night train

[jake]

That’s why I said we need to define what stage the learner is in. How long has she been playing? 1 year, 2 years? Her video was really good. I do consider Kevin a learner. This take I believe was his first go at a tune on the tenor sax. He himself said that and was experimenting with different things to try as he was changing up from his alto and was purposely trying to make it gritty.
One of the main purposes of posting our videos here is not to showcase what we can do! We are posting them so johnny and other members can watch, listen and give honest feedback and critique to help us all improve our playing abilities and techniques. We should all be able to learn from each other. I know when johnny gives pointers to other members videos, I can related them to my own and take what he is saying and apply them to my own learning. No one should be discouraged to post videos because they “sound crappy”. Recording is a whole other subject and that is not the point of posting videos here, the point is to help us improve.
In my opinion I don’t want a pat on the back and praise for every video. I want honest criticism that will ultimately help me improve if I apply what is being said. This works, I look at my past videos and can see improvement through advice given via this site. Sometimes feelings may get hurt if the critique isn’t sugar coated but I would rather have honest feedback.
I’m not sure of the mean age of the members, but it seems most of us are adult learners and have varying amounts of time to practice. I know I am busy working full time, raising a family, and so forth that I can’t give as much time as someone who is not as busy. I need this critique to be able to learn and effectively manage my time with practices as time is valuable to me.
I didn’t mean to come off as brash on the comparison of the 2 videos. I think 2 topics evolved from this discussion. 1, these are both videos from learners and 2, they are totally different in the form of music style. They are both great videos, I can’t say 1 is better than the other. I think they are both equally good but I would rather listen to Kevin’s based on my music tastes.
It would be interesting to know how long the girl has been playing. It its been a year, then wow, either I suck and am really slow at this or she has hours a day to practice. If its been 3 or 4 years, its a little more to be expected to be good. Before comparing and making a true assessment on basing a video on purely a learner, we need all the facts. Just my 2 cents.
So JB, post some videos, I know you have a teacher but posting will give help to you and other like myself. 🙂

[john]

I also copied the King Curtis version and have it as a free download in the music section.
you’ll see the entire melody including that break:

Saxophone Music

[Kevin]

Johnny, as a check to update what I had I download the printed music, but it showed the same blank 12 bar solo break at measure 37. I think I mis-understood your reply thinking you had added those solo notes from the KC video above the download links. My reply to Dazza was that I had notated that 12 bar solo for what I played on my upload. I’m thankful that is was left blank in your download since it prompted me to determine something to play. The notes I chose followed KC’s melody interpretation though I didn’t(couldn’t) do his version note for note, and his break is several measures longer than 12 bars not matching your backing track.
Thanks’s for having this song/back track on your site. It’s one I will get lots of enjoyment playing over and over…

[john]

ok sorry bout that, I was talking about the break at bar 25, not the solo break.

[Kevin]

James, your opinion about my playing level not being a “learner” is a gracious comment. Though a jury of our piers and pros would probably vote as a majority against that ranking. Being involved in some music participation for most of my life (I’m 57) has enabled me to have a pretty good foundation in- music reading, rhythm (basic and semi-complicated syncopated patterns), playing with other musicians, music theory, and hearing skills (playing by ear, though that is starting to digress with age & hearing loss). So to learn this new instrument for me, my learning was not burdened with those fundamentals, and also my fingers may learn the keys quicker because of having trained and drilled them to learn my previous instruments.
With regard to my development I have strived to establish a good tone, intonation, and playing the notes cleanly(starting/stopping, no wavering), and I wanted to get a good vibrato going. Long tones, tuner, and recording myself and then listening to someone I wanted to sound as good as was my focus, I’ll be the first to say I’m not to my goal in that regard, but maybe I’m 60-70% there, and my own “unique” sound/tone is beginning to take shape. High notes are my nemesis being too thin, but every now and then I hear something I’m pleased with, like playing golf and hitting one good drive out of 18, it gives you the hope that you will be able to do better next time,
That is about the extent of my learning. I don’t have all the scales/keys learned or memorized, I haven’t learned any altissimo notes(maybe 1- the first G) or overtones. I had just begun to learn how to do the “growl” 1-1/2 years ago, but haven’t used or practiced it enough since then to have it as something I can use at will in any given song. Still can’t do good glissando’s, nor fast triple tonging, and improvising is something I’ve always had a mental block with, and have not developed the skills and theory knowledge to have the ability for that to flow in a performance.
So with all the above left to learn, I could not see how anyone could consider my level of playing very advanced. My progress has flat-lined since Feb-2014. I’m starting to eek out 3 hours/week to practice, but I think I’ve finally got to the point I can let off on the gas with my long career hours and my goal is to be starting JF’s Altissimo lessons this September (I remember saying that this time last year). Gotta finish 2015 with something to show for it!

[Anonymous]

exactly Kevin – you’ve got years of musical experience (baggage) & you’ve just transfered it to playing another instrument (a sax) the young girl on the other hand has no musical baggage – thats why i consider more of a learner.

[jake]

After this Night Train discussion, I had to post one on the bari sax. Far from perfect but this site isn’t about perfection to me, just the learning and sharing process. LOL Got a couple squeaks but think they are due to my loose embrochure, still working on it. I haven’t played this bari much as I have been on my tenor but got hit up to record a couple songs with my bari so been playing away on it this weekend.

[Michael]

Pretty cool Jake–Bari Sax looks to be so much fun. I think if you put it in the Member’s Videos section then more members will see it. You make a great point about uploading is not about perfection…it’s about progress so that we can get to that point of perfection 🙂 What MP/reed/ligature set up are you using? Is this Bari a Selmer Bari?

[jake]

Yea I was gonna put it in members video section but since this night train discussion was kinda fresh just popped it in here. Kinda cool to see 1 song but 3 different saxes and different feel for each song.
Yea this is my selmer bari sax. It’s a low Bb. Woulda liked a low A but couldn’t pass up the deal I got on this sax. I am using a metal #7 mouthpiece that has no name. It has a baffle and looks similar to a berg on the inside. It has a lig built on the underside of the mp. I am using #2 Rico select reeds with this setup.

[john]

you’re getting it sorted out Jake, good goin. have a very close look at the main riff notes cause you have a wrong one in there somewhere…like in the 3rd bar of the first part and later when that same part repeats. there is a notacable timing thing and I think that when you get more comfortable with the tune you can focus more on the groove of the track and be more on with it. Nice barking on the lows and your high D etc is coming thru really nicely…I know how hard that range is for new bari players and your pitch is good up there.

Also guys, I think uploading to this forum works better than using the blog so you can keep doing it here in either the “Repertoire” or “Members saxophone Videos” sections of this blog.

Johnny

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