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Beginner unable to read Music have Alto sax age 65 years young
- Thread starter ajs1945
- Start date
Hi welcome to the Cafe sax. You've picked a good place to learn all about the sax. This site is full of useful info and its frequented by loads of very well informed folk who will love to help you with your quest.
Enjoy you Alto. Oh and please don't forget one of the very important rules of this site!
Respect your elders!!!! 🙂))🙂))🙂))
Enjoy you Alto. Oh and please don't forget one of the very important rules of this site!
Respect your elders!!!! 🙂))🙂))🙂))
kevgermany
ex Landrover Nut
- 21,185
wonder if you realise that having a name starting ajs, is likely to provoke a motorcycle discussion.
Lots of stuff on music on the main site - see the Taming the Sax link above.
Lots of stuff on music on the main site - see the Taming the Sax link above.
old git
Tremendous Bore
Yes, dear old A.J. Stephens of Plumsted. Ah yes, I rememberrrr it wellllll, except if there is an 'a' in Plumsted.
Now Young Alan, get thee up to The Doorbell and introduce yourself, where you will get a real welcome.
griff136
Senior Member
- 1,077
Hi Allan and welcome to the forum. I am mostly self taught and I used a book called "a tune a day for saxophone" it goes into fingering and reading musical notation from the off. If you can afford a lesson once every 3 or 4 weeks with a good understanding teacher then that can help both your playing and your reading. If you do decide to go down the self teach route, don't skimp on the scales and arpeggios as this is like learning a new language without learning the alphabet first.
good luck and keep us posted.
good luck and keep us posted.
kevgermany
ex Landrover Nut
- 21,185
OG - Stevens, not Stephens, and Plumstead, but only after the merger with Matchless. B4 that they were in Wolverhampton.
I started out with The Complete Saxophone Player, but I learnt to read music at the age of eight. Best thing to do is take it one step/note at a time, and get it reasonable secure before moving on to the next. If you haven't found a teacher by the time you can string a few notes together into some semblance of a tune, then that's the time do do so.
Oh, and don't forget the single, most important rule of saxophone playing - enjoy it!
Oh, and don't forget the single, most important rule of saxophone playing - enjoy it!
Justin Chune
Well-Known Member
- 2,821
"Learn As You Play" by Peter Wastell is a good book for an adult beginner. The CDs are sold separately for alto or tenor.
Jim.
Jim.
kevgermany
ex Landrover Nut
- 21,185
The teach yourself books are great, as they introduce things very gently. Often have companions with tunes at the same level. Means you can go at your own pace. Don't make the mistake I did with the tin whistle - drawing the tabulature under the tune. You'll never read the dots that way, only the tabs.
Several of us also use Smartmusic, which is an interactive program which listens to your rendition and marks you in various ways. For $30 per annum (= 1 lesson) it is really great value. A restricted version is available free with the book Essential Elements 2000 for Alto Sax.
Last edited by a moderator:
TomMapfumo
Well-Known Member
- 4,345
Best book is John O'Neill "Jazz Method for Alto Sax" unless you don't mind learning from more child oriented fare (which mattered to me, but not to everybody!).
Good Luck
Tom
Good Luck
Tom
I did this, but only on the songs i was never gonna play.
This was repetetive and helped me know where each of them were quicker.
The first few sheets i had to work each of them out, but then as i went on i didnt need to, i knew exactly which were which on sight.
Now i find it easier and quicker to know which are which when i 'try' and play.
BTW, i have only been playing less than 1 month, and had never read music before either.
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