The 6 HARDEST Things to do on SAXOPHONE (and How to Do Them)

#bettersax #saxophone #saxophonelessons
Jay Metcalf explains some of the hardest things to do on the saxophone and how to do them.
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[@iLumberjack]

Oddly, hammering nails, rolling out pie crust, demolishing buildings, using as storage for top secret military plans, or as a spaghetti colander are also hard to do with a saxophone.

[@CROPDUSTERB-52]

You aren’t wrong and I hate it

[@codyworonka6335]

I don’t think you’ve tried hard enough to use your sax as a spaghetti colander

[@HenryJonesVictor]

just spend more time in the shed and you'll learn how to do all that

[@EchannelYT]

In what scenario would you have to do that with a saxophone???????

[@brandonkohler6677]

@@EchannelYT You're working for the military and are carrying their top secret plans in your saxophone from HQ to FOB. You stop on the way to make some spaghetti for dinner, and then you decide to make pie for dessert- using your sax for both. You realize afterwards that you've left fingerprints in the diner, so you decide to destroy the building with your saxophone. You accidentally break part of the building next to it, so you decide to nail it back together- with your saxophone. True story.

[@johnmazzocchi7116]

Hello Jay I have been watching your videos for quite a while now. I am 63 and have been playing the sax since high school. I have played in the doo wop circuit which is the 50s and 60s music. Since Covid got, the gigs became less and I have not been playing much. I am looking forward to retiring in my day job soon as an electrician and plan to dedicate more time getting back to my saxophone playing. Watching your videos you cover every aspect of the saxophone that I can think of. I have taken a lot from your videos and look forward to putting them to use when I get back to my plane. Thank you so much for the videos. I appreciate all the hard work have a great holiday. Enjoy.

[@derekakien7379]

Love Doo Wop. Some great CDs around now.

[@michaelrowe1907]

When first learning to play my teacher said PLAY THE MUSIC BUT LISTEN TO THE BAND THEY WILL HELP YOU TO KEEP TIME. I have never stopped. Thanks Jay brilliantly said

[@HonestSaxSound-unEdited-]

Aaand... 7- Prepare a repertoire for 1 to 1,5 hour non-stop, of the most recognized songs (be diligent and practice a lot, so you will go calm) EXCELENT VIDEO JAY, CONGRATS!, and thanks for your clarity!

[@archangel0137]

I plan on returning to playing the tenor sax in the future. One of my big goals is to build a repetoire of "party" songs I can perform solo with backing tracks. Jubel by Klingande is just amazing. Good advice though!

[@HonestSaxSound-unEdited-]

@@archangel0137 yes friend! I agree. Jubel is amazing.. and One day, and Pungá, and Et voilá, and Only God can save our soul, and Games cont., etc, in this genre. But if you want to play in events like weddings or so, you need a repertoire of international romantic songs genre too. Good luck, it's possible if you work on it!

[@marcomarrone174]

Very informative as always Jay keep up the great work!

[@miketorredeoro1383]

Very valuable summary. Good to know that it's not just my sax that gets more difficult to keep in tune as I play through the range of notes.

[@evanlebras6513]

Awesome pointers. If you had asked me 3 months ago if I had any tension while playing I would have said not really. Jay watched some of my playing in the studio and pointed this out after watching a video i posted... after picking up the sax a day or so later I was totally floored to realize he was absolutely right, a big ball of tension in my left shoulder. Next time you play remember to be cognizant of that tension!! Especially during improv or when playing with others.

[@burgessbrian9329]

Outstanding advice once again-always appreciated cheers 🍻

[@TM-Earthling]

Very insightful & accurate in my experience! Good tips

[@frankzona5459]

Spot on, Jay! Thanks for putting this video out.

[@MD-bl5dp]

Hey Jay, just subscribed yesterday. Totally fresh, got my first sax 🎷 yesterday. Never played before. Been watching your videos, really enjoy the content.

[@SoFkwHat]

It's difficult for the first few months maybe up to a year , then the magic begins , don't give up , good luck.

[@bettersax]

Welcome to the saxophone brotherhood.

[@derekakien7379]

Play long notes loud soft and work on your sound. Better than playing like a machine gun and sounding like a chainsaw. Which player would you rather listen to? Could you get a couple of lessons from a good teacher - before you develop bad habits.

[@IsaacGriffin2010]

W

[@MelodyMaker]

Good video. Straight talk. Constructive. Thanks.

[@AdrianSymes]

Great advice all round. The one piece of advice I would give new players is to stick with it and never give up. Find a way of enjoying practicing cause most of it is just hard work

[@malcsvideos]

Good advice well explained. Thanks Jay

[@rasabuca610]

VERY INFORMATIVE AS ALWAYS JAY KEEP UP ❤️ THE GREAT WORK 🙏.

[@danpinsonsax]

I’m a classically trained clarinetist and have played sax (and all woodwinds) for about the last 50 years. I made a lot of money (6 figures annually) just performing until a few years ago. Now you can just about forget trying to make it a full time career. I don’t know how younger players can ever expect to make a living unless they also teach or have some other day gig.

[@Zoey5374]

Yeah I plan on becoming a nurse after I graduate high school while getting a minor in music while in university, maybe go back and get a different degree once I start working. I started with clarinet in school after a year (first year of band in my school district don’t have saxophones, percussion, or bass clarinet you have to audition start of second year of band) I ended up getting a bass clarinet (much to my dismay at that time I wanted a saxophone, but I fell in love with the bass clarinet after a while). And now a few years later I’m still playing bass clarinet, I’m in a jazz studies course where we learn more about jazz and soling and chord progressions. I’ve become a lot more fluent with playing and reading especially high notes. Along with was offered the opportunity to join a post secondary jazz ensemble that has some high school students and I got up learn tenor saxophone. I’ve had the tenor for about a month now and I’m getting very comfortable with it (except when soloing I resort back to clarinet fingerings sometimes). The weirdest part for me is that saxophone is harder to play low then to play high. My range on the bass clarinet is from the low Eb to usually the high E above the staff, getting into the altissimo fingerings I can do some but they take more time and I only have some of the fingerings memorized. With the tenor I can play the low Bb, it sometimes takes me a second but I can do it fast I just need to be consciously think about my embouchure and wind. Transitioning over from bass clarinet to tenor sax wasn’t overly too hard. My range on tenor sax is low Bb to at least the high F, I’ve yet to try any altissimo fingering as my fingering chart from school only goes up to the high F. Honestly the fact that most of the notes are the same just add the register key to play the same note up and octave, so much easier than a C becoming a G when you add the register key. Anyways I think this comment kinda got off the topic of playing music as a side gig. But yeah I’m kinda in the mindset of buy my own bass clarinet and probably tenor saxophone before graduating and then go to university and continue music as a minor while majoring probably in nursing, then continue to look into another music degree after graduating from nursing. Right now I’m more leaning to want to go all in and just major in music but I still kinda want to do nursing so my Mom suggests doing nursing then focus on music once I make more money, which I completely agree with, doesn’t mean I’m not tempted to just take a major in music and only focus on that while keeping my current job (not a minimum wage job, and has a decent work environment that I enjoy). The other predicament is whether to focus on classical or jazz… I was dead set on taking the classical route but now that I’ve become more comfortable and have started to really enjoy jazz I’m considering that just as much or more. Anyways this was a really long comment. I still have a little time to decide what to do, so I’m just gonna keep as many doors open as possible.

[@gemcarlll]

Thanks for this vid as a beginner on the sax this helped

[@mourafmarcos]

Very important advices and cues. Thank you.

[@slambat2905]

The networking tip applies even if you're still in high school or college. I got into college playing saxophone specifically because I was friendly with a random person in a county honor band who happened to be the daughter of one of the admissions staff at the one of the local universities. I was also a capable player, obviously, but I was told in as many words that her recommendation was the difference between getting in and not for me

[@Nate-kg8ux]

Fantastic video again. Who is surprised? Keep it up Jay!

[@rickbennettartmusicvideo7720]

Excellent advice!

[@andrewgould744]

This!!! All of it!!! Really spot on advice Jay!!!

[@bettersax]

Thanks bro

[@flame_half]

When I played Bari for a while in College I was a time keeper. I switched from Alto, but I had marched as a Tuba player, so I learned about time keeping as a instrumentalist there.

[@SaxophoneSteveKortyka]

Great video and awesome advice 🎷🚀

[@raseshgandhi6702]

Very fantastic information

[@bobblues1158]

Perfect Jay!!!!!!!

[@Josiah2700]

I'm currently playing clarinet and I want switch to sax for school! Your videos always make me want to switch more.

[@michaelrowe1907]

I play both and the embouchure is slightly different .

[@archangel0137]

Go for it dude! I played the clarinet in school and switched over to tenor sax after I finished uni.

[@natthegnat]

@@michaelrowe1907 I agree with this. However, I find clarinet and saxophone one of the easiest instruments to switch between, so good luck Josiah!

[@HahnJames]

I started playing the sax starting back in January at age 61. My choice of sax to play is the soprano saxophone. I try to practice about 2 hours a day at least 5 days a week. I spend a lot of time focusing on tone. My problem is relaxing my jaw. The other day, I had to stop for a short break because I thought I was going to bite about a half inch or so off the end of my mouthpiece.

[@thepickleuniverse9509]

Well I watch your videos all the time so that means I’ll get better tone in a couple years( you said to listen to great sax players🙂)

[@kwootamuckbear9294]

Being nice and humble towards everyone no matter what should be our behavior

[@theglauber]

Excellent! I'm going to bookmark this one.

[@theglauber]

LOL! Don't be a dick.

[@theglauber]

Be humble. Network. Play your butt off.

[@JonahJazz]

So close to 300k subs!

[@markwilliamson2795]

Hi Jay....Thanks

[@andythesaxplayer]

A great video! Helped me out a lot in several ways! Just a few amendments: #1: listen to everything you can get your ears around. If you can't stand, say, country music, that means you can't understand the millions of people who love it. Ditto hip hop, hard rock, electronica, etc, etc, etc. Your lack of understanding is your failure, not theirs. #2: ear training. There's a ton of low-cost ear training software out there. Get some. #3: be yourself. I wish I knew the name of the young country singer who said this (approximately): "because everybody else is already taken".

[@vincent-qz7tr]

Get 'Em Jay!

[@jamiemeansjamesmusic]

Like you said Jay, tone is everything. Tone and Time. There's a reason why these are the first T's on Bob Reynolds 7 T's framework. Bottom line: if you don't have a good sound, no one's going to want to listen to you. Thanks Jay for the great video, as always.

[@francistaylor5097]

Wise words, Mr Metcalf.

[@noliiiivaldez7861]

i have to hear this everyday

[@gsco82]

You have raised some important points regarding saxophone playing. I was completely with you until #6. I happily call myself an amateur, as I have very little interest in trying to make money from playing the saxophone. I wonder what proportion of saxophone players make a significant amount of money playing let alone make a living at it. My guess is that the percentage would be very low, 5% at the most and quite possibly around 1%.

[@charlienyc1]

I agree and identify with you. However, wouldn't you figure many of the players watching are just starting out? With that perspective, Jay's letting them know it's not going to be an easy road to playing professionally. I thought he might list all of the other skills one might make a profit and perhaps even a career in conjunction with playing. But how long would the video be if he did?

[@derekakien7379]

Especially if they have a good day job - Doctor, Surgeon, Architect, Space Programmers. Just some of the guys I play with.

[@HayKay_]

Thanks for your KZbin lessons over the years. Any link to buy you coffee?

[@bettersax]

Thanks! There is a link on my KZbin videos for what they call SuperThanks if you want to leave a tip. Or you can use the affiliate links in the description next time you make a purchase on Sweetwater or Amazon.

[@HayKay_]

I would try those; I thought there was a Paypal link like the Get Your Sax Together channel.

[@OttoLinked]

George Garzone drilled Numbers 1 and 2 into me at Berklee.

[@Jesusdiedformysins]

i have a problem where when I play my embrochure muscles hurt and are irritated any solution?

[@azalea77]

I got my sax a few weeks ago, on Amazon 😁 but I will return it. I didn't know they were sooooo loud?! I live in a building made of cardboard so practising is almost out of question. It would be possible just on Saturdays. I will stick to digital piano, here I can use headphones 😆. Pity, because I love the sound of saxophone...

[@TheJazz625]

Here is a top tip with timing. For some music styles the drummer can be a bit lose. Especially jazz. So I always listen and try to lock in with the bass player 😉

[@TheJazz625]

Hi. I did try and reply but not heard anything 🤷‍♂️

[@1jostaclo]

Didn't mention foot tapping as an aid to timing/rhythm. Works for me.

[@lilghost6213]

I wonder if Jays working on a BetterSax Tenor Sax

[@bettersax]

He is

[@joelkrebs3577]

I started playing saxophone 10years ago but my teacher at the time was not really good with correcting me for my sound or embouchure, he was like “you doing great” even if I sounded terrible 😂. The problem is that I never learned to practice my sound and embouchure position to be in tone 🙃

[@coffinman5007]

Hard to blow lol Got an MB2 with legere 2 1/2 Bottom notes like a sledgehammer

[@ph2738]

On networking, getting calls, “I am the victim of a series of accidents, as are we all.”

[@MrGeolm]

I thought you would never talk about altissimo :)

[@MakAttackMusic]

Thank you for addressing the elephant in the room..."DON'T BE A D*CK!!" This is not just for saxophonist but musicians in general. I have friends and family say how they love listening to me and also tell me that people would rather work with somebody like me where there is no drama, gets things done, and is an absolute joy to work with. There have been times I've worked with total jerks and wonder..."What is wrong with you?!?!" or "Why do you have to create so much chaos where there didn't need to be any??" (had a gig last night that I just had to step back because the guitar player was creating chaos. It was interesting). I may not be the best player out there but I try to position myself to "get the gig" and with my personality, I can see it in the high caliber musicians that they are tired of dealing with DRAMA!!! I moved to Florida last year and have made a small name for myself where I would meet musician strangers and after introducing myself they would say..."Yeah, I know who you are from "so and so" or would say, "I've heard your name from this one guy and have been wanting to meet you." Personality is EVERYTHING when trying to work with others. Nobody wants to work in a shitty person no matter how good they are! Thanks for making mention to that!

[@DelMkVI]

If you never watch another video WATCH THIS ONE AND TAKE NOTICE. It's everything you need in a nutshell.

[@robtalbot3852]

Balancing on a saxophone is quite hard. Very easy to fall off!

[@unclemick-synths]

A reputation for punctuality, preparation, and positivity gets gigs. Beyond that, don't screw up! 😀

[@kevinbrown1999]

So. I have a question for anyone, I've been playing for about 54 years now, and recently had an accident which resulted in my middle finger on my left hand having the tip amputated and now can't reach the key of C on my saxophones, I need about an inch in order to reach it, any ideas?

[@petersarabella3293]

take the horn to a good repair person and have them refigure the key to accommodate your short finger

[@derekakien7379]

I heard of a guy had the key extended. Worked well apparently.

[@colinevans9377]

1 depends on 4.

[@bran192]

I am a guitarist mainly, trying to learn to play the sax a little, and I was shocked with the 'you have to listen to the greats to have a concept on what a beautiful sax sound is', I think it is a good reference but imo, we have to listen to ourselves much more than others. A player must be satisfied by his own sound, more than sounding like what is known. For me there is no such thing as an established good sound, at the end what you want is to please yourself and whoever listen to your music, so anything that sounds beautiful to YOU and to your listeners, will be a beautiful sound, and could or could not sound like the known sax tones... Just my opinion, so far I've been practicing and trying to make the sounds I want, when I reach that point I will be happy, even if I don't sound like X or Y.

[@bettersax]

Good luck with that.

[@boris_bulletdodger9109]

Positive comment

[@coffinman5007]

Making money Louis Johnson said if you wanna be a musician the first thing you need is a job, then if your music can bring money in fair enough

[@resident_emo108]

So basically what I'm hearing is that the hardest part of being good at playing the saxophone is being good at playing the saxophone

[@eriksax]

Hi Jay. I watched your entire video and was shaking my head [YES] along with every statement until…you got to the end and said you never learned how to circular breathe and didn’t find the need to do that. WHAT?!😮 C’mon Jay. I still have fond memories of getting insulted in a public park while learning circular breathing many years ago by a random dude who said “that sounds terrible”, followed by a few choice “words” from my younger self. The “glass-blower’s trick” did not take very long at all to learn, and rapidly became a useful tool for performing passages that were not written specifically for wind instruments (which is why it became necessary as wind instruments became popular in the late nineteenth/early twentieth centuries). Learn to circular breathe and make a video on this. I am certain it will be a hit Jay.

[@bettersax]

That would make a good video. I’ll think about it.

[@derekakien7379]

I can't do it either. LoL.

[@kennetheastman5703]

Most saxophonists I hear need to breath a little. Take a pause and think about what your playing. It doesn't hurt to listen.

[@jarod144]

I got better at time feel by playing bass guitar lol

[@ericmalone3213]

How about playing non-tempered scales in free time?

[@RamonOchoaMusic]

And here I thought it was going to be about trilling low B to low C# 16th notes at 240bpm.

[@jennasyseng]

Love the video, great information! Just a note (pun intended) - there are a lot of visually moving parts in this video. All the pop-ups combined with the constant camera zooms in and out is REALLY distracting and makes it harder to focus on what you're actually saying. Maybe pick one or the other when making your points (I'd personally keep the tip pop-ups and lose the edgy zooms). There are a LOT of awesome tips here and I think the combined video treatments overshadow your message a bit.

[@YannsKitchenUK]

Every single tip bang on the money. My fave one "Dont be a dick" lol

[@shanebentley5630]

Though I don't disagree with these, the playing over changes is the only one that's possibly little more common than most other instrument. This list really doesn't have to do with the saxophone, simply being a musician 😕

[@aaronkarlin3241]

DBAD! 🤣

[@johnhess1168]

Jay, you're a mind reader, or somehow, you've been listening to my practice sessions.

[@eugesounds]

Great stuff...will def share with my students. Cheers from Dallas.

[@SaxJockey]

Another sign that you may be too tense...developing a chicken wing 😁.

[@stangetz534]

I thought for sure #1 would be altissimo lol

[@curtisvalle5141]

Drummers are shocked when you bounce off of their licks and actually notice what they are doing.

[@6strings5904]

I just discovered Scott Hamilton and Larry Mckenna!

[@derekakien7379]

Seen Scott live several times. Beautiful tone, tasteful player. Got some nice CDs out.

[@6strings5904]

@@derekakien7379 mainly breath attack he reminds me on Stan Getz.

[@andrewarnold6347]

7). Wrapping cables with the rest of your band instead of throwing one piece of gear into one bag and immediately dipping out * just a joke, love y’all*

[@jambajoby32]

Sax have an easy path in terms of improv. Trumpet is a b* tch to improv on bc fingering shapes & patterns on 3 buttons is hard

[@nicksavage4763]

Tone ✅ Consistent fast Tonguing Very High Notes Very Low Notes Scales and in Tune.

[@iokarii]

In case of producing proper tone, I realized, how easy instrument sax is, when started to learn to play trumpet.. What is done just to pushing keys on sax, on trumpet is swetting blood.. 😊 At the beginning at least.. That instrument absolutely do not help you.. No Reed vibration, your lips vibration, in fact, you are instrument.. 😁 And it has certain beauty..

[@jooelewis]

Bell rang rise up

[@animonrecap3226]

I'm 13 I have no money and I need a saxophone

[@tuxsax]

Basically, what most people want after hearing and seeing a good sax player playing good and having fun, is to play the sax too and have fun. But it turns out that in order to get to a point where you can play nice while having fun requires doing a lot of not fun things for a very long time... Playing with metronome, playing long tones, playing in front of a mirror, learn theory, harmony... not fun!! No wonder many of those that start will understand it and quit

[@bettersax]

I find all of those things fun though.

[@tuxsax]

@@bettersax Maybe that's why you are where you are and I where I am... My sax case is good at picking dust

[@zootMKVI]

I've done all these but not daily so I'm still shit!

[@ongtengkee9225]

This is not for classical saxophone

[@MrFeuerbach]

Les nombreux coups de zoom sur cette vidéo ne me semblent pas être une bonne idée. C'est dommage parce que le contenu est, comme d'hab, remarquable.

[@derekakien7379]

And don't top the bandleader's jokes. Ever!

[@tommyesposito606]

Bottom lip don’t roll it. I need a baffle

[@AlexandrKatsan]

first

[@theglauber]

Spoilers! So, the hardest things to do with a saxophone are: tone, melody, intonation and rhythm. Oh, and making money. What's left? the sex appeal? 🤣 (Or should I say sax appeal?)

[@user-rh6wj2db6e]

No. 1: Make a career out of it

[@olebirgerpedersen]

The very best way to earn money is to write music.