Questions:
I am 57 years old.  Been playing just a few years. Have made progress and can play songs between level 2 & 3.

Playing: off and on, about 5 years

Favorite saxophone player: Kirk Whalum

Play about three time a week, roughly an hour.  Have not been faithful to practicing scales, although that seems more and more necessary and important for improvisation.

Is it realistic, at my age, to think i can ever really become a respectable sax player (alto)?

-Steve

Neal:
It’s not your age which will be the biggest limiting factor in your ability to play. Our brains do function in somewhat different ways when we are children compared to how they are as adults. Specifically, there are differences in myelin production.

However, you have advantages at later ages of hopefully having more discipline and life experiences to connect with.

The main thing that you mention that I see as a problem is that you practice ‘about three times a week’. That means you don’t practice more days than you do practice. It’s going to be difficult to improve like that. I would suggest practicing everyday for a half an hour or six days a week for that half an hour. Still the same total time, but much more effective.

That would help a lot.

It also depends on what you mean by a ‘respectable sax player’. That could mean different things.

Starting to practice saxophone everyday could make your playing improve a great deal. The effects compound.

It’s also possible to practice mistakes though, so you need to be aware as you practice and getting feedback from a teacher can help.