Something about you please

[wainsworth]

We are not getting many messages on this board. Why not tell us all why you are learning to play late in life, what are your ambitions, who are you playing with, why you chose sax, who are your musical heroes, are there bands in your area that you are able to play with what country you are from, what are your biggest problems - things like that. As I have posted before, I took up clarinet at age sixty and at age seventy I have been given a vintage alto sax and am taking a course specifically for older starters. I was a bit predjudiced against sax because I don't much like modern jazz groups where the sax improvises for what seems too long, but I have been listening to players like Paul Brodie [you can hear him on MP3.com] and I love the classical and swing sound of the sax. I have not deserted my clarinet and play in a concert band but I am hoping to learn to play the sax by ear.

[Jon B. Bop]

OK Wainsworth, here goes;

I started playing at 48, I just turned 50 :shock: so it'll be 2 years in January. I discovered jazz in college when I went to a concert and saw Blue Mitchell backing up John Mayall. I found one of his albums, and that had Chick Corea and others on it, and I followed the music from there.

I love a wide variety of music, from standards to swing to hard bop and beyond.

Over the past 30 years I've made several attempts at learning an instrument. First it was the bass guitar. Bad choice, as I really wanted to play a melody instrument. Then I took Piano lessons, and quit when my 2nd kid was born, Then tried to teach myself trumpet (big mistake)and quit after 18mths(I thought I was pretty good, until I sat in on a students big band, and realized I couldn't shine the shoes of the guy in the 4th trumpets chair). Finally, 5 years later, I sold my business, had time on my hands and my 14 year old daughter talked me into trying again.

I picked the sax, because of course I love it, but also because I percieved it to be relatively easy to get started on. I also knew that I needed a quality teacher, which fortunately I found, and started with on day one. He has made all the difference.

As far as my ambitions, that's hard to say. I've tried not to have any real long term goal, just trying to enjoy the experience of learning. Right now I'd like to find people to play with. This has presented a challenge that so far I've been unable to resolve, but I'm optimistic that something will turn up.

This is far more than I'm sure anyone wanted to know, but I have to add one thing;
SOTW and this forum has been an important part of my learning process. So many people give of themselves, sharing their knowledge and experiences. It's added tremendously to my enjoyment and results.
Thanks to you all!!

[wainsworth]

Thanks for responding Jon B Bop. I asked where people come from and I forgot to say that I am from London, Canada [an English immigrant] I agree that these forums are a great help and I hope that no-one is inhibited from entering their thoughts, we can all help and inspire each other. I was encouraged by someone to enter the course at our local university for late bloomers and I was obliged to rent a student model Yamaha alto sax [for the first three months] It surely is flimsy compared to my vintage Conn and the register key is so poorly designed that it hurts my thumb after a while. The only advantage over the Conn is that it is relatively light to support. My clarinet feels like a toy after practicing with the saxes. They say that the sax is easier than the clarinet - well time will tell. At the moment I can't visualize being a good on the sax as I am on the clarinet.

[Greyduster]

I played guitar on and off for years and various other instruments just for my own pleasure. Two years ago after the break-up of yet another relationship I found myself living in a very small cottage with a friend of mine. He reappeared after a weekend away with an alto sax.

I endured several weeks of listening to him practise and in the end I couldn't stand it and bought a student tenor. Some months later I moved in with a new woman and he and I went our separate ways. That was the end of 2000 when I just turned 49.

I found the student horn (Buffet Evette) a bit hard and after my dad died earlier this year I bought myself a Yani T992. It's a long story but a sort of tribute to him really. This horn is so good I just love playing and want to get better.

I joined a local community music group type thing here in Morecambe called More Music In Morecambe ( http://www.mormusic.net/info/index.html ). They do all kinds of music related stuff and I play there for two hours on a Saturday morning. I find practising on my own very sterile after a while. I need a purpose.
My one suggestion to anyone starting out is to start playing with other people as soon as you can.
I'm not particularly good yet but my ambition is to be good enough to hold my own with a group of other amateur musicians and fell that I am making a worthwhile contribution.

(Actually that's not true. My real ambition is to be as good as Lester Young, but I am, if nothing else, a realist).

I have found this site to be really useful and check it out nearly every day and now I'm going to stop burbling.
Keep on honking you guys!!

[Greyduster]

Ooops
it was a T991, let's get it right.

[altoist]

OK, very interesting question.

I'm 39, and had absolutely no knowledge of music (couldn't have told
you which was the eigth and which the quarter note on the staff) and
never had any experience playing any instrument. I enjoyed listening
to music, pretty much as a background activity while driving. I'd often
switch stations because I am easily bored.

One day while driving to work I heard the announcer play a snippet of
a song, with the name of the band (leader). That name was Dave Brubeck.

Since my new car has a CD player, I figured I'd just go buy a few CDs
for my commute. And so I bought a few CDs, including "Time Out".

When I got around to playing the CD, I was practically in tears. I had never heard a saxophone sound like that, never heard anything like that.
Yes, I have friends who are into music, and who'd played Coltrane and
Miles and other jazz greats for me, but nothing had moved me the way Desmond's playing had. Within a few weeks, I had practically all of his
recorded work. I realized that I wanted to learn more about music, and
picked up an electronic keyboard, and started practicing. It took me a
while to realize that, despite the fact that keyboards are probably
the best instrument to learn, that I wanted to play sax.

Then, I just went out and rented an alto sax, which surprised my wife. I started taking lessons, and I haven't looked back.

My goal is simple: be able to play the alto proficiently. I have a number of
friends who play music as amateurs, and I'd like to join them. So far, I
enjoy this instrument immensely, and my pleasure is showing no signs of
abating, quite the opposite.

Yup, I blame the Paul Desmond for all of this.

I agree with Jon B. Bop that SOTW has been an excellent resource, and we're lucky to have it.

Enough writing, time to blow some horn.

[jrolling]

Hi folks! Good to read of other people's experiences. Here's my story. I originally learned sax as a 10-year old (that would be during JF Kennedy's administration). Played in the school bands through high school, never very good or very interested. About 4.5 years ago, I was killing time before a work appointment, popped into a pawn shop just to browse. There it was... an alto of dubious origins and condition, but somehow it called to me. I think it was saying "Hey, you, the middle-aged guy with the mid-life crisis. You've reached a point in your career where you know you're competent, but can't see a whole lot more to strive for there. Life is good, but there's something missing. Maybe you need a whole new set of problems to solve? Can you remember how to play me? Can you maybe even do something creative with me?" As it turned out, yes and no. This was a really lousy horn, but I found that the fingerings came back to me pretty quickly. Over the next several months, I hunted out a number of pawn shops, resale stores, etc. and I picked up several other horns, a few of them quite vintage. I even got a repair manual and tore two horns down, replaced pads and corks, etc. I learned that experienced techs are much better at this, so I've turned my more recent finds over to them. I now own 3 altos, a C-Melody, a tenor, a bari and a soprano. Oh, did I mention the 2 soprano clarinets and one alto clarinet? (And yes, I agree, clarinet is harder than sax.) As regards playing, my first step was to get out the beginner's manual just to recall fingerings and to refresh my music reading skills (never much to begin with). Next, I found two other guys of similar age and skill level. We played together one night a week for several months. Later I joined a jazz improvisation group that was run as an educational ensemble (for a fee) by a local music store. Met a number of other older players, normally people like me who were reviving their childhood skills. After another year there, I found a really good teacher whom I continue to meet weekly. Through him, I got into a college-affiliated big band (we're 21 pieces). I'm playing second tenor in a sax section where the three altos, bari and two other tenors are all young enough to be my kids but whose musical knowledge and talent are way beyond me. I've learned a lot from them, and they've been generally kind to the old gentleman. I've also taken a beginning piano course from the college and right now I'm taking a music theory course. I guess I probably spend about 10-12 hours per week on music now. I've found that it has met my mid-life crisis needs. I don't lust for red convertibles or mistresses, nor have I felt compelled to take up sports which would probably injure me. So I say to you older beginners and maybe to you "re-beginners," have at it, have fun!

[Sigmund451]

Another late bloomer here....perhaps in need of pruning. I started guitar at age 6. Played for many years, studdied jazz some but never got to the level I wanted and something was always missing...that being a solo instrument (not suggesting guitar cannot be...just extrememly challenging). I wanted to play melody, I loved jazz... (a given). I am a therapist, I have a degree in fine arts (photography) and was somewhat successful in that area until I moved into doing practice in a community mental health setting...which I really enjoy....talk about mental scales!

Back in April, I dont know why, I simply decided I wanted to learn sax and there was no reason not to. I got on the auctions and bought a YAS-23 Alto for 100 bucks (deal). Took lessons for a few months (already could read). In the middle I switched to tennor. Somewhere in the mix I became obsessed with learning about vintage instruments. I bought and reconditioned some from ebay. Ive seen better work, but much worse too. I found it took too much time away from the original notion of learning so stopped. However, in the midst I accrued enough money to buy myself a nice 58 the Martin tenor. I still play that today.

Im still learning a lot, practice when family and professional life permit. Progress is slow and sometimes frustrating...but its fun. So thats the story of my late in life start on the sax.

[ub]

Well, fwiw, I started at age 8 and played through grade school, high school and into college as a music major until age 22. Worked a lot in a variety of places and settings---never made a ton of money, but I did enjoy it. At the ripe old age of 22 I had a bad experience on a gig ( NO drugs or booze...never have, never will!) and just quit for the next 30 years. Sold all my horns and gave away several books of music and still miss the Mark VI alto I had. Youth and good judgement don't always coincide! Always kept music--listening, attending concerts and events-- as part of my life while building a career and supporting and raising a family. About 3 years ago, I decided that I wanted to see if I still had it or if I could find it again, renetd a sax for three months, practiced (a lot), found a good teacher to help me and then bought my own horn. I have since become satisfactory, at least to myself, on alto and soprano. I have had the good fortune to play in a community band, a big band and a couple of pit orchestras for college productions. I mostly play for the pleasure of it and I am certainly no pro or great player. I just really enjoy the whole experience of playing either alone or preferably with others. Family and job still have to come first on my list of priorties, but sax is pushing the job pretty hard for second place. I'd like to also thank the good folks at SOTW for this forum and the help and knowledge most everyone is sharing here. It is a pleasure to read about other people's experiences and their trials and successes and learn some things from that.

[TheChristianSax]

Well, here goes! I started playing tenor sax at age 12 and played through high school, with the intentions of continuing through college. I had been accepted into Berklee, but could not come close to paying for it, so I chose a college about 4 hours from home. I got into a pretty good car wreck a few weeks before leaving for school, and had to opt for attending a local college that was labeled a commuter school. After a bad experience with a private lesson teacher who had NO words of encouragement or guidance, I quit lessons. I floated through school for a couple of years taking some music courses, but was working so much and commuting that I lost interest in most everything. I then transfered to a different college and moved on campus. This was the best thing that I ever did. I excelled at school, but dropped playing the sax. I then got married, had a son, lived in several apartments and finally bought a house. I then got an itch to start playing again, after almost ten years of doing a little here, a little there. I started slowly with beginning music books and practiced a little at a time. Well, then I started practicing more and more and met a guy who played in a SKA band. Since I played sax, he asked my to come to a practice. Well, once I showed up and played a little, I was in the band. I played with them for 8 months, touring all over the place. My daughter was about to be born, so sadly, I had to quit the band. That was one of the most special times in my life, and I was 10 years older than the other guys in the band! I starting going to church and found my Lord and Savior and asked for guidance. I have been playing in a church band for 4 years now and enjoy every minute of it. I practice in the wee hours of the morning and play 4 services on the weekend. I guess the best advice that I would have is to take things at your own pace and do not get discouraged about what level you are at. There is always someone better and there is always a better sax or mouthpiece, the thing is to have fun. So, now after all of that, I feel better. :D

Sincerely,

[BobMac]

I got a bit of a jolt a couple of years ago, in a chamber choir; I was having trouble hearing the music well enough. As a singer, you have no physical cues and prompts: singing a Bb feels pretty much like singing an Ab. If you can't pick our where you need to be, if you can't pre-imagine your sound, there is no plan B. Put jam in your pockets, because you're now toast.

Turned out that it's not strictly a hearing problem, but it got me thinking. What do I do if I can't sing anymore. Money was a bit tight for buying instruments, but I had this tenor 16M (pre-Mexico) just sitting there....

Geez I love it. It's a continual, progressive challenge. There's always something more to learn, something to polish. I can do it the rest of my life, get better every day, and never run out of my musical to-do list.

Ironically, some of the playing exercises have expanded my ability to sight read, and to think spatially about music. The sax was going to be a replacement for chamber choirs; it has instead extended my career.

Sax is good for you.

rm

[stertuck]

To altoist and others. This morning (Sunday) on the way to the Sanford Florida airport to pick up my wife, I heard Desmond playing . I never cared much for Desmond's style but he was sounding great....Then the announcer said "That was tenor man Stan Getz-----" OOPS!! Just goes to show that as you get older, things aren't the same. I'll be 82 next Thurs.
Heck - I shouldn't be driving if I can't tell Illinois Jacquet from Coltrane.
But I am still trying to make my M16 sound like a Mark VI.

[altoist]

Hey stertuck,
Before you turn in your driver's license, you should check to see if that
announcer was right; I've definitely heard major mistakes on the radio.
Desmond and Getz don't really sound alike tone wise to me though, though I guess they both had bossa nova phases.

Also, it'll be really hard to make an M-16 sound like a Mark VI I think.
I can't even make my bolt action rifles sound like a Yamaha student model, so I think you have a pretty tough row to hoe :-) :-).

82 and still wailing on a horn huh? You are my hero, or you would be if
you dug Desmond. OK, just kidding, you really are inspirational! I love
Getz's music too. Keep tooting that horn.

[Namvet]

I was 15 back in 1965 when I first started playing tenor. Loved it. All I was practise, practise, practise. Gave up my girlfriend for my tenor. I wanted to be a pro. In Jan 1968 I quit high and joined the Army. Unfortunately, the Army required you to have a HS diploma to get in their band. Staying in school was not an option due to an alcoholic stepfather so I gave up my goal.

Now at age 53, I started playing again but for the purpose of playing in Church. Love it. Only played three times so far and nervous as all get out. Fortunately, I didn't loose all my skills. They were just quite rusty.

Now I practice as much as possible and will play in church again in a couple of weeks.

George

[osiris667]

I have played percussion, trap, and keyboards for just over 16 years.
I messed around with clarinet and an alto of my fathers when I was younger and one day I was looking for car parts on ebay, somehow a Sonore Italian Made Tenor came up... as luck would have it I ended up getting the sax instead of a xenon headlight assembly.

That was 4 weeks ago. I have been reading and playing religiously. Almost with the same intensity as when I was first learning to play the drums. I'm 29, married, no kids, and a patient wife.

Sax Addict in seattle

[kmartin]

Music runs deeply through my fathers side of the family. As a young fellow I played Accordian, drums and guitar.

University and a busy early professional life( I'm an engineer) put my music on hold for many years, although I love music and listen to a wide variety all the time.

Along the way my 13 year old son picked the soprano sax, and armed with his grandfather's DNA gift of a very fine ear he began chopping away at jazz classics from 30- 60's. Quite frankly he was having so much fun that I just had to jump on board!

So last year at 44 I took up the tenor sax. I played a yamaha yts 23 that i rented for about a year just to make sure that the desire was more than a notion.

over the past 4 months I began shopping for a horn for myself to replace the rental. I have just taken possession of a 1951 Buescher Aristocrat.
What a phenomenal horn. In the past year this novice has tried a bunch from new YTS 62II ( my son's tenor) through a number of cheaper modern horns. I just can't put it down.

So all in all a good start back on the path......

[ssgtjohn]

Hello everyone,
It's nice to have sax on the web. I'm currently 46yrs. old and I first started playing organ at the age of 8yrs. I didn' t play much just had to take about thirty min. everyday-I think-if my memory serves me well. Nevertheless, I did that for about a school year and just stopped. Low and behold, about 14yrs. latter I started playing the flute. I didn't know really anything about music except where middle "C" was on the keyboard. Anyway, that seem to help. My wife at the time hated it all. So, I stopped again.
Then I heard a guy while in the Marine Corps play a tenor sax. Man! That was like heaven, so I went out and bought an alto sax and began to play. I would pratice for long periods of time and eventually got to play pretty good by ear and a little sight reading. The guys use to love my sound, but I didn't. There wasn't anything fancy, I would just try and play like Grover Washington.
I was playing one day at home in Philadelphia (south phillie) and a guy heard me playing. He knock on the door and ask if I was playing in a band, I wasn't. He invited me to participate with his band and I did, but my lack of confidence struck again; I quit!
Now, 20+yrs. later I started again. I have been at it for the past two years and I love it more than ever! I own an alto and a tenor sax and I play them both, depending on the mood I'm in. I also play sometimes in church and they think I'm a pro! I appreciated that! I'm now trying to learn music theory-self taught, so I can be a better player and now I know how important it is to learn theory. Nevertheless, I was told by a professional player that I was gifted-meaning my ear is very good, because all I needed to know is what key you are in and then I just work from that. Enough tooting my own horn. Thanks for letting me vent!

Leonard
Pasadena, CA

[AltoRedux]

I don't know why I don't read this section of the board more often. I guess I missed this thread when it started, but seeing this is about the 1st anniversary of starting to play again, I'll say hi.

BTW, I'm also in Canada, about 7? hours drive from Wainsworth.

Like a lot of people around here, I played sax all thru my teens. My dad was an alto player in his youth. One christmas I found a Conn alto under the tree, and was informed I was taking lessons from a guy in the RCMP band.

I played thru highschool, played in various pick-up bands with friends, doing Take Five (I had a ton of Paul Desmond albums), and fusion stuff. Not sure what I wanted to do, but music looked ok. I moved out west, and started looking at going to university. Was told I couldn't take Sax, apparently it wasn't a real instrument, but that I could spend 3 or 4 years playing the oboe. I doubled a bit on oboe in highschool, cause I could do duets with my sax playing buddy who'd taken a shine to the basson, and cause I was a fan of Roxy Music, perhaps the only rock band with an oboe in it. The idea of playing the oboe didn't really grip and I was losing interest fast. Then I got a teacher for sax, about 5 years older than me, cocky, with a 'unless you practice long-tones 8 hours a day you're a moron!' teaching method. Anyway, life intervened. Put the horn away, lived in apartments, went sailing, got married, had kids, and 25 years went by.

About a year ago, I realized all I was doing was going to work for about 12 hours a day, coming home and watching tv all night, having given up all my hobbies. (Turns out I was severely anemic). Over Christmas, I just pulled the horn out of the closet and started playing. Of course all I had were 25 year old #3 rico's, which were pretty hard to get a noise out of, so I went to the music store around the corner and bought some one and a halfs (just about fell over when I saw how much they cost now!). Instead of leaving right away I checked out the music and discovered 'play-alongs'. Bought a Hal Leonard book on the spur of the moment, and spent the next days playing continously! I have to say that play-alongs are the coolest things to come down the pipe. No more playing by myself at home, I can play with a band!

To make a long story short, I then discovered Abersold's. Then I got a teacher. Then I got a wind-synth so I could practice with headphones. Then I found out about a summer jazz camp. Went to that and met a whole bunch of great people. Started going to the monthly jams organized by the camp. Met some great guys. Started a combo with them. And in about a month we're playing our first gig for money. All in all, pretty big changes for a year. I'm having the time of my life, and can't wait to see what happens next.

cheers, and a happy Christmas

John.

[rcwjd]

Hello All

For those interested in improvement, might I suggest the thread on SOTW "Member Recording" A number of us pick approximately a tune a week, each post his or her version of it, and then we offer comments and constructive criticism on the efforts. It's fun and a great way to improve. Most of us are older, have jobs and careers that demand time, or are retired. However, from time to time we also have younger posters - kids in high school wanting to connect to jazz. Check it out and join in. :)

[UNTplayer]

This is the first time I've seen the Late Bloomer section of the BB.

I've been playing since Jr. Hi, but got my mid-life crisis a little late. Three years ago (age 59), I went half-time in my career designing electronic components, and enrolled at University of North Texas. I'm majoring in clarinet, but working a lot on the sax also.

I play in the Richardson (TX) Community Band (clarinet) and Celebration (Swing) Orchestra (bari sax) and am preparing to audition on alto for two lab bands.

Burt Marks

[mstrick96]

I was pleased to see a forum especially for late bloomers.

Wainsworth, I was also interested to see that you are in London, Canada. I am in international sales for my company and am in Toronto periodically. Our distributor in Canada has an office in Kitchener. I was just there in December.

I am 57 years old and am just starting learning soprano sax. I have a Yanagisawa straight sop sax. I played Bb Clarinet in high school and let it gather dust for a number of years. About 19 years ago, I picked it up again to start playing in a church orchestra we were forming. H
ave been playing clarinet continuously ever since.

I am now playing in a much better orchestra than the one I started with. I am playing with Roswell Street Baptist Church orchestra in Marietta, Georgia. Great fun, and we do a lot of gigs in the community, playing a wide range of styles.

About a year ago, I started with Soprano Sax. I've struggled with it, having a lot of trouble playing it in tune. Had a hard time getting used to the embrochure, even though my embrochure is fairly strong from the clarinet. Am now playing pretty well in tune and am about ready to use it during our performances.

I first got interested in soprano sax from hearing a fellow named Gary Hallquist. He is a professor at Southern Baptist Seminary in New Orleans. Plays clarinet, all saxes, and flute. Anyway, I LOVED the sound! After hearing him, I started paying more attention to the sop sax sound on the radio jazz stations. I'm now having great fun with my sop! I am currently getting a more classical sound, and am trying to figure out how to get more of the oboe sound that first attracted me to the sop sax.

I also love the tenor sax sound. I hope to get a tenor eventually, but right now, I need to concentrate on my soprano.

My biggest problem in with playing is practice time. I am in international sales and am traveling quite a bit. In addition, having a full time job makes it dificult to get enough practice.

I am in the Atlanta, Georgia area. Marietta is a suburb of Atlanta just to the northwest of Atlanta. Right on I-75.

I really enjoy Sax on the Web and this forum. I've gotten a lot of help on my sop from Paul Coats.

Mike S

[silvercat]

Hi all,

I have been lurking/enjoying this site for a few months now. Everybody is very helpful, this is a great site.
I am 47 and live in Southern California. I started learning the clarinet some 20 years ago, then stopped. I started again a year ago and switched to alto because that was ultimately what I wanted to do (and it is so much more fun than the licorice stick). I have a great teacher, lots of homework but he is very motivating, and an outstanding sax player.
This is a somewhat short story but I think this is just the beginning because I just love that saxophone.

[LarryG]

Sorry, but this invitation was too hard to resist, especially for a frustrated writer like myself.

My Dad, a concert violinist with the Philadelphia Youth Orchestra when he was young, started me with a violin even though I asked to play the sax, when I was about 11, in the middle 1960's. A violin case, coupled with my 'four eyes', needless to say, I had to make sure i could defend myself.

I struggled through that for 3 years, arrived at 'third position' and told my Dad that I wanted to play the sax. Like he said with the violin, "If you want to learn music, play the violin" He said, "if you want to learn the sax, play the clarinet first". LIttle did I know, it was because money was tight, and the clarinet was the only woodwind Mom and Dad could afford at the time).

I played Bb Clarinet through high school, tried every other wind instrument in the orchestra/band, made all South Jersey Orchestra/Band, and ended up taking a tenor from the school, and joined the jazz band. Did some weddings with a friends band, but mostly played out in the woods. What tone I had out there. Finally I had the right instrument, and realized that this was what I always wanted to play.

In 1970, I travelled to Holland with the Pitman NJ Hobo Band, playing clarinet and tenor. I was the youngest player on board at 14. Still can't believe that my Mom and Dad let me go! We played in Amsterdam at the Kerkrade(sp) Music Festival, took third place in the comic division, and stayed over the border in Bad Aachen(sp).

One of the highlights of my all too brief early musical career was playing in the orchestra on solo Bb Clarinet for "The Desert Song" production in Whitemarsh, PA. My Dad played violin, and my brother played percussion. I will never forget it.

Played through college, but nobody wanted to hear Coleman Hawkins, Stan Getz, Charlie Parker, they wanted to listen to the Dead. I played along to the Crusaders - "Put it where you want it" and "Double Trouble". Also to Average White Band stuff. In the 80's, and I'm not sure how it happened, family to support, job, money, but I slowly, regretably, gave up playing music.

Fast Forward 20 years. After years of regret, I started tinkering with my old clarinet, had it professionally overhauled, started sounding pretty good.

8 months ago, I bought a lucky to be in decent repair tenor off ebay. Quickly realized I needed a horn that was 'set up' right. Just bought a Conn 10M 53 from Gayle in Florida, and am playing daily again.

I need alot of help with theory, due to the fact that I never really learned improv, other than with the jazz band, and that was by ear mostly with standards. I am planning on taking a few lessons with Tim Price soon. To the untrained sax ear, my family, and me, I sound great. And I guess that's what really matters.

So sorry for the length of this reply, however , you all opened it up.

Thanks for starting this thread, and thanks to all who make SOTW a really informative, friendly, learning experience for me.

[Seraphina]

I'm 31 and have just started playing sax although I have quite a few years experience with other woodwind and some stringed instruments.
I finally gave in to myself and picked up a sax due to my having loved to listen to the instrument for as long as I remember and due to it's versatility,my taste in music encompasses everything from Copland and Finzi to Linkin Park and Nickelback.
I want to teach saxophone a few years down the line and to get out and make music with other people as often as I can.

[oldsax]

Hello, I played alto all through grade school, picked up a little bari in high school, played alto in concert band and lead tenor in jazz band. Won the award for best jazz player at our HS. After HS, I played clubs with a rock band and did some touring and a bit of studio work, played with a few major recording artists. Then for some strange reason (not enough money in it, I quess it's not that strange :) ) I hung it up. Here I am 20 years later, I still have my old saxes. I've been playing for the last 4 months and really enjoying it. I've got a new tenor on order and had my old Buffett sda repadded. Got my lips back and my ear is getting better too. I may even start gigging again sometime in the future, although if I don't , it wouldn't matter. It's good to be back (getting there anyway).

[Jerry]

Hi,
I'm 37 and only started learning the tenor 1/2 year ago. I learned playing the clarinet for some three years when I was a CS student but always wanted to move on to the sax.
There was always this fascination about saxophones since I began listening to jazz music when I was 16. My parents couldn't afford a horn, and since we had an old piano standing around, and since reading notes wasn't all that new to me having played the guitar since I was 10, we found a piano teacher and I tried my best - well, not quite. While I like the piano a lot (and still own the old one, a 1905 make that even survived a bomb raid in WW II) I know today that this just wasn't my type of musical instrument.
There was a key event in my life when I was on a trip to New Orleans in '89. I went into that bar on Bourbon Street and they had a really decent band get requests. I must've looked really interested in their style, and at some point the leader asked me "Sir, are you a musician?"... - on that same day I said to myself that someday when being asked a question like this, I'd have a MPC on me and the answer would be "yes" ;)
Anyway, after a lot of pondering I finally caught an old GDR make tenor on eBay last year. It was from a neigboring city, so the risk was tolerable, and the price was dirt cheap since it was a hot summer and people were all but interested in buying things on the net.
After trying a bit of this and that, I got a book with playalong CD and tried to add some methodology to it. Only a couple weeks later it was clear that I'd need another horn to make sure the things that did not work weren't the horn's faults, but mine. So I got a Keilwerth and ever since learning has been a lot of fun.
I'm currently looking for a teacher and will hopefully gain some band experience soon.
Even though my Keilwerth is a really nice horn, I'm saving to one day afford an SX90R
or maybe a well-rebuilt vintage Conn. This will certainly allow for a lot of meantime to learn :)
Looking forward to exchanging experiences here.

[blurt]

Hi,

What a great forum - just right for me. I am 46, and just hired an Alto sax last night, to start to learn. I can already read music, and I have played guitar (jazz/rock styles) for 35 years, and some keyboards. I felt I was ready for a new challenge.

The sax is a Conn student model. Not that I'm an expert, but looks and feels OK. Certainly in good condition - looks like new, and has just been serviced.

I bought a packet of 1 1/2 reeds (RICO) and a cleaning kit, then hurried home to start learning from resources I found on the net. Amazingly, after 20 minutes, I actually played some scales and a few improvised licks. Now to work on that tone and consistency :-)

My favourite sax players are Johnny Hodges, Paul Desmond, John Coltrane and Sonny Rollins, so I certainly have a lot to aspire to.

[bassclarinet]

Oh, why not respond. 78 and just started playing a C-Melody Sax. Well, it almost sounds like playing. Play Bass Clarinet mostly, some Bb but all for my own enjoyment. No bands, no gigs. Now for the old stuff-
Guess I should admit that music was nothing but a hobby for me when young. Got to go to two world Fairs, played in a theatre pit orchestra, took my horn to war with me and played for the guys, on occasion. Went to Alaska for a aviation related job, got an offer to play on a cruise ship, which I turned down for a "real job." Played (no pay) in the Anchorage Symphony, met my wife who married me--not because I played clarinet but in spite of it--All that 55 years plus ago. So life happens as you plan something else.
Bob A

[Bud]

I am 79 years old and have played saxophone since about 1937. I taught music for 20 years and still play for my own enjoyment. I have always wanted to improvise successfully and continue to try to improve in that area specifically. I play a beuscher 400 tenor that I have owned for about 35 years and have a Dukoff B.D.Hollywodd 7* mouthpiece that I have had since 1947. I plan to play as long as I am physically and mentally able to function.

[BobD]

I'm 40 and restarted at the age of 37 after a 20 year lay off from my high school days. I had one teacher for the first 2.5 years and did the 1/2 hour lesson every week. Now I'm taking from a guy named Arnie Krakowsky here in Boston. He's more advanced so I take one lesson a month. I practice most every day at work during my lunch hour and on tues and wed nights after the kids(4 and 7 years old) are in bed and my wife is working. She's an ER nurse and does the evening shift on those nights. The weekends are hardest to find time to practice. Occasionally I play at the Blues Jam at the Acton Jazz Cafe. I plan to work up to playing at a jazz jam and ultimately my goal is to be able to able to play in a jazz quartet or quintet in an acoustic setting. Maybe in a resaurant or lounge. Just playing and improvising over the standards. :D

[charlief]

Thought I'd share some of my new found experiences

I'm 39 started playing tenor from scratch about 8 months ago - used to play a little piano as a kid - but forgotten mostly all I knew. Primarily teaching myself from J O'Neill Jazz method book but have taken a few lessons every now and then to check I'm on the right track. Reasonably happy with progress - frustrated that despite my practising long tones my tone isn't maturing as fast as I would like. Getting better with my breathing, fingering and sight reading ( so much easier than piano!) etc. I try to practice about an hour a day, more at weekends - I tend to overdo it a bit at weekends and have to lay off for a couple of days with a sore lip.

I'm playing a Silver plated Trevor James "the Horn" tenor - does not get mentioned much on this site but my teacher thought it played ok and was good value for money. Have not played anything else so can't really compare but I seem to be able to hit all the notes from Bb to F# without too much of a problem. I'm currently using a Vandoren 2.5 and the mouthpiece which came with the horn - (branded trevor James but guess it may be badged from somone else).

Mainly my interests are playing on the bluesy side of jazz. Have tried listening to the Coltrane's of this world - and must confess it leaves me cold - too many notes and no discernable - tune! . Maybe my taste will get more sophisticated as I progress. Guess I've just alienated myself from 90% of this board :wink:

[Al Stevens]

Hello, all. I'm 63 and took up tenor sax about three months ago when I found a deal on a Vito that had been sitting in a closet for a while. The owner was also an older guy who realized he couldn't play it. I had it serviced, downloaded a fingering chart and set out to teach myself to play it.

I am a professional jazz and commercial musician. I play piano, string bass, trumpet, flugelhorn, valve trombone and slide trombone. I have loved tenor sax since I was a kid in the 1950s. The pivotal event that made me finally learn to play it was the death of a close friend, a local tenor player who was just wonderful. Somehow I'd like to fill a tiny space in the void he left.

My progress is coming along well. I practice an hour or more a day by reading tunes against Band In A Box accompaniments. I can read lead sheets although the lower notes (D and below) are giving me the usual problems. Improvisation is not so easy because I haven't yet assimilated the mechanics of the horn and I keep trying to play what I can already play on other instruments. I'm definitely not ready for public exposure.

Influences: Webster, Zoot, and Getz. Favorite players extant are Scott Hamilton, John Orsini and Harry Allen.

[Harri Rautiainen]

Hello, all. I'm 63 and took up tenor sax about three months ago when I found a deal on a Vito that had been sitting in a closet for a while. Welcome on board, Al.
BTW, on your web-site: Why are "Rules of Conduct for Open Mike" under "Fun Stuff"? I think those rules should be taken at least semiseriously. :)

Thanks for all you "old-timers" for sharing your personal experiences.
I was in my early fourties, when I started my "second wind" on an alto.
I have been more serious about saxophone playing for the past 13 years. This forum and www.saxontheweb.net site grew out of my need and desire to tap into and organize for my own use the vast Internet music and saxophone resources.

I am glad that you are finding this site useful,
Harri Rautiainen
Espoo (greater Helsinki area)
Finland

[Troy]

Hey there,

I've been playing just a bit over 3 years now. I'm 41 and have day job, so I could afford to spoil myself with a Vintagesax restored Beuscher Tenor---I've always loved the sound of low notes on a tenor (go Ben Webster!).

Growing up, I sang, studied classical piano, played trumpet in HS band, elec. bass in college, and harmonica after college during my hour commute to work.

So, I'm a dabbler. Now I'm enjoying playing occasionally with the worship band at church. It takes me a while to work up a song, since I want to sound better than I actually am. So, I only do 3 or 4 new tunes a year there.

I tried to practice 1/2 hour a day, but couldn't find time to be consistent with that. Now, my goals are 5-10 minutes of practice every day, a new scale each week, and beautiful tone. That's enough for me.

[Al Stevens]

I've been honking on the Vito tenor for about 4 months now. After talking to some players and reading reviews here and elsewhere, I headed to the local music store and tried out a Yamaha YTS82Z unlacquered tenor. I fell in love. Based on the recommendation of a friend, I asked them to let me try an Otto Link 7* mouthpiece on it. I fell in lust. Both items were less expensive at the local store than at any Internet site I found. And that's including sales tax.

I am now about $2.8K poorer and a lot happier. I had to go straight to a (piano) gig after bringing the outfit home, so it's waiting in the studio. I know how I'll spend most of tomorrow.

[GooseLK]

Hi folks!

Here´s my story (although it´s quite short): I started to play the drums when I was 9. I played several Instruments after that and began to sing. But when I was 9 I heard a Sax solo of the saxophonist of the Peter Maffay Band (Germany). The Song is called "Über sieben Brücken musst du gehen"(for those of you who want to have a look to this Solo: Isn´t it impressive to a 9 years old boy?:D ). It is a cover of the Band 'Karat' that was forbidden to play the song in the GDR at this time. And I thought:"WOW! What the hell is that? What instrument is able to produce such a sound???"
The reason why i picked the Sax so late (abt 4 weeks ago in the age of 29) was - well, you know how the story goes - that it´s been grown up to a 'childhood dream' and now finally made it come true :D !

Just one question: At what skill level do you recomment to join a Band and play with others??

Yours ... Lars

PS: Please forgive my weak english :oops: :lol:

[Pheonix]

Hi all, I got an Alto sax for my 40th birhday a couple of weeks ago, It is something I have always wanted to learn. But just never got round to doing it. I have no musical experience. I did start to learn the guitar last year with my 14 year old daughter, but my heart was not in it. But I did start to learn to read and understand music.

I had my first sax lesson yesterday, what a joy. I am going to love this, my tutor thinks that I am a quick learner, I just hope it continues.

My sax is an Amstrong Alto. which I got form a relative who was a woodwind teacher who is unable to play any more due to a stroke last year. Cant find much on the make, but my tutor likes its. I will be taking it for a service this week as it has been sat in its case for quite a few years.

This is a great site full of lots of usefull info.

[Pheonix]

Just found out my Alto sax is an 1976 Armstrong. :D

[kbraun]

I began playing at 13 or so. Majored in saxophone and later oboe in college, but before finishing, joined the USAF as a bandsman. After a four year tour, I went back to school in history rather than music and sold everything. So, I had played pretty intensely for about 12 years and quit abruptly. A few years later I took up the concertina and recorder to fill the vacuum and still play today. Five months ago, for my 60th birthday I received a very nice 2 year old, lightly used Series II – what I call a “no excuses” horn.

I'm having a ball with it and play daily. I'm not up to my previous skill level by any means, but things are progressing.

The palm keys have been awful and I'm just now getting them under some control. I don't remember having difficulty with them when I was younger. Ab and side Bb are still awkward too. Coordination of the tongue and fingers, breath support and controlling initial tone quality for falling intervals that cross registers are all issues. I tend to want to blame reeds, mouthpieces, the horn adjustment when frustrated. This is a real boon to the local tech and music store. (It is a very strange fact that the more I play the better the sax, reeds and mouthpiece get and the less I see of the music store!) I have virtually no self confidence, something I didn't lack in my youth and don't lack on the concertina or recorder. I've yet to join a group or play in front of others but trust that will come in time. These difficulties were not expected.

I'm also surprised by what does not seem to be problematic. This includes intonation, overall musicianship, transposing, playing by ear, and sight reading from the Universal Method and other old favorites.

Then there are the things that I expected to be problematic that really are. Dynamic range, especially at extreme registers. Tone production, quality and attack below low C were very difficult initially. “Top tones” and harmonics are still not there.

I’m really grateful for the skills that have returned and feel rather stupid for letting myself go without a horn for so long -- nearly 35 years.

Kurt

[Troy]

...Just one question: At what skill level do you recomment to join a Band and play with others??...

Welcome Lars. I'd say as soon as the band will let you join! Playing with other pushes me to practice. It probably will do the same for you. Oh, and your English is just fine.

[Troy]

Kurt,

Hang in there. Somewhere inside of you all that experience is lying dormant. It will return. It might just take a bit to get it out of hibernation. Don't worry. Be happy. Play for fun! So what if you never get back to "pro" form? It's not the end of the world. You can still have a blast.

[mcleanpe]

We are not getting many messages on this board. Why not tell us all why you are learning to play late in life, what are your ambitions, who are you playing with, why you chose sax, who are your musical heroes, are there bands in your area that you are able to play with what country you are from, what are your biggest problems - things like that <snip>

Well, like my life is anything but interesting, but here goes...

I started in music in 4th grade playing violin until 9th, where I was asked if I wanted to switch to trombone since the band did not have any trombone players. In six weeks, I was playing and was also selected to the All-City band in trombone (where they pick the best players from all the area schools).

Me and a few of the other band weenies that were really good started an inprov band and started playing tunes by ear. We were so out of control in high school that the band director, rather than kicking us out of band, decided to start a jazz band with us. Unfortunately, there were no tenor sax players. So that is when I started playing tenor sax. My most memorable performance was attempting the solo on "Street Life" by the Crusaders. I so bombed it wasnt even funny. That's after 6 mos of playing sax.

This was all back in 1979. Haven't picked up a sax since then. College and marriage took me on a different path away from music. Then came kids. My daughter finally decided to do something that I had some familiarity with. She wanted to be in the band!!!!!! First, she wanted to play flute. So I bought her a flute. then she decided she wanted to play clarinet instead. So I bought her a clarinet and started practicing the flute. Playing her clarinet and attempting the flute made me realize how much I missed playing the sax. So I bought one off of eBay.

Now, I am by no means an expert, but this sax is, IMHO, a piece of crap. There is no way tha I forgot how to hit G wighout squeaking or warbling, even though it has been 26 years since I have played. Although I am enjoying holding the sax again after all these years.

Back when I started, I didnt even know there were good and bad saxes. I started on a Conn (a school instrument), and I heard a Selmer play, and that was it.

But today with the internet and this board, I'll be back up to speed in no time. In fact, I probably should spend the time practicing instead of reading on here!

BTW, I am from Texas.

Peace

[Torachan]

Wainsworth - well you have certainly gotten plenty of responses.

For what it is here is my contribution

I am 29 almost 30.

My first foray into the music area was the trumpet about 18 years ago. My primary interest (if I remember rightly) was annoying the neighbours. Succeeded ;)

The downside was that I was ordered to take the trumpet back to school within a month.

Now that I have taken up the sax my parents have thrown that back in my face. In fact I have found so many people have held negative views to me taking up the sax. The notable exception is my fiance. She has been fantastic and has asked me to perform (on the sax... get your minds out of the gutter :) ) the scales (as that is all I can do at the moment)

I came across this fantastic site (SOTW). When I compare this site with the last forum board I was with (for nurses) .... well lets just say this site rocks. Ok.. on the nurses forum it was real bitchy. This site is about promoting the Sax and encouraging sax musicians (and potential sax players).

This thread is awsome. I work in a retirement village, study nursing full time and an advocate for the older people in our community. Why should your age dictate how you behave, your interests, your hobbies (although after 50 you should stop having sex.. that;s not funny :)....... just kidding but it is a common stereotype.... but I don't want to think about it... my parents stopped after the birth of my youngest brother... honest)

After reading all these posts I thought to myself.. "hell if these guys can make a go of it, persue their dreams why can't I?" and here I am, 29 going on 18, with two lessons under my belt.

Wish me luck

Torachan

[Troy]

Welcome! Hey...and look out for that vegemite. It's dead yeast, ya know.

[DanY]

At least it's not Marmite (yuck!)

[Peteuk]

Hi Everyone,

Just thought I'd add my reason for starting to learn the Sax at such a old age (50), I've played in brass bands here in the UK all my life (about 40years.. :? ) and an ambition of mine was always to play Sax. Soooo, I took the plunge when i turned the big 50, got myself a tennor and here i am, practicing everyday (probally the wrong things) but, enjoying every moment of it. I treat my sax as if it was a new born baby with great care and affection (ok, yes i am sad) I just wish there were more woodwind groups around the area i live (North East England) Although maybe it's best i just play to myself :) :) I just mite get a shock trying to keep in tune and keep up with fellow players.

Pete.

[Doctormyeyes]

Posted this on another thread last night, just saw this thread this morning:

I'm shortly turning 55 and started playing Alto 3 months ago.

I've spent my life surrounded with/obsessed by music, so not sure if the word beginner applies. I did take a year of clarinet in 4th grade, and played in band in 7th grade, but then switched to piano through high school, and guitar after college. I studied some theory, and developed my ear by listening/transcribing on that instrument.

My parents were both professional singers and I've always thought more linearly, rather than vertically, even on the guitar. I've spent my whole life 'scatting' to myself, consciously and unconsciously. After years telling my friends that I wanted to play guitar in the style of Sonny Rollins, it dawned on me that perhaps I should really be playing sax. Which brings me to the present.

A major advantage to learning as an adult, is that you know what it's supposed to sound like. I can sing you a lot of Charlie Parker, just from having listened to him forever. I've heard many great players and know good tone when I hear it, and sometimes I'm able to produce it. When I briefly studied clarinet as a kid, I didn't have a clue. I feel like I'm progressing in leaps and bounds, at a much faster rate than any of my friends' kids. Three months is NOT too soon to begin playing 'Confirmation'.

Will I ever earn my living playing professionally? Probably not. I've already got a profession, and besides, from watching my parents, I've learned that playing weddings is not necessarily artistically satisfying.

Am I going to be damn good? You bet your a**!

But more important, I'm having a ball!

[mrschewy]

I am 36 and a housewife and mum of 3 and have just started playing an Alto sax in the last 3 months. I had no previous musical experience and am also having to learn to read music too. I have always loved the sax since all the 80's bands such as ABC and Spandau and have always wanted to play. My new year resolution was to learn a new skill and so I got a sax (yamaha yas475 and found a teacher, and I am really enjoying myself. I am wanting to learn to play for fun, to please myself and really love the music that Jools Holland has done with his Big Band. I can dream!!
I have found the message boards here very helpful and have noticed that everyone, no matter what level they play at, is very friendly and happy to share experiences and knowledge.

[Latestarter]

I've hit 42 and have really enjoyed listening to sax music for years, I've always had a passion to learn to play but never been able to get around to it, with 9 children :shock: they have always taken first priority. A couple of years ago we moved town and now I work with a guy who plays Sax in a couple of bands (Jazz and local "Brass" band) and he's very willing to teach me. So on the 10 July 04 I brought a little Conn Alto 20m from underneath someones bed that had not been used for years ( i really wanted a tenor but too impatient to wait) I've been practing up to a couple of hours each night since( I'm still waiting for my first music lesson!). I'm really enjoying it (I don't know about the kids though!). I have a tenor (Yamaha yts32) arriving from Germany (long story) in a couple of weeks am really looking forward to learning to play tenor, that is where the true passion (from me) is. I don't know if learning to blow the sax is going to be difficult but heck those music notes are hard to understand!

I can't say I have any one favorite best Sax player, there are so many great ones with there own sounds and others just playing cause they can and want to out there, I can only dream of sitting back in a comfy chair and playing some tunes and people not running for earmuffs!!!


:salute:

[stoltp]

Hello all, and thank you for starting this thread. I am 41 now and started playing about a year and half ago. This was triggered by two things;
I lived in Japan, and getting a bit bored with Tokyo life, I started designing loudspeakers. This lead to contacts with some hi-fi guys and a high-end company, lead to a lot of listening, jazz, more jazz....
At the same time my youngest daughter took all her savings and bought an alto sax. We got here a teacher, and after a few lessons I started as well.

Now I have an Alto and Tenor (both Yanagisawa 900, bought fairly cheap in Japan) and really enjoy learning about music, and more importantly, how to be able to not only listen but also play (there is however a very big gap between the listening and the sound produced by me). I am still taking lessons, from a very good player here in Singapore, and have not noticed any lessening in interest.

I am also very glad to have found this forum. It contains so much valuable information and it is also nice to see that there are so many others in my age that are still enjoying learning something new and are not afraid to start on something that at first can seem overwhelming.

[wainsworth]

Thanks to all that responded to this thread. I love the fact that you all come across as so literate and intelligent, unlike some bulletin boards on other subjects. For those of you that might be a little shy about joining a band, I'll tell you a little story on myself.
I have only been playing saxophone for one year, before that I was self taught on clarinet and joined a community band much too early with respect to my ablility. But what I used to do was to fake it when new music was handed out, take it home and practice it, putting brackets around the parts that I couldn't play, treating those bars as a rest.
One week a new piece was intruduced. I was the only third clarinet [the only other one, a good player, being on holiday if Florida]. I just sat there idle while the band read through the piece. About halfway through the conductor called out, "Where is the third clarinet?" Unusually there was a section where the third clarinet had the melody and I was not there for it. Well, I was so humiliated that I submitted my resignation, promising to come back when I had more experience. To my surprise, they didn't want me to resign and I got a 'phone call from the conductor asking me to reconsider. Now after ten years and with little musical talent, I can play most third clarinet parts reasonably well.
I am just going to start an intermediate class at our University of Western Ontario with my Conn "New Wonder", on which I am just now getting a fairly good tone. So, to everyone I say, "Thank You For The Music".

[jeffoest]

Hi all,

Two things that are brand new to me:

1) woodwind instruments
2) this newsgroup

I am an amateur musician (piano, guitar, bass) and songwriter with a professional day job who just loves to learn new things musically. About four years ago I decided to buy a piano after about 20 years had gone by since I played anything musically (career, youth, etc..) Since then I have ventured into the world of guitar and bass and recording as well. Today, at age 42, I decided to try the saxophone. I recieved the saxophone two days ago and am enjoying it. I should probably go get some initial lessons so I don't learn bad habits but am not finding working out melodies from a fake book with chord changes sequenced on my keyboard/workstation (piano, drums, bass) for backing too awful difficult though my tone does sound pretty freaky so far!

No huge saxophone goals - initially would like to add some sax background to some of my productions. Eventually would love to be able to improv be-bop jazz as well as I can on the piano... but if I dont' get there on the saxophone, I won't be crushed either.

My saxophone idols would be mosly jazz players from the 50s through 70s, mostly bop - Bird, Coltraine, Paul Desmond, Ornette Coleman, Sonny Rollins, .....

Main reason for trying the saxophone? I love to sing - I find it more expressive than even playing the piano (which is the instrument I am most competent on) but only have a fair singing voice. The saxophone to me is like singing where you can express yourself with your breath and throat.....

Oh, .... Dallas, TX here.

Jeff
http://www.jeffoestreichmusic.com

[FredCDobbs]

Hello all. I'm new to this site, which is a fantastic resource and rather overwelming in breadth. I was happy to see a "Late Bloomer" thread, and went to it immediately.

I've always loved a variety of music, but listened passionately to classical most of my life--no jazz. I wanted to learn music theory so that I could understand some of the technical aspects of the classical music I loved, and late in life decided to learn an instruement with that purpose in mind. When I was 51, I picked up an old nameless alto someone had given me, put a ratty reed, that had been bouncing around loose in the smelly case, onto the chewed, cruddy mouthpiece, and blew into the thing. The sound it made, bad as it was, astounded and excited me. I bought a beginner's book and started working through it. After a few months, I started lessons.

That was three years ago. I now play a Conn 25M alto and a 10M '54 tenor (I recently acquired a 6M VIII, which I'm going to have repadded). I'm still with the same sax teacher, have full shelves of jazz CDs, and listen almost exclusively to jazz! I have a high stress, demanding job. so it's not easy to find practice time, but I try to play at least an hour a day. It helps that my mate gives me great encouragement.

I'd love to find people at my level to jam with, but it's to do in my area and with my time schedule. I don't yet feel ready to get up on a stand at a bar or club, but hope that will happen eventually. My goal is to be able one day to play in a decent small band or group to the point that I can make a real contribution as well as creatively express my own voice and emotions.

Deep regret: That I didn't start 10, 20, 30 years ago. But, just playing, at my level, even at this late stage, has enriched my life.

[R2D2]

I have been 40 four about a handful of years now. I was inspired to make a start by my daughter, who has been playing the sax for about two years. She had been playing a Yamaha YAS-275 we hired from the school. I had promised to get her a sax of her own if she did the work.

After she performed her first solo at a school concert and did a pretty decent job of it for an 22 year old, I decided to get her decent horn.

After much research and advise found on this site I bought her Yanigasawa A901. I also ordered an extra mouth piece and ligature for her (Selmer C*80). I have really learnt to enjoy the sax through my daughters playing, so I figured I had the gear why not give it a go.

I think at present it would be more accurate describe myself as late witherer rather than a late bloomer. :shock:

Arto SIRVIO
Brisbane
Australia
(since 1969)

[GirardKen]

Hello. I'm 40 years old and started playing again about 3 years ago. Like many on here, I played through high school then stopped altogether to focus on life, career and family. My son took up playing Alto when he got to HS and I got interested again when he started needing some pointers. I purchased an old Martin Committee II Tenor Sax from a music shop and started blowing again. I joined a local community band, and we get together twice a month and play a gig about every six weeks. I made some new friends and met up with some old ones. We get together before community band practice to work on some dixieland. We have a 7 piece group. I'm playing stuff tougher than anything I ever attemped in high school, so I guess you could say I'm a late bloomer :D

[danny_w]

Hello, my name is Danny and I am new to this group and to the saxophone. I am almost 52 and just started on the alto about 6 weeks ago. I played trombone in school way back when, but was never very good at it because I never practiced. I really wanted to play the sax back then, but my band director said I couldn't until I got braces. Oh well...

Now that I'm "all grown up" and can do what I want (sort of) I decided to give the sax a try mainly for the personal enjoyment that I could get from learning. At my age I don't expect to ever be great at it, but I am still serious about practicing and doing my best. I love swing and older jazz, but not particularly the improvisational jazz of today. It would be great to someday be good enough to play in a local swing or jazz band.

That's about it for now. I have a lot to learn and a lot to look forward to. It's never too late to learn!

[fballatore]

Hi all!

My name is Frank, and I'm 47.

I've been wanting to play the sax for over 30 years (ever since the first time I heard the Theme from the Pink Panther!), but never did anything about it. Until now. The funny thing is how I finally decided to make the plunge. A couple of weeks ago, my son and I were in Costco, and in the DVD section, they had a special box set of the Pink Panther movies. We watched one of the movies that night, I heard the theme, and decided right then to finally buy a sax. I did a bit of research, and learned that the alto was probably easier to learn on, so I went that way.

I've played piano since I was about 10 (not really well, and not much in the last 20 years), and guitar (I really mostly fool around), so I know a bit about reading music. I've decided to take lessons from a local teacher, and can't wait to get started.

My favorite players at this time are Jay Beckenstein and David Sanborn. My goal is to become good enough to entertain friends and family, and join a local group from time to time if the occasion arises.

I love this forum!

[Old Charlie]

Okay, I'm next I guess.

I'm new to this forum (around mid-December) and to sax playing. I wanted to play sax in Junior High (read 50's and 60's), but the instructor at the store said I had to learn to play clarinet first. Not knowing any better, I went along, but my heart wasn't in it. Because of that, I lost interest fairly soon (but I still wanted to play sax!) and quit. :(

My first jazz albums were Brubeck's Take Five, Charles Mingus, and Thelonius Monk. They're still among my favorites, but Jimmy Smith, Kirk Whalun, Stanley Turrentine, and Regina Carter have been added as well. Now I'm sorting out who I like (and don't) in the sax section. For example, I like early Coltrane, but the way out stuff he played in not for me at all, get it off my player/radio/stereo/street, away from me! And I'm just learning about the old timers and beginning to listen to them. Between my teens and today went a lot of drinking and a lot of other styles of music: Rock 'n Roll, country, bluegrass, Rock, Hard Rock, and easy listening, and lately classical, pop Christian and gospel and more jazz.

Fast forward through some very rough years up to 2004. I still want to play sax and one day in December I wound up on eBay looking at alto horns. I bid on an old Abbot Premier and won for $76 plus $15 shipping. $40 worth of shop time and I have a working instrument. Not the best, but playable. I'm still trying to figure out what an Abbot is http://www.saxontheweb.net/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=24100

So, I gathered some elements books, found this site, and started playing Christmas day (this is my Christmas present to me). I've gotten through where my fingers go, and made some squeaks and squawks (and some serious notes), but I've a long way to go. :roll:

Then tonight, I was given (!!! FREE !!!) a 50's to 60's vintage Martin with nickel plated keys and an adjustable thumbrest. :shock:
More at http://www.saxontheweb.net/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=24538

So now I have two alto saxes and I can't play either of them. And I haven't even tried the Martin because I got home so late and it would upset several neighbors if I even ran the scales.

Backing up... New Years Eve, the owner of House of Woodwinds (Dick Ackright?), San Ramon, tells me the best teacher in Livermore, CA is a man named Bernie Berke. Now tonight, I'm just talking with some friends about my newfound interest and I mentioned that I was looking for an instructor. One lady speaks up and tells me that her daughter just dropped out of Tuesday night sax lessons..... from a man named Bernie Berke!!!!!!!!

Am I calling Mr. Berke tomorrow, or what? :lol:

I have learned one thing about my playing so far though. There aren't enough keys below low Bb on an alto sax. Maybe there is a tenor (or bari?) in my future as well? I wanna go really low! After some lessons and some time, I think I'll at least try a tenor.

As for what puts food on the table and reeds in my mouth, I am a Senior Mechanical Tech at a large government facility. That's my excuse, but really God is the one who has done all this! :notworth:

So there I am. I'm 58 and starting off on a new adventure. Where this leads? Only God knows. I'm just enjoying the ride, squeaks, squawks, warbles and all. :D
_____________________________
Just squawkin' along, tootin' a song.

[redkmd]

Hi everyone I sure am glad to find this site, I though I was the only one feeling a little crazy taking up music at 49. I am Ron and 49 never had any music in any way shape or form and cant read a lick of music. I actually take my very first lesson tomorrow Friday January 7,05 and am excited as all getup. Im married 18 years no children and my wife is all behind me on this venture. I have loved sax music soft jazz first of all and wished I could play sax for 30 years. I decided a week ago to go for it and my mother in law bought me a new LA Sax artist series Black Tenor and that is my first ever owned instrument. I like tenor and even thou everyone talks learning on an alto I figured what the heck Im doing this late in life might as well learn what I really love and that is tenor. And I am excited to have a mother in law buy me a new sax like this and since I dont know one from another this is nice to me at least. I got lucky and found off saxquest.com a teacher that is a jazz teacher at a university here and plays in a jazz band also to teach me and ends up he is practically a neighbor a 2 minute drive and he dont mind the wife coming along and watching as she loves sax. A lot of friends said what is with you do you really think you can learn the sax at 49 and I said I dont know but you know what I am sure going to give it my best and hope some day to be able to play a nice tune for them to show them at least I went for my dream. I live in Saint Louis a good jazz town to. Again glad I found this site it is wonderfull.

[Mike W]

Hi Redkmd, Another late bloomer here, just down the road in Rolla. Hang in there. It is well worth the effort and quite doable. Mike

[redkmd]

:)Hi all, I am home from work and getting ready to go to my first ever lesson and am very excited. The teacher said to bring the wife he dont mind a bit and she is excited to. He is a jazz master and teaches advanced jazz at a university here in Saint Louis area. Im excited and nervous being 49 and never having any music backround but at least my mother in law bought me a new impact black la sax tenor artist series what a gift from a mother in law ha. Well Ill be on later to post my opinion of the first encounter of a new kind lol. Talk to you all later and let me know about your first lesson if you want.

[fballatore]

Well Red....

How did it go? (Please take a look at my other thread on called "My First Lesson", and respond there.)

Frank

[Halcyon440]

Hello everyone!

I'm very happy to have found this forum.


OK, so here's my story. I was born and raised in New York City, daughter of parents who came from the Dominican Republic in the Caribbean. Almost no one in my family is musical, except for some small traces from Dad's mom's side. My first love is Classical. As a 4 year old I begged (tears and everything) my parents for this collection of piano masterpieces that was being sold on TV. They eventually broke down and bought them and I listened to those tapes so much that one of them broke. Sadly since my family wasn't musical and was very poor, they didn't send me to music school. Instead they found me a neighborhood dance school which was very cheap and sent me there instead.

I kept whining about wanting to play music and it turned out that at the same dance school they offered guitar lessons. So Mom sent me there. After a few weeks I got very bored because they were going too slowly and because I didn't really enjoy the guitar much. Back to dance I went.

My parents listened to a lot of music at home. Dad was into rock and salsa. Mom listened to ballads and merengue (the national music of the Dominican Republic). At around age 10 or so I recall telling my parents that I wanted to be a merengue pianist when I grew up. They blew up at me! "Merengue music is for men!" and "Smart girls grow up to become doctors, not musicians!". At that point I decided to give up on trying to get them to put me in music school and continued to focus on school and my other activities.

I did very well in high school and ended up going to Columbia in NYC. As expected I was pre-med. Everything was fine the first year. However by my sophomore year I began to have doubts about my intended career. I couldn't see myself devoting all my time to just one thing. Other things were calling to me, especially music. So on a whim I dropped pre-med and declared myself a Music major (with a Computer Science minor). I knew that my diploma would be in Latin and that it wouldn't state my major anyway. So I kept it hidden from my parents. To this day they still think that I was a Comp Sci major at school.

Because I didn't play anything my music major consisted of Classical theory and history courses. I LOVED every single minute of it. Theory was my absolute favorite class. History was so enlightening and fulfilling. It was great to listen to pieces and be able to say "That's Brahms" or "That's Debussy". And Ear Training was simply amazing. All along I had this wonderful ear but had no clue how to explain the things I was hearing. Through ear training I was able to give names to chord progressions. I learned how to do dictation and sight singing. I went in knowing close to nothing and came out with a nearly perfect GPA in music and a well-trained ear. It was one of the best things I ever did.

However, one thing was missing. That was performance. I would see the other students walk around with their little violin cases and would envy them. What I would have done to turn back time and start playing back when I was 4. They were all so good that I was intimidated and figured that no matte how much I could ever practice I'd never catch up to those I-practice-10-hours-a-day students. At 20 I felt that I was already too old. Tsk, tsk, tsk.

Thankfully during my last semester I took a Jazz history course (Spring 1996). It was taught my Phil Schaap that semester and he's an absolutely brilliant jazz historian. Prior to that I hadn't have much exposure to jazz music. At first sounded very foreign to me since I was used to Classical and merengue. But slowly I got into it. As I sat there listening to the music I began to think that maybe I could still go for it. Maybe I wasn't too old after all. For a while I contemplated playing the trombone since that was what my ear training professor, whom I deeply admired, played. But then I thought about how it's rarely used in merengue any more and I decided against it. I contemplated bass too since by that time I had started teaching myself electric bass by ear because my church band had lost its bassist. Though I have a really good ear for harmony, for some reason I just couldn't get passionate about the bass (I did eventually end up becoming the new church bassist and still play there to this day). Towards the end of the course we were listening to saxophonists such as Bird, Coltrane, Cannonball, Dexter Gordon, and Lester Young. I knew NOTHING about this instrument but was really enjoying the sound. I remembered that the sax IS used in merengue music. And for the next 30 minutes I daydreamt in class, visualizing myself as a sax player. I came out of the class that day on a mission. I was going to learn to play the sax!

A friend gave me the name of a Venezuelan jazz saxophonist, Rolando Briceño, who lived near campus. The next Saturday I showed up at his house and told him I was a music major who played nothing and that I wanted to learn the sax. As luck would have it one of this other students was selling an alto (Yamaha 23) and he had it at home. I bought it on the spot for $300. And so the journey began.

I had graduated and started working, but was living back at home for a while. At first I was embarassed to play at home since my parents had not been supportive of music growing up. But I figured that since I had graduated and was working as a programmer that they shouldn't feel threatened by my musical hobby. They were ok with it, but made fun of my long tone studies, saying that the "ship had reached shore".

I advanced quickly and started hanging out with some friends from the neighborhood who played merengue music. When I told my teacher that's what I wanted to play, he wasn't very supportive and pushed me towards jazz. While I enjoyed jazz I didn't feel compelled to learn improvisation and so eventually I ended up going to another teacher. For a period of about 3 years (1997-2000) I gigged in merengue bands around the City. It was even more fun than I could have ever dreamed! I was completely exhilirated when playing with the entire band (piano, bass, congas, tambora, guira, 2-3 trumpets, alto, tenor, 3-4 singers). The first time I got paid for a gig I almost cried. It seemed so weird to get paid for having so much fun!

I was on my way to getting into the professional circle but then my personal life picked up and I had to stop playing for a while.

Fast forward to 2003-2004: I've become VERY unsatisfied with my work and realized I can't do this forever. And so I revisited my original intent of becoming a doctor and signed up for a postbacc pre-med program in order to take the required courses needed to apply. School is going really well but again the music muse started calling to me. This time she was urging me to fulfill my lifelong dream of playing Classical. Again I brushed this aside due to the age thing. If I was too old back at college to learn an orchestral instrument, at 30 I am certainly too old now. As the months passed last year, the calling grew more. One day I finally admitted to myself that no matter what, I had to have music in my life. Not sure listening to it like I always have, but playing. And so I started making plans for picking up a new instrument AND dusting off my saxophone. At first I was going to go for clarinet, but I had heard an English horn piece over the summer that haunted me. Since December I've been playing both instrument in hopes that the decision would become clear. Thankfully it has and I'm now going to stay on the oboe. That's a whole other story though. For now all I will say is that it's going quite well and I am VERY excited about the possibility of one day playing in a local amateur orchestra.

Picking up the oboe is not the end of my saxophone story, but just another beginning. I still want to play my merengue music and I do want to learn to improvise someday. In order to do that I will HAVE to pick up my sax again. Oh darn! :lol:

Just last night I attended a merengue rehearsal on the tenor, with a very good friend and idol of mine on the alto. I hadn't played more than maybe 10 times since 2001, but the music gods must have smiled on me because I ended up playing WAY better than I was expecting. My sound wasn't as good as before obviously, but I was able to keep up with the reading and my intonation and phrasing were good. YAY! Words just can't express the joy I feel when I play in those ensembles. I feel like the luckiest person on Earth to be involved in this world of music.

So I guess that my goals are to gig again on my tenor (merengue music) and to slowly get rid of my fear of jazz improvisation. For the oboe, I just want to continue getting better and some day to play in any little orchestra as I mentioned above.

In terms of challenges my biggest one is definitely the block I have in terms of improvisation. Though I understand the chords and theory behind them well I have been unable to free myself to play things from my head. I think I just need to listen to more jazz. Another challenge is reading jazz papers. The swing doesn't come naturally to me since merengue music is very strict metrically. I occasionally sit in on my first teacher's big band rehearsals and those papers are hard for me to read. So I need more practice with that.

Also on the intrument itself I just need to be able to play faster and more cleanly. So I will be doing lots of scales. And long notes are always good for the sound so I will do those on both instruments.

Good luck to my fellow "late bloomers". You can do this and you will have a ton of fun along the way! :razz:

[cleger]

Very interesting to read everyone else's backgrounds & experiences.

I'm 39 and bought my first horn (a yamah student tenor) as a 39th birthday present to myself. I have been playing for about 2 months now and am enjoying it even more than I thought I would. I have always had an interest in music and played harmonica on and off for years. I never learned to read music and would learn tunes by listening to them on the stereo and figuring them out by ear. I always found improvising over blues tunes to come pretty intuitively and I hope this will translate to my sax playing once I reach the point of being able to play with others.

Probably my biggest challenge has been learning to read music. I have a great teacher and he is very patient but insists that I will learn to read competently since I have told him that my objective is to play jazz.

My tastes in jazz run the gamut. I love everything from the 50's and 60's blue-notes to the most unstructured free jazz you can find. I tend to go back to music that has a nice balance between melodic composed jazz and some wild blowing. I like a lot of what is coming out of the Chicago scene with Ken Vandermark and his various cohorts. I also dig what Ellery Eskelin is doing with Jim Black and Andrea Parkins. I am still a relative jazz neophyte so I enjoy exploring the output of various musicians. I hope to be able to fill out my Braxton collection since I like what I have heard recently. My wife already thinks I have too many CDs though :( . Of the older artists that I would like to explore, Joe Henderson is at the top of my list. I only have one of his CDs but it gets a lot of play. If there is any one player that I would love to sound like it is Joe. I think that sound could translate into any style of jazz.

Sorry for the rambling post, and thanks to the operators of this site for providing a wonderful forum.

[roger]

Hi my name is Roger,
I'm turning 56 next month and trying to learn alto before I die.

[Evandro]

Dear Friends,

It took me couple days until I decided to register to this forum. First of all I have to say that I am a very late bloomer, I mean a very late one. If you have known anyone that can play instruments by ear you'll know the way I play. Some guys told me that I have an absolute ear. I have played guitar, flute and drums in different bands in Brasil and Europe as a mean to pay for my college tution fees long time ago. Time to time I've been playing in friends saxophones just for fun and now I decided to have my own sax and have some fun with it. I am not able to read notes at the first glance, but I am able to translate them, if can say in this way. However, I can reproduce a tune by hearing it two or three times depending on the complexity of it. The more complex, the longer I'll take to play it. I bet I'll learn a lot of things in this forum.
Evandro

[RolandTumble]

Hello--

Like many others above, I'm new to the forum & to the saxophone. I'll be 48 in November.

In fourth grade, I was offered the choice of flute or trumpet. I remember thinking that I'd rather play in an orchestra than a "band" (thinking marching/"pep" band, at the time), and that that somehow led me to choose flute. I played up until halfway through ninth grade, when a rather nice rental flute was stolen from my locker. My mom had enough trouble paying off the rental, no question of getting another.... Chorus for the rest of high school... (no actual complaints there--my senior year included a Concert Chorale tour to the Grand Canyon). Very little listening exposure during this period. A minor regret at this time--and an attraction to the sax, though I wasn't able to follow it up--was that it's awfully hard to make nasty noizes on the flute.

In college, I majored in Rock & Roll and minored in Sex & Drugs. Since none of these were actually in the curriculum, I was "hanging around" after the first year. I played a mean turntable--if you wanted to find me, the first place to look was the campus radio station (KRRC, the Submarine of the Airwaves--10,000 milliwatts!). I was minor-league Deadhead, and really into Little Feat, but I also got introduced to Art Ensemble of Chicago, the Sun Ra Arkestra and Oregon (I know, no sax there, but...), through live performances, and Eric Dolphy, Ornette Coleman, Don Cherry and Rova Saxophone Quartet on record. Somewhere along the way I aquired another flute, and sat in a few times with a four-piece acoustic free-improv group consisting of guitar, 'cello, percussion & recorder (mostly bass, but sometimes he'd switch off to anything up to sopranino). That was lots of fun, and I was told a couple of times that I was only one who'd been really succeessful in playing with them, since everyone else who'd tried was too "jazz-y". I found that the flute can, indeed, make some nasty noizes, but it takes work....

Skip quickly over several years here, with a "career" change from food service to computer programming, an on-&-off relationship with the mandolin, a year on the fiddle (both primarily playing Irish traditional music, with pretty good feel but not up to speed for sessions), flirtation with the guitar in both electric & acoustic forms. Somewhere along the way in here, I bought a cheap ex-rental "La Paree" alto sax, tried to teach myself to play it, and it wound up in the closet. A few months ago, it started calling my name....

I got it out & played around for a bit, then decided to get it tuned up. The repairman basicly convinced me that this particular horn wasn't worth the investment. I wound up buying a Noblet alto on eBay--it didn't specify any recent work, but I figured (based on comments elsewhere on SOTW), that it would be worth a full overhaul (though I wasn't expecting actual missing pads...). I've not yet gotten it back from the shop yet, but I also semi-accidentally (meaning that I didn't expect my low-ish bid to actually win), bought a Noblet tenor, a Noblet clarinet (Bb soprano), and a Bundy alto clarinet (I really wanted a bass, but altos (altoes?) are lots cheaper, and even more off-the-wall).... I think I'm through buying for a while....

My goals include an ongoing "semi-pro" gig in a "jam band" rock setting, an ongoing--but not necessarily publicly performing--free-improv ensemble, and whatever else comes along.

With a few exceptions, my taste in jazz is still primarily in the outer fringes (see the ones I referenced above). I love Dolphy's lines, Paul Desmond's tone, Roscoe Mitchell's & Marhall Allen's freedom, and the textures from each of the above. I've recently discovered Gerry Mulligan, and started paying attention to Coletrane. I also like Dixieland, but I don't have much use for the "mindless scale-running" bebop (before you flame me, note the quotations--bebop is starting to make sense to me as I sample more of it, and I'll now admit that it isn't really mindless, but it still doesn't do much for me).

I don't remember if I put it in my profile, but I'm in Salem, OR.

--Michael

[worskeletor]

I'm a 43 year old fireman and I've always wanted to learn an instrument ! -tried the clarinet a few years ago but gave up fairly soon as I couldn't find a local teacher .
Decided (Finally and definately ) to give up smoking !! - Set a date to stop on 20/11/06 and with the cash i save , I'm planning on buying an alto !
I must admit i've never really listened to jazz much - and what I have heard hasn't appealed to me ( always sounded "made up " ) - so maybe I'm going to yet be converted ! -- I have always liked the big band sounds and the likes of Glenn Miller - so hopefully I'll find something I'll enjoy !

[Bikedog]

Started playing at 19. An old silver Kind alto that I repadded..had no idea what I was doing. Had a wonderful teacher who spent hours on my embrouchure. Then someone broke into my apartment smashed my horn and cameras and put holes in the water bed (1973). I bought a Selmer mk VI and kept, but sold it for drugs.
Sober now, 19 years, and after racing bicycles for 20 years discovered the old body could not ride for 50 miles and recover. I needed something else to do with my time. Went to a shrink and the horn came back up. In the last two years I have bought and sold 11 saxophones, kept three and practice ofen and spend far toooo much time reading SOTW.

[cleger]

I'm a 43 year old fireman and I've always wanted to learn an instrument !

I've always thought that firefighting would be an ideal job for an aspiring musician, particularly if you work in a slow unit. I had a landlord years ago who was a firefighter at the local airport and they hardly ever had to respond, he worked on woodworking projects while he was at work. I thought that would be ideal, you could go out and practice and with the sound of jet engines nobody would even hear a bit of saxophone playing. Of course if I tried this every plane in the area would crash land and there wouldn't be a moment's rest :D

Welcome and good luck with learning to play, it's a blast.

[catseyeweb]

I started playing sax in 7th grade, carried on until 11th. At 51, I decided to give it another shot while hanging around a local music store waiting for my 12 yr. old to finish her flute lesson. I saw an old Buescher hanging on the wall, and struck a deal. Been taking private lessons for about a yr., and am playing in a local swing band. It's very therepeudic, and at the same time a little frustrating. I am trying to find that elusive light switch that will light the path down Improv Lane (anyone who has found helpful material that carried them to a plateau, please share).
I am into vintage stuff (cars, etc.), and love to tinker with old stuff, so I am also enjoying owning vintage horns. I have the '29 Buescher as well as a '37 Martin and I just got a early '60's King Super 20 Tenor, so I am having a good time....not able to practice as much as I'd like to, but I do what I can.....

[spencer05]

Hi, like so many of you I started playing young. I played clarinet in th 4th grade and continued thru high school. My dad had a old Conn C-Melody that I messed a round with. Not much of a horn. After high school I started working for a large company and heard some guys talking about their group. I mentioned that I played clarinet, and was told thats nice we're looking for a tenor. Needless to say I was rankled. I thought that anyone can play Sax. To make a long story short I hade a cousin who had a tenor that he let me use. What a rude awakening. Sure i could make sounds, and even reasonable facsimilies of songs by ear, but I woulden call what I was doing "playing".Found a teacher work with him a few months. When back to these guys and asked are you still looking for a tenor. I was very disappointed, they were a rock band and all I was to do was play back up, sure I had a riff here and there, but wanted to play standers and the blues. Heard that there was a blues band at a club called (Porters and Waiters), started hanging around and could not believe the sounds. Everyone in the group except the piano play was black, and for me coming from a lilly white background was very apprehensive about approching them. One night I just walked in with sax in its case and listened to the music. On break the alto player asked if I was any good. I honestly didn't know what to say, mumbled about playing rock, but liked the blues. He told me that on Sunday afternoons they had a jam session, and guys could sit in. After a couple of weeks working with my teacher on blues scales I went back and sat in for a set. Died and went to Heaven. After woking with these guy for about a month they adked me to join them. The things they talught me you couldn't get, I don't think anywhere else. Played about 18 months with them the money was lousey, but I would have played for free. Then was in a car accident knocked out all of my front teeth upper and lower, cut my lips up pretty bad. Gave it all up.
I'm now 67 yrs old last year picked up my old clarinet, last month bought a cheep tenor on e-bay mouth seems to work ok just no wind. Practiceing long tones slow going, but the feel of that horn in my hands is grreat.

[Prime Sax]

Hi y'all -
It's nice to know I'm not the only one just starting out at a rather advanced age. Thank you all for your stories.
I'm 61. Played acoustic guitar since age 14, then picked up keyboards a couple of years ago.
My daughter attempted to play the alto sax several years ago, but it just wasn't her thing. (She's an exceptional artist.) I played a few notes on her rented alto and loved it, but didn't have the time to work at it so the sax went back.
My son got obsessed with the trumpet in JHS (10 years ago) and has since become an extremely accomplished musician and composer. He casually mentioned that our church worship team could sure use a tenor sax and he would write some worship songs for trumpet, clarinet, and tenor sax if we got a sax player. I bought a Kessler Custom tenor 2 months ago and have been practicing every day. My son visited just before New Year's, and I got out one of my backing tracks and played for him. He was astonished! :shock: We worked out an arrangement of "In the Bleak Midwinter" and played a duet (Flugelhorn/Tenor Sax, with the backing track) for our church on New Year's Eve. They loved it. :D
Then my son, who plays in several jazz bands at City College, asked the instructor of the concert band (and Chairman of the Music Department) if he would allow me to play in the band, even though I've only been playing two months. He said he would be very happy to have me in the band. :) So now I'm petrified of being in a group of much younger students with much more experience than I, but I'm also very excited about the prospect and the chance to learn a lot in a short period of time. And, my son, who usually does not play in the concert band, has decided to play horn in the band so we can play together. Pretty cool!
Love this forum, and I'm very grateful for all the advice and encouragement I have received since I started.
Thank you, Harri. (and everyone else on this site!)
- Tim

[jrvinson45]

Prime Sax,
Great story! Glad everything is remaining fun for you guys. I think Harri and I will agree, 61 is a very good age.
John

[Prime Sax]

John -
Thanks for your comments. I go to the instructor's office tomorrow to pick up my music for the class, then the class starts a week from tonight. I doubt I have ever been this nervous in my life.
The great thing about all this is that my son is usually very quiet and rather uncommunicative, even when he was living with us. Since he moved into his own place we had been speaking to each other even less. But since he found out I'm trying to play the sax, and we did the duet New Year's Eve, he has been calling me almost every day to talk about music. It was his idea to get me into the class, and he asked the instructor before even discussing it with me. He called me up this morning and invited to go to lunch with him today (a real first!) and it was a great experience. I was hoping he would be pleased with my venture into the sax, but I never dreamed it would be a catalyst for a completely renewed relationship with him. Music rocks! and the sax Rules!
- Tim

[rogerb40uk]

After watching "The Benny Goodman Story" I fell in love with the clarinet and bought one (a Martin Freres) at age 18.... problem was there was no teacher within miles and, after a year I was still making a terrible racket, so I gave it up....
I also fell for the alto sax, after hearing a rendition of "Stars Shine in Your Eyes" (theme from Fellin's film "La Strada")

About 20 years ago, I had a bit of spare cash and thought I'd try alto, so bought a YAS-32, and found a teacher.
Sadly, the teacher & I were incompatible, and I didn't progress as fast as I'd hoped, so I sold the alto (at a considerable loss :( )

Three years ago we retired to Spain, where I am unable to indulge in most of my previous pastimes, so I decided to try the alto or clarinet again.

Somehow I found Alastair Hanson, who advised me that I'd probably find the sax easier, and I bought an SA-5 from him, and found a teacher who's been playing a MKVI tenor, and clarinet, for 50+ years.
We hit it off and I've been struggling very slowly for 18 months.
(I didn't read music and am an undisciplined practiser... so I don't expect more!)

I am, however, to my wife's surprise, still enjoying it and pressing-on rewardless ;)

I'd like to develop a fairly bright, edgy sound.... I like Sanborn... but accept that I shall never be brilliant.
I am trying hard not to become a GAS-addict, but am on my 3rd mouthpiece already and considering another (RPC) :o

I just hope this late-budding altoist manages to bloom before the frost nips him off :D

(Thanks for reading all this...if you did!)

[Wafaic]

I've played the piano when I was very young, and the guitar, on and off. After my daughters were in age of playing music, I played the guitar a little more. I've always like music, and jazz. And an instrument that I like to listen is the clarinet.
Three years ago, I was with my wife on a flea market, and I saw a clarinet for sale. I told her (my wife) that I've always like the sound of this instrument, and the seller gave it to me instantly. I mean, he heard what I said, closed the box, and gave it to me, and refused any payment... Never had something like that before. It's aJupiter, basic model, which plays OK, according to my teacher.
Back home, I managed to take a few noise out of the instrument, and bought myself a method, by John O'Neil, The Jazz Method For Clarinet. Excellent book. After a while, I began to take lessons, after two years I played for the first time with other musicians.
Now, I will have 50 soon, and, even if I do not want to stop playing the clarinet, I am seriously considering to get a soprano saxophone. My teacher actually encourages me to do so. I would be surprised to have the same luck as I had with the clarinet, and I am now looking around for the one to buy.

[old999]

I decided to take up an instrument when I retired. I had played violin as a kid up to the 8th grade. I really wanted to play a wind instrument, but my dad refused to let me play anything other than violin or piano. I chose abstention.

A year and a half ago, having just retired, I decided to take clarinet lessons since it's an expressive instrument. Last month I added the alto sax, since it's even more expressive. I'm alternating lessons. Meanwhile, someone talked me into joining the local community band. This has been GREAT. I only play what I can and fake the rest. No problem. The band policy is anyone who wants to play, can. Next year I'll offer my "services" on the sax as well as the clarinet.

Al

[renegade]

I am also a late bloomer. I bought my first sax about 4 years ago when I did not even know how to produce a sound out of it. I enrolled in a music school where I believe I was the oldest student though I did not mind it because of my desire to learn how to play the sax. After 6 sessions ( 1hr./session) I could already play a song. I think the first song I was able to play was "I Only Have Eyes for You" followed by "An Affair to Remember" and mostly standard songs.
The one who inspired me to study sax was Bill Clinton, being also a lawyer like him though not a politician.

[Blowhard2]

Hi All

Good to hear about other Greyheads who are taking up the horn later in life.
Like most kids , I was "forced " to play the piano , did not get on with it too well - left / right hand co ordination and the classical bias of tunes caused most of the problems , and so I gave up around 10 yrs old. But, I learned to read!!.

At my high school you had to parcipate in a sport , and play an instrument !!- If you did not choose one - you were "allocated"- as I was tall, guess what , I was given a double bass , and a bow!. That did not last long either!

I had brushes with guitar like all 60's kids, and when I married , I took up trumpet with a Silver Band - sadly my 12 months old youngster could not take the horn practice, even with a mute!.

My duaghter , a clarinet player, cane home one day , and announced she wanted an alto sax. So I acquired an old "New Century " model for her - it lasted one session ( too heavy!), and was consigned to the underside of her bed.Years later , she wanted money for college , and said she was selling "her "sax!. I reminded her it was not hers to sell, and she replied, saying it was better sold, as no one would play it !

That was the break point I needed ! - I went out , found myself a mainstream clarinet teacher, and the rest is history!

I quickly moved onto a tenor, ( more my size and sound) and have been struggling with it for around 7/8 yrs now ( I am 60 ).
Music making is one of my geatest pleasures, and I regularly attend Concerts and workshops with well known musicians .
I play in a Saxophone band, who play charity concerts ( it has great discipline, and challenging parts to read), and a Big band of other "older" amateurs ( of mostly better standard than myself !)- which is great fun. We are fortunate to be taught / run by a wonderfully patient professional, and we are starting to play gigs in pubs , and other venues.

I used to worry about my standard ( and still do !!), but it seems to improve in the company of others, whether that is because you have to practice so you don't let others down? - I just don't know.

However, Playing is a wonderful pleasure, and when the whole band sings out, and you are a part of it , it is one of the best feelings you can get !!

Keep blowing !- As the great Mose Allison says - " I am not downhearted, I am not downhearted- But I'm getting there!!".

[roberthelpus]

Very inspiring to read all of your posts.

An old friend named Mark Chenault passed recently from cancer at the age of 53. He was a well know and loved musician here in town. You can read a little about him here (http://boards.cincymusic.com/viewtopic.php?t=4604) if you are interested.

We figured that we should send him out in a way that fit the way he lived so a friend and I produced a memorial concert (http://boards.cincymusic.com/viewtopic.php?t=5217) with 15 bands. All the band members had either played with Mark or knew him. The show turned out to be a wonderful tribute and one hell of a party to boot.

In the mid 80's, I played in a band with Mark called the Nervous Pioneers, and we decided to do a reunion in his honor. Long story short - I played alto in that band and so I picked it up again after about 12 years. Fortunately I didn't have to actually learn how to play the saxophone again, just how to play one song. Which I did just fine in a little under 3 weeks. I played more guitar than sax in that band and even tried to play one my old guitar parts on sax. It didn't sound right so we added extra backing vocals instead.

I originally started playing my girlfriends sax when I was 16. She thought that I could make better use of it than her because I played Blues harp and sang. She was right. I played till lips actually bled the first time I picked it up. I've always played music one way or the other, whether in a band or not. doing vocals (lead and backing) guitar, harmonica. 12 years ago I attended a concert and weekend workshop with Grupo AfroCuba de Matanzas and have been studying and playing AfroCuban percussion ever since. I put the horn away in order to concentrate on congas.

So at the age of 49 I guess I'm a damn multi-instrumentalist again. I know what Mark would say. Get off your *** and play that horn ************.

[TenSax]

Hello
I would like to introduce myself.
I just joined and am pleased and honored to be a part of such a good group sharing experiences.
I am 68 years young, and took up saxophone in ealy 2001 on alto.
I switched to tenor late in 2005 and now mostly play my Conn 10M.
My music of choice is that from the mid-thirties to the mid-fifties and my players are Ben Webster, Lester Young, and Stan Getz.
I live near Montreal in Canada.
I look forward to many years of sharing as Saxophone is my main hobby.
I obviously will never become a pro, or earn a living playing sax, but I am sure it will greatly reward me in other ways and improve my quality of life and desire to stay healthy so I may play longer.
Thank you

[Michaeldownunder]

This is hopefully a story in the making......

I am 47 years old and just finished a move to Australia from Holland with my wife and two children. In my youth I have had 10 years of classical piano lessons and 4 years of acoustic guitar, but pretty much stopped playing these instruments when I went to university. The piano-lessons were "parent-induced" and though I was pretty good, I never really found much joy in it. Note-reading will be no problem though. Since then I have always wanted to learn a non-diatonal instrument but never came to it. I also love to sing, have a good ear and clear sound but never dared to go to a teacher and make something of it....I am also not too happy about my voice itself.

I love the saxophone sound and have been eyeing the instrument for a while now. I want to learn to play it and hopefully be able to express myself with it, if not for others then just for myself and my family.

Now that most boxes have been unpacked (we had 291 boxes...) I am looking for a teacher near Lower Plenty(Diamond Creek area) in Melbourne. Please someone ask me in a month or two if I lived up to my promise, and if not, give me a kick in the behind! :D We got a newborn coming in 2 months though, a late but lovely present of life, and since I am the Primary Caretaker at home, I will probably use her as an excuse that I have not come around to finding a teacher yet. :D Even so, kick me if I have not!

So, not started yet, but these forums are definately helping me materialize this old wish.

[rich06fjr1300]

hi all,

i'm a recent newbie back on sax at 42 years old. I played throughout elementary and junior high school on alto. Once i stopped, my father sold the sax (went looking for it one day and it was gone) but didnt' get another one until now LOL...bought a new Yamaha 82Z at Sam Ashe for about 2,500 bucks. I kind of just got the urge one day thinking about it and started looking for one. So now about a month and a half into playing, looking for a local community band to play in and am taking lessons. So far so good!

Rich

[krebbigeasy]

Hi, I am 50 years old, never played the saxophone until today. In addition I am partially hearing, but with inspiration from a musical family (two hearing brothers who are professional musicians, and other relatives are good amateurs).

Today I blew the sax for the first time, after several attempts I can get a reasonable sound on middle B and C - the only two notes I have tried. I have a lesson booked for next friday.

You can read my learning to play the sax on my blog (url in sig line below).

I am also inspired by the numerous musicians who are members of this forum, whether later bloomers or younger.

[Patrick]

Hi, 42 years old and always enjoyed music ( have been known to make a good rythim guitarist cry).

Was listening to some music a couple of monhs ago... on comes one of my favorite tracks... "Hmmm" says I to myself, "Wonder what that would sound like on an alto".

Quick search on the wonder web came up with nothing so I thought the only thing I can do is learn the sax and play it myself.

Long way to go but enjoying every bit of it.

[Jazz Is All]

Mine is a typical childhood story. In 4th grade the music teacher asked me if I wanted to learn an instrument. Sure I said and she took me to the band room to find an instrument for me. "Here try this one" she said handing me a basoon. I'm only 5'7'' now so you can imagine how short I was then and how unsuited to a basoon, which was taller than I was. I couldn't even hold the damn thing and kept thinking of Disney's Alice in Wonderland when her Flamingo croquet mallet refuses to cooperate. With a disappointed look (she really needed a basoon player I guess) she snatched it away and said "how about the trumpet?" I brightened immediately. Now here was something good! Unfortunately my mother nixed that idea in favor of piano lessons just like my older sister. We had a baby grand at home and it was going to be used, plus I think my mom thought there was something low-class about the trumpet.

Long familiar story short--3 years of lessons and practicing classical pieces that didn't grab me--and I was allowed to drop it. One outstanding memory I have of those early lessons was of the group theory class when I was 10 I guess. We sat in her hot stuffy LR and clapped time to the beat and counted and my main problem besides the meter and time signatures was squelching all the farts I seemed to constantly have back then from afterschool snacks and performance stress. I would like to think I wasn't the only one suffering such an awful fate.

Then back when I was in my 20's I got into playing sax cause all my friends were jazz musicians and my roomate played tenor and got me started. Dick Drake, may he rest happily, was a lifelong musician, a great funny guy and a great buddy. He played tenor, bari, and flute and worked the Madison/Chicago area with a number of bands including pl