Ive been doing jazz all of high school and feel like a just cant improve and I just did my final jazz audition for MEA and didn't get into either of the A or B bands but a younger classmate and my close relative did . I feel like I waisted 3 years of practicing because I was aimless during all of it and struggling to motivate myself while practicing and because of that I suck at everything my tone sucks , my soloing sucks and my musicality is horrible when just a couple months ago I was playing decently I feel like Ive retained nothing that I learned and waisted my whole time and should just give up I don't know what to do so I guess I'm going to try here can any of you guys tell me what I should work on because as a musician I feel shallow

The chill in the air means it's time to get ready for the holidays. Time to revisit some of my arrangements before I reveal some new music. The music from the classic How The Grinch Stole Christmas lets out your bari player's mean, green side!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C8rfrzsSaiA&list=PLO1XErYfx_Njn_qmKwLM_Bey8D3vlBbSN

Hi everyone!

I'm interested in purchasing a bamboo saxophone from Erik the Flutemaker, but I'm having a hard time deciding between the Natural Alto Sax and the Natural Tenor Sax.

I'm a female with medium-sized hands, and I have a background in playing classical piano. I've always wanted to learn jazz, but I've found it challenging on the piano since I'm more used to classical music. I thought learning jazz on a different instrument might be a fun experience, and Erik's bamboo saxophones really caught my attention because they're so unique!

I'm leaning toward the Natural Tenor Sax because I love deep, warm, and relaxing sounds. However, I watched one of Erik's videos where he recommended the alto for people with smaller hands, so now I'm unsure which one to get.

Has anyone here played either of these instruments? I'd especially love to hear from other women with medium-sized hands who have tried the Natural Tenor Sax. Is the finger spacing comfortable? Does it require a lot of breath control compared to the alto?

I'd really appreciate any recommendations or personal experiences before I make my purchase. Thank you!

https://eriktheflutemaker.com/collections/bamboo-saxophones/products/tenor-bamboo-sax?utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio&fbclid=PAb21jcAU-RO5leHRuA2FlbQIxMQBwZG9mAnNydGMGYXBwX2lkDzU2NzA2NzM0MzM1MjQyNwABp-QutPtKEJgv4vEUGrKyVYX7zUzUDE3uf65X2AOtTTLbhnKB1YpXLjzWeX2v_aem_7Ju-ZX4DuJGEvjMD9_BQiA

Hey there, I don't know if this is the right sub for this kind of question, but a close friend of mine is taking saxophone lessons for quite the time now and is really getting into it (playing in a band and going to private gigs).

Do you have any suggestions for a practical gift he could appreciate or anything specific I should look into?