Optimize Your Saxophone Practice Session

[@anthonymiu489]

This may be the most underrated video, definitely deserves more views. Thank you so much for sharing your advice.

[@VGANick]

Been playing for almost 2 months and did your beginner class course and I have had many people not believe I’ve never played an instrument so thank you. I practice daily for about an hour

[@HuSoYoutube]

You'e a great teacher , i have much more fun playing the saxophone from your videos

[@jimmypricer9502]

I started playing 2 1/2 months ago and I first learned the entire chromatic scale. I am retired and have lots of time so my sessions usually last around 6 hours and sometimes a lot more. I'm am addicted to this instrument and just can't get enough. I play the Alto and Tenor and like to mix it up between the two. I made some flash cards with the major, pentatonic, minor pentatonic and the blues scale and have several backing tracks with songs in all keys so I have been improvising in all keys with the help of the flash cards and am starting to really get it. I actually sound like I know what I'm doing most of the time. I've learned you can stray away from the scale but you have to revisit it often and when the time is right. It seems you can play a lot of off scale notes as long as you land on the right ones at the right time. Super fun and a big step in my goal of playing in a band in 6 months from the time I started. Thanks for all the tips and awesome instruction. Couldn't have made it this far without you. Cheers!!!!!!!!

[@g000glemaniam4]

Excellent tips. I enjoy practicing. Im self teaching and still consider myself a beginner with just under three years of experience. I've been scattered in my sessions and this video really helps. I've started to follow a plan very similar to what you suggested in the video. I normally practice between 1-4 hrs daily and I'm noticing some improvements. I'm an older player so I have the time but things don't gel as quickly as they did formerly. Practice is therapeutic and relaxing. I enjoy the journey and am trying to smell the roses along the way. I start my practice with about 30 minutes of scales and arpeggios played to a DrumGenius loop. I then play some written tunes for about 30 minutes to improve my sight reading. I follow that with another 30 minutes of learning favorite songs by ear using Anytune. Lastly, I spend 30 minutes playing along with a playlist of tunes that I have learned with the goal of getting the notes and articulations down. That's basically it for my routine. I do record my sessions and sometimes video myself playing a tune just see if I notice any improve. So far the most positive feedback has been that my wife doesn't complain much anymore. I'm unsure if it's because I'm improving or wearing her down. Thanks for the video.

[@bettersax]

Sounds like you have a good routine. Keep it up...

[@rickgraham786]

G000gleman Conference I am in the exact same position, except that I practice mostly while the wife is at work. Lol. Going to follow this plan of practice going forward.

[@markklinefelter9263]

Great tips Jay! Since I finished a 33 year career as a veterinarian 3 years ago, I am blessed to be able to practice 3 or so hours a day broken into a morning and afternoon session. True joy when something difficult becomes easy! My practice session have emulated your suggestions for a good while. You can never RUSH anything in music! Take your time and enjoy every little improvement.

[@bettersax]

Well put Mark. Great to break 3 hours up like that.

[@andrewcapper5219]

I’ve just picked up my sax again after 20 years and your videos have been a huge help! I’ve started crafting my practice routine in line with your recommendations. The apps you recommended makes such a difference - Tomplay is really cool. I’m working my way through your free content (great emails btw) and plan to subscribe to your paid content once I get my foundation in place. Keep up the great work! !!

[@bettersax]

Great to hear!

[@peterdrake5156]

Excellent advice from a great teacher. I saw his advice on sound and timing a few weeks ago and it really transformed my playing.

[@OscarRivera-lo7zz]

I have been working around 3-4 days a week, to be honest I need to organize myself. Thanks for the three things for a better practice. Definitely, with the limited time for practice organization is the key.

[@seankuo4519]

Jay always has the best tips, I'm a Section Leader for my saxophone section in band and this really helped me structure practice sessions with them and we have made such a big improvement thanks to Jay's tips

[@bettersax]

Good to hear this.

[@stephanieallen6441]

Good tips, I'm returning to sax after 40 year hiatus and looking forward to applying these tips to get on track.

[@elizabethfelement6817]

I'm similar after a 30 year hiatus. But it's good to get back to it, like an old slipper.

[@robertbiddulph1919]

Minimum 1 hour daily, 7 days a week. Have not planned my practice previously, but do broadly follow the principal you set out. Will now try to plan! Thanks!! Robert

[@ianpowell-palm5503]

About two to four hours every day! Just picked up the axe again three weeks ago but the progress has been swift. Thanks for the video!

[@NudgingCharlie13]

I am a very beginner. I haven’t even had my tenor sax a week yet. I have never played any instrument and I am over 50 years old. I am teaching myself right now. I had never even held a sax until after I bought mine. I got the store to show me how to put it together. I can’t make a good sound yet. That’s frustrating! I learned the fingerings for 6 notes so far and have just been getting comfortable playing between them. I had one entire practice session where I I did was fingering and I learned 3 new notes and how to read them on the staff. I feel like I should be progressing faster. 6 notes and not a good consistent sound in about a week isn’t great. You videos have been a big help. I practice 45 minutes to 1 1/2 hours a day. I set a small goal every session. One session was to learn 3 new notes, one session was to play those notes in all different orders. One session was to play the three new notes with the three I already knew in all different orders. I guess I’ll eventually get a sound that doesn’t hurt my own ears.

[@shaddjimenez4524]

lots of value in this video, really like the organization of the practice time. never timed myself that strictly before, it helped me.

[@esfahan1961]

When not travelling on business (14-16 weeks/year!) I practice on average 30-60’/day 4-6 days/week. I selected your method Jay, amongst many others, 6 months ago and followed your every advice and every lesson. I feel like I made more progress since last June than I did in 4 years of a weekly 60’ course. Love your motivating and structured pentatonic method Jay but God these chromatic 5, up & down 1/8th & 1/16th are tough!

[@robstevens9590]

Very helpful. I tend to do only 1 of the 3 ( either fundamentals, new material or fun) instead of all 3 in my practice. I generally practice for 30-40 minutes 3 or 4 times a week, unless I am preparing for a gig, then I practice a bit more.

[@bettersax]

Thanks for the comment Rob.

[@patrickrousset2612]

Hi Jay, Thanks a lot for your very helpful advices. I m a new follower of Better sax channel. Let me say I m still beginner ++ after 3 years. For the last 9 months, I play everyday 30 + min and the we 2h. I know more or less all scales, pentatonic major and minor, blue scale and arpegio. So I can now improvise. But I m really expecting a tuto on jazz articulation with all the plan to reach a good sound and good articulation, hopefully to watch it on your channel. Cheers, Patrick

[@rickgraham786]

Great video Jay. Going forward with this routine immediately. Currently trying to improve my stamina. Only about an hour or so most week days.

[@EdwardJones-w3g]

I practice almost every day and I've noticed that it is working. Only, because I'm by myself it takes longer. I can notice small improvements, but I still sound like crap. Ugh, when I have money I'm going to get lessons, but I want to learn the basics first or I feel like I'd be wasting my money. I find it hard to be such a tightwad sometimes. 🙁

[@sherri5906]

I really needed that breakdown to inspire me to relax and build a plan of constructive and consistent practice! Thanks this will work for me!!!! Sherri

[@sherri5906]

.... btw I am trying to pass two days a week. But when I practice it’s about 30 minutes to an hour.

[@bettersax]

Sher, Thanks. Try to get your horn out everyday even if it's only for 15 minutes. Make that your first habit and the other stuff will start falling into place.

[@bettersax]

+Sher F glad to hear it Sherri.

[@Joe7166]

I don't watch the clock but, between exercises and freelancing some tunes, I find I'm playing between 60-90 minutes a day

[@22ck22]

I usually plan to practice 30" (busy life) but end up playing 2+ hours late into the night. Following basically your video, but less on fun when I have a lot of new pieces (in a community band). At least 1x/week but sometimes up to 3x. Also alternating with clarinet, my first instrument (which I practice less bc I bought a new Alto).

[@janskrovanek3182]

Great video! I recently started picking it up again, I can't manage 7 days a week but I'd say 4-5 times a week for about 45-90m.

[@bettersax]

Jan that’s sure to get you progressing nicely.

[@Oijres]

Thank you! It's what I'm looking for

[@Samuel-ge7im]

Great job Jay!

[@uwemitang697]

Nice one. I practice everyday of the week for 2 hours each. Really I can see improvement

[@bettersax]

2 hours a day is great! Keep it up.

[@ljvideos1010]

Jay, I'm a beginning sax player. I've never played any instrument before so I'm also learning how to read music. I practice every day, sometimes twice a day for about 45min each session. Your suggestions for practicing adds support to what I've been doing but I do need a more specific long term goal. I'm going to add the melody from "Take Five" to my list! Anyway, thanks for the great videos, I really learn a lot from them. LJ

[@bettersax]

+LJ Videos that's a sure way to make solid progress. Keep it up...

[@petew260]

I am new to playing the sax not even a year yet almost I think in march it will be a year ago I bought a tenor sax "Jean Paul I played everyday for 10-15 minutes each day no matter how tired I was and I practiced for months each day. Well life got in the way so I put the saxophone in it's case and two months later I picked it back up and now I practice everyday again but this time for 45 minutes then clean and later in the day pick it up again I can all the low notes without squeaks and other noises but when I hit the octave key playing a G with the octave on I get nothing but wavy sounds I am practicing the marines hymn and I almost got it except the high D to high C to high B and it is hard to get coordinated but I can play Michael row the boat ashore" all the way through without a hitch but sometime the octave G gets me but I just play and no one will hear but that is the only song I know complete but I try other songs and I can play "ain't not sunshine" by Bill Withers but only a few lines still trying to Sight read music now I have to write the notes down and then play but reading the computer screen I can't write notes down so I have to study first and always fumble my fingers trying to figure out the note, but I am able to look at a music sheet and read all the notes just not fast enough to play along unless I write down the notes first but I can't keep doing that. I force myself during practice and even when I am not blowing into the horn I still test myself I flash cards. First time in my life I am trying to read music and it is like a whole new world because I am learning so much and can open up any treble clef music book and tell the notes. I hope I did not bore you to death with my typing but I always enjoy learning and playing the saxophone is a challenge just to get the squeaks and the gees from flying across the room was almost not worth it now if it happens I stop and play a long note about three or four times but i can't get passed the G with the octave key on. Thanks Pete

[@TheAndyman1943]

I'm retired so generally I've been playing 7 days a week, usually a 30 minute session and a 45-60 session. I'm still very new so mostly I'm playing the warm-up stuff, tone, technique, scales, etc. and about 15 minutes of farting around, playing to karaoke or some favorite song or other.

[@bettersax]

Sounds like a good way to organize your practice session.

[@edwardsantiago1412]

Can you make a review on yamhah and selmer alto to buy for beginners.

[@mriz7258]

About and hour or so. 2 times weekly. Maybe 3 if I have more off days. I usually start with warmups and then do pieces and yeah ill play some weird stuff towards the end. Hahah

[@edwardsantiago1412]

I was thinking on buying the YAS-280 and not the Yas-23 and 26 cause it doesn't have the high "F". Do you think beginners need the Yas-280?????? I think all keys shouldn't be removed from any instrument such as the yas 23&26. What do you think?

[@philippepassavanti2300]

I practice between 60 to 90 minutes a day, I start with my warm up (scales, long tones, exercises), then I play my goal song and I end my session with easier songs.

[@bettersax]

Good routine

[@edboi3525]

Does anybody know the name of the song played in the outro/ subscribe screen at the end?

[@jimcurrie]

I practice 2 hours everyday on jazz music. My song I’m doing is Uptown funk.

[@stefanzdraveski]

Very inspirational. I would like to ask, is there any alto saxophone videos? Thanks! :) Immediately subscribed!

[@bettersax]

Lately I've been demonstrating on tenor mostly, but everything is meant to apply to both alto and tenor. I'll do some more alto videos soon.

[@stefanzdraveski]

Yea! Looking forward! All the best!

[@williamjones4301]

60 min. To 90 min a day, separated into 2 to 3 parts, morning afternoons and evening. Working on scale and some music like somewhere over the rainbow. Must start working with a metronome.

[@ickeyshufflin1288]

Thanks for this Jay! I am back playing after a long lay off so this is timely for me. I have noticed I keep getting a raspy sound in my mouthpiece that I think is just too much moisture. Do you have advise for this? Cheers buddy

[@bettersax]

+Ickey Shufflin, make sure you are swabbing out your mouthpiece. Watch my assembly disassembly video. I've found that some mouthpieces do this more than others... Only thing to do is suck the moisture back out. not very graceful but it works.

[@timobesamusca9332]

I try to spend 60 - 90 minutes practicing, for four to five days a week. I try to switch daily between alto and tenor.

[@bettersax]

+Timo Besamusca That's tricky switching horns every day...

[@jazy7186]

1 - 2 hours 5 days a week, I should start playing more on Saturdays

[@rothschildianum]

I practice 1 to 1.5 hr, usually 4 to 5 times a week. For the amount of material that I have, I need to spend more time, but after work, most of the time, I am exhausted.

[@mucioaquino5642]

I practice 4 to 5 times per week about 35 to 70 minutes.

[@hankiedave]

ok..i have a song that i really love to play but i dont know where to start because im a begginer and dont know how to read notes.

[@bettersax]

Take my free Play Sax By Ear course bettersax.com/psbe That will get you started.

[@mrwilliams2149]

How do you play for hours without tearing your teeth through your bottom lip?

[@bogdanfrincu3226]

Love the channel,i practice every day for about 2 hours,or more if i last that long. The only problem is that i get fatigued after about 1 hour and 30 minutes,is this going to improve over time? I'v been playing for about 3 months now,thank you for everything your are doing!All the best from Romania :)

[@bettersax]

Frincu, It's normal to get fatigued after a bit. It's a good idea to take breaks periodically. Softer reeds can help you play for longer too.

[@lilas930]

amAzIng

[@richardwright9698]

I PLAY ABOUT 90 MIN PER DAY 5 DAYS PER WEEK

[@bettersax]

Sure to get good steady results doing that over time. Just make sure to mix things up regularly.

[@jimcurrie]

I do better reading sheet music, because I’m unable to play by ear.

[@pablokesler7824]

1 hour or more