest', 'realistic' might be more accurate!
Anyway I was told not to blow my own trumpet................so I got a sax

I was bought up at home and school with the ethos of 'if you are going to do something do it properly with commitment and enthusiasm'. Plus a lifetime in science where one is only as good as one's last research publication and only excellence is good enough. So I can be quite self-critical and unhappy with my output. 😡

On reflection I have come along since first picking up the sax last December. I had done a lot of reading and watching on the web incl. here about how to play a sax and was determined that for my first lesson in January I could at least get play the C Major scale on it. My family, teacher, band leader all say I'm making excellent progress but the better I get the more dissatisfied and critical I become. *

I still don't believe I'm playing in a pretty competent jazz band. Ten months ago Twinkle Twinkle Little Star was a challenge

Secretly I'm pretty happy with my progress but then I hear other 'amateurs' on here or fellow band members I realise the journey has only just begun!

* Sorry for long post.......This might read a bit hippy-dippy-ooby-dooby but the first time I picked up the sax and blew into it, no matter what noise came out I knew this was the instrument I wanted to play. In my teens I toyed with an acoustic guitar but just couldn't get on with it, whereas on the sax especially the tenors I feel 'at home', it's almost a part of me (man)

Finally and importantly, I have never been happier or more contented. No matter what I sound like, blowing the sax makes me feel good, mentally and physically. On a day I don't play I feel something missing (although I'm beginning to appreciate that a day off every week is actually beneficial, at least for me).

 

[skeller047]

Yes, for any amateur sax player there's always 'more to improve and more to work on'

This is true for pros too. Maybe more so. “The more you know, the more you know you don’t know.”

This is a big part of the reason I love music. And science 🙂

 

[cappers]

A great gig last night at our local seafront cafe-bar. A large and appreciative audience, mostly family and friends with a few locals. Pizza, beer and jazz, nice!

I soloed on Autumn Leaves and for the first time I wasn't too unhappy with my sound. Some bad notes but I think and hope my breath support was stronger.
I don't think it is as awful as some of my previous efforts but definitely room for improvement. I also did Oye (again!) and a 12BB on the Green Onions finale.

Critique welcome, thank you.

View: https://youtu.be/4wmCRYZagLk?si=Wsc3b64KwLwsAUdP

View: https://youtu.be/809sTjSrDkk?si=MGWQiWeSShRcbdbv


Just realised that I bought my first saxophone on 4th December last year, got it back after a COA on the 11th and I have never had a year pass so quickly and be so much fun!

 

[Ghr9204]

Just realised that I bought my first saxophone on 4th December last year, got it back after a COA on the 11th and I have never had a year pass so quickly and be so much fun!

Congrats on the performance and having the sax such a short time. That is an accomplishment.

A COA does help.

You mentioned how your later Yamaha Vito (7141T?) plays better than your earlier 7131T (YTS-23).

Yamaha does incremental improvements with each newer model. The saxes are hand assembled. Sometimes the right combination of elements comes together so that fit, finish, etc. works that a horn stands above the others. Even Pete Hale alluded to this in his saxpics review of the well loved and regarded Selmer Mark VI. Some played better than others.

However not all is lost. One day you'll pick up that "YTS-23", and with the right mouthpiece and reed, make it sing.

With my venerable Selmer Bundy II alto back from the shop, it's now a joy to play, make a good starter sax for a grandchild, especially in its new contour case.

 

[thomsax]

Critique welcome, thank you.

Leave space. I think you play too much. It's a bit stressy. Slow down .... . It's nothing wrong to play a solo close to the melody/singing lines. Try to play phrases with the sax " the falling leaves, drift by the window, the autumn leaves of red and gold, / I see your lips, the summer kisses, the sandburned hands I used to hold .... " Think more words to get a better flow. I guess it's a special arrangement of Autumn Leaves the band is playing.

I think it's great that you are already playing in a band and take solos! Bravo.

 

[cappers]

You mentioned how your later Yamaha Vito (7141T?) plays better than your earlier 7131T (YTS-23).

Yamaha does incremental improvements with each newer model. The saxes are hand assembled. Sometimes the right combination of elements comes together so that fit, finish, etc. works that a horn stands above the others.

Thank you @ghostler, I enjoyed myself.

Just for the record, the YTS-25 is an actual Yamaha branded horn, the YTS-23 is the Vito branded version. The YTS-25 must be a Monday morning job rather than a Friday afternoon one as it is very nice, teacher agrees. The Vito is also great, darker but just feels a little different under the fingers.

Leave space. I think you play too much. It's a bit stressy. Slow down .... . It's nothing wrong to play a solo close to the melody/singing lines.

Thanks @thomsax I might be trying to run before I can walk properly but the B/L was happy and said to keep at it, getting better all the time.

I practiced using just chord tones and staying with the melody but 'Mr Mind' said that was boring so tried to get fancy. Lesson learned, Keep It Simple!

The arrangement is by the band's bassist. It's in F#m which I believe is how Bill Evans played it. Personally I prefer the Davis-Adderley version in Am.

My main preoccupation at present is getting a decent tone. I think the beginning of AL was a bit shaky at times but I think the tone improved as I went along. I'm happy; learn something every time I pick up the sax.

 

[PiccoloPirate]

Your sound/tone is improving.
Your musical statements/story, best to be honest and constructive.
Spend time with your teacher or a band mate, that can help you learn to write a solo, over the entire tune, like Autumn Leaves, for starters.
Not understanding the importance of doing that, or anyone claiming it violates the essence of Jazz, 🤮

 

[cappers]

Thank you @PiccoloPirate

I've been working on my breath support and I think it's beginning to show results.

The AL solo was pants, should have stuck to the melody and played with that rather than noodling along but I thought playing around with the melody alone might sound uninspired and boring. I have a transcription of Bill Evans' solo in F#m which I'm practising.

First steps....

 

[Dr G]

I practiced using just chord tones and staying with the melody but 'Mr Mind' said that was boring so tried to get fancy. Lesson learned, Keep It Simple!

Let Mr. Mind consider adding chromatic approach tones and enclosures. The chord tones will still be strong, yet the addition of a few increments near the chord tones let Mr. Mind have something to do. We’re not doing anything complex like alternate scales or stacking triads, but it is part of the language of jazz.

 

[cappers]

This thread was started to encourage other beginners to try and play with other people, preferably those with a higher level of skill. It wasn't meant to turn into an unofficial blog!
So I'll make this my last 'progress' post. A solo I played today at a harbour side pub. Only a small audience but we got applause after each song and at the end. Someone said the band swung and was tight which was good to hear.

It's pretty mediocre but to me, after one year, not too bad. I think my breath support and tone have improved (a few squawks and pinched notes ) and there is still a lot more work to do. Fortunately I just love playing and will happily practice, play and hopefully improve, until I'm no longer able

Thanks for reading and listening!

 

[GCinCT]

Very nice, @cappers. You are definitely improving. Why not keep posting your progress? Your dedication and work ethic are inspiring. You can encourage beginners and more experienced players are rooting you on. I know I am!

 

[ESJohn]

I don't see a problem with the thread continuing. It's good to hear you and others discuss band experiences.

 

[Digger2054]

@cappers keep the thread going!

There will be many ups and downs, and it's reassuring to see others experiencing similar things, and actually getting out there and having a go.

I was quite chuffed in our last rehersal to be asked "can you play low B but make it sound like a Cello?" I got reassurng knods of approval from the string section. Followed by sight reading a Bari solo, in a piece I struggled to play the Alto part last time... it went well, just need to make the notes more staccato.