Saxophone Beginner - Have a Heart

by Master Sergeant Frank Davis, US Army (retired)
(Semmes, Alabama)

It's been 5 days since I began my journey into the world of the saxophone. Last week I picked up an alto sax from a nearby pawn shop and purchased a beginner music book at a downtown music store. Diving into the book I readily saw that the notes were relatively simple but making the sound with my sax was an entirely different thing. It really does take heart to create quality music with a saxophone. Well, I can say with a little pride that I've been able to play most of the notes on the regular scale with little inteference from the gremlins lurking around the mouthpiece. The wife even remarked that it sounds like musical notes..I don't even feel soreness in my lower lip like I experienced a couple of days ago. My pastor asked me last nite if I would like to play a solo on Sunday. I flatly refused to do that in leiu of my fledgling start to this journey. I have the heart..I just need a little more time in order to give our church audience a respectable song worthy to be called saxophone music. I can't wait til I am barking out expert advise to others. That will mean that I'm nearly there...Can ya dig it? Frank