Imagine if you’d had Sax School when you first began learning to play.
Imagine joining Sax School as a beginner. All those lessons, all that support, all those step-by-step, replay-them-as-much-as-you-like video tutorials, all available the very first time you picked up the instrument. Imagine the difference it could have made.
Jerrid’s Story
Sax School member Jerrid Edington doesn’t have to imagine. When he recently celebrated a milestone birthday, he decided to step waaaay out of his comfort zone.
“I have ZERO background in music. But I began playing the tenor saxophone just under two months ago. At times I feel like I’m crazy for choosing to pick it up at the vintage age of 50, but when I hit one note just right, it makes it all worth the time and effort.”
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Finding Sax School as a Beginner
But where do you turn when you don’t know where to start? Jerrid went where we all do these days – YouTube. “I came across some of Nigel’s videos. And I particularly liked the way he really broke it down and simplified the lessons.” Jerrid checked out Sax School and signed right up. “Plus I can go on the site and find a lesson in pretty much anything I’m looking for. I consider it one stop shopping.”
Jerrid knows that even with Sax School at his side, learning to play will take time. “I have a saying, “Slow is steady, and steady is fast.”
Luckily for Jerrid, there’s everything he needs in Sax School as a beginner player. “I’m sure I am like any beginner saxophone player – I just want to pick up the horn and play music. I have to remind myself that I need a strong foundation before I can continue to grow in playing music. Right now, I’m really concentrating on learning how to properly tongue. I’m learning to read music. Playing by ear has proved to be very difficult for me. I would love to be able to listen to a piece of music and be able to play it.” (Note from Nigel: “Keep with it, Jerrid. You’ll get there!”)
Movie Inspiration
It was a scene from a classic 80s movie that kickstarted Jerrid’s passion. “The sax player in Eddie and the Cruisers really sparked my interest. The solo he [Michael Antunes] played “On the Dark Side” was jaw dropping.”
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If like Jerrid, you’re into this style, check out out this lesson on Clarence Clemons’ Edge of Glory solo.
Saxophone Stress Buster
Research shows that learning something new is an effective way to deal with stress, something Jerrid knows a lot about. “I’m an Emergency Room Nurse. My shifts can be so physically and mentally exhausting. When I come home, I pick up my sax and it helps me clear my head. Mental health in medicine is paramount, so rather than do what a lot of people I know do – go home and crack open a bottle of their favorite alcohol – I play my sax. I would like to be good enough to play with others, and maybe even join a band.”
Starting the sax at 50 is exactly the kind of challenge Jerrid is drawn to. “I spent 24 years as a paramedic, became a published author of four medical fiction thrillers, played 10 years of semi-pro football, and now working as an ER nurse. I’m looking at this as a challenge that I will succeed at. Right now, I’m playing simply for the sheer enjoyment.”
The best start on sax
If you’re starting out on saxophone like Jerrid, and you want to best online lessons right out the gate, try Sax School. We’ve got over a thousand lessons, courses and masterclasses from your very first notes to advanced tactics like altissimo and improvising. Plus our pro tutor team is there to support you.