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You can practice difficult finger movements, let’s call them finger steps, on the saxophone just like you do with complex dance steps. Repeat a certain tricky sequence several times in a row. Start slowly, and gradually increase the pace. It’s more easy and more fun if you play it in a loop. If it goes […]

It’s helpful if you start with reading the first bars of a peace you are gonna play; and singing it a bit. You don’t have to sing beautifully, it’s mainly about puzzling out the rhythmic patterns without being distracted by also having to operate your instrument. Through singing, you already have the rhythm in your

An interesting phenomenon: the very first time you play a song, that you know by heart, is much easier than the second time. My explanation for this is, that the first time you are inclined to listen to the well known song in your head with great attention, but the second time you try to

You play best with a relaxed body posture. I often tell my students: ‘If your posture looks strange while playing, you are not playing relaxed’. You frequently see, for example, that someone is playing with his/her head slightly bent forward. This way you unnecessarily put stress on the neck; you also squeeze your throat a

The thumb rest on a saxophone is not intended to lift the instrument, but to keep your thumb in the right place. Lifting the sax with your thumb can lead to injuries on your thumb or arm. Your strap is there especially to carry the sax. With that right thumb, you can push the sax