Month 1 vs Month 12: Tracking My Saxophone Skills in My First Year

Selecting My First Saxophone as a Beginner

As an absolute beginner, I had a lot to learn when it came to picking my first sax. I didn’t even know the differences between the alto and tenor saxophones or which brands were the best for novices. Here is an overview of my saxophone selection process:

• Researching Brands and Models: I read forums and articles discussing the best saxophones for beginners. Brands like Yamaha, Jupiter, and Selmer were highly recommended for their quality and ease of play. I made a list of potential models to try.
• Trying Different Saxophones: I went to 3 music stores and spent over 2 hours testing different saxophones in my price range. This helped me get a feel for things like ergonomics, key placement, tone, and comfort.
• Alto vs. Tenor Sax: The deeper, jazzier tone of the tenor appealed to me. But the smaller size and keys of the alto felt more comfortable as a starter instrument. I opted for the alto, knowing I could eventually add a tenor.
• Settling on the Yamaha YAS-280: This model kept coming up as an affordable option for beginners. After trying it, I loved the intonation, key action, and rich tone. Plus it came with great beginner resources to help supplement my learning.

Learning the Basics in Month 1

That first month with my saxophone was filled with excitement, frustration, small wins, and lots of squeaks. Learning embouchure control and the coordination to press keys while properly supporting my tone was extremely challenging. Here are my beginner milestones:

• Assembling the Sax: I first had to learn how to properly assemble the neck, mouthpiece, ligature, and body of the instrument. The number of parts was surprising!
• Producing My First Sounds: After assembling the horn, I looked up fingering charts online for a simple scale. Those first squeaky notes were rough, but I was thrilled to make any sound come out.
• Embouchure and Breath Control: Shaping my mouth correctly over the reed and controlling my breathing took weeks to figure out. This was easily my biggest hurdle as an absolute beginner.
• Importance of Daily Practice: Some days my lips, tongue, and throat were so tired after practicing I could barely talk. I quickly learned short daily practice was better than marathon weekend sessions.
• My Beginner Practice Routine: I started with long tones and simple scales/songs for 15-30 minutes daily. This helped strengthen my embouchure and finger coordination.
• Learning Basic Fingering: Reading fingering charts while trying to coordinate pressing keys was the second hardest after embouchure. Lots of fumbling and funny sounds ensued.
• Easy Songs Like “Happy Birthday”: I felt such accomplishment finally playing basic tunes, even with lots of cracked notes. It was extremely motivating to see tangible musical progress.

Hitting a Wall During Months 3-6

After an initial honeymoon period with my saxophone, months three to six brought extreme frustration. I felt I had plateaued, and that all the work was yielding minimal improvements. These months tested my motivation, leading to some bad practice habits I later corrected:

• Common Beginner Frustrations: It felt like I was making no progress week-to-week. My repertoire of songs wasn’t expanding. I still struggled to play full songs without mistakes. It was demoralizing.
• Fighting Through Plateaus: I powered through by analyzing my weaknesses and targeting them with specific exercises. I also changed my practice routine to keep things interesting.
• Identifying Embouchure Issues: My teacher noticed my embouchure was not supporting tone consistently. We addressed tension issues and my bite.
• Correcting Bad Fingering Habits: Early on my finger coordination was sloppy, leading to muffled notes. Slow practice with a metronome corrected this.
• Adding Scales, Arpeggios, and Etudes: To build technical chops, I added Hanon exercises, major scales, and rhythmic etudes to my routine.

Seeing Noticeable Improvements in Month 8

In month 8 something seemed to click. My tone quality improved, I expanded my range, and I had much better finger dexterity and breath control. It was so motivating to feel tangible progress again. Here were the standout improvements:

• Clearer Articulation and Intonation: I had much better tongue control hitting crisp notes. Intonation also improved from ear training exercises.
• Expanding Range: Through months 6-8, I slowly expanded my range a few notes each week through careful practice.
• Better Breath Support: My phrasing got longer being able to sustain our melodies in one breath.
• Faster Technique: My finger coordination was noticeably faster, making tricky rhythmic passages easier to nail.
• Tackling More Advanced Songs: I learned sax classics like Baker Street and Take Five, as well as movie themes and pop songs.

Feeling Like a Real Saxophonist by Month 12

On my one-year anniversary, I am amazed looking back on how much I’ve accomplished. While I still have so much room to grow, I can now confidently say I feel like a real saxophonist. Here are the standout milestones from my first year:

• Performing Full Songs Flawlessly: I can now play advanced beginner pieces like Baker Street from memory without mistakes.
• Joining a Community Concert Band: I successfully auditioned for a local band for amateur adult musicians. This gives me accountability and the opportunity to perform.
• Simple Improvisation: I can now improvise basic solos over blues progressions and simpler chord changes thanks to music theory knowledge.
• Learning All Major and Minor Scales: Scales are now muscle memory after a year of diligent practice. This helps tremendously with the technical facilities.
• Achieving My Year One Goals: My first-year goals included learning 20 songs, being able to sight-read better, and joining a community band. I met all three goals!

Key Takeaways from My First Year Learning Saxophone

For those learning saxophone themselves or any new instrument, here are my biggest lessons and takeaways:

• Embrace Being a Beginner: Permit yourself to sound bad at first. Focus on measurable growth rather than comparing yourself to pros.
• Practice Consistently: Daily practice yields better results long-term than cramming several hours once a week. Make it a habit.
• Play What You Love: Don’t just run scales and etudes. Make practice fun by playing along to songs you enjoy.
• Invest in a Teacher: Getting professional instruction tailors guidance to your skill gaps. This prevents ingraining bad habits.
• Set Milestone Goals: Whether it’s learning a new song or nailing a technique, small wins keep motivation high.
• Be Patient: Progress happens slowly. Stick with it even when you feel you’ve plateaued. Breakthroughs happen in their own time.

I’m so glad I stuck with saxophone through the frustrations of months 3-6. My motivation was renewed coming out of that slump, and I plan to continue playing in my second year. I may even reward myself with a tenor sax addition to celebrate making it through year one!

What questions do you have about my first year learning saxophone? Share in the comments below!

Frequently Asked Questions

How did you choose your first saxophone?

I tried numerous brands and models at music stores before deciding on the Yamaha YAS-280 alto saxophone. It had great reviews as a starter instrument.

What was the hardest part of learning saxophone initially?

Getting my embouchure and breath control correctly shaped took weeks of daily practice. This was extremely frustrating until it finally clicked.

When did you start to see real improvements in your playing ability?

Around month 8, things came together through focused practice. My tone, range, and technique all improved noticeably.

What songs could you play after one year of practice?

I can now play full sax classics like Baker Street and Take Five from memory without mistakes. I also play pop songs and movie themes.

Did you take private sax lessons?

Yes, working with a sax teacher helped tailor guidance to my weaknesses and prevent bad habit formation early on.

What practice routine would you recommend for beginners?

15-30 minutes daily rather than marathon weekend sessions prevents fatigue. Mix scales, songs you enjoy, and technique builders.

What first-year achievement are you most proud of?

Successfully auditioning for and now playing in a local community concert band! This gives me accountability and performance opportunities.