Saxophone beginners Start of Something Beautiful... Alto Sax

[DMC611]

Hi all,

I'm Dan from Blackwood, South Wales (introduced myself on the doorbell part of the forum the other day).

Picked up an Alto Sax just before Christmas and didn't put it down for 2 weeks. Didn't know what I was doing but I was having fun!! Had 2 lessons (with different tutors) but couldn't continue with either of them as it was too far for me to travel.

Over Christmas I was disheartened as I couldn't continue with a tutor and made excuses not to practice. Until I met a guy whilst fixing his telephone line... 83 years old. started to play the sax 18 months ago. We got talking about it and he started playing me some tunes... It gave me the kick up the arse to start playing again!!

Anyways, over the last week I have been practicing 30-60 minutes a day. Usually 30 minutes around lunch time and 30 minutes in the evening. I feel like my technique has came on a lot. Embouchure, tonguing and general control of the saxophone.

Today

I had a 50 minute practice in my van on lunch. Went through my notes, 5/10 minutes on long notes and learnt 'wheels on the bus'. First tune I've managed to play half decent.

After that I watched a few youtube videos on how to sound Bluesy and growl... Gave it ago but my mouth felt tired so hoping to have a try tomorrow.

I also watched a youtube video on how to play 'Stand by me' on alto. She made it look so easy!! So after work as food was cooking I thought I'd give it a whirl.... let's just say, its harder than it looks.

Over this weekend I'm hoping to get 2 hours practice in each day.


- What should I focus on?
- Am I getting ahead of myself trying to play cover songs?
- Is 1 hour everyday long enough for practice to begin with? (I see a lot of you play for 2-3 hours at a time)
- Looking for a tutor locally is a struggle without my own car... Will I pick up bad habits/technique if I don't get one?

Thanks all!!

 

[jbtsax]

For the fundamentals, go to Steps to Excellence and learn from the master teacher Eugene Rousseau. I always had my students focus on tone production at first before learning to play lots of tunes. My reasoning is if you like how you sound, you will practice more and want to play more often. Taming the Saxophone by Pete Thomas is also a wonderful resource---especially for an adult beginner.

 

[Wade Cornell]

Good idea to get down the basics so that you develop good habits. Also take time to play what you want. Many teachers try to shoehorn students into playing "standards" (if you don't know what those are you are in good company as most of the world doesn't recognize any of these tunes). Try to have an idea of how you want your notes to sound as that gives you something to aim for. Again, many teachers will encourage you to play and sound like someone from the 1950s...which is OK it that's what you want. Otherwise, follow your dream, enjoy and keep your goals clear.

 

[saxyjt]

I think having a good teacher that you see regularly is very useful to help to past some difficulties that you may encounter as you progress and try to play more challenging tunes. Mine gets me back in the game when I'm a bit low and feel I'm not progressing.

But there are many here that did without!

 

[Keep Blowing]

Hi all,

I'm Dan from Blackwood, South Wales (introduced myself on the doorbell part of the forum the other day).

Picked up an Alto Sax just before Christmas and didn't put it down for 2 weeks. Didn't know what I was doing but I was having fun!! Had 2 lessons (with different tutors) but couldn't continue with either of them as it was too far for me to travel.

Over Christmas I was disheartened as I couldn't continue with a tutor and made excuses not to practice. Until I met a guy whilst fixing his telephone line... 83 years old. started to play the sax 18 months ago. We got talking about it and he started playing me some tunes... It gave me the kick up the arse to start playing again!!

Anyways, over the last week I have been practicing 30-60 minutes a day. Usually 30 minutes around lunch time and 30 minutes in the evening. I feel like my technique has came on a lot. Embouchure, tonguing and general control of the saxophone.

Today

I had a 50 minute practice in my van on lunch. Went through my notes, 5/10 minutes on long notes and learnt 'wheels on the bus'. First tune I've managed to play half decent.

After that I watched a few youtube videos on how to sound Bluesy and growl... Gave it ago but my mouth felt tired so hoping to have a try tomorrow.

I also watched a youtube video on how to play 'Stand by me' on alto. She made it look so easy!! So after work as food was cooking I thought I'd give it a whirl.... let's just say, its harder than it looks.

Over this weekend I'm hoping to get 2 hours practice in each day.


- What should I focus on?
- Am I getting ahead of myself trying to play cover songs?
- Is 1 hour everyday long enough for practice to begin with? (I see a lot of you play for 2-3 hours at a time)
- Looking for a tutor locally is a struggle without my own car... Will I pick up bad habits/technique if I don't get one?

Thanks all!!

it is definitely worth trying to find a good teacher, it will pay dividends in the long run. I am not familiar with steps to excellence but I am very confident jtbsax knows what he is talking about.. Taming the Saxophone is a very good book, I had a few lessons many years ago I thought I was great and stopped going (big mistake). I believe you can get online lessons (Skype ). I am sure someone here will point you in the right direction on that front. I personally would practise scales until you get some more help, but also chill out with your horn just play experiment and enjoy it.

 

[Halfers]

Yes, enjoy it. Practice when you can. Try and make it productive, rather than put a time limit on it. Even 5 or 10 minutes can be very useful if you are practising correctly. An hour practicing something the wrong way isn't worth much at all! That's where finding someone who can help you on your personal musical journey is worthwhile

From personal experience, finding a good local Teacher is not easy. I think I've found one after Months of searching. They come in very useful for pointing out things you are doing wrong. If you don't know you are doing something wrong then you don't know it's wrong 😀And hearing you're doing something right from someone who knows more than you feels good too!

My first experience with a Teacher was not brilliant. Having packed them in I decided to learn on my own. I thought I did reasonably well and I certainly progressed. But after a while I found myself practicing the same thing and not challenging myself enough through playing new stuff. You might personally find things different, so good luck with however you proceed from here.

 

[jbtsax]

If you are working without a tutor, a good standard method book and play along tracks are indispensable. The new material is presented in a logical learning sequence, and playing along with an accompaniment helps not only with timing, but intonation and style as well.

John O'neill's book would be a good choice.

 

[Keep Blowing]

Good idea to get down the basics so that you develop good habits. Also take time to play what you want. Many teachers try to shoehorn students into playing "standards" (if you don't know what those are you are in good company as most of the world doesn't recognize any of these tunes). Try to have an idea of how you want your notes to sound as that gives you something to aim for. Again, many teachers will encourage you to play and sound like someone from the 1950s...which is OK it that's what you want. Otherwise, follow your dream, enjoy and keep your goals clear.

I don't think standards comments are either constructive or helpful especially to a new player, would it not be better to say what you think he should do as opposed to what he shouldn't, you need to open your bonnet and let the Bee out, it would be better to make some Honey.

 

[Wade Cornell]

I don't think standards comments are either constructive or helpful especially to a new player, would it not be better to say what you think he should do as opposed to what he shouldn't, you need to open your bonnet and let the Bee out, it would be better to make some Honey.

Just the opposite. If your driving into a dead end it's good practice for someone to put up a warning sign. Anyone who wants to go down there and check it out is welcome to. Finding a teacher and syllabus open to all types of music should certainly be seen as constructive. Is there a question of whether or not students are still being channeled into a strict standards/mainstream type of teaching? Still pretty prevalent. Let the student become aware BEFORE starting that they have options. Too many didn't realize that they may have had an option before starting out. The recent discussion on this topic had "educators" claiming that those options are open, yet only provided examples of music performed by students that proved otherwise. My advice to a student remains: know what you want and find a teacher who will assist you in your goal. Accentuate the positive...eliminate the negative. Bad advice?

 

[Keep Blowing]

Just the opposite. If your driving into a dead end it's good practice for someone to put up a warning sign. Anyone who wants to go down there and check it out is welcome to. Finding a teacher and syllabus open to all types of music should certainly be seen as constructive. Is there a question of whether or not students are still being channeled into a strict standards/mainstream type of teaching? Still pretty prevalent. Let the student become aware BEFORE starting that they have options. Too many didn't realize that they may have had an option before starting out. The recent discussion on this topic had "educators" claiming that those options are open, yet only provided examples of music performed by students that proved otherwise. My advice to a student remains: know what you want and find a teacher who will assist you in your goal. Accentuate the positive...eliminate the negative. Bad advice?

I don't think it is a good idea to continue this discussion, it sounds as though Dan is just starting out and just needed a few simple pointers to get him started, I don't think it will be beneficial to him if we continue. And that's what this thread is about

 

[nigeld]

- What should I focus on?
- Am I getting ahead of myself trying to play cover songs?
- Is 1 hour everyday long enough for practice to begin with? (I see a lot of you play for 2-3 hours at a time)
- Looking for a tutor locally is a struggle without my own car... Will I pick up bad habits/technique if I don't get one?

My feeling is that a teacher is very useful so that you learn proper technique from the start and also to provide motivation. But some people learn without. The trick is to have a practice routine that you find motivating and fun. A hour a day is good. Professionals and want-to-be-professional's practice more than this but most amateurs don't.

I have been told that one should ideally spend approximately 1/3 of the practice on tone, 1/3 on exercises (scales, arpeggios, etc.) and 1/3 on learning pieces; but those proportions are only approximate. Find tunes that you like and practice those. At this point it doesn't matter whether they are jazz standards, hymns, pop songs or Elizabethan madrigals. Lots of beginners start with children's songs.

 

[Keep Blowing]

It would be good if some relatively new starters could share their experiences with Dan,. Maybe a few could start a thread, what books they are using, what their teachers are teaching, what progress they are making, it would surely help to keep them all motivated and moving in the right direction.

 

[Jeanette]

know what you want and find a teacher who will assist you in your goal

This is important but when we start out we don't all know what we want.

I had a vague yearning to take up a hobby, decided learning an instrument would be fun and after some thought settled on soprano saxophone. Type of music I wanted to play or my aims were not that well thought out. Fortunately my tutor is open to any style and for someone who grew up on a diet of pop and rock my musical tastes have broadened considerably on my journey. Keep all options open and be open to trying anything, I've enjoyed playing classical and jazz which I would never have believed before I started 🙂

Jx

 

[jbtsax]

Beginning method books typically include songs that can be played using the notes learned up to that point. Hot Cross Buns, Twinkle Twinkle, Frere Jacque, Ode to Joy, etc. As the student learns a wider range of notes, rhythms, and keys the songs become progressively more challenging. Once the student has mastered the material in the method book or books there are a vast number of song collections in many different genres and styles that are available to choose from---many with accompaniment cds or mp3 files. A music teacher's primary purpose should be to make himself/herself unnecessary preparing students to continue learning on their own and go in whatever direction they choose.