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"Grip it and rip it": Arnold Palmer revolutionized golf instruction with his book called (I think) Hit it Hard. Basically what Palmer argued was that the idea of swinging slowly and trying to hit the ball softly was the worst thing a golfer could do: the fact, he said, is that the one thing all good golfers do, regardless of how relatively smooth or slow-looking their swings might be, is hit the ball really really hard. That's why Snead was called Slamming Sammy. Never mind all the teachers, Arnie said, just grip it and rip it, and this will provide the proper basis on which to build your game.
Anyway, I was practicing my scales on the porch yesterday: no book, no metronome, nor real concentration, and I realized that I was doing it all wrong--just sort of wizzing through as fast as I could with no thoughts about phrasing or rhythm. I'm not saying that this is a useful way to practice, but is there a sax playing equivalent to Arnie's "grip it and rip it"? I mean some thing that you can do to improve your playing that sort of goes against the orthodox thinking of proper technique?
I guess the argument about the proper embouchure might fall into this category?
Rory
Anyway, I was practicing my scales on the porch yesterday: no book, no metronome, nor real concentration, and I realized that I was doing it all wrong--just sort of wizzing through as fast as I could with no thoughts about phrasing or rhythm. I'm not saying that this is a useful way to practice, but is there a sax playing equivalent to Arnie's "grip it and rip it"? I mean some thing that you can do to improve your playing that sort of goes against the orthodox thinking of proper technique?
I guess the argument about the proper embouchure might fall into this category?
Rory