If you have some space, like in Misty. Let me know if you like this riff.
Saxophone Riff #1
If you like this line and want to learn it (and are already subscribed on Sax Station) then send me an email saying you want to learn ‘Saxophone Line #1’. I thought I would show a few different lines in videos and if enough people are interested, I can teach them.
“love the sound of the Sax so I’m just looking for step by step instruction to familiarise myself and improve steadily”
Sue
Hi I’m only just starting to learn how to play the saxophone, I love music, love the sound of the Sax so I’m just looking for step by step instruction to familiarise myself and improve steadily
Neal Battaglia
how long have you been playing?
Sue
A couple of months on and off, I’m trying to pick it up most days now, neighbours and family permitting
Neal Battaglia
You could check out saxophonetribe.com
has step by step lessons with feedback
Sue
Im just doing that now, now I’ve found saxophone tribe I will try and tune in and practice on line with you see how I go
Thank you
Neal Battaglia
you’re welcome
Sue
Better book mark you 🙂
“How to play unique songs that I don’t learn in band class.”
You may think learning music by ear is hard, but it’s just a skill like any other. You get better at it with practice. Certain things, like knowing scales, practicing rhythms, etc will help you recognize patterns better. But also, just learning music by ear will help you.
Levi
How to play unique songs that I don’t learn in band class.
Neal Battaglia
like which ones?
Levi
Talk dirty to me by Jason Derulo, or just about any hip hop song that has tenor sax.
Neal Battaglia
so you found that one on this page, correct?
Levi
Yes, but the format doesn’t help much. It gives the notes but not a chart that i see.
Neal Battaglia
correct
can you learn it by listening and using the notes?
Levi
Possibly.
Neal Battaglia
try it
or you could maybe buy the music somewhere
have you learned music by ear before?
Levi
No.
Neal Battaglia
then try it, you get better with practice
for this one, you can look if you get stuck on the page
Levi
Okay, thank you for your help.
Neal Battaglia
sure
“trying to find a decent fingering chart as i just picked back up a tenor sax after 19 years of not playing”
Frances
I’m trying to find a decent fingering chart as i just picked back up a tenor sax after 19 years of not playing..and as i orginally played clarinet i swear the fingering was the same but I’m stumped now 🙁
Neal Battaglia
you’re saying the fingering for clarinet and saxophone is the same?
Frances
at least i seem to recall it being the same and its throwing me off
Neal Battaglia
only some of the notes have the same fingering
Frances
like concert c I though twas the same but apparently not
Neal Battaglia
it is in one octave
Frances
its just totally throwing me for a loop
Neal Battaglia
okay, so you’re on a page with a fingering chart
Frances
feel like i am going to have to start back at the basics
yes
Neal Battaglia
Did you want to pay for lessons?
Frances
not right now/ at this point i rented a tenor to see if my hands would still work, as they arnt on my clarinet..i experienced nerve damage so i cant fully feel my fingers ..which doesnt help when playing the clarinet
Neal Battaglia
ah, got it
Frances
just got totally stomped with the fingering
ill keep plugin away thanks
Neal Battaglia
https://saxstation.com/saxophone-scales-how-to-play-c-major-scale-on-sax.htm
you could try that
some scales
Frances
thanks
Neal Battaglia
might be a good place to start
Frances
just as an fyi how much are lessons?
Neal Battaglia
I have different classes
they’re in the navigation on the top
one is a class on scales
Frances
ill keep you book marked so if this goes well i will want to purchase a new one.. student models sorta suck with regards to tone and clarity of notes.. (not sure if you find that)
Neal Battaglia
the mouthpiece can be more important than the horn
Frances
that too 😉
and the reeds i find are a big difference to.. the lower 2 and unders let the sound produce quickly but a 3 and up provide more warmth
i really miss playing .. hope i can get it all back
Neal Battaglia
true
depends on the mouthpiece/reed combination as well
Frances
right now for me though is a brain issue.. can’t seem to remember anything 😉 first day with it…im sure ill snap back ..thanks for the help
Beginning Sax – How long will it take me to get good on saxophone?
One question that comes up often from saxophone students is how long it will take to get good at playing saxophone. 
Neal:
Some people sound good on saxophone quickly, within months even.
Others still don’t sound great after years of practice.
If the question is, “how long a person can take to be able to play in a band and improvise?” That could be done within a year with consistent practice (every day is best). But how good would you sound?
The answer to the question very much depends on what your goals are as well as how much time and effort you are willing to put into learning music and the saxophone.
To become a great saxophone player will take a lifetime and the process of getting better never stops. If you enjoy the process of learning and improving, then you’re on the right path. If you dislike practicing, you may want to think about how you practice and change something.
Practicing daily is the best way to improve and you could be playing songs within several months and definitely within a year. It can be hard to notice improvement day to day, though you can with certain things, but if you practice consistently you will get better.
Taking lessons and getting feedback can significantly help your progress. You will get better simply by practicing, but you can get better much faster with feedback. Efficient practice will take you in the right direction more quickly.
Becoming a professional sax player will mean many years of practice.
Learning saxophone is similar to mastering anything else. Consistent practice done the right way will make you get better. In the beginning it seems like you progress faster because you are learning new notes on the saxophone, new ways of writing music on the page, so it will seem as if your progress slows sometimes.
“I’m looking for some sheet music…. jazz solos that I could get ideas from”
Here is some advice which wasn’t appreciated, but I think can help. Had a conversation about where to get ideas for jazz solos.
If you want to play jazz solo ideas, you should listen to music and see what you like.
Without listening, it just doesn’t work as well.
You could look at transcriptions, but especially when a beginning sax player tries some of these lines, they won’t sound like they did originally. They might even sound drastically different and probably not in a good way.
Think about the difference between Coltrane playing a solo and a saxophone player trying to play the same solo after playing saxophone for two years.
The paper won’t have all of the ‘music’ and that’s assuming that it’s read perfectly.
Transcriptions help the people who write them the most.
Roxas
I’m looking for some sheet music
Neal Battaglia
for what?
Roxas
just some jazz solos that I could get ideas from
Neal Battaglia
how long have you been playing?
Roxas
2 years and a half
Neal Battaglia
Do you listen to some jazz and know whose ideas you like?
Roxas
No
Neal Battaglia
Then do that
Roxas
Ok what should I do after?
Neal Battaglia
The best thing would be to listen and then figure out how to play ideas by ear
but listen first to figure out what you want to learn
Roxas
Ok thanks
“I am looking for a good way to learn the triads and the 7th chords”
Jo
I am looking for a good way to learn the triads and the 7th chords
Neal Battaglia
how many major scales can you play?
Jo
4
Neal Battaglia
are you going to learn the rest?
Jo
yes
Neal Battaglia
the chords will become easier once you know the scales
Jo
thanks, I am learning both
Neal Battaglia
so you are learning the chords that are built on the scales you know?
Jo
I am trying to memorise all of the major and minor triads
Neal Battaglia
before knowing all the scales?
Jo
yes
Neal Battaglia
you understand how chords and scales are connected?
Jo
yes
Neal Battaglia
which scales do you know?
Jo
c g d f
Neal Battaglia
Try learning Bb and Eb next
Jo
will do
Neal Battaglia
Bb has one more flat than F
Eb has one more flat than Bb
Jo
thank you
Neal Battaglia
you’re welcome
If you have a question later, you can go to this page
Stuck with something? Want some help with saxophone? Ask a Saxophone Question!
By providing some information I ask for on that page, you’ll get a better answer to your question.
Read
Sometimes I’m on this plugin to chat, not always
Jo
10:42 am
Thank you
“I’m having some trouble hitting and keeping the high notes clear”
A couple issues came up in this conversation. How much you ‘want’ to practice vs how much you actually practice. And the solution for the high D ends up being simple but it could be an easy mistake to make as well, early on.
Einar
I’m currently trying to play and memorize Gabriell’s Oboe and I’m having some trouble hitting and keeping the high notes clear. Any tips?
Neal Battaglia
which notes?
Einar
high D
Neal Battaglia
How long have you been playing saxophone?
Einar
I have been playing for 8 year now, but don’t have an amazing talent for it. Its something i do as a hobby. Played in a band for 5 of those year.
Neal Battaglia
How often do you practice in a week?
Einar
Try to get in an hour or 2 a day.
Neal Battaglia
How much do you actually practice?not what you try to do
Einar
30min to and hour 3-4 times a week
Neal Battaglia
that’s very different
Was the high D always a problem?
Einar
Haven’t really played such a high note before so i don’t know how it should sound. May also be i have given the name of the wrong note. Im not so good at reading notes.
Neal Battaglia
what fingering are you using?
Einar
thumb button and the middle one to the left of the 3 buttons where you usually have your fingers
Neal Battaglia
sounds like you’re pressing the wrong key
Einar
im trying to reach the second D in the second octave
Neal Battaglia
above the staff right?
Einar
Yes
Neal Battaglia
so, have you looked at the diagram on the page you’re on?
Einar
Yes i have found some Alt Sax fingering charts that has helped me, but when i try to play the note its wrong. Also find it very hard to produce sound with those keys pressed in.
Neal Battaglia
if you’re pressing the middle palm key, that won’t work
you want to press the lowest one
that should be what the diagram says
(subscribe to get access)
Einar
Ah. Thank you. I was able to produce the right sound now, but find it hard to keep it. Is there any special tricks or do i just need to practice more?
Neal Battaglia
practice
If you have a question later, you can go to this page
Stuck with something? Want some help with saxophone? Ask a Saxophone Question!
By providing some information I ask for on that page, you’ll get a better answer to your question.
Einar
Thank you for your time! It’s been helpful. Have good day
Neal Battaglia
Thanks
“I’m looking for anything that help me with jazz”
Diavonte
I’m looking for anything that help me with jazz
Neal Battaglia
I’m not sure what you already know
do you have a specific question?
Diavonte
can I print music from this site? Like pentatonic and blues scales.
Neal Battaglia
if you buy a class, yes
there’s one about scales
If you have a question later, you can go to this page
Stuck with something? Want some help with saxophone? Ask a Saxophone Question!
By providing some information I ask for on that page, you’ll get a better answer to your question.
“I just got a soprano saxophone and the when I play an F# the tuner says I’m playing an E”
Peyton
I just got a soprano saxophone and the when I play an F# the tuner says I’m playing an E
Neal Battaglia
That is correct
you’re playing a concert E
Peyton
Isnt it sudpossed to tell me what not I’m playing though?
Neal Battaglia
it does
it shows you the note in concert pitch
it’s a whole step different
Peyton
I’m confused
Neal Battaglia
it’s a ‘Bb’ instrument
have you heard that before?
Peyton
OOhhh okay because my main sax is a E flat alto sax so does that mean that the soprano is actually a not lower?
Neal Battaglia
soprano is higher than alto for the same fingering
Peyton
Yeah I know, But I still don’t get why when I play a high F# on my soprano it shows up on the tuner as a note lower than the F
Neal Battaglia
when you play a C, it says Bb or A#?
a ‘concert Bb’ is a C for you
Peyton
Yeah
Neal Battaglia
does that make sense?
Peyton
so there is nothing wrong with my instrument?
Neal Battaglia
no
not as far as the note it plays anyway
Peyton
Thank you so much!!! I got scared that there was something wrong with it
