Forum of the Saxes

Saxophonist · Guest

Hello,

I was wondering, many people say that the sax isn't good on its own, and you need a band to accompany it. They say that after you learn the sax, you either start a band, or you join one, to merge in. They keep saying, "do you want to be a serious sax player, or do you just want to learn for fun?" they say, "so after you learn, are you going to join a band?" or they say "after you learn, you can start to play for clubs and restaurants!"

What if I don't have that in mind? I just want to take it up because I like the instrument. I don't see myself building a career with it, I don't want to learn to earn money, or to be famous, I will leave that to architecture. For the sax and jazz, I see myself spending private, quality time with it instead, with myself and my family and friends.

any views about that?

They say that music changes one's life, but I don't want mine to change THAT much.

Anyway, I have just found myself a teacher! Very Happy

Going to start learning soon.

Cliff · Joined: 07 Dec 2005 Posts: 29 Location: Singapore

^^^Opps, the person on top is not a Sasophonist, but me, forgot to sign in before I posted, hehe...

Yeah, so the above is what I feel, any comments?

JPSaxMan · Posted: Fri Dec 09, 2005 10:46 am Post subject:

Well...

I've done several a capella recordings and I find them to be pretty freakin good. I think a band to help you out would be ideal. You don't have to go right out and "join" a band. You kinda start mixing your own tracks (get a keyboard or drum machine for rhythms, piano, bass, etc etc) putting them out on CD's then bands will come to you. If you happen to have a friend or two that are already in a band, just play for them once in a while, or maybe have a jam session and this will get you recognized.

If ya don't make a band...hey, yea, it's still fun to know the instrument and you can still keep goin at it until you do make a band. And congrats again on finding a teacher. Mr. Green

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Student of Saxophone
Music Education (BME) Major-2011
Mansfield University of Pennsylvania

altosax4ever · Posted: Fri Dec 09, 2005 10:50 am Post subject:

Saxophone by nature is an ensemble instrument, but I've heard sax solos with no accompianement that sounded great, such as Boots Rabdolph's, "Unchained Melody"

You can record and have fun with or without a rythm section, as JP showed me.
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Cliff · Joined: 07 Dec 2005 Posts: 29 Location: Singapore

thanks JP!

Hmmmmm.....I don't have many firends who play music, most of them play chinese instruments like the liuqin, classical pianos, and guitars. The others spend their time learning a third language instead of music.

I'm not really counting on finding a band, oh well.

How do you think a sax will sound like together with a liuqin? Mr. Green

It'll be solo for me in the forseeable future I guess. Smile

JPSaxMan · Posted: Fri Dec 09, 2005 11:27 am Post subject:

Cliff · Joined: 07 Dec 2005 Posts: 29 Location: Singapore

Haha, I guess you're right, and I think that will happen too, since I can now "click" with those who know something about music.(I used to be clueless when they start spitting out words like tenor, base, etc)

don't know why, the people in my class just love Japanese stuff...(Animae, music, language, etc)

reisio · Joined: 05 Oct 2005 Posts: 177 Location: Florida

If you _prefer_ playing alone, more power to you, but you should at least try playing in a group (I prefer small ensembles to big bands, etc.) before you resolve not to.

Tully · Joined: 11 Sep 2005 Posts: 170 Location: Woodinville, WA

There are plenty of play-along books (especially the Aebersold series--they go from quite easy to really, really hard) to practice with on your own. However, while you are still trying to "learn the sax" (I hate that expression, because it's an ongoing process--it's not something you study to a certain point, and then poof! you've learned the instrument), playing with others who are of a similar ability or better is wonderfully beneficial. And the better you get, the more fun it is.
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