Learning Alto Saxophone

I took up the Sax in 2019 with the intention of finding a tutor. Then the pandemic hit and another self-learning learning approach was instead adopted.

I barely learnt at all during 2021 due to ‘trigger-thumb’ health issues but got back on track in Autumn 2022.  My aim is to be able to add fills and maybe a bridge (middle-eight) to my original music. I have no intention of playing live.

My main sax learning resource is Peter Gelling’s Learn to Play Saxophone book supplemented with Loane & Ducket’s Team Woodwind book.

I hadn’t planned on learning Sax maintenance but a faulty neck cork needed replacing so I learnt some associated skills!

Practice

I often use the traditional Ghanaian folk song ‘Senua De Dende’ as a warm up piece when practicing the Sax.

I encountered the song whilst singing with the HCS Voices choir.