8 Ways to Practice Saxophone QUIETLY

Wow l can't believe you just said "practice in your head". I thought l was the only nut job who advocated that. I honestly go through life with a constant backing track running in my head. Dreaming up imaginary improvisation lines. I have at least one toe tapping 16hrs a day. Hell, maybe 24 as far as l know! It's possible because some of the biggest leaps forward I've ever made happened in my sleep. I just wake up and realize that suddenly a lot more pieces fit in my puzzle.

My daughter is a book narrator. She made her own booth using PVC pipe, sound proof foam and quilt blankets. She also decorated with lights ect. It works really well. It keeps the sound in and the outside sounds out. And it wasn't expensive.

The method I use for an alternative to a dedicated room is stand facing into our bedroom closet full of clothes, playing into the clothes w/the bedroom door closed and a heavy blanket/quilt over the back of the bedroom door. For outside practice, weather permitting, I go to my back yard and play directly into the trunk of a large tree. This reflects my sound quality, dynamics, etc. directly back to me and is not lost out into open air. My geese wander around close by and don't mind at all and my goat actually lays at my feet while I'm playing. Thanks again for your videos, Jay.

I would love to hear your thought on practicing in your head. Techniques, experiences, and so on. Thanks a lot for this channel! Its an inspiration!

Thanks Jay - sharing with my students. I always appreciate your content. Keep it comin'! Peace be with you!

Always enlightened to listen on how to help us Saxy players!! I play the tenor not sure if it will fit in my car but once it gets warmer going to parks and woods. Just started in August last year.

been wanting to hear your sound while not mic’d up and you sound just as good if not better, great content Jay🤝

Thanks so much for this video. It was really helpful just like your other videos🙏💯

I love hearing you riff It’s so satisfying to listen to you play!! 😊

The problem is annoying the neighbours, I solved this by saying to my neighbours I will play only in the afternoon (because most neighbours are out then) for I hour max and stick to it, this means the neighbours know it will not go on forever and a plus is that it means I have to practice a disciplined I hour and not just play around, the discipline has led to better playing. I also told them to ring me if they want me to stop for whatever reason (somebody may be ill or have a headache). Giving the neighbours the power and choice to stop it whenever they want takes away the annoyance factor. No neighbour has ever rung me to ask me to stop.

Great video, Jay. Such an important subject, especially for young players. It can be the difference between playing and not playing.

Great video Jay! I’ve started a list of all the things I can be working on without the Sax in my hands so would love to hear more about how you practice in your head!

This really helped!

Brilliant video, Jay. Thanks. I also practice in my head; find if I read a score whilst listening to a great solo I can almost feel it under my fingers. It really has helped!

Cool Video! I used to practice in the car in South London 30 years ago. I think I might try it again today as I am picking my Sax up from the repairer and going straight to a gig!

Thanks for addressing this pragmatic issue. I know the noise kept me from practicing as much as I should have as a kid.

Thanks for the much appreciated insights, and a thumbs up please for mental practice in the head, I've used it for guitar and keyboards and a bit for sax and it worked great though I did find it harder for the sax

You Four upped me with amount of methods Jay :D Great Video. Thanks.

I would love to see a video explaining how you practice in your head. I’m always playing tunes in my head or humming them but if I could connect this to my sax that would be great. Thanks for your video Jay. I always take something from your videos.

Thanks Jay! Yes this has always been a problem. I also started off practicing in the car. Another useful way I found, is to be play into a closet full of clothes or just against a pillow, but the biggest problem still, is to practice altissimo and high notes!