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By Mark Morley-Fletcher / Best Saxophone Tips and Techniques / Jazz Improvisation, Live
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Why you should stop practising now (and what to do instead) » Best. Saxophone. Website. Ever. 4/7/19, 8)06 PM
Saxophone Technique Get out there and play music now
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For most musicians, whatever level you’re at, the key to rapid progress
Transcriptions is to get out there and make some sort of music in the real world
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Yes, you need some other elements in there too. It should make up
part of a learning cycle that includes reflection and practice as well.
But the trap that I see most musicians fall into is that they get suck in
the practice room far too much. It’s a totally natural and
understandable habit to fall into. But it’s not helpful.
You need to get out there.
Even though it feels like you’re not ready.
Even though it feels like so many other musicians are way ahead of
you.
It might feel as though the practice room is your ticket to reaching that
level where you’re finally satisfied with your performance. Actually,
spending too much of your playing time there could be what’s holding
you back.
It’s easy to lose sight of the big picture in the practice room
Pulling phrases and concepts apart and focusing on the detail has
some huge advantages, but it can also distort your thinking. When you
spend a stretch of time entirely in a practice mindset then this starts to
shape your perception of things.
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Imperfections seem much bigger than they really are.
Exercises that will only make a minor improvement to your playing

start to feel vital once you’ve invested a chunk of time in them.
Getting out and playing in the real world gives you immediate
feedback on what’s working well enough. It brings into focus which are
the really important things and what’s just nice to have.
It provides an uncomfortable reminder about those crucial

fundamentals that you don’t know quite as well as you should. When
it’s just you and the practice room you can conveniently pretend
they’re not a big deal but getting out there for real brings just how
important they are into sharp focus.
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RECENT COMMENTS
It also gets you playing with and listening to other musicians – a great
Larry Weintraub on How Did “Licks” Become a Four
way to develop your language and interaction skills. This can also be an Letter Word?
invaluable source of inspiration and motivation.
Jamie Dech on The Reason “Licks” Became a Four Letter
Word
In short, when you base yourself mainly in the practice room, you don’t
Jamie Dech on How Did “Licks” Become a Four Letter
get the right feedback and you don’t get it frequently enough. It’s hard
Word?
to get a clear view of which are the top priorities which will REALLY
improve your playing if you work on them. Eddy Bourjolly on A Killer 12-Key Workout Using
Coltrane’s “Countdown” Transcription
The musicians who make the fastest progress do so not because they Martin on Is it Worth Buying a “Pro” Model Saxophone?
work harder than everyone else, but because they’re laser-focused on – Part I
working on the RIGHT things.
Repeatedly exposing yourself to real-world conditions, especially ones

you don’t feel quite ready for, lets you check your bearings and course
correct. When you dive back into practice again you can be sure you’re
aiming in the most productive direction.
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It can feel uncomfortable, and it might not be the most enjoyable

thing for you right now. But, boy, does it get results.
So that’s easy, right? Just get out there and do it.
Ok – not necessarily so easy.
If you’re like most people, then you can accept the theory behind
putting yourself out there when you don’t feel ready, but you still find
it daunting in practice. Here are a few quick tweaks you can make to
your mindset that should make it a bit more approachable and
enjoyable.
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But I’m not ready yet!
It’s easy to think that there’s some level you’ve got to reach before
you’re ready. But the truth is that there’s always further to go.
If you don’t feel ready yet then you’re in good company – no serious
musician ever gets to the point where they feel they’ve finished. For
example, Stan Getz is reported to have said on his fiftieth birthday, “I
think I’m finally learning how to play the saxophone.”
In fact, the more you learn and the more progress you make, the more
possibilities for further progress open up in front of you. See this desire
to keep reaching higher levels as proof of your dedication to achieving
musical excellence, but don’t let it stop you performing.
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Put the need to be “ready” when you perform to one side, and view
getting out there and playing as an essential part of the journey
instead.
Your judgement in the moment is flawed
It’s easy to be up there on stage, feel that you’re not playing well, and
think that’s all there is to it.
But did you know that your own judgement is extremely unreliable in
that situation?
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It takes a huge amount of your brain power to play music. The physical
movements required to play the saxophone are complex enough, but
then you have to add in more. The need to keep making these
movements in the right order and at the correct tempo. To sync up
with the other musicians. To remember or sight-read the music itself.
It turns out there simply isn’t enough bandwidth left over in your brain
to listen properly to what you’re playing at the same time.
It feels like you get an accurate picture of what’s going on but that’s not
the case at all. If you’ve ever listened back to a recording of a
performance later and discovered that it was actually much better (or
worse) than you remembered, then you’ll know what I mean.
Although this can go either way, it tends to leave you feeling that
things are worse than they really are. We’re programmed to notice bad
things more than we notice good ones. And you forget that the
listeners will be hearing your playing with fresh ears. You may think
you’re being uncreative and uninspired because you’re repeating the
same ideas that you always play, but it sounds new to them.
This is not just an occasional glitch – this is normal. Once you

understand and accept this, you can get on with just playing and
ignore (for the moment) any thoughts as to how good or bad that
playing is.
That judgement is totally unreliable.
You don’t give yourself enough credit for what you can
already do
It’s very easy to forget the long hours that went into acquiring all the
skills that you now take for granted.
Your brain tends to make judgements by looking for the first example
to hand and then assuming that this is a good overview.
In the case of musical skills, the first example that your brain finds is
almost always how it feels to do then skill now.
This means you rate skills that you can already do as much easier than
they really are. You forget the hard work that went into developing
them and just notice that they feel easy and natural now.
And you also rate skills that you CAN’T do yet as harder than they
really are. You just notice that they feel difficult and unnatural now and
ignore the fact that they would feel easy to you if you’d practiced them
enough.
Be assured that the people listening to you (including musicians) will

rate your abilities higher than you do yourself.
And that musicians who you think are on a higher level will rate their
own abilities lower than you do.
Moving forward
I know it can feel difficult and uncomfortable to put yourself out there
before you feel ready.
The great musicians got to such a high level, though, precisely because
they were willing to take the uncomfortable steps. To do the things
that others don’t want to.
If you can drop the comfort blanket of always wanting to get things
perfect in practice. Of learning just one more thing before you’re ready
to put yourself out there. Then you put yourself in a position to get the
vital feedback that can catapult your playing forwards.
And the more you do this, the easier it gets to do those uncomfortable
things. And as you see the results you’ll find it easier to resist the need
to practice every enticing new exercise.
You can just get out there and play music instead.
Are you out there playing music as often as you should be? Is
there something holding you back from doing this? Let me
know in the comments below.
Your mindset and mental skills are some of the key aspects which
determine how well you play. But, if you’re like most musicians,
then you’re way behind in this area compared to where you are with
technique and theory.
What we’ve covered here gives you a place to start, but it only really
scratches the surface. Explore the articles at
https://playinthezone.com to find exercises that will take you
further. There’s even more material and guidance available if you
sign up for the free email lessons.And if you really want to go deep,
then I’ve got a course launching shortly that guides you through my
complete system. Find out more at
https://playinthezone.com/unlock-your-performance/ (and make
sure you sign up to be notified when it goes live so that you don’t
miss out on your chance to grab the limited-time launch bonuses).
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Mark Morley-Fletcher
I’m a jazz guitarist and educator who specializes in training the
mental skills that produce outstanding, enjoyable performances.
When I’m not on the tennis court honing my ability to raise my
game under pressure, or out exploring the beautiful Scottish
countryside, I help musicians tame performance anxiety and play
to their full potential when it counts. I believe that your hard work in the practice room
deserves to lead to consistently great performances – visit https://playinthezone.com
to discover all the resources that I’ve put together to help you.
→ Mark Morley-Fletcher
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13 Comments
REPLY
Anne
AUGUST 9, 2018 @ 1:11 PM
Thanks, this is very timely for me. I’m playing at a Jazz and Blues
festival tonight, with a song I learned last night. Just going to get out
there. I am learning not to be such a harsh critic of myself by taking on
board audience appreciation.
REPLY
AUGUST 9, 2018 @ 2:28 PM
That’s great, Anne! Awesome that you’re getting out there
and playing.
I know the feeling of being your own harshest critic well –

I used to beat myself up about the most unimportant
things. I get so much more out of music now that I’ve
made a conscious effort to address that.
REPLY
Hans
AUGUST 10, 2018 @ 9:08 AM
That’s a great read Mark. It’s exactly what I did. Started learning the sax
at 61. Three years of lessons then threw myslelf into the deep end.
Started going to all the jams I could, l played in a Blues band for 12
months in my 5th year doing regular gigs and have not looked back.
Best thing I ever did. Is just get out there and do it. It tasught me so
much and now I am comfortable sitting in with any band. Playing with
other musicians in a band eviormrnt with an audience has been
invaluable and made me a better musician.
REPLY
AUGUST 10, 2018 @ 12:53 PM
Glad you enjoyed it, Hans.
And thanks for sharing your story. Hopefully it will inspire

others to get out there and do likewise!
REPLY
George H White III
SEPTEMBER 1, 2018 @ 6:28 PM
I have been striving to “get out of the basement”, however, in my area

(New Castle, DE) I can’t seem to find musicians/opportunities to play
with. There was an establishment which hosted open Mike nite, but
they went out of business. I would appreciate if you could offer some
suggestions.
Thank-you.
…peace & blessings…
REPLY
SEPTEMBER 2, 2018 @ 10:39 AM
Hi George,
As David has already said, finding other musicians to play

with is the way forward. Even if it’s only a rehearsal
situation rather than a full-on gig, you’ll find it’s very
different to just practising on your own. It doesn’t matter
if it’s a lineup that you’d ideally choose to perform with –
if you can find a musician or two who’s willing to give it a

go then your on your way (and people tend to be more
up for this sort of thing than you might imagine).
REPLY
David
As well as participating in club jam sessions, which can be very trying

and brief, find a bassist and a guitarist or pianist who are good players.
Befriend them and invite them to get together with you once in a
while or regularly in your practice room. If you’re serious and continue
practicing to overcome your shortcomings, it’s been my experience
that many of the good (and superb) players are willing to help you
along. Remember, they have also been beginners.
REPLY
Norman Walsh
Great article. I am what is known as a late bloomer.. I play tenor

saxophone. Because I am on a fixed income (I’m retired) and after
three years of private jazz improvisation study, I opted for group
sessions. Best decision I have ever made. Shocked and pleasantly
surprised at all the compliments I am getting on my sound and my
ability to make clear thematic or melodic statements. I may never get
into the Jazz Hall of Fame, but that does not matter. I am playing. Will
now be performing at a local neighborhood bar with my group.., Love
it and having fun.
REPLY
SEPTEMBER 2, 2018 @ 10:42 AM
Great attitude, Norman! I’m sure you’ll continue to move

forward in leaps and bounds. And clear melodic
statements are SO important (and overlooked by far too
many players).
REPLY
David
I forgot to mention the Aebersold collection of “play along” CDs.

They are an invaluable learning aid and include a vast aray of jazz
standards, bebop, latin, blues, etc., played at various tempos.
Ernie Watts uses them daily.
REPLY
Don
SEPTEMBER 2, 2018 @ 9:48 AM
Great Article. Expressed exactly where I am in my music journey. This
will get me off the dime and out of the basement. Thanks.
REPLY
Gene
OCTOBER 24, 2018 @ 1:14 PM
Mark
I feel like you wrote this article for me. I think i have learned more from
my Thursday night jams than I have from the hours of practice. And
every time I get up in from of an audience, out of my comfort zone, I
gain a little more confidence.
Cheers
REPLY
OCTOBER 25, 2018 @ 2:56 PM
Glad you liked it, Gene. Yes, it’s amazing what you can
learn from playing live that just doesn’t come up in the
practice room. And great attitude about consistently
getting a little bit out of your comfort zone – that’s how
you grow!
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TIPS AND TECHNIQUES GREAT PLAYERS PRODUCT REVIEWS RSS

Why you should stop practising now

Ear Training Like Sign Up to see what your friends like.

Great Recordings Of course, your email address is

Live Performance Sign me up! »

Saxophone Technique Get out there and play music now

You need to get out there.

Even though it feels like you’re not ready.

Imperfections seem much bigger than they really are.

Exercises that will only make a minor improvement to your playing

It provides an uncomfortable reminder about those crucial

working on the RIGHT things.

Repeatedly exposing yourself to real-world conditions, especially ones

It can feel uncomfortable, and it might not be the most enjoyable

So that’s easy, right? Just get out there and do it.

Ok – not necessarily so easy.

But I’m not ready yet!

Your judgement in the moment is flawed

This is not just an occasional glitch – this is normal. Once you

That judgement is totally unreliable.

Be assured that the people listening to you (including musicians) will

You might also like...

A Chat with Practicing Saxophone Alto saxophonist

IF YOU LIKED THIS ARTICLE, YOU'LL LOVE

Of course, your email address is 100% private, and you'll

Enter your email address

That’s great, Anne! Awesome that you’re getting out there

I know the feeling of being your own harshest critic well –

Glad you enjoyed it, Hans.

And thanks for sharing your story. Hopefully it will inspire

I have been striving to “get out of the basement”, however, in my area

As David has already said, finding other musicians to play

if you can find a musician or two who’s willing to give it a

As well as participating in club jam sessions, which can be very trying

Great article. I am what is known as a late bloomer.. I play tenor

Great attitude, Norman! I’m sure you’ll continue to move

I forgot to mention the Aebersold collection of “play along” CDs.

Great Article. Expressed exactly where I am in my music journey. This

© Best. Saxophone. Website. Ever. 2019

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