Saxophone Resolutions

‘Tis the season to make New Years Resolutions.  And be jolly – don’t forget to be jolly.

You know the deal – lose weight, do more exercise, give up eating pizza for breakfast, learn seventeen new languages, spend more time with people you love, stop brushing your teeth with beer, etc, etc.

But what about your musical New Years Resolutions ?

How is your saxophone going to feature in all of your hopes and dreams for next year ?

A saxophone is for life, not just for Christmas.

The problem with New Years Resolutions is that they start of well….and usually they are are a great idea.

But then, by about January 2nd or thereabouts, they start to become difficult and then everyone just wanders off and tries to avoid eye contact.

The problem with musical instruments – and learning how to play the saxophone in particular – is that you need to make a deliberate and consistent effort over a longer period of time.  Certainly more than 48 hours.

So, the key, therefore is to commit.

REALLY commit.

 

However, please make it easy for yourself !!

 

Don’t tell yourself that you WILL practice your saxophone for 19 hours each and every day for the next 364 days.  This will end in disappointment.

Perhaps set a more realistic goal – 5 minutes every day is VERY achievable !

15 minutes playing saxophone 5 days a week is even better.

It doesn’t matter on what days you play your saxophone.  Fit it in around your already busy schedule.

It doesn’t matter what time of day you play your saxophone.  Fit it in around your already busy schedule.

But, perhaps at least be a little considerate of your family, your room mates and your neighbours.  No-one really likes hearing a saxophone play a C Major scale – or even a cool rock song – at 5:30am…..

 

Practise vs Playing

The word “practise” sounds like a chore.  It sounds like something that you HAVE to do, rather than something that you WANT to do.  If you HAVE to do something, very quickly it becomes a hassle.  The voluntary component is removed and it is easy to just not do it.

The word “playing” sounds much more like fun and is much more enjoyable.  It has much better psychological undertones, which in turn means that you are more likely to continue, even if you don’t really feel like it at one particular moment in time.

Playing your saxophone is a much better idea than practising your saxophone !

The same could be said for the word “lesson” versus the word “session”.  I tell all of my in-person students that we have saxophone sessions, because saxophone lessons can often be considered to be tedious and boring…..even though they aren’t….

 

Tick it off as complete.

 

Every time you play your saxophone, mark it off on a calendar.

( This gives me a good idea….note to self: I might make a Practise Calendar for my Members…..)

Over time you will see how much you have actually done !  Very quickly this will turn into quite an impressive list of achievements indeed 🙂

 

Just Play Your Saxophone

 

It does not really matter what you play when you have one on one time with your saxophone.

Learn how to play the saxophone !

Yes, you should do a couple of quick scales.

Yes, you should slowly go over some finger exercises or some difficult passages in the songs that you are learning.

Yes, you should do some long notes, some slow notes, some high notes, some low notes.

BUT – please just play.

If your saxophone is in your mouth and you are making a noise with it, then you will very soon become the rock star and saxophone sensation that you truly deserve and correctly want to be.

It doesn’t matter – in the global scheme of things – what you play.  As long as you just play.

 

Have fun, play saxophone, be awesome, repeat !

 

I want to encourage you with your saxophone playing.  Let me help you, either here in the comments below or inside the Members Area Forums !

If you have any comments, questions, queries, concerns or just want to chat about saxophones and saxophone playing, then please let me know 🙂

 

Thanks,

Matthew

P.S.  If you would like simple step by step instructions to help you learn how to play the saxophone, all neatly organised in the one convenient location, all provided by an experienced saxophone teacher who can help you to play the music that YOU want to play quickly and easily, then check out our saxophone lessons membership options.  Get started on your saxophone journey today !

 

Remember – I can help you learn How To Play The Sax 🙂

 

YES – I want to Have Fun, Play Sax, Be Awesome and Repeat !

 

Save Time.  Save Money.  Save Travelling.  Save Effort.
Play the classic rock and soul songs that YOU want to play on your saxophone, quickly and easily.

Learn saxophone when and where it suits YOU.  If you want to learn how to play the saxophone then visit:
https://howtoplaythesax.com/saxophone-lessons/ and get started right now.

 

Saxophone Lessons at HowToPlayTheSax.com

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