Introduction howdy y'all! brand new to saxophone :^)

[arbin]

Welcome!

 

[MikeMorrell]

....

it sounds like you have a good sense of discipline, which is fantastic! unfortunately, i don't, so i'm trying a stricter approach for now (and maintaining optimism about it)! if it ends up being overall unhelpful, or if it makes me dread playing (nooo!!!!!!), i'll absolutely switch to a different approach.

,,,,

Hi @maxondasax, just to put the record straight: I (now) have a truly awful sense of discipline 😉! But it was much better when I started learning to play sax. As it was each time I joined a new band and had to practice hard to learn a new repertoire. So a fixed schedule challenge is probably for the best.

I think the idea of keeping a diary is also a great idea. The experience of many 'learners' (including me!) that I've read about on the café over the years is that learning to play sax (or more generally, anything!) is not necessarily a 'linear progression'. There will be (possibly/probably) be 'high points' and 'low points'. Mainly in terms of 'the progress' you think you've made during the past week, month, 3 months, etc. Some people think that their playing standard has 'regressed' during a 1-2 week period.

But also highs and lows in terms of your 'motivation to practice'. So should you experience these kinds of ups and downs during your practice schedule, just be aware that it's not (only)"you" but is common.

That's why I think keeping some kind of daily/weekly diary is a useful tool to occasionally 'reflect back' on the relative highs and lows. Especially during the 'lows'!

I humbly submit that - in addition to any written diary you keep - some kind of audio/video diary is also useful. So that you can not only 'read back about' your reflections on practice sessions. But also listen to (and maybe watch) yourself during practice sessions over the 100 days. Maybe one recording each week. IHMO, this will give you a much better idea of your 'progress' each month.

I'm in no way suggesting that you publish your personal audio/video diary here! Should you wish to get any feedback from café members, then that's entirely up to you. In the past, a couple of café members have published 'video diaries' of their initial progress in learning to play sax. Again, I'm in no way suggesting that you do the same but maybe some of these are worth watching.

The best example that caught my eye was by Chris Smith who published his 'video diary' in 2018. Unfortunately Chris is no longer a member and his last post was in 2019.

Best wishes,

Mike

 

[saxismyaxe]

Greetings to my fellow Texan!

 

[Pete Thomas]

🎷 y'all have helped me so much already — i did a lot of reading on this forum before buying the saxophone i now own.

Great to know. BTW my wife is Texan. @maxondasax - great username, also as you progress your career a good stage name!

 

[maxondasax]

thanks so much for the reassuring words about the ups and downs of the journey! i'll certainly keep that in mind when i start to lose motivation. which i'm sure will happen every now and again. :^)

i have been keeping a video diary, which i'm glad of! i think y'all's suggestion of a written diary is also a good idea for someone like me. i'll start one today! a handwritten one.

haha, thanks pete. when i first started blues dancing and would hear the vocalist introduce all the instrumentalists one by one: "with mike on the bass!" etc... i would always envision, "with max on da sax!" i was glad to see it wasn't a taken username on this forum. :^)

BTW my wife is Texan.

is that so! well, if you'll believe it, my partner's name is pete! this is too good.

 

[Pete Thomas]

i think y'all's suggestion of a written diary is also a good idea for someone like me. i'll start one today! a handwritten one.

Great but ideally copy it here also we’d love to read it.

is that so! well, if you'll believe it, my partner's name is pete! this is too good.

Please give a fellow Pete my regards.

 

[maxondasax]

i'm a little shy about posting a practice diary, but i'll mull it over. i may work up the courage. it sounds like it'd be very beneficial, but it also makes me feel vulnerable! i'll have to get used to that part of it regardless, i suppose... all performance is vulnerable in a way. much to think about!

 

[Pete Thomas]

beneficial, but it also makes me feel vulnerable! i'll have to get used to that part of it regardless,

Well you don’t have to post soundclips, but if you do I think you’ll find we are all very kind and understanding here, but mostly keen on helping everyone move forward. Hopefully you already know that from your time lurking!

 

[cappers]

i'm a little shy about posting a practice diary, but i'll mull it over. i may work up the courage. it sounds like it'd be very beneficial, but it also makes me feel vulnerable! i'll have to get used to that part of it regardless, i suppose... all performance is vulnerable in a way. much to think about!

Somehow I ended up in a local amateur swing jazz band after about six months learning and posted some of my wailings on here for critique. I was wary of making a fool of myself but I guess at my age I don't care anymore. I was having fun even if nobody else was

In return I got support and encouragement and some very sound (!) advice which has benefited my playing. I'm still pretty awful but less awful than before. I have regular face-to-face lessons but the help I have received here has been a great supplement.

Re motivation to practise' - fortunately I have the time, few distractions and very strong motivation so that hasn't been an issue for me; if I don't practise I feel something missing from my day.

But, what I have found is sometimes it goes to pot. Suddenly I can't read the dots fluently, or my fingering is all wrong, I forget a scale or a song I played well the day before. This can last a day or two then the next time I pick up the horn it all flows. Seems to be pattern of progress, plateau/stall, improvement, repeat... I tried relating these crashes to my mood, worries, health, weather etc and find no correlation. I just think it's part of learning loads of new stuff. Just push through it; you wrote you love music, think of as a lovers' tiff, soon over and back in harmony 😎

 

[Pete Thomas]

But, what I have found is sometimes it goes to pot. Suddenly I can't read the dots fluently, or my fingering is all wrong, I forget a scale or a song I played well the day before. This can last a day or two then the next time I pick up the horn it all flows. Seems to be pattern of progress, plateau/stall, improvement, repeat...

No, that happens to all of us. Well, me anyway.

 

[wakyct]

The best example that caught my eye was by Chris Smith who published his 'video diary' in 2018. Unfortunately Chris is no longer a member and his last post was in 2019.

The first big thread I checked out here was Chris's beginner diary (I think a different Chris), a great read IMO.

More recently @Pasogent has been posting nicely done progress videos.

Personally I do occasionally write in a diary of sorts and post recordings (not as much as I could probably) but my daily journal is much more of a practice log and pretty easy to do (even for me, I am not a journal-er by nature at all).

 

[Pete Thomas]

The first big thread I checked out here was Chris's beginner diary (I think a different Chris), a great read IMO.

Yes Chris goes waaay back to before the forum was actually CafeSaxophone. It was originally on the petethomas site and then it became the Breakfastroom forum and finally Cafesaxophone emerged fully formed like a glorious butterfly.

 

[Ghr9204]

i'm a little shy about posting a practice diary, but i'll mull it over.

When you have a little victory here and there, then post a bit about it. This helps to encourage others who are starters, but lacked the boldness to speak up.

When you run up against a challenge and are a little stumped, speak up, too. I am sure others have the same question, too.

In reality @maxondasax , you are a pace setter, your boldness will spur others on!

 

[PigSquealer]

i'm a little shy about posting a practice diary, but i'll mull it over. i may work up the courage. it sounds like it'd be very beneficial, but it also makes me feel vulnerable! i'll have to get used to that part of it regardless, i suppose... all performance is vulnerable in a way. much to think about!

Hey Texas girl, just grab life by the horns and go for it 🤠

 

[Ballymenaboy]

Welcome. this is a great site for help,motivation and encouragement.A good move when you joined.

 

[Dr G]

Log in or register to view this reply.