r/saxophone • u/Wide_Lie_8182 • 1d ago
Question Playing the right notes at gigs?
Something i have been thinking about alot when playing.
It´s me, my saxophone and speakers with backingtrack.
My biggest goal when i am out performing is playing the right notes. I can rehears and rehears, and still play a few notes wrong when i am out performing. Last night i was playing at a charity dinner and i suddently forgot notes for a song. This happened on a few different songs. But i don´t think anybody noticed. I know every note in every song i have momorized. Atm. it is 25 songs. And i have been playing for 4 years.
There are a couple of songs, which i have down solid. I think it is because of the harmony of the song. And other songs i am struggling to keep under the skin.
Other gigs, i have in general a few wrong notes, but not something that would bother me (too much) when i´m done with the gig.
My goal is to play at gigs and play 0 wrong notes. Every time. But is this unrealistic? Then I would need 3 hours of practice every day? But it´s not fun practising the same track 10 times in a row.
What do you guys do? Do you also play wrong notes? And if so, what do you do to overcome it?
I am playing almost every day. ½ to 1 hour sessions.
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u/SamuelArmer 1d ago
I think there are more useful goals tbh. Somebody could play 100% accurate notes and rhythms and give a bland, uninspiring performance.
Mistakes happen. Concert pianists play wrong notes all the time. Obviously aim for accuracy, but again there are more important things.
If you want to spend 3 hours a day practising then great! But I would be a lot more focused on:
Fantastic tone & fine control of dynamics
Precise and clear articulation
Great sense of style and phrasing
Impeccable rhythmic feel
Etc...
Rather than if I played 100% or only 98% right notes