Hey neal, I have a question. What is your best practice technique. My time allotted for practice daily is about 1 hour. How can i fit a good practice schedule into 1 hour?
And, how can I try to get circular breathing! I’ve been trying for days, and I cant get it.
What does an expert like yourself recommend?
Thanks for the help
-Stavros (ALTO SAX
Hey Stavros,
I always start with long tones. One exercise I do takes about 8 minutes. I spend one complete breath split between two notes. Then progress up and down chromatically one octave from low E to E. Then I usually do some more long tones from a book that I have. After that I do some scales from Jackie McClean’s book. Then I do some jazz exercises- ii V I’s, etc. Sometimes I’ll work on classical stuff out of Rubanks or some other books. And I’ll work on pieces I’m playing with groups and transcriptions towards the end. I used to do more playalongs- abersolds. All that can fit within an hour- it all depends on how much time you have. If I don’t do anything else, I’ll still do the long tones- so then you still feel like you’ve played the next day.
For circular breathing, I talked to a teacher and he told me about how the didjeridoo players do it. How long have you been playing for? One of my teachers could circular breath, and it’s a good effect sometimes, but not the most important thing to learn.
There’s an exercise related to holding water in the cheeks.
-Neal
My advice is to throw away 90% of the methodical routines and play music on the horn. There is no such thing as a great sax musician who spent more time with technical playing than music. Music is what will make you a great sax player.
Obviously, you need the tools, but don’t get so caught up in physical playing that it gets forgotten.
John Coltrane and Charlie Parker spent a lot of time mastering the saxophone and the technical nuances.
They also played music.
Technique is what allows the music to flow out without problems. But technique by itself is not music, I agree.
Having a set practice routine is useful, in my opinion. Make what you play musical within it.
Athletes work out with weights and stretch before they play.
-Neal
Hi….i really mean no offence. Circular breathing….i just do not see the point. I mean….take a breath….its not like anybody is going to mind. I imagine c.b…..can not do you much good. By not taking a breath….surely, once your oxygen is used up….are you not constantly re-cycling your own carbon dioxide? Please….let me know….its advantages……ade.
Haha, it’s definitely not a crucial skill for saxophone player.
On an instrument like oboe or bassoon though it seems to be pretty necessary to play the instrument effectively.
On saxophone it’s just something flashy in my opinion, but it can be cool.
Circular breathing works by breathing in through your nose and breathing out through the horn.
Hmmmmm.