Beginner (playing) Nearly gave up today

Remember also that we do this because we like doing it. Not to be good.
I am truly enjoying learning to play the sax and make music, far far more than I ever expected.

Six months in and I want and need it more. Even when it seems I'm getting nowhere the urge to continue overrides my negativity and I blow away those doubts. Playing calms and centres me like meditation.

At my age I have no illusions about being 'good'. If it takes 10-20 years then I've had it anyway. As long as I don't scare away animals or children.

Some one came up after the gig last night and told us we should be available on the NHS. I'm still buzzing.
@Colin the Bear Well done on making someone's day! That was a real compliment.
 
Remember also that we do this because we like doing it. Not to be good.

If I don't play for a while, picking up a horn reminds me that I should have picked it up earlier.

Playing can improve your emotional and mental health and there's some evidence it improves brain function.

It's my reason to be alive at the moment.

Some one came up after the gig last night and told us we should be available on the NHS. I'm still buzzing.
There are studies that show playing music can help prevent cognitive decline. This is good news since so many of us are in our golden years.
 
There are studies that show playing music can help prevent cognitive decline. This is good news since so many of us are in our golden years.
IMO, anything that requires the brain to do cognitive thinking helps.
In 2019, I enrolled in Spanish Level 1 in Spring and Level 2 in Fall at Clovis Community College. As a non-paid volunteer, for 2 years, I was working about 20 hours a week doing social services interviews at the Salvation Army Corps. Since I received a heavy tuition discount being a senior (over age 65), I enrolled, aced both courses.

We had some visiting us who knew very little English but were fluent in Spanish. In interviewing them, speak about a crash course in learning! But hard-knocks is a thorough teacher!

To further my learning, I was memorising Bible verses in Spanish. Recalling them word perfect is a challenge, but taught me about verbs and their usage.

One can apply this to other areas. In college, I was memorizing Chemistry rules, writing them on business sized cards, had a review deck by book chapter. "Bronsted Base Rule 1 is ...." Worked like a charm. Prior to memorizing, got a "D" on the first quarter exam. Started this method of memorizing. Got a "B+" on 2nd quarter, "A" on 3rd quarter, aced the final with closing grade of "B+".

One could use this method to memorise favourite famous quotes, a favourite chapter of a book, a cooking recipe, etc.

Key is periodic review after memorisation to keep it locked in one's memory.
I also find that with a decent electronic keyboard (within one's budget), that I can work out jazz improv, styles, practise key signatures, etc. in the privacy of headphones, when one's living situation is not conducive to practising the sax.

Why not over time learn to build one's backing track to play along with? There are many ways to expand one's music horizons, keep learning.
 
Pirouettes begin and end in the mind.
Any other way, you just might fall down.

I passed that sage advice, to a buddy, when her granddaughter, was accepted into the ballet program, at the new high school of music and art, in NYC.
Still in high school, she sent me pictures of the Lass, working out with the Boston Ballet Company.
Impressive for a high school kid.

Five decades ago, after a concert at a college in New England, while drinking and discussion improv, with some talented artists, the ballet master, of a well known company in the States, used that phrase, as it applies to both dance and jazz.

Ballet chops, makes the Oboe seem like a cakewalk. 😜
 

Similar threads... or are they? Maybe not but they could be worth reading anyway 😀

Popular Discussions on the Café

Forum statistics

Topics
27,007
Messages
495,030
Members
6,975
Latest member
Gold
Back
Top Bottom