{"id":64825,"date":"2026-07-12T10:01:05","date_gmt":"2026-07-12T10:01:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/saxophones.nz\/site\/?page_id=64825"},"modified":"2026-07-12T20:18:40","modified_gmt":"2026-07-12T20:18:40","slug":"suggested-practice-session","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/saxophones.nz\/site\/practice-studio\/suggested-practice-session\/","title":{"rendered":"Suggested Practice Session"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ensure you make the most of your time and reach your full potential with balanced study sessions that focus carefully on each area of study.<br>There are four suggested areas of study: Sound, Motor Skills, Music, and Ensemble Project.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\">1. Sound<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We focus on timbre, dynamic control, basic articulation, and intonation. We use a <strong>tuner<\/strong> to support this, which is available for free download on mobile phones. In this area, we work on the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Mouthpiece sounds.<\/strong> The objective is stability (continuity and intonation). <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Sounds produced with the neck.<\/strong> \n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Objective: clarity of sound. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Parameters: embouchure depth and lower lip tension. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Playing sustained notes with the instrument.<\/strong> The objective is to achieve dynamic control (volume), to producevsoft low notes and strong high notes. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Simple articulation exercises on a single note (rapid tongue attacks).<\/strong> <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Exercises with a tuner<\/strong> (deviation should not exceed 10 cents in each exercise). \n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Notes at a steady volume<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Crescendo\u2013decrescendo notes<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Octaves<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\">2. Motor Skills<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This area focuses on fine motor skills and the coordination of the fingers and tongue. A metronome is used to support all exercises in this area. The following speed increments are suggested:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>60, 63, 66, 69, 72, 76, 80, 84, 88, 92, 96, 100, 104, 108, 112 and 116 bpm.<\/strong><br><em>Level 1: one note per beat.<br>Level 2: two notes per beat.<br>Level 3: four notes per beat.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Technically challenging passages<\/strong> are drawn from scale exercises and the music to be performed.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Scale work:<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Major, minor (natural, harmonic and melodic), blues scales, etc.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Arpeggios<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Third exercises (in the case of minor scales, with harmonic variations).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\">3. Music Language<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We choose to study an instrument because we want to play music, and understanding the language, and applying that understanding to the intrument, is crucial. This area covers understanding and playing in different keys, chord progressions, and sight reading, and preparation for any performance opportunities that are not ensemble (covered in next section)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This area progressively includes personally selected repertoire:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Knowing scales, and be able to play in different keys.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Musical exercises or studies.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Solo pieces, optionally with piano accompainment.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Duets with the teacher<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Studiesin style and phrasing.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Improvisation<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Preparation for concerts and performances.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\">4. Ensemble Project<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Here, we include repertoire we&#8217;re playing in the group\/ensemble class.  This repertoire includes saxophone duets, trios, quartets, quintets, sextets and large saxophone ensembles (7+).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The previous sections feed the Ensemble Practice section of the practice session in the sense that Sound, Motor Skills and a good Music Language serve the Ensemble practice.  At the same time, the Ensemble Project feeds the other sections of the practice session, providing material to practice, such as, for example, a specific scale or how to approach a specific genre or style (Section 3), the need to polish a difficult passage (Section 2), or correct intonation issues (Section 1).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In the Ensemble space, you&#8217;ll learn some specific aspects of music-making that are not so easy to get only from individual lessons: teamwork, listening to all the other players at the same time you listen to yourself, learning when to take the lead and when to support others, and making agreements.  These are actually life skills that are greatly useful in other areas of life!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">AS this area of the practice session is the one you&#8217;ll allocate more time to, I strongly recommend listening to recordings and using the material provided in the Recordings section on this website to support your practice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How to organise the practice, and how much time?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">All of the practice areas outlined above should be covered in every session. The time devoted to each area will depend primarily on personal availability. However, as a suggestion, the time allocation for the three sections could be 1:2:3:4, respectively. For instance, if the session lasts 50 minutes, the Sound section could take five minutes, the Motor Skills section could take 10 minutes, the Music section could take 15 minutes, and the Ensemble Project section could take 20 minutes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">However, these proportions may vary according to individual needs. For instance, if there is a recognised need to substantially improve tone quality or intonation, it would be appropriate to allocate more time to the &#8216;Sound&#8217; section. Similarly, if you encounter difficulties with finger dexterity or articulation, you could adjust the ratio to 1:3:2:4 or 1:4:2:3. If you feel stressed at any time, you could opt for a ratio of 1:1:4:1, or simply play pieces you already know well to relax. The important thing is to be aware of the available options and the reasons behind our choices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When it comes to studying, consistency is key. It is better to study for half an hour every day than for five hours just once a week, even if the total time spent is less. This process involves cognitive, motor, muscular, auditory and emotional learning. Some of these require practice, repetition and time to develop.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Ensure you make the most of your time and reach your full potential with balanced study sessions that focus carefully [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":64775,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"pagelayer_contact_templates":[],"_pagelayer_content":"","site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-64825","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/saxophones.nz\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/64825","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/saxophones.nz\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/saxophones.nz\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/saxophones.nz\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/saxophones.nz\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=64825"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/saxophones.nz\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/64825\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":64829,"href":"https:\/\/saxophones.nz\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/64825\/revisions\/64829"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/saxophones.nz\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/64775"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/saxophones.nz\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=64825"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}