For warm-up I often enjoy using Chorales as suggested in a method book by James Ployhar. They're like beautiful tunes made out of longtones. Break Forth, Heavenly Light or Tallis' Cannon are a couple faves. I've actually challenged myself from time to time to see how slow I can set my metronome and still play each note through with even tone. Most important thing is that I really listen to myself while I play.
Hvala vam prijatelju ,podelili ste čisto znanje neskromno u 12 minuta ,malo je ovako iskrenih i dobrih videa na you tubu o sviranju saxophona... svirao sam trubu a i saxophone and piano i znam o čemu govorite.May God bless you and good luck ,thank you greetings from Balkan
This is such a helpful video! Not knowing what to practice is what killed my motivation in the past, and eventually led to me giving up playing for a long time. This explanation makes so much sense and I can’t wait to try the free exercises!
Recently joined Sax school a month ago. Been playing the Alto Sax for a year and a half now( Started June 2020) and got my Tenor Christmas Eve. This particular video has given me a lot to go on and I cant wait to start my practice session later today. Once again great video
I've been doing it all wrong and having a blast. No long tones,scales or playing in tune for me. Instead every morning early I go to a secret spot where I can blow and no one will know. Lack of warmups did lead to sore neck and left thumb so I do some stretching, breathing and waving my arms about. Then I start playing songs out of various ez play big note music books. It is ez. It says the note right there. Play it and out comes the song. I don't count or tap my foot,just sort of sing. It's so much fun I can't stop for an hour or so. If I'm lucky something clicks and I don't need the music anymore. It's in me now. It took over a year for the first one to stick as I only play each song once that day and have several books. Now I have a dozen memorized another dozen close and a whole bunch of Christmas songs too. The downside is I lack all the depth of understanding that frees us from memorized songs. While you were speaking I was thinking how all that hard boring work is liberating and I will never fly if I don't leave the comfort of really cool song melodies. Put in the work and I could actually understand what I am doing and be free to add fills, solo coherently and play my own music. Maybe tomorrow 😉.
Thanks for your comments Jeff. There are lots of ways to approach learning. I’m glad you have been having fun. My experience though is that a little more structure and knowledge opens more doors with your playing and helps you to do so much more.
Thankyou Nigel for your ideas. Slow warm up for me is playing Misty and My Funny Valentine with the CD backing track, then breaking into the scales, albeit slowly. Stepping out of my comfort zone... 1. Playing and Recording Happy Birthday for everyone i knew having birthdays in December. Im meeting the recording challenge, then remembering how to post it on FB. 2. A couple of days back, i had front and back doors open, a draft of wind blew my Pink Panther page 2 onto the floor. When i replaced the sheet of music on the stand, it was upside down. I have a warped sense of humour, and thought, i wonder if i could play page 2 "as is", starting at the end (visually the first note is top left on the bar line), as though playing it normally. Yes it sounded funny, however, it stretched my confidence by recognising the names of the notes in the upside down positions, as though bar lines were right way up. So bottom bar line E now becomes top bar line F. I played it slowly and found I was successful. Both Pink Panther and In The Mood are pieces i have been working on for about 6 months PP to a year ITM. I end up running out of breath by the bottom of page 1. So i am still playing the notes, and some sections i am GETTING the rhythm. That feels great. Vanessa, my local tutor/music therapist has seen the progress being made, and she praises, helps, and challenges me. To help me remember names of notes on sheet music, Vanessa has bought 2 music programs; 1 to write the music notes onto bar lines in tge appropriate key signature, and 2 to write the NAMES of the notes above each note as prompts. It is working. However, playing Page 2 Pink Panther there were no note names, in the upside down position. I had Fun.
Thank you for such a helpful video and activities! I’ve been using them for 2 days now and have already noticed such a difference. I have noticed that when I am playing I’m very sharp on the chromatic tuner. Do you have any hints or tips to keep me on track?
Hey Emily. So glad it’s helping you. I’d just be careful you aren’t too tight with your embouchure - that will make you sharp. So relax your mouth and try to keep the pitch down. Have fun!
Hi! I love the channel! I've been thinking about starting to play the saxophone for a while, but unfortunately can't because of budget. I recently saw that I could buy on amazon a Jsax, it's way cheaper, I heard it on YT and it seems fine, what do you think about it? Is it ok for beginners with low budgets? I'm thinking of just playing it in the free time so nothing really serious, and I know my dad would love to learn with me as well. I'd love to know what you think about it, idk if you've ever heard about jsaxes. Thank you in advance! Keep up the good work
Hi. Great to hear you enjoy the channel. I haven’t tried the Jsax myself. You could definitely get started with one however you wouldn’t be able to use all the lessons in Sax School because the jsax is in a different key/tuning to a standard sax.
Good morning. Do you have a standard song that I can take to a jam that wont confuse the guitar players? Good luck, right? Thank you for your hard work. Be safe all.
HI Brian. Great question - we have a bunch of Jazz Standards broken down into "Jazz Performance Packs" inside Sax School PRO - these are great tunes to take to a jam and the lessons help you understand how to make solid functioning solos too. Most guitar players will know these tunes I think. More info here: saxschoolonline.com/courses/
For warm-up I often enjoy using Chorales as suggested in a method book by James Ployhar. They're like beautiful tunes made out of longtones. Break Forth, Heavenly Light or Tallis' Cannon are a couple faves. I've actually challenged myself from time to time to see how slow I can set my metronome and still play each note through with even tone. Most important thing is that I really listen to myself while I play.
Hvala vam prijatelju ,podelili ste čisto znanje neskromno u 12 minuta ,malo je ovako iskrenih i dobrih videa na you tubu o sviranju saxophona... svirao sam trubu a i saxophone and piano i znam o čemu govorite.May God bless you and good luck ,thank you greetings from Balkan
You’re welcome. Thanks for watching and glad this lesson helped you!
This is such a helpful video! Not knowing what to practice is what killed my motivation in the past, and eventually led to me giving up playing for a long time. This explanation makes so much sense and I can’t wait to try the free exercises!
Nigel you have a natural way of making sax studies enjoyable & explain in a clear manor been following you for over 5 years love your channel
Thanks! Great to hear that!
Recently joined Sax school a month ago. Been playing the Alto Sax for a year and a half now( Started June 2020) and got my Tenor Christmas Eve. This particular video has given me a lot to go on and I cant wait to start my practice session later today. Once again great video
Great to hear that Harold!
I like your style of teaching. I watch you often
Thank you for this information. It has helped me redefine my practice routine. Thank you so much.
Glad it helped you Errol!
Hello Nigel, I do a warm up by playing long tones for 20 minutes.
Beautiful video´s.
Greetings from Belgium.
I've been doing it all wrong and having a blast.
No long tones,scales or playing in tune for me.
Instead every morning early I go to a secret spot where I can blow and no one will know.
Lack of warmups did lead to sore neck and left thumb so I do some stretching, breathing and waving my arms about.
Then I start playing songs out of various ez play big note music books. It is ez. It says the note right there. Play it and out comes the song. I don't count or tap my foot,just sort of sing. It's so much fun I can't stop for an hour or so.
If I'm lucky something clicks and I don't need the music anymore. It's in me now.
It took over a year for the first one to stick as I only play each song once that day and have several books. Now I have a dozen memorized another dozen close and a whole bunch of Christmas songs too.
The downside is I lack all the depth of understanding that frees us from memorized songs.
While you were speaking I was thinking how all that hard boring work is liberating and I will never fly if I don't leave the comfort of really cool song melodies.
Put in the work and I could actually understand what I am doing and be free to add fills, solo coherently and play my own music.
Maybe tomorrow 😉.
Thanks for your comments Jeff. There are lots of ways to approach learning. I’m glad you have been having fun. My experience though is that a little more structure and knowledge opens more doors with your playing and helps you to do so much more.
I am happy to learn from you I am learning without a tutor
Thanks for watching Michael. I’m glad the videos are helping.
Excellent Nigel!!!
Cheers Adam!
I'm just getting started
This video definitely help me with my routine
Great to hear that Dwight!
Thank You Gill, very helpful indeed
Thankyou Nigel for your ideas.
Slow warm up for me is playing Misty and My Funny Valentine with the CD backing track, then breaking into the scales, albeit slowly.
Stepping out of my comfort zone...
1. Playing and Recording Happy Birthday for everyone i knew having birthdays in December. Im meeting the recording challenge, then remembering how to post it on FB.
2. A couple of days back, i had front and back doors open, a draft of wind blew my Pink Panther page 2 onto the floor. When i replaced the sheet of music on the stand, it was upside down. I have a warped sense of humour, and thought, i wonder if i could play page 2 "as is", starting at the end (visually the first note is top left on the bar line), as though playing it normally. Yes it sounded funny, however, it stretched my confidence by recognising the names of the notes in the upside down positions, as though bar lines were right way up. So bottom bar line E now becomes top bar line F. I played it slowly and found I was successful. Both Pink Panther and In The Mood are pieces i have been working on for about 6 months PP to a year ITM. I end up running out of breath by the bottom of page 1. So i am still playing the notes, and some sections i am GETTING the rhythm. That feels great. Vanessa, my local tutor/music therapist has seen the progress being made, and she praises, helps, and challenges me. To help me remember names of notes on sheet music, Vanessa has bought 2 music programs; 1 to write the music notes onto bar lines in tge appropriate key signature, and 2 to write the NAMES of the notes above each note as prompts. It is working. However, playing Page 2 Pink Panther there were no note names, in the upside down position. I had Fun.
Hello, sad master, I watch your videos with great pleasure I wonder can we communicating in person?I've got a lot of questions
5:36 thought we wouldn't notice that lick did ya?
yes. chromatic scales.
Hello can you tell me frankly please: is plastic reed harmful or dangerous for health..?
Thank you for such a helpful video and activities! I’ve been using them for 2 days now and have already noticed such a difference.
I have noticed that when I am playing I’m very sharp on the chromatic tuner. Do you have any hints or tips to keep me on track?
Hey Emily. So glad it’s helping you. I’d just be careful you aren’t too tight with your embouchure - that will make you sharp. So relax your mouth and try to keep the pitch down. Have fun!
Sax master I mean
Nigel, which saxophone did you buy in the end?
Hi! I love the channel! I've been thinking about starting to play the saxophone for a while, but unfortunately can't because of budget. I recently saw that I could buy on amazon a Jsax, it's way cheaper, I heard it on YT and it seems fine, what do you think about it? Is it ok for beginners with low budgets? I'm thinking of just playing it in the free time so nothing really serious, and I know my dad would love to learn with me as well. I'd love to know what you think about it, idk if you've ever heard about jsaxes. Thank you in advance! Keep up the good work
Hi. Great to hear you enjoy the channel. I haven’t tried the Jsax myself. You could definitely get started with one however you wouldn’t be able to use all the lessons in Sax School because the jsax is in a different key/tuning to a standard sax.
Good morning. Do you have a standard song that I can take to a jam that wont confuse the guitar players? Good luck, right? Thank you for your hard work. Be safe all.
HI Brian. Great question - we have a bunch of Jazz Standards broken down into "Jazz Performance Packs" inside Sax School PRO - these are great tunes to take to a jam and the lessons help you understand how to make solid functioning solos too. Most guitar players will know these tunes I think. More info here: saxschoolonline.com/courses/
hi, I could not find the free pdfs on the site. have they been removed?
in any case thanks a lot
Hi Peppe they are all free in our Locker. You can register for it here: saxschoolonline.com/courses/
to much talk not enough play