As per the popular notion, the saxophone is easy to learn. It has a less complicated mouthpiece and easy-to-use keys as compared to the other orchestral instrument. This single-reed woodwind instrument is easy for beginners who are planning to pick a new instrument to learn.
Going by the sound it is somewhere in between the overtly melodious flute and the extremely sombre bassoon. Nevertheless every instrument gives the performer a completely different experience. A beginner’s journey with flute will certainly be different from that of a saxophonist or a bassoonist.
For aspiring saxophonists, we have brought a compiled Saxophone beginners guide that will make your learning experience optimally fulfilling.
Pick the right instrument
The very first tip of the saxophone beginners guide is to raise our awareness regarding this woodwind instrument. It is important to know that every saxophone is not for everyone. Particularly, beginners should get initiated with the right instrument.
There are four basic types of Saxophone, namely, the Soprano saxophone, Alto saxophone, Tenor saxophone, and Baritone saxophone. Most sax teachers initiate their students with the tenor or the alto saxophone. Having said that, each of these saxophones has a very distinct appeal, no matter whether you are a beginner or have been a practitioner for quite some time.
Pick the right mouthpiece and reeds
How the sound plays out depends a lot on the quality of the mouthpiece. The saxophonist has to be comfortable with the mouthpiece.
After the mouthpiece, one significant component that influences the sound quality of the sax is the kind of reeds you opt for.
Hence a significant point in the Saxophone beginners guide is to pick the mouthpiece and reed after conducting a thorough research and proper guidance from your teacher.
Find yourself a comfortable sling
A sax performer who plays for hours needs to be comfortable while holding the instrument. A good quality sling is the least you can do towards it. Invest in a broad and padded sling that sits comfortably on your shoulders while you lose yourself in the harmony of the orchestra. Refrain from thin straps that come at a lower cost lest you want to keep bothering about the sling slipping off your shoulder over and over again.
Find a good instructor
Now, here is the most significant point in our Saxophone beginners guide…
There is no end to expert tips for new saxophone learners. But you are most likely to get the best ones if you find the best instructor. A good instructor will teach you nuances that will help you find your signature style. The only thing that you need to ensure is complete dedication to the art.
Finding a good instructor is partly a matter of luck and partly, that of perseverance. These days, new learners and practitioners are spoilt for choice when it comes to learning how to play a musical instrument. Several ed-tech platforms provide both free and paid learning opportunities to learn saxophone online. Go ahead and evaluate all the parameters, speak to the instructors, and then select the right learning platform for yourself.
Practice Dedicatedly
If you have been wondering how people just weave magic by just blowing air into the sax and moving their fingers rapidly on the key, let us tell you one thing – there is much more that has gone behind such a stupendous performance than what is visible to the eyes. The prime among them is practice.
Now that you have dedicated yourself to the art of playing saxophone, fix a time of the day for practicing. Discuss with your teacher and fix the duration of your practice. It could be for half an hour to one or even two hours depending on your level of learning.
In the end…
There are umpteen verdicts from everywhere that you come across when you plan to learn something new. However, you should carry out extensive research and stick to your gut feeling.
We hope you find this article useful. Please share your views with us in the comments below.
