[BbErSeRkK]

Hi all,
I've been looking through the vast material on this forum, and it's all been great. Really excited me to get back into sax.
I played for four years in high school, and mostly just did some band stuff (big band, swing, standard stuff)
But I never learnt to improvise and I would love to do some jazz/blues stuff for fun.
ATM when i get my horn out i just play through some old sheet music, and some jazz blues music that i got from sheet music plus.
I would however like to sort of start proper practising again (learning scales, tones, rhythm, etc..) with the aim of maybe getting a few improv lessons.
So I need help with my practice regime.
I've searched around these forums and there is so much stuff around that i'm not sure where to start and how to organise it especially since i now have a wife and kid, I don't really have all that much time to practice.
So any tips of a training program? which book of the many to buy?
On the beginner pages it suggested a practice routine that involved : 1/3 - technique, 1/3 scales, 1/3 just fooling around with songs for fun.

That sounds great, but where do i start with technique and scales?

Thanks for reading!

 

[HOUSTON NONET]

remember TITS R US
T-TONE-- LONG TONES OVERTONES WITHOUT A GOOD TONE NO ONE WANTS TO LISTEN

I- INTONATION-- ABSOLUTE FUNDAMENTAL- PLAY WITH CD TUNER WITH YOUR OVERTONES AND LONG TONES

T-TECHNIQUE- SCALES ETC --SLOW AND WITH A METRONOME. IF YOU CAN'T PLAY YOUR HORN YOU CAN'T IMPROVISE

S SWING-- DON'T MEAN A THING WITHOUT IT-- DAVE LEIBMANS DVD ON TIME HAS GOOD EXERCISES GET THE CD METRONOMES CDS--FUN


R- READING-- PRACTICE SIGHT READING EVERYDAY-- TRANSCRIPTION BOOKS ARE GREAT


U -UNDERSTANDING-- THEORY STUDY, PLAY PIANO STUDY PROGRESSIONS ETC

S- STYLE-- STUDY AND EMULATE THE STYLES OF YOUR FAVORITE PLAYERS-- NOTICE PLURAL-PLAYERS. EVENTUALLY YOU WILL INCORPORATE ALL THE STYLES IN YOUR SUBCONSCIOUS AND --WALA-- YOU WILL HAVE YOUR OWN STYLE
REMEMBER IF YOU DON'T ENJOY PRACTICING PLAY GOLF

 

[HOUSTON NONET]

How Much You Allocate To Each Depends On Your Good And Bad Areas

 

[HOUSTON NONET]

practice organization for those serious about improving

remember TITS R US
T-TONE-- LONG TONES OVERTONES WITHOUT A GOOD TONE NO ONE WANTS TO LISTEN

I- INTONATION-- ABSOLUTE FUNDAMENTAL- PLAY WITH CD TUNER WITH YOUR OVERTONES AND LONG TONES

T-TECHNIQUE- SCALES ETC --SLOW AND WITH A METRONOME. IF YOU CAN'T PLAY YOUR HORN YOU CAN'T IMPROVISE

S SWING-- DON'T MEAN A THING WITHOUT IT-- DAVE LEIBMANS DVD ON TIME HAS GOOD EXERCISES GET THE CD METRONOMES CDS--FUN

R- READING-- PRACTICE SIGHT READING EVERYDAY-- TRANSCRIPTION BOOKS ARE GREAT

U -UNDERSTANDING-- THEORY STUDY, PLAY PIANO STUDY PROGRESSIONS ETC

S- STYLE-- STUDY AND EMULATE THE STYLES OF YOUR FAVORITE PLAYERS-- NOTICE PLURAL-PLAYERS. EVENTUALLY YOU WILL INCORPORATE ALL THE STYLES IN YOUR SUBCONSCIOUS AND --WALA-- YOU WILL HAVE YOUR OWN STYLE
REMEMBER IF YOU DON'T ENJOY PRACTICING PLAY GOLF

after a short 20 year break from music i needed to start all over-- this help me in the limited time i had to practice at this stage in life.

 

[BbErSeRkK]

thank-you kindly for your time and help.
Looks good - any ideas on the particulars for each step?
e.g. Suggestions on scales? and other things?
I think I read a beginner articles with mp3 on long tones so i can start with that (much to my wifes horror, she really hates me playing on the mouthpiece only - when i'm trying to get a concert a out of it

 

[Dog Pants]

With no disrespect to Houston (it's all good advice), his advice may not be specific enough to give you a concrete plan of action. You say you want to play some Blues and Jazz. Do you want to play at home for fun? In a small jazz group? A rock group?

What tunes do you already know? Do you know your major scales/chords? Your Blues scales? Who would you most like to play like?

If you can answer some of these questions, we might be able to help you tailor Houston's advice into a specific practice plan for the next few months, that will move you towards your goals.

 

[BbErSeRkK]

Hi Dog pants,
ATM i'm just playing at home for fun,
I played major scales and i think some minor during my high school days, but I don't know them off by heart, when i read them MY fingers remember them though!
There are some guys from my church who jam around a bit with jazz styles, I wouldn't mind working my way to having a bit of fun with some other guys as well (piano, bongo thingy, and maybe trumpet or something)
As for tunes, I can't say i know any tunes by memory, I can play a few band swing/rock pieces well by sight (25 or 6 o 4, easy does it, aint misbehavin) and also some other stuff that i have the sheet music for, that i'm playin for fun (In the mood, lily was here - the first half of it anyway)

don't know blues scales. As for who'd i'd like to play like hmm i havn't listened to enough stuff to drop any names.. err does lisa simpson count? or bleeding gums murphy, even though they play tenor.. seriously though i love smooth jazz/blues and happy type blues (does that even exist or did i make it up)

i also really like in the mood, take 5

So to sum things up, for first steps i'm just playing at home for fun.
I'm prepared to learn my scales properly this time round (i need to know which will be most helpful and how to make them helpful)

Thanks for your time!