Miscellaneous Starting with a new music teacher tomorrow!

[Mix O Lydian]

So a little bit of background. I have been playing and practising regularly for a year. I had been having weekly/fortnightly lessons but paused in April. The music lessons mainly involved working through exam board focussed material which was for useful sight reading and playing, but there was was not as much focus on improvisation as I would have liked, since I stated at the outset that I wanted to learn jazz. Alongside lessons, I have been studying music theory by myself and taking the ABRSM theory exams.

I want to learn about the structure and language of music to inform my playing, particularly playing by ear and improvising. I still don't know how to begin doing this. Sure, I could just randomly play notes over backing tracks, but starting at 59, I don't feel I have time to mess around! I feel I need to develop a solid understanding of different types of scales and musical vocabulary, rather than parping randomly.

So I am starting afresh, the previous lessons have brought me this far and I'm grateful for that, but now I feel ready draw a line under that and adopt a "beginners mind" again with a new teacher. Tomorrow will be my first lesson.

How can I ensure that I get what I need from these lessons? Are there specific questions I need to ask from the outset? Should I show him material I have found useful, or see what he comes up with? Should I ask him for a structured program? Shall I have lessons weekly, fortnightly.... monthly? How will I know whether this teacher is "the one" for me?

I would welcome your insights into what has worked or is working for you!

 

[wakyct]

Kudos to you for charting your own course, I think it can be easy/safe to stay with a teacher even if it's not ideal.

I'm assuming you've vetted the new teacher so you know he likes and plays jazz! From my own experience teachers are open to you showing them material you want to learn. Looking at it from their perspective, you're not their only student and shouldering the burden by choosing material saves them work.

At the same time it may not be clear why the teacher wants you to do a certain thing, but IMO give it a fair try anyway. As they say you don't know what you don't know and the teacher is there to help with that.

I think fortnightly lessons are ideal (for a student with a year experience I should add), but some teachers may prefer or require weekly just for economic/scheduling reasons.

On a side note I wanted to comment on this,

I want to learn about the structure and language of music to inform my playing, particularly playing by ear and improvising. I still don't know how to begin doing this. Sure, I could just randomly play notes over backing tracks, but starting at 59, I don't feel I have time to mess around! I feel I need to develop a solid understanding of different types of scales and musical vocabulary, rather than parping randomly.

I've heard it said that some musicians listen to music more than they practice. If you don't have an intentional listening practice (i.e. not as background music) it's a great time to start one.

 

[mizmar]

So many questions! Many of which can only be answered by someone who knows you... But;
I also started late and from a pretty low level, regarding music playing. And, if nothing else, I can say; its a long and winding road. You need to acknowledge that and that it's important you are doing stuff you are enjoying daily, step by step; and not be frustrated because you are not yet there (people will point out, "there is no 'there'")

A reasonable teacher will ensure the material is both moving you forward and both challenging and engaging you now.... If you feel that; you're probably doing well. But you can own some of the process... Ask for more or less to work on, ask for more or less frequent session, ask that you work in playing by ear as well as the page etc.

Story; i have a online flute teacher. Every 2 weeks schedules allowing. We do various things and its a new piece each lesson. Then, recently, he says; now we're going to concentrate an tone for N lessons.... I said, fine but I need to memories a tune every 2 weeks. I consider that part of my development... He said fine; and sets a new tune as well as tone exercises.
In exchange, he torments me about poor timing or not recognising a "scale" or something.
Win win.
Be an active learner

 

[Digger2054]

I've been having lessons with my teacher about 2 years.

We have dabbled with improvisation, I have posted here about it, I've found it as a massive step up in regards to learning, where we flew through work books, improvising much slower for me.

Don't be put off if you go over some rather basic things again, I'm back playing simply rhythms, and working on timing... But I need to fix those, and through improvising it's become more evident to myself.

My teacher has the ability to make working on this fun, and equally frustrating, with relatively simple exercises that prove more challenging than you'd expect. Enjoy the journey.

 

[Pete Effamy]

Comes down to expectations. As I’ve said before, noodle around, make up your own stuff. See what you like in terms of certain notes next to others - you’ll no doubt recognise a tune or part of a tune - so add the rhythm etc and work it out.

Get used to simply going off grid re written music. You can add some theory or learn a simple transcription too, just don’t expect to get anywhere near your idols without a lot of invested time and effort.

As people have said, you have to enjoy the journey, cos, it’s a bloody long one.

 

[Mix O Lydian]

I just came back to say that I've had two lessons with my new teacher. What a difference, like day and night!
It's not that my previous teacher was bad, it was that I'd gone as far as I could with her in terms of her teaching style and my learning style.
I am so happy right now
What I've noticed is that my new teacher has immediately addressed and taken seriously, issues I felt about my tone.

He watches me while I play and has corrected a few quirks of mine and given me advice about reed strength. He has introduced me to overtones, (game changer for me). I have started following the overtone exercises at the back of TTS Tone Without Tears alongside exercises he wrote out for me. I'm already noticing changes through doing these daily.

It's hard to explain, but I feel more able to control the output now, and am beginning to sound how I want to sound, after just two weeks! Without sounding too cheesy, I feel like I've finally begun to connect to the instrument, it's not a separate thing anymore. We've bonded

 

[mizmar]

He has introduced me to overtones, (game changer for me)

That's good

... And another thought,

I don't suppose you've tackled over tones yet?
I found that getting in control of over tones really helped in developing more control over tone throughout the range.

🙂

 

[MikeMorrell]

I just came back to say that I've had two lessons with my new teacher. What a difference, like day and night!
It's not that my previous teacher was bad, it was that I'd gone as far as I could with her in terms of her teaching style and my learning style.
I am so happy right now
What I've noticed is that my new teacher has immediately addressed and taken seriously, issues I felt about my tone.

He watches me while I play and has corrected a few quirks of mine and given me advice about reed strength. He has introduced me to overtones, (game changer for me). I have started following the overtone exercises at the back of TTS Tone Without Tears alongside exercises he wrote out for me. I'm already noticing changes through doing these daily.

It's hard to explain, but I feel more able to control the output now, and am beginning to sound how I want to sound, after just two weeks! Without sounding too cheesy, I feel like I've finally begun to connect to the instrument, it's not a separate thing anymore. We've bonded

Wow! I'm a bit late to this thread but I'm really delighted to hear that you're doing so well with your new teacher! And that you're beginning to sound how you want to sound, after just two weeks! I've been been playing sax for many years. I've heard about 'overtones' now and again but I've never known much about them or tried playing them. Many thanks for your reference to the TTS book!

Looking forward to your progress updates!

Mike

 

[wakyct]

I've heard about 'overtones' now and again but I've never known much about them or tried playing them

This is a tangent but related to beginning player education so maybe on topic -- you're not the first person who I've heard say something like this. I've also seen "I've played for 50 years and never done a long tone exercise". Or more in general, it seems there is information that is presented as gospel but then you'll find someone who has never heard of it or does it completely differently.

I don't think this phenomena is specific to saxophone or music, but it does seem like there is an extra amount of it in learning saxophone for some reason.

 

[mizmar]

I've heard about 'overtones' now and again but I've never known much about them or tried playing them

As a corollary, occasionally I come across a passage where playing "middle C" (C# B, Bb) is more conveniently done using low C (C#, B, Bb) overtone - false fungering; also some people use it as an affect... Just a tool in the box.

 

[BigMartin]

I've also seen "I've played for 50 years and never done a long tone exercise"

Have you seen or heard it from someone you considered to be a good player? If so, I doubt they were being completely honest, perhaps even with themselves.

 

[Pete Thomas]

Have you seen or heard it from someone you considered to be a good player?

I have, but very few - and even then I’ve thought there is room for improvement except in cases of maybe actual genius.