Practice assignments for October 14 2015:
David: Play long tones in high, middle and low ranges; start with loose corners and get gradually firmer. Try to play without tension. Keep the upper and lower teeth even; don’t thrust the jaw. When practising the pieces, try to stay aware of your embouchure. If you get a nice sound on a note, stop and play that note for a while and learn the feel of that note. Continue to practice scales and older pieces. Don’t play for more than about 30 minutes per day, until the proper muscles build up. You can (perhaps should) split the time into 15-minute segments.
Aidan: Before playing the piece, go through slowly and name each note on the page. Play slowly first. Take a few seconds to relax and think about how fast it will sound before you start. Be very careful to avoid closing your throat. Remember to push the sax away from your body slightly with your right thumb. Start every day with scales, and review older pieces. Limit playing to about 30 minutes a day for now.
Thanks, everyone…see you next week!
Bobby