How Much (Do) Move When You Play?

3117 Views 42 Replies 28 Participants Last post by EZ, Jun 22, 2007

Dave Collins

Discussion Starter · May 8, 2007

As I've grown as a musician, I've noticed that I have changed that way I move when I play. Initially, I didn't move at all. i suppose I was concentrating so hard on what I was playing that I could move without ruining it. After I got reasonably comfortable playing, I moved a little bit, but watching Trane and Bird made me calm my movements to almost nothing. It stayed that was through my short tenure in college and for a bit after, but I started to loosen up when I got away from school. When I lived in Okinawa, I didn't have much practice time or an instructor. I became my own teacher, and I think I grew the most as a saxophonist there(even thought I thought I'd stagnated). I found myself moving more then, but I felt like I was "faking it," and I calmed down.

Nowadays, I've begun to respect/accept my own playing, and I have found that I move a good bit more. I'm no Dave Koz or Eric Darius(look em up on youtube), but I like feeling free to move to the music. It has really enhanced my playing. I'm on the prowl for a clip-on mic now. I really want to be able to just have fun and not worry about the stand and where the mic is, especially because I play with my eyes closed.

Just noticed a change. What about you guys? How much do you move? I guess I should add that I play mostly gospel, rnb, and funk/soul jazz.

Be Blessed
Dave

1 - 20 of 43 Posts

hakukani

· #2 · May 8, 2007

Move! Heck I dance!

Don't even think about it. It's the sound, man.

BTW, check out Trane from '63 on, like some things recorded at jazz festivals. Ain't no statue there!

If all you've seen is the TV stuff, then you're not getting an accurate idea. Back in the day, TV cams had no zoom, they had a set of lenses, and so they had to limit the movement of anyone on camera.

AOMsaxist

· #3 · May 8, 2007

I guess you can hardly describe me as one of these people. I only move when I have a purpose to, like giving tips to my trumpet player. But overall, I feel weird to move around when I play. But, I guess thats because of who I am- just a really calm guy. Any excitement that I have is played out.

God Bless

-The AOM Saxist-

hakukani

· #4 · May 8, 2007

AOMsaxist said:
like giving tips to my trumpet player.
-The AOM Saxist-

You tip your trumpet player?

Matero

· #5 · May 8, 2007

hakukani said:
You tip your trumpet player?

BOOM!

As for moving when I play, you'd have to tell me. I've got other things on my mind . . .

Jonathan C.

· #6 · May 8, 2007

I am a Mix betwen the two. of Matero, and Dave, actually of all the above post. When I do a solo I dance, I tend to have fun the solos, and even if I am not soloing. I with out trying and without thinking about it move my horn. So looks like the horn is going crazy. While I am playing I know for a fact as stated before, I move with that horn.

saxxsymbol

· #7 · May 8, 2007

i too started moving more as i learned to feel the groove. I use a AMT ROAM 1 wireless system. absolutely love it. I can't use a mike to vary my volume, but that is the only drawback. as the band leader it gives me the freedom to walk the stage and communicate with the band and not drop my sound. i can walk the audience if i like or go out front and do a sound check from the audience perspective. and the sound is awesome.not cheap though.

GAS_Wyo

· #8 · May 8, 2007

I find that I move now more than I did when I was in music at college. I move more than my counterparts in my trio...even when sitting. When I'm standing, I move to emphasize the music.

jbtsax

· #9 · May 8, 2007

I used to move my elbows up and down as I put "expression" into my classical solos until one day my teacher said that I resembled a "seagull trying to play the saxophone". That ended my unnecessary movement rather abruptly.

hakukani

· #10 · May 8, 2007

jbtsax said:
I used to move my elbows up and down as I put "expression" into my classical solos until one day my teacher said that I resembled a "seagull trying to play the saxophone". That ended my unnecessary movement rather abruptly.

I think it's a shame to make someone self-conscious in this manner.

'Dance like there's no one watching'.

Rick Adams

· #11 · May 8, 2007

Agreed, that's appalling teaching. Who gives a damn how you look, unless you're going for matching white jackets and careful choreography in a show piece or something?

I've noticed now I've started playing with other musicians again that I'm the only one who can't keep still and I often wonder if it looks a bit weird with this line of woodwind and brass players playing statues and me somewhere in the middle gyrating up and down like I've got ferrets down my trousers or something. Maybe it's my non jazz musical background or maybe it's just that I already look ridiculous and I'm well aware of it and have totally given up on trying to look cool

I also close my eyes when I'm going for it on the solos, I can't help it, I have to.

Jonathan C.

· #12 · May 8, 2007

Rick Adams said:
Agreed, that's appalling teaching. Who gives a damn how you look, unless you're going for matching white jackets and careful choreography in a show piece or something?

I've noticed now I've started playing with other musicians again that I'm the only one who can't keep still and I often wonder if it looks a bit weird with this line of woodwind and brass players playing statues and me somewhere in the middle gyrating up and down like I've got ferrets down my trousers or something. Maybe it's my non jazz musical background or maybe it's just that I already look ridiculous and I'm well aware of it and have totally given up on trying to look cool

I also close my eyes when I'm going for it on the solos, I can't help it, I have to.

I love moving escpically if I stand up. I agree with Rick. Bad teaching. If you were my student, I might laugh at your dancing. But I say it is your style play the way you want to. If you look wierd then you look wierd.

JL

· #13 · May 8, 2007

Very timely post for me! Just last night I played a gig unmiked (and yes, it's a blues band, but my bandmates know how to control the volume). Lately I've played several gigs this way, and last night I realized that I was dancing on stage the whole time. Not having to play into a mic is extremely freeing, and, as an aside, I love getting the sound of the horn out there without distorting it through a sound system. Several members in the audience told me they couldn't believe I didn't have a mic, and the horn was loud and clear (I was using the "series one" Aristocrat, so no real surprise there).

Anyway, the upshot is, I love to move when I play and I know I play better and more rhythmically when I get my whole body into it. Now I'm thinking about a wireless mic for those times when I do need to be miked. But maybe there's a way to dance a bit and still play to a mike stand. Gotta experiment with this.

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AuntSaxophone

· #14 · May 8, 2007

It depends on what I'm playing and if I'm feeling really into it.

whaler

· #15 · May 8, 2007

How's this for some jive-*** stuff. I like the way he pantomimes fingerings when he plays in the altissimo

silvin

· #16 · May 8, 2007

Very few! That's all I have in common with Charlie Parker!

jbtsax

· #17 · May 9, 2007

hakukani said:
I think it's a shame to make someone self-conscious in this manner. 'Dance like there's no one watching'.

The point of my teacher's sarcasm was that the music itself should covey the emotion and expression, not the player's movements. I like so many immature players went through high school "hamming it up" when I played saxophone solos thinking my moving about was adding expression to my playing. Thank goodness I found a teacher who cared enough to be honest with me throughout my college career. I will be forever grateful for every lesson he taught me even though some were a bit embarrassing at the time. I think its a shame that there aren't more music teachers of his caliber in the world. I'm sorry my "humorous" story was so misunderstood.

Saxmusiclover

· #18 · May 9, 2007

AuntSaxophone said:
It depends on what I'm playing and if I'm feeling really into it.

Agreed.

martysax

· #19 · May 9, 2007

Back in the SM57 days, I used to look like a Rabbi davening while I played to the mike.

I've been wireless for ~11 years now. I walk the room, go to the bar, dance on my back on the dance floor, everything! I've been known to play in the bathroom while the bands cooking on stage.

I can't keep still when I play. If I'm still, I'm falling asleep. It's happened a few times!

martysax

· #20 · May 9, 2007

I actually look alot like this guy when I play:

I do everything except what he's doing at about 4:00 to the bass player.

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