Thanks Nigel, yes a metronome is essential, and singing the song over and over that you know it well and the rhythms. That has helped me. As well as complementing the backing and not playing all over it. Keep with the beat of the backing line it's a metronome.
I send you lots of greetings from Serbia, I play tenor sax and learned many useful things from your on line sax school, so I am giving you support to continue with this very useful lessons, with lots of tricks how to inprove our sax playing, to sound better, to play with joy and pleasure. Thanks once again! Good job, man! :D
Thanks Nigel, this one really resonates with me. I have played in front of family and in front of friends before but 5 weeks ago I joined a band (piano, flute, harp, bass drum, trumpet and myself) and 2 day’s ago was my first live performance in front of a crowd. I had spent the last 5 weeks working on the tunes and timing, timing, timing. Being my first ensemble of sorts I hadn’t realised before how shoddy my timing was. Anyway I got it all down really well but on the night I still got the timing wrong in a couple of spots (tempo rather than rhythm) although it was in parts that the audience couldn’t really tell so I got away with it. My band members still want me around too! Over those 5 weeks the metronome has gone from being the dusty thing in the corner to my best friend. Have a great Christmas mate, looking forward to next year with sax school
Hey I have a question about my embouchure, so I've been playing sax for a bit now, since 4th grade and I'm now in 11th. But I have noticed that I set my teeth on top of my mouthpiece, which I thought was normal, but now have teeth indents on the mouthpiece. This used to not happen when I was younger. Does this mean I'm biting too hard and should just be supporting more? Thanks for any help or advice on embouchure. Love your vids!
Cheers, great to hear you've been enjoying the videos! I'd suggest putting a mouthpiece patch on your mouthpiece. It's really common for your teeth to leave a mark or even an indent on the top of your mouthpiece if you play a lot. You are right to have your top teeth resting on the mouthpiece, and perhaps you are biting a little too hard, but a patch will protect your mouthpiece and stop your teeth always falling into the same groove when you play which can cause problems. Check out my video about this here: th-cam.com/video/ApTipWNOOt4/w-d-xo.html
Thanks Nigel, yes a metronome is essential, and singing the song over and over that you know it well and the rhythms. That has helped me. As well as complementing the backing and not playing all over it. Keep with the beat of the backing line it's a metronome.
I send you lots of greetings from Serbia, I play tenor sax and learned many useful things from your on line sax school, so I am giving you support to continue with this very useful lessons, with lots of tricks how to inprove our sax playing, to sound better, to play with joy and pleasure. Thanks once again! Good job, man! :D
Thanks Mihailo! Great to hear Sax School has been helping you!
Great job! Super helpfully!!
Cheers!
Thanks Nigel, this one really resonates with me. I have played in front of family and in front of friends before but 5 weeks ago I joined a band (piano, flute, harp, bass drum, trumpet and myself) and 2 day’s ago was my first live performance in front of a crowd. I had spent the last 5 weeks working on the tunes and timing, timing, timing. Being my first ensemble of sorts I hadn’t realised before how shoddy my timing was. Anyway I got it all down really well but on the night I still got the timing wrong in a couple of spots (tempo rather than rhythm) although it was in parts that the audience couldn’t really tell so I got away with it. My band members still want me around too! Over those 5 weeks the metronome has gone from being the dusty thing in the corner to my best friend. Have a great Christmas mate, looking forward to next year with sax school
Great to hear that Bernie, and glad your performance went well. Merry Christmas to you too!
Excellent advice
Peter Drake
Teacher playwright
Hexham Northumberland
What type of tenor is that? It sounds beautiful
Hi. I’m playing on a Dave Guardala tenor - I’ve had mine for about 25 years, but I’m not sure they are made any more.
I knew all this already
Thanks for the video!!! It really helped!!! BTW, is that a Chewbacca on your Christmas Sweater??!?!! That's AWESOME!!!!!!!
Glad it helped Sarah. Yep - Chewie for Christmas this year! (I only realised after I finished filming that you couldn’t see the lights on my jumper!)
Hey I have a question about my embouchure, so I've been playing sax for a bit now, since 4th grade and I'm now in 11th. But I have noticed that I set my teeth on top of my mouthpiece, which I thought was normal, but now have teeth indents on the mouthpiece. This used to not happen when I was younger. Does this mean I'm biting too hard and should just be supporting more? Thanks for any help or advice on embouchure. Love your vids!
Cheers, great to hear you've been enjoying the videos! I'd suggest putting a mouthpiece patch on your mouthpiece. It's really common for your teeth to leave a mark or even an indent on the top of your mouthpiece if you play a lot. You are right to have your top teeth resting on the mouthpiece, and perhaps you are biting a little too hard, but a patch will protect your mouthpiece and stop your teeth always falling into the same groove when you play which can cause problems. Check out my video about this here: th-cam.com/video/ApTipWNOOt4/w-d-xo.html
No dislikes!
This vid
Pretty sure every sax player ever is a rubbish singer. Pretty much the reason we put that reed in our mouth :P
You’re probably right!