Are you practicing your saxophone the right way?
I had a great conversation recently with an amazing (and legendary) saxophone player, Nelson Rangell.
I’ve been a fan of Nelson’s since he first started making albums for iconic jazz label GRP back in the 1980’s.
Back then he emerged as this incredible young player in the style of David Sanborn. His technique and sound is incredible on sax – plus he can do all that on flute too!
In this session Nelson shared some brilliant advice about how to approach practice so you can make the most progress on your saxophone, and prepare yourself better for playing live.
It’s all about your approach to playing sax.
Nelson and I were filming a Guest Session for Sax School where he was sharing tips and techniques that have made him so successful as a player.
Nelson also shared his approach to writing the songs and recording his latest album “By Light”.
One of the best pieces of advice that Nelson shared though was about how to approach your saxophone practice for maximum benefit.
Even though Nelson has an amazing technique, he still practices with repetition. However Nelson’s magic tip is to find the music in what you are playing.
“I’m always trying to play as musically as I can, and generally by day 3 I’m better than at day 1.
Nelson Rangell
Even if you are working on something at the edge of your ability, playing it musically will help you to get the most from your practice. Plus, it will help you be more prepared for a live performing situation.
Want to see more lessons like this?
As a Sax School Member you can view the entire Guest Session with Nelson Rangell. Plus, you’ll have access to over 600 other alto and tenor sax lessons, our amazing Student Pathways to help you progress faster, and the full range of Mini-Courses for beginner to advanced players.
Find out more and get started here.
Check out Nelson’s latest album “By Light” here: nelsonrangell.com