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646 Posts
I think I'm trapped and will have to do this, so I really need guidance.
My wife has a friend who is getting married in August, to the leader of a large and successful biker group. I gather that wedding attire is going to run (far) more to leather and tattoos than suits and ties. The bride is booking a blues band for the reception, but none of the candidate bands feature a saxophone; she is keen on the sound of the sax and knows that I play. She is really keen for me to join the band for a couple of songs. The groom is evidently going to be joining them on harmonica for a tune or two, as well.
Now I can see all sorts of problems with this, and I've repeatedly pointed them out, but my wife says her friend doesn't care about any of that, and really wants me playing at her wedding. This has been going back and forth for a couple of months now and it seems like there is no way I can graciously refuse at this point. So I have about 3 months to get my house sufficiently in order that I can do this without embarrassing myself - and, probably more importantly, without the bride feeling embarrassed for me. It would be nice to think I might be able to get to the stage where this could actually be fun rather than stressful.
Here are the main problems:
1. The biggie: I'm not much more than a beginner, really. Only started a bit over 3 years ago. Playing at maybe grade 4-5 standard. On the plus side my tone is OK for my level of experience (on alto and tenor, anyway).
2. My stage experience consists entirely of playing second alto in a large community concert band (one of 3 second altos so I can hide when I can't keep up).
3. The band will be professional musicians. Can't see them being too impressed with someone at my level getting up and joining them.
4. It's vanishingly unlikely I'll have any opportunity to rehearse with them.
So - doubtless there are other things I need to think about but here are some questions, and some of my initial thoughts about what I can do to prepare. Other comments unrelated to these would be very welcome!
1. I need to decide alto v tenor. I'm thinking tenor - although I can play a bit faster on alto, I can growl fairly well on tenor which probably fits with a blues sound. Thoughts?
2. Having said that, my overall sound on tenor (when not growling) is fairly clear/bright. Maybe this could be an excuse to get a somewhat gutsier mouthpiece? Currently main tenor mouthpiece is a Meyer 5, which I'm reasonably happy with, but I was thinking of talking to one of the mouthpiece guys about getting something a bit better suited to this exercise (a Phil-tone piece perhaps?) Or am I stupid to be thinking of mucking around with my setup with such a short time frame in which to get ready?
3. I'm going to grit my teeth, man up and get myself along to a couple of the local blues jams so that at least I'll have some sort of experience playing in a vaguely comparable setting.
4. Do I need to worry about a microphone? I don't have one, and don't know if I'd be able to integrate anything I bought for the purpose with the band's equipment.
5. Obviously I need to talk to the band in advance, if at all possible. Hopefully they will be OK with the idea (or at least not frankly hostile) and with any luck they will have suggestions about what I can play. But maybe I should be making suggestions? Are there blues standards that any band is likely to know and which have simple saxophone parts? Or should I be concentrating on just learning the blues structure and working on just playing in a couple of common blues scales (which ones?) without worrying too much about learning specific tunes? Actually this applies to 3. as well - I have no idea what I'd be playing at a blues jam.
Obviously I'm going to be getting my teacher working on this as well - I think he'll find it quite entertaining - but I need all the help I can get. Thanks in advance...
My wife has a friend who is getting married in August, to the leader of a large and successful biker group. I gather that wedding attire is going to run (far) more to leather and tattoos than suits and ties. The bride is booking a blues band for the reception, but none of the candidate bands feature a saxophone; she is keen on the sound of the sax and knows that I play. She is really keen for me to join the band for a couple of songs. The groom is evidently going to be joining them on harmonica for a tune or two, as well.
Now I can see all sorts of problems with this, and I've repeatedly pointed them out, but my wife says her friend doesn't care about any of that, and really wants me playing at her wedding. This has been going back and forth for a couple of months now and it seems like there is no way I can graciously refuse at this point. So I have about 3 months to get my house sufficiently in order that I can do this without embarrassing myself - and, probably more importantly, without the bride feeling embarrassed for me. It would be nice to think I might be able to get to the stage where this could actually be fun rather than stressful.
Here are the main problems:
1. The biggie: I'm not much more than a beginner, really. Only started a bit over 3 years ago. Playing at maybe grade 4-5 standard. On the plus side my tone is OK for my level of experience (on alto and tenor, anyway).
2. My stage experience consists entirely of playing second alto in a large community concert band (one of 3 second altos so I can hide when I can't keep up).
3. The band will be professional musicians. Can't see them being too impressed with someone at my level getting up and joining them.
4. It's vanishingly unlikely I'll have any opportunity to rehearse with them.
So - doubtless there are other things I need to think about but here are some questions, and some of my initial thoughts about what I can do to prepare. Other comments unrelated to these would be very welcome!
1. I need to decide alto v tenor. I'm thinking tenor - although I can play a bit faster on alto, I can growl fairly well on tenor which probably fits with a blues sound. Thoughts?
2. Having said that, my overall sound on tenor (when not growling) is fairly clear/bright. Maybe this could be an excuse to get a somewhat gutsier mouthpiece? Currently main tenor mouthpiece is a Meyer 5, which I'm reasonably happy with, but I was thinking of talking to one of the mouthpiece guys about getting something a bit better suited to this exercise (a Phil-tone piece perhaps?) Or am I stupid to be thinking of mucking around with my setup with such a short time frame in which to get ready?
3. I'm going to grit my teeth, man up and get myself along to a couple of the local blues jams so that at least I'll have some sort of experience playing in a vaguely comparable setting.
4. Do I need to worry about a microphone? I don't have one, and don't know if I'd be able to integrate anything I bought for the purpose with the band's equipment.
5. Obviously I need to talk to the band in advance, if at all possible. Hopefully they will be OK with the idea (or at least not frankly hostile) and with any luck they will have suggestions about what I can play. But maybe I should be making suggestions? Are there blues standards that any band is likely to know and which have simple saxophone parts? Or should I be concentrating on just learning the blues structure and working on just playing in a couple of common blues scales (which ones?) without worrying too much about learning specific tunes? Actually this applies to 3. as well - I have no idea what I'd be playing at a blues jam.
Obviously I'm going to be getting my teacher working on this as well - I think he'll find it quite entertaining - but I need all the help I can get. Thanks in advance...