cydad761
04-09-2003, 03:22 AM
I've been browsing the forum for a couple days and I think this could be a fun place to visit.
I was wondering if there were other players in my shoes, so to find out I'll share my life story. (just kidding, well partly anyway)
I started band in 5th grade in 1972 and had good competition right off the bat from a girl in my class who also plays sax. We both practiced pretty hard and became quite good by high school. I must point out that growing up in small town america (1000 in my town and 40 in my graduating class) did limit my exposure. I was fortunate to have a sax player for my band instructor until 9th grade and then a very good technical band instructor my last three years.
My biggest disappointment came when I got first alternate to ALL-State. I wanted that SOOOOOO Bad. However, three of my classmates made it!! Our little school had three in ALL State and one alternate and the bigger schools around us had maybe one or two each.
I did miss out on lessons from a saxophone pro and I never really was taught any music theory as far as chords and how to improvise. Jazz band was something we did for fun, no contests or special training available to me.
As a freshman at the State University I tried out for (and made) the wind ensemble with all the music majors. I went for an engineering degree and the better paycheck, but more on that later. I got to play a tenor Mark VI owned by the college that was the easiest blowing horn I've ever experienced.
Unfortunately, the demands of engineering school caused me to rethink things my second year and I tried out for Jazz band instead. I was second alto in Jazz III (they had five jazz bands and Jazz I was the best). I had a blast that fall and was all primed to take an improve class offered by one of the directors, but as luck would have it a required engineering class conflicted with both the improve class and jazz band so I had to quit at semester.
Junior year was booked solid with difficult classes and then Senior year I decided I couldn't pass up trying Jazz band again. I went in to audition, and the piece they put in front of me was one we played in Jazz III two years before. I flew through it with ease and I won the bari sax part in Jazz I. I was thrilled, until I found out that these were all music majors and they actually had time to practice outside of band rehearsal and they all looked down on the two engineers who played sax. It took the fun out of it and I quit at semester again.
I didn't play much for several years, and then pulled the old horn out to play at church and found that my lip was GONE!! The past 8 years or so I have practiced about once a month and played at church two or three times per year and while my lip is nothing compared to what it once was, at least I can play the range of the horn without killing myself.
My oldest son is now in high school playing the sax (selmer AS300), son number two is in 6th grade and chose trumpet (now baritone) and son number three chose trombone so someday we can have our own jazz band!!
I recently turned 40 and facing a mid-life crisis of sorts began to evaluate my life and where I've been and where I'm going. I have now realized that while my engineering degree has done well paying the bills, my career is very unrewarding to me. I dearly miss playing the saxophone and I plan to try to find some other local people to start a community band.
I own several instruments, a slightly bruised, but very playable, Martin "The Indiana" that I bought used in 1972 for $125. I used it until 11th grade when I bought an Armstrong 3010. I know this name isn't highly thought of, but that horn is still in almost mint condition and blows very freely and has good intonation top to bottom, so I really like it.
My last instrument is an old Lyon and Healy silver plated tenor that I'm almost certain is a Martin stencil horn from the late 20s. My grandfather played it in dance clubs in the 1930s and I got it from my grandmother a few years ago. It has basically been in storage since 1962. The octave key sticks a little and there are some missing felts and corks that make it pretty clunky, but it has a very nice warm mellow tone.
I plan to fix up the old tenor and indiana and would love to buy an older soprano or bari sax as well.
As an engineer, I am very technically oriented and I am strongly considering getting the sax repair kit from music medic and doing an overhaul myself.
So, anyone else in the hobby category here? I would love to share ideas and experiences with others who are like me, working one career and trying to fit some sax playing in on the side.
Looking forward to learning lots of good stuff from this forum.
Jeff
I was wondering if there were other players in my shoes, so to find out I'll share my life story. (just kidding, well partly anyway)
I started band in 5th grade in 1972 and had good competition right off the bat from a girl in my class who also plays sax. We both practiced pretty hard and became quite good by high school. I must point out that growing up in small town america (1000 in my town and 40 in my graduating class) did limit my exposure. I was fortunate to have a sax player for my band instructor until 9th grade and then a very good technical band instructor my last three years.
My biggest disappointment came when I got first alternate to ALL-State. I wanted that SOOOOOO Bad. However, three of my classmates made it!! Our little school had three in ALL State and one alternate and the bigger schools around us had maybe one or two each.
I did miss out on lessons from a saxophone pro and I never really was taught any music theory as far as chords and how to improvise. Jazz band was something we did for fun, no contests or special training available to me.
As a freshman at the State University I tried out for (and made) the wind ensemble with all the music majors. I went for an engineering degree and the better paycheck, but more on that later. I got to play a tenor Mark VI owned by the college that was the easiest blowing horn I've ever experienced.
Unfortunately, the demands of engineering school caused me to rethink things my second year and I tried out for Jazz band instead. I was second alto in Jazz III (they had five jazz bands and Jazz I was the best). I had a blast that fall and was all primed to take an improve class offered by one of the directors, but as luck would have it a required engineering class conflicted with both the improve class and jazz band so I had to quit at semester.
Junior year was booked solid with difficult classes and then Senior year I decided I couldn't pass up trying Jazz band again. I went in to audition, and the piece they put in front of me was one we played in Jazz III two years before. I flew through it with ease and I won the bari sax part in Jazz I. I was thrilled, until I found out that these were all music majors and they actually had time to practice outside of band rehearsal and they all looked down on the two engineers who played sax. It took the fun out of it and I quit at semester again.
I didn't play much for several years, and then pulled the old horn out to play at church and found that my lip was GONE!! The past 8 years or so I have practiced about once a month and played at church two or three times per year and while my lip is nothing compared to what it once was, at least I can play the range of the horn without killing myself.
My oldest son is now in high school playing the sax (selmer AS300), son number two is in 6th grade and chose trumpet (now baritone) and son number three chose trombone so someday we can have our own jazz band!!
I recently turned 40 and facing a mid-life crisis of sorts began to evaluate my life and where I've been and where I'm going. I have now realized that while my engineering degree has done well paying the bills, my career is very unrewarding to me. I dearly miss playing the saxophone and I plan to try to find some other local people to start a community band.
I own several instruments, a slightly bruised, but very playable, Martin "The Indiana" that I bought used in 1972 for $125. I used it until 11th grade when I bought an Armstrong 3010. I know this name isn't highly thought of, but that horn is still in almost mint condition and blows very freely and has good intonation top to bottom, so I really like it.
My last instrument is an old Lyon and Healy silver plated tenor that I'm almost certain is a Martin stencil horn from the late 20s. My grandfather played it in dance clubs in the 1930s and I got it from my grandmother a few years ago. It has basically been in storage since 1962. The octave key sticks a little and there are some missing felts and corks that make it pretty clunky, but it has a very nice warm mellow tone.
I plan to fix up the old tenor and indiana and would love to buy an older soprano or bari sax as well.
As an engineer, I am very technically oriented and I am strongly considering getting the sax repair kit from music medic and doing an overhaul myself.
So, anyone else in the hobby category here? I would love to share ideas and experiences with others who are like me, working one career and trying to fit some sax playing in on the side.
Looking forward to learning lots of good stuff from this forum.
Jeff