Introduction Hello from SW France

[Stevie]

4th attempt












That feels better!


Steve



It works !!

 

[nick_cook]

Hi Steve,

Welcome to the forum.

I'm 50 and been playing?? for just over month. I'm really enjoying it, and am having a lesson once a week.

I'm nearly there with Strangers in the Night and will be starting something else soon.

Cheers

Nick

 

[Pete Thomas]

Hi welcome to the Breakfast Room. I think you were very lucky to get that horn on theplane, just being a musical instrument is not usually a reason they would allow it.

 

[Basil]

Hi and welcome aboard. I'm 44, and have been learning since May, having bought over e-bay whilst slightly full of Chablis (and luckily having landed a good Yamaha YAS 23 which, touch wood, is in perfect order !). I take lessons once a week, and also have a yamaha 4c. My teacher says to leave the mouthpiece for at least a year, until I have really developed my embouchre and worked on tone etc. I have no idea if this is good advice or not, but it sounds kind of reasonable.

Good luck with the sax, it is a wonderful, if not frustrating instrument. The guys on this forum are really helpful and friendly.

 

[sharon]

Bonsoir Stevie, and welcome from gorgeously sunny Swansea in South Wales. You are a lucky chap living in the South of France 🙂

I'm a relatively late bloomer (42) and have been playing 6 months of so. I enjoy it so much I wish I'd started years ago. I love playing all those songbook tunes (and do it when I should be playing scales ) and really feel I'm coming on with them. I also really enjoy the sort of Rock/blues sax and listened to Dark Side of Moon the other day but REALLY listened to the sax parts. Almost made me want to give up ...... not really 😉

You'll get some great advice here and believe me, it's true, no question is too stoopid

Sharon

 

[justin_chune]

Hi Stevie. It looks like you will just have to learn to speak French. Your sax, reeds and mouthpiece are fine. Maybe you could find a teacher that does distance learning. I've heard of that but I don't no anyone. Or you could get an interpreter 🙂 Anyway, welcome and I hope you solve your problem soon.

 

[kirky]

Hi from sunny Southampton(it really is today 🙂 )

 

[Rogerb]

Bienvenu, Stevie.

My teacher takes his MKVI tenor to UK annually for 'tweaking'... he has a Hiscox case and says he just slings it over his shoulder and walks through confidently without 'asking permission' ... never had any problems with checkin, cabin or security staff so far, he says.

I've taken my alto once, also without problems...no other hand baggage, all documents, and money in a substantial 'bumbag' 🙂

 

[Stevie]

Thanks alot to everyone for the encouragement. Learning French has proved to be a little difficult for me despite having lived here for 11 years. I work in an English speaking enviroment and watch English TV and read English papers (dreadful isn't it), but at leats my wife speaks French and translates for me anyway. But I can get by in a bar or restaurant.

Hopefully, come September I shall manage to dig out a teacher, because that's when everyone is back from their hols. The French new year starts on the First Monday in September, not 1st January as in the rest of the world.

Thanks everyone.

 

[Rogerb]

FWIW, I am having similar problems with learning Spanish on the English-speaking Costa Blanca 🙁

And my wife is even worse than I!

 

[Linky Lee]

I notice many Englishmen find it hard enough to learn English, let alone a foreign language. There have been quite a few people I've had the 'pleasure' of making the acquaintance of that I couldn't understand.

I think the language barrier is quite a substantial problem for learning saxophone. It's hard enough to communicate your thoughts and feelings, those little hunches and the minor subtleties of 'Saxophony' between two native speakers.

I'd advise looking out for an English speaking tutor. Maybe you could advertise in local music shops, you may find there aren't any English speaking saxophone teachers, but there are flute or clarinet teachers that play the saxophone to a very high level as well and wouldn't necessarily make a 'bad tutor'.

Have you seen any local saxophonists live? Who do they learn from, can any of them speak English?

 

[Stevie]

Funny you should mention that.


Only last Friday, we went to a local "night market" at a small village near where we live. This is an annual event that happens in August. Here there is a covered market square, inside tressle tables and benches are laid out. At one end there is a dance area and a band. And low and behold a sax player with a very nice looking black lacquered tenor. I spoke (communicated) and we have arranged a lesson this Thursday.

Getting back to the market though. This is exactly the kind of thing that doesn't happen in the UK. Around the square there are stalls selling all kinds of food. Local specialities of fois gras (6 Euros), maigret de canard (7 euros), paella (local dish here), and wine (3.5 - 4.5 Euros a bottle). If this were to happen in the UK the Customs and Excise would be down staright away. Anyway, it was a great evening with no problems or police patrolling around. Fun was had by everyone and it lasted well after midnight. A great atmosphere.

I'll keep you posted.

Steve

 

[visionari1]

Hi Steve.

2nd attempt t repling to your post

Welcome from New Zealand

Yes an engllish speaking teacher is essential.

It's been my experience with travelling always with my sax (an Alto) that I can carry it on to the plane with me, although I haven't travelled to europe lately.....

Cheers

visionari1 🙂