Playing the saxophone Slow music is much harder to play than fast music

[Jay]

Do you know, I had the same problem the other day playing Dream by the Beverley Bros. (Sorry, I've got a rotten cold and can't even play at the moment, so feeling fed up, just ignore me). If I knew how to do an emoticon it would be down in the mouth, anybody got one of those?

No, but sending you a hug, you sound like you could use one (note, no kisses though not if you've got a cold 😛)

 

[sharkfin]

No, but sending you a hug, you sound like you could use one (note, no kisses though not if you've got a cold 😛)

Thanks Jay I feel better already.

 

[TimboSax]

Playing slower helps me to concentrate on the feel of the music, the mechanics of music production. I agree with Colin about sometimes finding it difficult to stay slow and not put in too many notes (albeit on guitar, not sax. Not good enough on sax yet to have to worry about playing too fast ). Taken me a good few years to realise that I prefer melody and feel to speed and meedly meedly.

 

[Targa]

No, but sending you a hug, you sound like you could use one (note, no kisses though not if you've got a cold 😛)

Not just fed up, extremely depressed, definitely no cold.

 

[Clivey]

Feb in the UK /Depressed. !!!!! Isn't it Blue Monday or something tomorrow?

 

[Jeanette]

Feb in the UK /Depressed. !!!!! Isn't it Blue Monday or something tomorrow?

How can any of you be depressed with the meets to look forward to 🙂

Jx

 

[sharkfin]

How can any of you be depressed with the meets to look forward to 🙂

Jx

I think @Targa's depression is strategic.

 

[trimmy]

I'm sad as i can't play my sax for many days due to chest infection (again) 🙁 haven't played since last Sunday be at least another week 🙁
But the meets ahead keep me happy

 

[BigMartin]

You don't get much time to breathe, do you?

 

[Targa]

I'm sad as i can't play my sax for many days due to chest infection (again) 🙁 haven't played since last Sunday be at least another week 🙁
But the meets ahead keep me happy

Then drop the PPT off and I'll run it in for you.

 

[Colin the Bear]

This chest infection thing has hit all the the wind players I know. Some of the older players have ended up with pneumonia and in hospital. Still....it got me a couple of last minute jobs lol. I'm struggling with it too. Try olbas oil.

 

[dooce]

Not that I have much time to spend these days learning new pieces just for the challenge, but when I did I would automatically gravitate to the faster and more complex pieces rather than the slow, moody pieces, and I think the reason for that is that I am never so happy with my ability to maintain an even delivery that I can enjoy lingering on longer notes. I've noticed that in my "jazz" band, where I do the majority of the solos, on the slower numbers I adopt what I am happy to allow my fellow band members describe as a "Stan Getz" style, consisting of short, minimalist jabs and runs, but which is actually me desperately avoiding playing anything longer than a couple of beats........

 

[Tenor Viol]

You don't get much time to breathe, do you?

I can breath where I like - that's one advantage of a bowed instrument! 😉

After today's rehearsal with another group I can definitely say that he slow movement of Beethoven 5 is HARD. Especially if you're a cellist

 

[Tenor Viol]

This chest infection thing has hit all the the wind players I know. Some of the older players have ended up with pneumonia and in hospital. Still....it got me a couple of last minute jobs lol. I'm struggling with it too. Try olbas oil.

This winter has been very bad for bugs - I've had about 5....

 

[Colin the Bear]

I think it's the same one that just won't go away and keeps rearing its head.

 

[trimmy]

I think it's the same one that just won't go away and keeps rearing its head.

I think your right as i had the same thing this time last year, it took months to fully clear !

 

[Ivan]

This winter has been very bad for bugs - I've had about 5....

Too many bugs?

Gene Hackman had a similar problem (and look where that got him)

 

[aldevis]

Mostly disagree with the OP.
Slow music gives more time to think both to the listener and the player.
It can be tiring for the embouchure, though.

But maybe I just biased, being a ballad lover.

I also find it's way harder to keep time and to play together in a band. I dread playing Lil' Darlin at that crazy 69 bpm tempo with the big band.

Since Lil' Darling is one of my favourite numbers...
In this case the difficult thing is swinging at that tempo.
Risking to go off topic, "medium swing" is gradually disappearing. Check "body and soul": now it is a slow ballad, but the Coleman Hawkins version is much faster that one would think. Lil'l darling often ends up faster than it should. Sitting behind the tempo is different than slowing down. Hard to do, In particular when the drummer sports some traditional thickness.

I can breath where I like - that's one advantage of a bowed instrument! 😉

Actually, during my luckily short experience as a classical double bass scratcher, my teacher had the good habit of marking breaths, to give musical sense to the phrases.

 

[MandyH]

I can breath where I like - that's one advantage of a bowed instrument! 😉

After today's rehearsal with another group I can definitely say that he slow movement of Beethoven 5 is HARD. Especially if you're a cellist

View attachment 3725

I was given a piece to play on my Bari Sax recently. It had instructions to play both "arco" and "pizz"
It kept me amused while plodding around in the basement, to imagine just how I might bow or pluck my Bari sax!
(It was a Cello part - bass clef in C, that I was transposing on sight) 😎

 

[aldevis]

(It was a Cello part - bass clef in C, that I was transposing on sight) 😎

Ignore the clef, add three sharps and you are done.