[Jonathan C.]

I was sitting in my room today thinking about saxophones, and my life a few years down the line, after college. (When I am even more broke than I am now), and I was thinking where my playing would be.
I play with alot of heart, overall whether it be a jazz ballad a classical song or rock. I try to feel the music, and play with emotion. I think that may make me a better player. But my praticing is at a standstill, and I don't feel my playing is getting any better. I don't think I can honestly say that I am any better as a player than I was yesterday or maybe even last week. And that can't happen I need to inprove in at least one area.
I know that techanically I am flawed. I never really learned how to count things, and so sight reading (though I do alot of it) is not as good as it can be.
I also came to the relization, though it took sometime that I need to stop looking at Alto Sax's, or maybe even Sax's in general. For the past few months I have been trying to upgrade, and have always gone back to my 23. Whatever I play I sound like me. Would I like to branch out and play other horns (bari, soprano) yeah, but I think I should master, or get closer to mastering these techincues before I can or should do that. Also I relized I need to spend less time here, almost 2K post in 6 months and being 17, is kinda sad. (no offense)
So I guess I am trying to say.
What would you recomend doing to get techinically better. Once I get something down I get it down. But I don't feel comfortable on techincal pieces I don't know and my tone suffers because of that.
Also I have picked up my Jazz listening. I am looking for somthing besides Trane to listen to on Tenor what would you recomend?

I am going to talk to my private lesson teacher to, and get his opinion on my revalation. But please help.

~Carbs

P.S. This is like one of my first questions that hasn't has to do with equpiment. Good thing?

 

[Dog Pants]

Not a question on equipment, but you managed to cover everything else besides. I'd have a talk with your teacher and decide whether or not you are mature enough (based on his experience and knowledge of you and your practice habits) to seriously pursue this.
Based upon your postings here, you don't seem to know where you're at,nor where you want to go. Let alone having a plan to get there.
There are wonderful lessons from Tim Price and others that address getting the fundamentals down. The problem you may encounter, is that doing so is repetitious and "boring" compared to blasting away and getting sidetracked with all the "this horn ain't quite right, but it was a dang fine horn last week," stuff.
It's drudgery and it never really ends for most of us. There's always a need to keep shedding the same old, same old. Work to your weaknesses and when you practice, WORK.
There's a huge difference in appropriate practice approaches, between a hobbyist who plays for personal enjoyment, and someone who wants to play professionaly.
I get to see and hear pro players practice every day and the discipline required is enormous. I can't practice like that, but I (and you) can work hard at slowly developing that disciplined approach.
Talk it over with your teacher. There's a huge difference between teenage fantasy and adult reality.

 

[Jonathan C.]

I love playing, and would like to play professionally. But I when I get out of college, I need to pay the bills.
I am playing in a Community orchestra right now, and the people are nice, but I don't want to be their in twenty years getting my horn out after a long break, playing that music.
I love preforming, being up in front of people, and being good at what I do.
Potentially I would like to join an Air Force band (doing what I love), and teach history to pay the bills. My private lesson teacher is in one of the bands, and he just has rehersal everyonce in awhile on the weekend. So I think I could do it. Your opinions. Thats one of the reasons I asked the question, I know competition to get into those types of bands if very competitive.

 

[Martinman]

I love playing, and would like to play professionally. But I when I get out of college, I need to pay the bills.
I am playing in a Community orchestra right now, and the people are nice, but I don't want to be their in twenty years getting my horn out after a long break, playing that music.
I love preforming, being up in front of people, and being good at what I do.
Potentially I would like to join an Air Force band (doing what I love), and teach history to pay the bills. My private lesson teacher is in one of the bands, and he just has rehersal everyonce in awhile on the weekend. So I think I could do it. Your opinions. Thats one of the reasons I asked the question, I know competition to get into those types of bands if very competitive.

Dude, if you want to get in the Air Force band you need to practice your butt off for the next few years. They are not easy to get into, the audition requirements are about the same as a good college. I was going that route through the Army, but my eyesight wasn't good enough to pass the physical.

Air Guard band is a different story. That is probably what your instructor is in, since the full time military band have rehearsal every day or so.
Try talking to the one guy on here who is in the AFB, King Koeller or something.

 

[thejoyofsax]

Tenor players to listen to:

Michael Brecker
Sonny Rollins
Stan Getz
Joshua Redman
Bob Mintzer
Bob Berg
Chris Potter

 

[Jolle]

If you want to walk that route, this is wat I would do :

1) go back to the technical studies for 2 reasons :
- to learn sight reading
- to work on your tone : if you can play them with a good tone, you can play anything with a good tone

2) try to practice 2 hours a day, with the obligatory long notes and scale-stuff.

3) read through the section "tone producing" and try to apply the interesting information you find there.

4) just go for it. It's all about dedication and the will to do boring stuff in order to be able to do the cool stuff.

PS : you're on the right track

 

[Jonathan C.]

Air Guard band is a different story. That is probably what your instructor is in, since the full time military band have rehearsal every day or so.

That's probably the one that he is in.

Thanks guys for the quick replies.
2 hours a day will be tough, with all the stuff I have going on, but I will try to get their. Cut back on my T.V. and internet surfing and I could do it.
back to basics.

 

[Martinman]

Air guard band is a different story. I played with one of those bands once, and the guys were very good, but not Air Force band level. Most were professionals in a different field who could still play. The Lt. in charge of the band is a grad student at Indiana in music though.

 

[grevsax24]

The best way to get lots faster is full range major and minor scales, with tonguing different rhythms to also get up the tongue speed.

 

[Jonathan C.]

Sorry I was wrong it is Air Force.

 

[gary]

Carbs - there isn't an active duty Air Force band near you. There is the Air Force Reserve, Air National Guard and active duty Air Force. There are no Air Reserve bands (there is an AF Reserve HQ. band in Georgia but it is part of the active duty force). There is an Air National Guard band (part-timers) in Ft. Worth. The nearest active duty (full-time) AF band to you is in San Antonio.

 

[Jonathan C.]

Thanks. It sounds like it is in FT. Worth, because when I was talking to him today he said that it took him like an hour to two to get home. I don't know, really I just know I want to play in a military band when I get out of college, and I would like to know how to get good enough that I can do that.

 

[gary]

Here you go: http://www.af.mil/library/band/employ/require.asp

 

[Jonathan C.]

Tenor players to listen to:

Michael Brecker
Sonny Rollins
Stan Getz
Joshua Redman
Bob Mintzer
Bob Berg
Chris Potter

Thanks after my next paycheck I may go check some of them out.

Also thanks Gary, I will check out that site as well.

 

[Martinman]

If I remember correctly the Navy and Air Force have the strictest band requirements. In the Navy you have to double to audition. The Marines have bands, but it is the Marines, so it is basically a bunch of guys who play music when they are not doing pushups or blowing crap up. Except for the Washington DC band, where the members don't even go through boot camp.

The Army is probably the easiest one to get in to, although I remember hearing that there is a hiring freeze on here somewhere.

Also, how is your eyesight? I would probably be in the Army band now if my eyesight wasn't so bad. You might want to talk to a recruiter to find out the physical requirements. Don't sign anything. Good luck with this man, I really wanted to do this, and hope you can if that is what you want.


As for the scales. Full range with multiple ways of tounging is the way to go, as stated previously. If you really want your butt kicked here is a great exercise my instructor (SteveP no less) taught me, and it came straight from Otis Murphy.

Melodic minor full range up and down - major up and down, then Harmonic minor

So, C melodic minor, C major, C harmonic minor. Then the others; G, D, etc.



Oh yea, do each set in one breath.

 

[hakukani]

Oh yea, do each set in one breath.

...while standing on one leg, and with one nostril closed.

 

[gary]

...while standing on one leg, and with one nostril closed.

...om namah shivaya
(he chants)

 

[Jonathan C.]

If I remember correctly the Navy and Air Force have the strictest band requirements. In the Navy you have to double to audition. The Marines have bands, but it is the Marines, so it is basically a bunch of guys who play music when they are not doing pushups or blowing crap up. Except for the Washington DC band, where the members don't even go through boot camp.

The Army is probably the easiest one to get in to, although I remember hearing that there is a hiring freeze on here somewhere.

Also, how is your eyesight? I would probably be in the Army band now if my eyesight wasn't so bad. You might want to talk to a recruiter to find out the physical requirements. Don't sign anything. Good luck with this man, I really wanted to do this, and hope you can if that is what you want.

As for the scales. Full range with multiple ways of tounging is the way to go, as stated previously. If you really want your butt kicked here is a great exercise my instructor (SteveP no less) taught me, and it came straight from Otis Murphy.

Melodic minor full range up and down - major up and down, then Harmonic minor

So, C melodic minor, C major, C harmonic minor. Then the others; G, D, etc.

Oh yea, do each set in one breath.

thats alot of stuff to work on. Guess I better stop posting and start working. I will talk to my private lesson teacher on Thursday about how to get started on that. Marines are Marines and then play in the band. The Presidents own are the best of the best players. I would have to have no life for the next ten years to get into one of those . I know Army and Air force are trained in weapons and have to go to boot camp.
It sounds hard but fun.

My eye sight is decent, I need to wear glasses when I read, but tend not to. :evil: I hate glasses:evil:

 

[Martinman]

I'm not kidding. This exercise will make you know your scales. Try it yourself, oh mighty North Texas Doctorate man.

Although you probably won't have any problem with it...

 

[Martinman]

thats alot of stuff to work on. Guess I better stop posting and start working. I will talk to my private lesson teacher on Thursday about how to get started on that. Marines are Marines and then play in the band. The Presidents own are the best of the best players. I would have to have no life for the next ten years to get into one of those . I know Army and Air force are trained in weapons and have to go to boot camp.
It sounds hard but fun.

My eye sight is decent, I need to wear glasses when I read, but tend not to. :evil: I hate glasses:evil:

Air Force has the easiest boot camp, if that helps, although it is still intense I am sure. I also wanted to join so I could shoot guns like M-16s.