Sax Players do you think this? The most important saxophone practice you can do

[@McGillMusicSaxSchool]

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[@nostalgia6669]

Thanks Nigel, you’ve rapidly become my go to youtube sax teacher with your great tips and advice. Keep going, you’re great!

[@McGillMusicSaxSchool]

Awesome, thanks!

[@randymiller248]

Thanks Nigel I did practice this emotional preparation before playing a Nissan called Desperado. I play at nursing homes for people who can't get out but we have a ministry called music therapy. And this song Desperado is a Western Melody and I tell the people that you can just imagine a horse and rider out on the plains all by himself and that helps me prepare my mind to play the notes with expression that really gives you the sound of a desperate lonely cowboy. Yes it does work well to put you in the mood to perform just like the music was intended to be.

[@McGillMusicSaxSchool]

Wow, great to hear you are doing those gigs Randy!

[@jaymeleesaxourney8130]

Thank you Nigel. Some great advice here. I'm going to try and apply some of that to my practice. In the mean time I really need to work out who my sax idols are :)

[@davidtulkop1580]

Hello Nigel, I have listened to many different saxophone players. Not trying to be teachers pet but, the sound I like best is yours.

[@McGillMusicSaxSchool]

Thanks David!!!

[@zabellesax]

I would love to sound like Stan Getz, love his husky, mellow sound, I have swapped my Legere reeds for Boston Sax shop cane reeds which are really good in helping me to achieve that kind of sound. Another sax School member, who is also a sax teacher, is helping me with my sound too which is lovely, Paul Grieger who is Adalaide based. I love tea by the way so I will have that vision when I am playing a song. I do have a vision of how I want it to sound, but like with one step, it did not work out that way, but after downloading the backing track with you playing it, and playing it slowly along side you, it is well on the way to getting there.

[@irshadsait3846]

well in 2 years i done been thru Nothing to something in sax , thanks nigel

[@McGillMusicSaxSchool]

Great to hear that Irshad!

[@1billiedale]

Before I play my alto I make a cup of dark roast coffee and put a shot of brandy in it. Then I play brilliantly.

[@McGillMusicSaxSchool]

Love it Billie!

[@zabellesax]

Thanks Nigel, I have applied this to my One Step Beyond song. Listened to different versions of it, yours, Madness, Mark Archer from Blowout sax and decided what the common rhythms are, I now have in my mind how I need to to sound. I recorded one yesterday, and it sounds so much better. How do you convey emotion through your playing, that is something I struggle with.

[@McGillMusicSaxSchool]

Good to hear you are using this strategy Zabelle. For emotion, you really need to look at the details in recording. Check out this video for some tips: How to play saxophone with more feeling - with Snake Davis kzbin.info/www/bejne/rYazk5SLjNuoia8

[@zabellesax]

@@McGillMusicSaxSchool thanks Nigel, I will do that :-)

[@BassNSax628]

Zabelle, I would love to hear/see your version of One Step. Ive performed this at open mics in the past.

[@zabellesax]

@@BassNSax628 yes sure, I will send you a link when I upload to KZbin, it's not that good at all.

[@zabellesax]

@@BassNSax628 kzbin.info/www/bejne/qaO2XmqHbKaGgJI here Mark, it's not great

[@rw8828]

Hi Nigel, hearing pro players to find out which sound I really want to have is a good point. For me as a beginner it is really hard to judge how much of the sound is made by the player and which part is made by the tone engineer. Any suggestion how to separate between the two contributors? Best regards Ralf

[@santa60]

Any advice on this concept for someone with aphantasia?

[@jmix1of1]

grover washington

[@warpo007]

Beginner player, personally I think it's important to practice the skills / scales / song parts. that you are afraid of. or above your level. however, it's important to only give it 5-10 minutes (as a beginner) then practice in my comfort zone. Long tones are vital as well. PS. if you're not playing with emotion, you shouldn't be anywhere near, any, musical instrument. Music IS emotions! As far as embouchure, lip out, jazz face, still fighting with my tongue.

[@SimonGiddings]

What if we don't like tea ? Does coffee work as well ? 😉😆

[@McGillMusicSaxSchool]

Ha! Sure!

[@playsjazz2]

Practice is the most important part of learning to play an instrument..

[@briangraham367]

Have a routine.

[@McGillMusicSaxSchool]

Good to hear that Brian. What does your routine look like?

[@briangraham367]

@@McGillMusicSaxSchool well...I like to start by soaking a few reeds for rotation. Then I go through the horn to make sure the pads are ok/not stuck. The reed gets tested on mp for vibration and chromatic pitches. When put on the instrument, ball-park tuning and long tones ensue. When warmed up, maybe a bit of a song then to tasks at hand. Thank you, McGill for your hard work and dedication to this art. Stay safe all.

[@McGillMusicSaxSchool]

Glad it was helpful Brian

[@coin777]

Is this about drinking coffee?

[@McGillMusicSaxSchool]

Could be!

[@playsjazz2]

Nigel, you should be able to sing the song before you play it...

[@McGillMusicSaxSchool]

Singing is a great thing to do for sure.

[@nicolahawkins7784]

Why, Ishmael? If I only played tunes I could sing, I would never play anything, and yet I make a decent job of playing. I'd be locked up in prison if I tried to sing everything before I played it!