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Hello,

I've recently began learning to play the Alto Saxophone, and was hoping to get some guidance/tips about this. I would love to learn with a proper tutor, but I honestly can't afford such expenses right now. However, i am a fast learner, and I do know how to play a few instruments already, so I don't really mind learning on my own, since that's how I learnt the others. The problem is that I don't know how to read sheet music fluently. I'm very, very slow at it, and very inexperienced, and although it is a necessity, I really hate sheet music.

A couple of questions :

1. Is there anyway to make learning the very basics of sheet music after playing a few instruments for so long "fun", or at least less dull?

2. My sax keys are sticky, and tend to stick to the air holes when held down hard/long enough. Is this normal? Or should I return the sax?

3. Where do I go about learning the jazz scales? I mean the very basic stuff to start with, and eventually the more complex chords and progressions.

4. Is anyone interested in meeting up to help teach me some things? I can offer many things in return such as a free, professional recording session in a top-of-the-line studio. I can help teach you how to make music on your computer (using DAWs). I can teach you guitar. And for those who don't speak it, I can help teach you Arabic, or English.

Let me know if you're interested

Peace

Maybe Guru could teach you



-- Thu Dec 09, 2010 1:11 am --

Personaly and I know many will disagree, best it to learn it your self. If you get stuck with an orthodox player that will just limit your usuage of the instrument.

I learned to play the drums myself and now pretty good at it. Now I recently looked at some tutorial videos and if I would have tried to learn from those I wouldn't have learnt anything at all, would have just given up and thrown my sticks in the bin.

But try Dubai Music School, run by the Perry Family, Glenn, Giles and Miles very talented and gifted people and been around here for decades, dunno if they have saxs though. Dunno how much they charge use to be pretty cheap. My friend and lead guitarist was a awesome guitar player but went in for some advance training with Giles and learnt quite a bit about scales, harmonics, tapping etc etc

Thanks for the tip And I completely agree with you on learning it yourself. I only want someone to help me learn the basics, since it's kinda difficult to learn techniques on your own. When it comes to sax, there a lot of different techniques out there, one of them being the Altissimo, one of the hardest when it comes to sax. Another is alternate fingering, since the sax has multiple fingering for some notes. I just want to get the basics covered so I don't take off on the wrong foot. Even though what counts is the music you play, and how well you play it, you still need the right techniques to help you achieve that.

So no help from Guru josh then eh ?

Anyways I looked up DMS they are pretty cheap 3/400 for a course. They are accredited with Trinity School of Music but unfortunately no Sax.

Hahahahaha!! Guru Josh!! Cooker heads?

Yeah I've found it really difficult to find music schools with sax teachers in Dubai. Back in Lebanon, my old guitar teacher plays almost every instrument I can think of, and excels at each one. If only he were here or I was there, I would have been jamming on my sax in no time!! Hahaha! But nothing in life comes easy, and that's what makes life so beautiful

Thanks for you help man! Really appreciate it!

Hello guys...!
I need a saxophone players help?
I've been playing for 3 years now but 2-3 months ago I started getting a really bad spotty tone. I took it to the shop, cleaned it, sucked out spit, everything. What am I doing Wrong?

Christabel wrote:Hello guys...!
I need a saxophone players help?
I've been playing for 3 years now but 2-3 months ago I started getting a really bad spotty tone. I took it to the shop, cleaned it, sucked out spit, everything. What am I doing Wrong?

Unfortunately I don't think anyone can help you out with that, since I'm just starting out myself, and no one else on this thread plays the sax. I will try to dig into my sax sources and see if I can figure this out for you, but I am still a noob when it comes to sax.

P.S. Would you be willing to give me lessons? It has been near-impossible to find someplace that teaches sax, and although I'm learning on my own, it's hard for me to figure out what I'm doing wrong, and I have to search and read different sources to figure it, which really dulls out the learning process. I'd be willing to pay per lesson if you like, or I can teach you something in return.

Peace.

-- Wed Dec 15, 2010 9:29 am --

Just a quick thought, what do you mean by spotty tone? Like is it a note you play that sounds weird or is the whole thing in general sounding odd?

PM me guys, I know pretty much all the good sax players or teachers in the UAE. In my business you get to meet all the good guys around and either work with them or hire them for gigs from time to time.

Can hook you up with whoever.



Knight