The Saxophone Can Be an Amazing Instrument to Play!

It’s one of the easiest instruments to learn how to play…..but it’s not easy..!!

Let’s begin by acquiring a used but good Alto. This can be accomplished at any of the online marketplaces. Ideally, someone who knows how to play should play the horn before you buy it. Look for dents, any key guards that may be bent, this would indicate that maybe the horn has been dropped….you should pass on it. With a little fortitude you should be able to get a decent used student horn for anywhere from $300-$450.

Next up, find a teacher who has a lot of experience teaching beginners. I would begin by interviewing a few. Once you have lined up a teacher and he/she has told you what beginners book to buy…..The fun begins…..Yes Fun..!!

During the first few weeks it’s really important to focus on blowing the horn. How to place the mouthpiece in your mouth, how to form your lower and upper lips around the mouthpiece, and how to blow.

Once you are able to blow into the horn and listen to the sound coming out of the bell, around the second or third week, amazing things start to happen. Think about it, that sound is you, your breath, that note is yours..!! After a few months, you can begin to personalize your sound, yes, even while you’re still learning the key positions. Experiment with tightening the corners of your mouth and lifting your teeth off of the top of the mouthpiece, how does that feel…? Change the position of the mouthpiece in your mouth. First put more of the mouthpiece in your mouth then gradually less. As time goes by and your lips firm up, you will begin to develop your embouchure as your facial muscles begin to adopt to your personal style of blowing the horn. How cool is that….!!!

Sometime toward the end of the first year of lessons, you should know if you’re going to stay with the saxophone, if so, you you may want to think about a better quality saxophone. The $300 student horn has done its job and it’s now time to think about a better horn

Photograph by Joseph Squillante