WHATS Your Reason for Taking up the Saxophone

[teebones]

Having just retired I keep getting asked what I intend to to with all this free time I now have, When told LEARNING to play the sax )).

The same question pop's out ARE YOU GOING TO PLAY WITH A BAND GROUP ETC.

When my reply is NO NO-WAY The next quote is NOT MUCH FUN PLAYING BY YOURSELF.

Look forward to reading what other forum members intentions are with their Reason for Taking up our much loved and sometimes very expensive instrument.

Tony (teebones)

 

[Steve John B]

I'm having a mid-life crisis and can't afford a sports car ;}

 

[Filton]

For me, music is my 'escape' . When I play, I can forget all the issues and problems of the day, clear my mind and concentrate on the 'now'. It is 'me' time.

I may play with a band (I in fact do play with one band at least) but it is as much about personal relaxation and time-out. It also helps to keep the brain active and develop coordination.

 

[ArtyLady]

Its so therapeutic and stops me from going even more do-lally than I already am! ))

 

[Sunray]

I do it my way ...

Hey Hey Teebones - and All ...

I am also retired ... *Dirty Great Big Grin*

But I don't understand this Free Time thingy [I don't know how I ever found enough time to go to work] :shocked:

No one ever askes me about playing with a band etc - Cos I ain't got no real friends ... [Awww ...]

View attachment 650

The truth is ...

I love to learn new things and strive to reach self set targets which interest me and at the same time stretch me considerably ...

So for me to learn to read music proficiently and to learn to play a musical instrument or two seems like it will feed my needs for some time to come, all the while it is something I can do that gives my great pleasure and is a lot of fun ...

I certainly won't rule out playing with others, a band or something like, [maybe I'll even make a few mates] )) but that's a lot further down the road yet ... [I am still just a n00b] ;}

I really enjoy the sounds of all the saxophone family, and "prefer instrumental music" generally more than many of the "current vocalists". [Although some I do very much like]

All my life I have been a self starter, teaching myself to achieve the things I set out to do ... I always accept help from others where I need assistance and I am certainly not a know all ... I have now had four sax lessons, all of which has helped me to progress quicker and more fully than if I had worked alone ...

Learning is still fun ...

As I see it - The future is bright ...




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[kevgermany]

Cos my wife and kids are making excellent music and I want to be a part of it.

 

[Gallen]

Mainly, I like the sound, always wanted to learn and now that I have some time and can afford it, sure!

Alvin

 

[VirusKiller]

Because it's food for the soul and allows me to do something that is 100% creative.

 

[Targa]

I bought a sax when I retired, I already had the sports car, and play just for my own amusement (and to take revenge on the child next door playing the trumpet).
The more I practise the more pleasure I get from the achievement of having taught myself.

 

[dave 645]

SUN RAY, Apart from the retired thing, I work full time as a secondary school teacher, I share all of your reasons, thoughts and outlooks. Just wanted to say that.

 

[old git]

Complete lunacy, coupled with paranoia and a fair helping of humour and honesty.

 

[MandyH]

I'm with Sunray - what is this "free time" of which you speak??
I took voluntary redundancy in Feb 2008, re-married in September 2008 and have never gone back to work. However, quite when I found time to work I'm not entirely sure.
Anyway back to the original question - I have wanted to learn the sax for many years, I love the sound of the instrument.
When I started I was (no way no how) going to take any exams, nor join a band.
To give my teacher her dues, she never pushed me into either. I decided to take an exam last summer, and she suggested that I might like to join her community band.
I thoroughly enjoy the band. It's given me a new set of friends - something that was very important to me as outside of my work, I had no other acquaintances; having given up work, I was losing contact with people. :crying:

Now however, I also go to woodwork classes, which I also thoroughly enjoy, and I drive the minibus for our local day hospice.... for which I have volunteered to do a tandem sky-dive in August - requests for sponsorship to follow ))

 

[TomMapfumo]

Having had several false starts in earlier years (alto sax, trumpet, and french horn) I was inspired to learn the soprano through listening to Jan Garbarek, decided that motivation was key, together the the fact that I did not have to learn through playing either classical tunes or with kids tutor books. A few months into learning soprano I switched to alto sax, and also began learning trumpet - At 47 I decided to aim at getting to Jazz Grade 5 standard in both by the age of 50, and have subsequently added trombone to that list. I play for inner satisfaction, and simply wished to have/take more opportunities to play with other musicians, without becoming a nerd/geek/whatever.:shocked:;}

Practising/playing daily has proved to be remarkably straightforward and I have learned a lot about music in all its modern forms - jazz, ska, latin, reggae and other forms/traditions.

Great fun, and fits easily into my work/family schedule.
Kind regards
Tom

 

[Rico Vandoren]

I took it up because the man in the shop said women find sax players irresistible. The fact that I spend most of my evenings on this forum leads me to believe otherwise.....

 

[gladsaxisme]

Well like TOM I've always had a desire to learn to play the sax and almost started a few times but never really been able to justify laying out the money on something that might have been a flash in the pan,after all £400ish for a reasonable new starter sax is quite a lot when you have no idea how it's going to work out.especially when you have no idea about music and can't read a note and saxophones look a very complicated instrument. Then fortunately the funding became less of a problem and I had to dive in and have a go, the best thing I've ever done,I get so much enjoyment out of my sax it's unbelievable and the sense of achievement as you progress is amazing.I was aiming to become proficient enough to perhaps play in some local big band but that hasn't happened yet, or just be able to entertain my family at gatherings, but that's all part of the fun I get from playing the sax,but I certainly don't see myself playing professionally. The journey continues and who knows where I'll end up...john

 

[Rock Lobster]

Because it's food for the soul and allows me to do something that is 100% creative.

Me too and the sax seems to touch something in me that i can only feel but not describe. (Sorry if that is a bit pink and fluffy).

 

[Ben Cain]

I share all of the sentiments from all above. I just love learning something new. I teach all day the wonders of science and it's influence on the world and then treat my wife (tongue on cheek) to my unbelievably fantastic playing (in my dreams) in the evenings. She has put up with a indulged my whims for a Yamaha Tyros 4, guitar, flutes galore and now the playing of the sax.
The little breakthroughs every now and again are so worth the hours of lip pain, ear torture and the dogs howling whenever the A above middle C is played. A journey I am enjoying so far...

 

[Flipper2008]

got one cheap and it seemed like a laugh

 

[Roy Gussman]

Hi teebones and welcome to the mad house.
The reason I took up the saxophone was that I found trying to learn the clarinet was harder and at my age couldnt block the holes with my fingers.
Plus the sax is a beautiful instrument and like a women when you press the right buttons arh arh arh sheer heaven.
Gusev

 

[Taz]

I took up the sax, purely because I had always fancied them from a far! The look of them caught my eye right from the start. I can picture the scene in my head. The smoke filled blues club, tables randomly scattered around the floor, the dim lights on the tables cause shadows that hide the faces of those who listen to the blues men as they ply their trade. And there he is (sorry ladies.)His hat pulled down, almost obscuring his tightly closed eyes from view. The spot light sparkles off his well loved but battered and abused horn as he arches his back and thrusts his sax into the smokey atmosphere. The notes drift out effortlessly and appear to hang on the smoke!

So I bought one! I had no intention of playing for anyone but myself. The trouble is, it wasn't long, before I had the incling to play with others. It's been down hill ever since!! Six years on into my sax journey and I find that I'm loving it even more than ever. Sadly for me, I've never had the patience or the drive to push myself to learn theory. So I guess that I'll have to go on learning at a slower rate than if I was a bit more studious.