Playing the saxophone Practice Gap And Stamina

Veggie Dave · Dec 7, 2023

Just wondering how long you can leave between practices before you notice a deterioration in your playing stamina?

I've just had 6 days off and boy can I tell! There's no way I'd want to play a 2 hour show tonight because I don't know if I'd have anything left for the big, iconic solo in the last song.

thomsax · Dec 7, 2023

Veggie Dave said:
Just wondering how long you can leave between practices before you notice a deterioration in your playing stamina?

For me it's not the lack stamina that are the first signs after a break. I've done comebacks, as sax player/football/hockey player, so many times and I know how it feels. IMO it's more a feeling than a physical thing.

Embouchure, stiff fingers, hurting back .... are signs that tell me I have been lazy or taking a too long break.

Pete Effamy · Dec 7, 2023

This is very personal and depends on how many years solid playing/ practice you have under your belt and what sort of blowing you want to do.

My mate and I have v similar backgrounds - classical clarinet in our youth moving almost solely to sax in early 20s.

His chops are almost like a brass player and require almost daily upkeep.

I can go a fair while, though it depends on the gig and the charts (how much playing without any rest).

If I leave it alone for a couple of months, then usually I’ll need around 4-5 days of 30 mins or more to regain my core tone etc.

For me, this also applies if I’m in practice, but change horn. I don’t immediately have a good core sound. For that, I need to keep all horns going at once, and then transition is fine.

BUMNOTE · Dec 7, 2023

Think it applies to most phyisical stuff,i been playing for awhile,but have had more experience from running marathons and 40 plus years of Martial Arts training,training or playing after a holiday or injury can be bit of slog when you return,but stanina does return,guess it depends on how fit you are.No big deal.Bumnote.

Pete Thomas · Dec 7, 2023

Two or three years for me.

Digger2054 · Dec 8, 2023

I've been full of a cold so went about a week without a proper practice. Or Holidays for a week or two without practice.

The first time I pick the horn up after, I always feel that it sounds much better than I remembered, it quickly goes down hill though. Perhaps I should just play once a week :rofl:

thomsax · Dec 8, 2023

It's easy to become a slave under the saxophone practice. To have a break is good for our saxophone playing. During a break you always reconsider your goals. Maybe you have enough with individual lessons and should try ensemble? You have been learned how to read music, maybe you should learn to play by ear .... ?

Today the other things I use to do (training, carpeting, brick laying, walking the dog, cleaning the house, cooking ...) is more important. I use to have songs, licks, combination of words, lyrics .... running in my head while I'm doing the other things. My creativity increase.

Woodpad · Dec 8, 2023

Gap management has a lot of details. I switch often between genres and instruments. So I learned to become used to different instruments and genre demands. After 10 minutes I can get used to another instrument provided that the muscles are good.

My embouchure has more to do with lean and fast muscles than with strong embouchure muscles. So when I haven't played the piccolo for half a year I can play it after 10 minutes, but it takes a week of frequent playing to get my embouchure to 80% of my level. It is less for other instruments.