Approach to Practice
Regardless of the style of music you play, It is important to have a correct approach to practice. You will benefit more from several short practices (e.g., 20-30 minutes per day) than one or two long sessions per week.
This is especially so in the early stages, because of the basic nature of the material being studied and also because your lips and facial muscles are still developing. If you want to become a great player you will obviously have to practice more as time goes on, but it is still better to work on new things a bit at a time. Get one small piece of information and learn it well before going on to the next topic. Make sure each new thing you learn is thoroughly worked into your playing. This way you won’t forget it, and you can build on everything you learn.
In a practice session you should divide your time evenly between the study of new material and the revision of past work. It is a common mistake for semi-advanced students to practice only the pieces they can already play well. Although this is more enjoyable, it is not a very satisfactory method of practice. You should also try to correct mistakes and experiment with new ideas. It is the author’s belief that the guidance of an experienced teacher will be an invaluable aid in your progress. To develop a good time feel, it is essential that you always practice with a metronome (or drum machine). If you don’t own one, go and buy one now and use it!
Listening
Apart from books, your most important source of information will be recordings. Listen to albums which feature sax players. Some important styles and players to look out for are: R&B, Soul, Funk – Maceo Parker and Pee Wee Ellis (Solo or with James Brown) Candy Dulfer, King Curtis, Junior Walker and Fathead Newman. Blues, Rock, Fusion – A.C.
Reed, Eddie Shaw, Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson, David Sanborn, Scott Page, Michael Brecker and Tom Scott. There are also numerous great Jazz sax players who are worth checking out. Some of the most Bluesy players are – Illinois Jacquet, Stanley Turrentine, Eddie Harris, Ben Webster, Johnny Hodges, and Roland Kirk who often played two saxophones at a time!
When you are listening to albums, try to sing along with the solos and imagine the fingerings and techniques you would use to achieve the sounds you are hearing. This helps you absorb the music and before long, it starts to come out in your own playing. It is also valuable to play along with albums, sometimes imitating what you are hearing and other times improvising. This is very good ear training and is also a lot of fun.
Mouthpieces
There are many types of mouthpieces which are suitable for playing all kinds of music. Rock players often prefer a metal mouthpiece because of its biting tone. This is useful when you are playing with amplified instruments such as electric guitar and bass guitar. Others prefer a plastic or hard rubber mouthpiece. Each mouthpiece will produce a slightly different tone. Choosing a mouthpiece is a personal thing and your preference may change over time.
Amplification
When playing with a Rock band, it is often necessary to amplify your horn. This cane be done by putting a pickup on the saxophone and plugging it into an amplifier or PA system, or by playing directly into a microphone just as a vocalist does. It takes practice to play well with amplification, so if possible it is best to rehearse with your amplified sound before playing live.
