Members adamgram Posted April 22, 2008 Members Share Posted April 22, 2008 I just got a sax! I was pretty good back in high school and have been playing music ever since on another instrument (guitar), but a 9 year break from the embature (is that spelled right?) has me, for the moment, sounding HORRIBLE haha... Bad enough that I don't want my neighbors to hear me, especially since the only way I can get a good sound with my out-of-shape mouth at this point is to play as loud as possible. I live in the city in an house-apartment with pretty thin walls. It's a very understanding neighborhood for music, but overhearing hours on end of me struggling to re-learn isn't something I want to put them through. I've been finding places along my commute home from work to pull off and play in my car haha but it's a little cramped to say the least. Any suggestions? What do you guys do? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members MarkZ Posted April 22, 2008 Members Share Posted April 22, 2008 Practice on the Ben Franklin Bridge late at night. If that doesn't work, move to NYC and practice on the Williamsburg Bridge. It worked for Sonny Rollins, why not you? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members adamgram Posted April 22, 2008 Author Members Share Posted April 22, 2008 haha... that's really not a bad idea at all Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members TimOBrien Posted April 22, 2008 Members Share Posted April 22, 2008 Parks. Empty lots. Underneath bridges you can get some nice reverb.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members adamgram Posted April 23, 2008 Author Members Share Posted April 23, 2008 I found a quarry near my work where I can pull off and practice in my back seat. It isn't too bad. Once I get good enough to not be embarassed in front of my neighbors I'll just do it at home. HAHA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members sunburstbasser Posted April 23, 2008 Members Share Posted April 23, 2008 You should warm up at home first. For your neighbors! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members skuller Posted April 23, 2008 Members Share Posted April 23, 2008 sunburstbasser that gradius avatar is teh awesome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members sunburstbasser Posted April 23, 2008 Members Share Posted April 23, 2008 Thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jonathan_matos5 Posted April 24, 2008 Members Share Posted April 24, 2008 Practice on the Ben Franklin Bridge late at night.If that doesn't work, move to NYC and practice on the Williamsburg Bridge.It worked for Sonny Rollins, why not you? he'll get stabbed and his sax stolen, well on the Camden side of the bridge he will. i practice in the school practice rooms, or in my bedroom but not after 10pm:thu: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members coyote-1 Posted April 24, 2008 Members Share Posted April 24, 2008 I got a horn some weeks ago. I'm a complete beginner on this instrument, and my wife has told me in the past she'll put up with the guitars & drums & keys but NO WIND INSTRUMENTS in the house. So I too play in my car, usually during lunch breaks at work. Wife and her mom both looked at me like I'm nuts! They said if they saw someone alone in a car playing a trumpet they'd think the person was a lunatic.... I've been finding places along my commute home from work to pull off and play in my car haha but it's a little cramped to say the least. Any suggestions? What do you guys do? Welcome to the lunatic fringe! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members sunburstbasser Posted April 24, 2008 Members Share Posted April 24, 2008 After a particularly bad recital my instructor told me a story about how he had missed a lick with a band he was playing in and it made him really mad. So on the way home he pulled over and played it 50 times. Then he said he missed it again next gig. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members MarkZ Posted April 25, 2008 Members Share Posted April 25, 2008 Too bad there isn't one of these for sax: http://www.dallasmusic.org/gearhead/Renuzit%20Practice%20Mute.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Lambros Posted April 25, 2008 Members Share Posted April 25, 2008 adamgram, again welcome to this forum...you may remember that I made a comment on your other thread. Basically, I want you to know that getting into specifics about how you are getting back into playing is encouraged here, please don't be vague. What I like to do, when practicing is to work on a solid, basic sound. As a multi-horn player, this is a must because you have to trust your stuff and your gear. I'm not implying or saying that you shouldn't be considerate of those around you...far from it. Concentrate on good, solid long tone and dynamics exercises. A lot of what goes by the wayside after a long layoff is stamina in the upper body, getting that back reintroduces the character of your playing to yourself again, strange as that may sound. You play alto, is that right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Sax4Life Posted April 25, 2008 Members Share Posted April 25, 2008 Well if you played the trumpet I'd say Silent Brass. XD (it costs a lot though. >_ I can't stand practicing with other people around, heck I hate practicing in the practice rooms at school... (but I do it anyways.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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