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

[PiccoloPirate]

You might want to spend time practicing articulation, as your attack is more like, "huffing" out the notes.

 

[cappers]

Thank you @PiccoloPirate advice always appreciated.

I'm aware of my tendency to 'huff' at times and I will continue to work on my articulation and breath with some exercises my teacher gave me.

I know intellectually about embouchure, breath control, articulation. At home, lessons and rehearsals I am generally improving and I don't have to think about them too much. Learning to notice and be able to adjust them if it sounds off. I've even been told my tone is getting good.

It's probably nerves. When it comes to a gig, as @Digger2054 said "it goes out the window". I think I concentrate more on what to play than attending to the 'mechanics' of playing.

The solution is of course, more practice of the basics!

 

[JSL]

I think I concentrate more on what to play than attending to the 'mechanics' of playing.

In live performance, you really should be more attentive on what you're playing than on the 'mechanics' of playing. That's why those mechanics need to be fully integrated and internalized, to the point you don't have to think about them. So, you're right of course to focus on those mechanics in the practice room and really get them down.

 

[Pete Thomas]

Huffing out the notes I love that one!

 

[cappers]

Huffing out the notes I love that one!

I'm a huffer, I'm a puffer, I'm an intonation fluffer...

(Apologies to Steve Miller)

 

[cappers]

Got a gig later today at the 'Family Fun Day', BBQ and regatta at a local riverside pub. Just an hour's set, one of four bands.
Solos for me on Oye Como Va, Just In Time, Tenor Madness and Green Onions. I
will pay attention to my breath support and embouchure and hope to sound better today.

Dr Huffenpuffer

 

[cappers]

The event organisers are on the ball....

 

[Targa]

The event organisers are on the ball....

View attachment 36095

It says DJ and ‘live music all day’, a contradiction as he must be playing recorded music.

 

[cappers]

I won't be hanging around to find out, not my thing.

The University of Brighton, alma mater of DJ Fatboy Slim (Norman Cook), used to play 'Praise You' to close the graduation ceremonies. Getting down with the kids! Embarrassing, all the lecturers and profs dad-dancing to it as they left the stage in procession!
I would have preferred Pachelbel's Canon in Dmajor or Handel's Music for the Royal Fireworks!

 

[cappers]

So, bit of a laugh today at the riverside gig.
First act - guitar and tuba! over-ran by 5 minutes leaving us 5 min to set up.
We were on at 2pm, but the keyboardist hadn't arrived. Then he turns up, mounts his Korg keys on the stand which promptly collapses, a securing bolt had sheared! He plays the gig with the board on a stool on the stage whilst sitting in front of the stage with his back to the audience.
Did the first solo on Oye Como Va but the second, alto, didn't come in. Wasn't sure if I'd missed some bars so played softly waiting. She turns and says "take it, reed has died!"
So I did a few bars until she came in.
Tonally, minor improvement, less pinched I think, with better articulation, Still a long way to go though.

P.S. Any tips on uploading to YouTube? I always have issues. My files are .wav and .m4a. Tried a online mpg and mpeg converters and the files are accepted but then I get a "processing abandoned" message.

 

[Pete Thomas]

My files are .wav and .m4a.

These are audio format, doesn’t YouTube require Video?

I always use mp4 (h264)

 

[wakyct]

I've always used FFmpeg for conversion on my own computer, you have a lot more control and can see what's going on. I would imagine there are GUI front ends if you don't want to use it in the terminal.

Incidentally I grew up in New Haven!... New England that is.

 

[wakyct]

These are audio format, doesn’t YouTube require Video?

I usually do something like this, How to Convert Audio to Video for Youtube Upload Using FFmpeg

 

[cappers]

These are audio format, doesn’t YouTube require Video?

I always use mp4 (h264)

I converted the wav and m4a files to mp4 but YT still wouldn't accept them?
Looked at FFMpeg but it won't open on my Mac.

 

[cappers]

x

 

[Targa]

x

Y?

 

[Dr G]

x

Y?

Are you trying to start something?

 

[cappers]

I'll end it.......Z

Tried to post something and gave up. Nothing to see here.

 

[cappers]

I've noticed than when I make the genrally suggested “AAAH” sound as if I'm singing it, my tongue sits down low in my mouth. For me this produces more of an AARGH almost guttural sound and I can feel tension in my throat and hear it in the pinched tone.

For me lowering the tongue seems to reduce the flow of air. When my tongue is relaxed in a more natural and slightly higher position and I think 'OOOO', the sound is smoother and fuller. If I raise the back of my tongue higher I get more of a EEE sound.

I know breath support and embouchure are important but I wonder if the above might be part of my poor tone. As our throats, larynxes, oral cavities, tongue shapes and sizes differ, have I found 'what works for me'

Getting very frustrated with my lack of tonal improvement.

 

[lydian]

What worked for me was not really thinking about what was going on in my mouth/throat and just use my ears to try and match the sound of a player I wanted to copy. You really have to have a clear, specific goal to aim for. Not just the vague idea of "better sound". I played along with records for hundreds of hours until my sound perfectly matched whatever I was listening to. I would even break it down to one note at a time. Get that middle D sounding exactly like Dexter's for example. Once I had the skill to shape and control my sound, I developed my own sound and had the ability to sound like any other player or style I wanted. This took a few years of concerted effort.