Where shoud I be?

[saxdiva]

Hi All,

I am new to this site and have been playing the sax now for about 2 years, I am a late starter in learning and have been having private lessons on average every other week or so. I know all my scales and try to practise most days doing long notes, scales and a easy piece of music.

My tutor is excellent and I have no faults with him at all. He states that to be a good sax player scales and especially long notes are the core foundations, even though they can get boring.

I know my way around a sax and am able to read easy pieces of music, though my timing is poor! My aim with sax is to eventually play with others possibly in a band.

At the moment I am getting very frusrated as I feel I should be better then where I am. Also when I read how much there is to learn i.e 3,5.7 of a scale and the altissmo register etc, I get frustrated and feel like giving up.

Any advice would be appreciated!

[Kareeser]

Don't feel frustrated when you head about other stuff to learn. Think of it as an opportunity to learn more.

Nobody can "master" the Saxophone. You'll be learning all your life. If everybody suddenly learned all there was to learn about the art of saxophone playing, why would they play anymore? :)

Your teacher is right when he/she says that longtones are the core foundation of saxophone playing.

I would join a band or some sort of playing group, though. It doesn't have to be a formal orchestra or whatnot. For example, a bunch of friends could just get together and jam. You wouldn't necessarily need to keep time with your friends, and it's a learning experience for all.

[BruceW]

I fully agree with joining a band. I too started as an adult and played for about 10 years before joining a band. The experience and skills playing in a group is very important. There are a lot of pieces that I could play, but couldn't, because I'd get lost of where we were in the piece. It would have been great if I started the band sooner.

Many community bands have different levels for playing. My band, the Cosmopolitan Music Society of Edmonton, has 4 separate bands depending on the skill and experience of the player. You should check out local community bands in your area.

You'll probably end up playing in what's called a 'Concert Band'. To play in a concert band, you have to either blow it or bang it, as its limited to wind instruments and percussion. The advantage of a concert band is that it is a recognized form and has room for saxophones; unlike a symphony orchestra which does not have saxophones as a regular instrument.

[saxdiva]

Many thanks to you both for the advice. Learing the sax won't happen overnight and I should see as an adventure and try not to rush things.

I shall also try and get involved in a community band!