Introduction Hi from sunny Suffolk,UK

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Leopard

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Hi folks, my name is Lea and I’ve been playing alto sax for about 5 months now. I’m 74 so I’ve left it a bit late but just love learning to play. It’s also great for the fingers, lungs and, most importantly, brain!
Although I’m a beginner I’m not into this beginner/intermediate/professional thing which seems unique to the saxophone world. I went to a general auction and in between a tv and washing machine sat a P Mauriat pmxa 67 rul which luckily I managed to get for a lot less than a ‘student’ model. Of course, I don’t yet sound any different on any sax but the real difference is that when it just sits there, it says Play Me which I do as often as I can! Happy days!
 
Hi welcome
Many of us were 'late' to the game. Most of us don't buy into the marketing drivel about the 'level' of instrument. Price mostly relates to engineering and build quality and go with what you like and can afford. Main issue with all of them is that they need regular servicing.
 
Hi Lea and welcome to the cafe!

It's wonderful that you've taken up (alt) sax! As in many other areas, "age" is a very relative concept in music. If you enjoy playing and enjoy learning then you're a 'musician' (at whatever age or ability!).

Normally, I play tenor sax. But FWIW, I played yesterday evening (on bass guitar) with a tenor sax player friend who's now 81. And he played just us beautifully as always. As always, in our series of 10 'jazz improvisation workshops' + performance, he had to learn to improvise on 10 new songs. Without any problems whatsoever!

I fully agree (as a 70-year-old) that playing a sax and learning to play it better exercises "the fingers, lungs and, most importantly, brain!". I would humbly add that it it (eventually) also improves posture, body awareness, balance, breathing, awareness of others, etc.

Enjoy!

Mike

PS. FWIW, I do voluntary work for a local organisation that supports 'seniors' who have no other support from family or friends. The organisation draws on its own experience and also from national research. One of it's main conclusions is that seniors who have some source of motivation are far less 'vulnerable' than seniors who don't. So great to hear that you have this source of 'motivation'!
 
WELCOME!! I started around a year and bit ago at age 66...It's never too late. I also love playing and joined a junior band that performs several time a year. I say that I am reliving my desire to play in a high school band, that I thought I was too cool to join when I was actually in high school. Have lots of fun! Its addictive. 🙂
 
Welcome Lea @Leopard to the Café and I agree with you and @Tenor Viol that many of us, at least I do not subscribe into the alleged instrument quality grading system. His statement, "Most of us don't buy into the marketing drivel about the 'level' of instrument. Price mostly relates to engineering and build quality and go with what you like and can afford. Main issue with all of them is that they need regular servicing." holds substance.

I have an aged LeBlanc Vito bari and tenor, supposedly beginner grade but the bari is hand made by their French Beaugnier factory and the tenor is a Jupiter stencil. They both play like pro grade.

And you are not alone as we have a membership of all ages to include the matured, which I attained to having achieved 70 this year. As time goes on, you'll learn of others here in the woodwork who are similarly aged.

The saxophone brings people together. Whilst bell ringing last week Thursday on my alto as a volunteer in front of a Salvation Army donation kettle outside a department store in our little city, two senior ladies greeted me, sharing a little of their saxophone experiences as well. A young man who works at Starbucks up the street shared he also plays sax.
 
Thanks everyone. Your kind, encouraging and warm comments are much appreciated! I have so far learned everything ( which is probably not a lot 😂 ) from YouTube which I find quite wide ranging and informative. I think it’s rather amusing that most ‘teachers’ introduce themselves as ‘ I’m pro-saxophonist Joe Bloggs’ etc as though pro-saxophonist was their Christian name! 😂. I think it’s fair to say that some are better than others.
I look forward to learning more from this forum!
 
Leopard said:
from YouTube
Read more…
Just to point out that not everything useful can be found under *saxophone " - much of musicering is common between all instruments. For example, I find Bill Hilton really useful - although he's a piano man and I've parked learning piano for a while; he's the best I've found on how to learn music playing, in general.

Welcome. Stick around and join in!
 
Welcome to the forum!
I'd like to throw in my two cents (or "tuppence" on your side of the pond) regarding health. I am preparing for open heart surgery sometime in early 2025. The pulmonary test that I took indicated great lung capacity, 98% blood oxygen and BP of 114/68. There really isn't anything else that I do that could account for that. In my opinion, that cantankerous horn of mine has much to do with those numbers.
Great find on the sax! Have fun and don't be afraid to share your audio experiences here. We are all learners to some degree!
 
Leopard said:
Thanks everyone. Your kind, encouraging and warm comments are much appreciated! I have so far learned everything ( which is probably not a lot 😂 ) from YouTube which I find quite wide ranging and informative. I think it’s rather amusing that most ‘teachers’ introduce themselves as ‘ I’m pro-saxophonist Joe Bloggs’ etc as though pro-saxophonist was their Christian name! 😂. I think it’s fair to say that some are better than others.
I look forward to learning more from this forum!
Read more…
Hi Lea, I agree with you: there are certainly (series of) very useful YouTube videos. And also some that are not so great! One of the questions I always try to ask myself is whether the author/producer of a video is genuinely motivated to help sax players (and/or musicians generally). Or whether the videos are intended as 'clickbait' to tempt viewers into signing up for (paid) online courses. Or to promote a 'product' (sax or mpc).

Via the cafe, I've found some useful (and non-commercial) YouTube videos that I've learned from and that cover some of the 'fundamentals' of playing sax.

One is Harvey Pittel's series of videos on the teachings of his 'master', Joe Allard. Neither his videos nor Joe Allard's teachings claim to be 'the absolute truth' to sax playing. Rather just 'an approach' which worked well for Harvey Pittel. The videos have no commercial goal.

Another is Dave Liebman's (long!) video on 'Developing a Personal Saxophone Sound'. It accompanies (or is based on his book of the same name) but can be watched - and learned from - independently of the book. Unsurprisingly it covers many of the same topics that Harvey Pittel does.

Other cafe members undoubtedly have their own personal preferences!

Finally (and I'm surprised that no-one else has suggested this!), you'll IMHO learn the most from a personal tutor (if locally available and if you can afford it); getting personal feedback and suggestions for improvement is invaluable. When you feel ready, joining a local amateur band (and gradually learn to play what you can) will help you learn even more!

Whatever you decide, I'm delighted that you've decided to learn to play sax! Feel free to ask any questions.

Mike
 

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