Saxophone beginners When are you no longer a beginner?

[sushidushi]

But I thought you were a teenager - someone said you were umpteen.

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[Targa]

Which is the correct answer to the op

1) When you can play "Begin the Beguine"

2) When you no longer want to play "Begin the Beguine"?





Damn it. Forgot you teenagers would never have heard it.

Have you been playing Churchill's greatest hits again?

 

[Merryfisher]

I've been playing for 3.5yrs and still see myself as a beginner. Other than passing some high level ABRSM exams, what guage is there to say that you have made it past this level?

reckon I will always be a beginner - no matter how hard I try, the closer I get to where i'd like to be, the further away it gets. But I do get a lot of enjoyment along the way

 

[QWales]

reckon I will always be a beginner - no matter how hard I try, the closer I get to where i'd like to be, the further away it gets. But I do get a lot of enjoyment along the way

Sounds like you've been moving your own goal posts

 

[saxyman]

I know I'll never make a proper musician,(too old in the tooth for that) but I enjoy the challenge, so ill always be a beginner and proud of the fact.
I wish I had started years ago.

 

[old git]

I know I'll never make a proper musician,(too old in the tooth for that) but I enjoy the challenge, so ill always be a beginner and proud of the fact.
I wish I had started years ago.

I'd like to be an improper musician but sadly too old for that as well.

 

[BigMartin]

I know I'll never make a proper musician,(too old in the tooth for that) ...

You do if you keep telling yourself so. One step at a time and see how far you get. You might be surprised. Stop worrying about whether it's "real" or "good enough". Pick an aspect of your playing you want to improve and figure out a way to work on it. There's nothing magical about musical "talent" (I happen to think that's one of the most discouraging and harmful words in the English language). It's a collection of skills which can be trained.

Three years ago (at 51, FWIW) I was convinced I didn't, and would never, have a good enough ear to be a "real" musician. But I decided to make it as good as possible, and now I can see I was completely wrong. I can hear much more than I ever thought I'd be able to, and can't see why I shouldn't be able to take that as far as I like with enough work (unless my physical hearing goes, obviously).

I don't care if I'm a beginner or not. I'm better than I was 6 months ago, and intend to be better again 6 months from now.

 

[Profusia]

You do if you keep telling yourself so. One step at a time and see how far you get. You might be surprised. Stop worrying about whether it's "real" or "good enough". Pick an aspect of your playing you want to improve and figure out a way to work on it. There's nothing magical about musical "talent" (I happen to think that's one of the most discouraging and harmful words in the English language). It's a collection of skills which can be trained.

Three years ago (at 51, FWIW) I was convinced I didn't, and would never, have a good enough ear to be a "real" musician. But I decided to make it as good as possible, and now I can see I was completely wrong. I can hear much more than I ever thought I'd be able to, and can't see why I shouldn't be able to take that as far as I like with enough work (unless my physical hearing goes, obviously).

I don't care if I'm a beginner or not. I'm better than I was 6 months ago, and intend to be better again 6 months from now.

Sounds like an excellent attitude to me Martin. And talent certainly is a very confusing term. We all have our own individual strengths and weaknesses, and progress in different areas at different speeds. Diligence, determination, and opportunity may be as large a part of the contributors to what is then perceived as talent as anything else. Whether everything can be learned/trained I'm really not sure but I do know from experience that in a room full of saxophonists there are always quite a few that are considerably better than me in varying ways, but not necessarily by so much in ALL ways. So I take heart that with time and effort I may yet catchup in the areas I'm weaker in or feel incapable of, and hopefully continue to progress the areas that come a little more naturally to me. Of course that's on a good day - there will always be those days when it just seems hopeless. I think they are largely an unavoidable part of being human and should be recognised as such.

 

[BigMartin]

Sounds like an excellent attitude to me Martin. And talent certainly is a very confusing term. We all have our own individual strengths and weaknesses, and progress in different areas at different speeds. Diligence, determination, and opportunity may be as large a part of the contributors to what is then perceived as talent as anything else. Whether everything can be learned/trained I'm really not sure

I suppose we all have our limits, but my point is that I don't think most of us get anywhere near them. Some of that is because we choose to do other things with our lives, but I think a big part of the problem is not believing things are possible because we've let someone persuade us you need talent, whatever that is supposed to mean, and that we don't have it. And that can apply to music, mathematics, or whatever else we might get interested in.

but I do know from experience that in a room full of saxophonists there are always quite a few that are considerably better than me in varying ways, but not necessarily by so much in ALL ways. So I take heart that with time and effort I may yet catchup in the areas I'm weaker in or feel incapable of, and hopefully continue to progress the areas that come a little more naturally to me. Of course that's on a good day - there will always be those days when it just seems hopeless. I think they are largely an unavoidable part of being human and should be recognised as such.

Yes, I definietly have those days. I just have to remind my self that, on such days, I'm talking rubbish.

 

[wol916]

Many many years ago when I started out on the clarinet (before I discovered the sax) my teacher used to try to use psychology on me to get me to work harder. He used to say that "no matter how good you were there will always be someone better". I think I was supposed to try to be that person, but instead I though if that's the case why am I bothering shortly after I gave up for 30 years. Now I've grown up a bit and I play purely for my own enjoyment I'm not worried about being the best just want to be able to play. I will never be good enough to satisfy my harshest critic 'ME' I just have to live with that and get on with playing.😀

 

[kernewegor]

Many many years ago when I started out on the clarinet (before I discovered the sax) my teacher used to try to use psychology on me to get me to work harder. He used to say that "no matter how good you were there will always be someone better". I think I was supposed to try to be that person, but instead I though if that's the case why am I bothering shortly after I gave up for 30 years. Now I've grown up a bit and I play purely for my own enjoyment I'm not worried about being the best just want to be able to play. I will never be good enough to satisfy my harshest critic 'ME' I just have to live with that and get on with playing.😀

Poor psychology and a poor teacher as he turned you off!

 

[wol916]

Poor psychology and a poor teacher as he turned you off!

To be fair to the guy he got me upto grade 8 but I quit before I took the exam, now I am most definitely a beginner again it is surprising how easy it is to forget everything.
🙁

 

[Profusia]

[h=2]Re: When are you no longer a beginner?[/h]
When you stop posting recordings in the "beginners' Recordings" thread of course.

Which leaves me in a quandary, as I still consider myself very much a beginner, but haven't posted any recordings in there for a few months now. Hmmmmm, off to re-evaluate my very existence etc.