support Tutorials CDs PPT mouthpieces

Time For A Break

Veggie Dave

Sax Worker
Messages
3,644
Locality
Citizen of Nowhere
I think I may be practising too much. ;)

reed-blud.jpg

I hadn't realised, due I think to playing in a new room that I'm not used to yet, that I've been practising at full volume for hours at a time.

I think it's time to back off the loudness and relax. :doh:
 
My new " lippy" is called "shocking pink". Quite similar to yours. What's yours called?

Ps. I assume you know this, but just in case... your ligature is on upside down:)
 
I think I may be practising too much. ;)

View attachment 9340

I hadn't realised, due I think to playing in a new room that I'm not used to yet, that I've been practising at full volume for hours at a time.

I think it's time to back off the loudness and relax. :doh:
That's ..er... manly in a slightly scary way :w00t: ! I used to work with a trombone player who regularly made his top lip explode... terrifiyingly intense player...
 
My new " lippy" is called "shocking pink". Quite similar to yours. What's yours called?

Ps. I assume you know this, but just in case... your ligature is on upside down:)

Mine's Fuchsia :manicure:

Looks upside down to me too
 
That's ..er... manly in a slightly scary way :w00t: !

:rofl:

I've been thinking about this a lot as although it will make for a great story when I'm a world famous saxophonist, at the moment it just makes playing painful. I think the problem was caused by being more tense than I should have been, playing over a long period of time in one go, while playing an instrument that has a much smaller reed than I'm used to, meaning that the part of my lip that touches the outer edge of the alto reed is a little softer than where the tenor reed touches my lip so couldn't handle the numerous hours I played for.

I used to work with a trombone player who regularly made his top lip explode... terrifiyingly intense player...

:eek:
 
Don't know whether this is relevant Dave, but perhaps there's also a mental aspect to 'practicing too much'. Like concentrating/focusing too hard. For what it's worth, Buddhists have a name for this: samma samadhi (which roughly translated means 'having the right amount of concentration/focus. Their take is that too much concentration/focus restricts you in getting where you want to be. Too little concentration/focus won't get you there. So finding the right balance between relaxation/openness and concentration/focus is the key.

Sounds like you made a wise choice. Here endeth my spiritual sermon for today :)

Mike
 
I do think it is possible to try too hard. It's a hard habit to break, though.

I can't be the only person who tenses up a little when working on a new song / phrase or technique?
 
Back
Top Bottom