Another new member saying hello

Hi all. I'm retired and I began playing saxophone three weeks ago. I've been playing brass and guitar over the last few years after a long thirty-year or so hiatus. Then, a few weeks ago, I just began thinking about playing the saxophone again.

I went to Catholic school to grade five. Catholic school didn't offer a music program. We moved and when I entered the public school system in sixth grade, I was thrilled to find we had weekly music classes and we could join chorus and/or band and learn to play a musical instrument. My first choice was the saxophone. But when I went to the music room to join the band the music teacher told me, "Eric Swayne already has the saxophone. I need trumpet players!"

So trumpet it was. I threw myself into music.

Later, thanks to the grade school music program, I entered a high school for the arts where I benefitted from a very strong public school music education. We had daily music theory classes first year. Harmony second year. Music Appreciation third year. Fourth year focused on performance. It was like a mini-conservatory program along with high school.

I played multiple brass instruments and I used my music education to learn guitar and electric bass as well. It was the sixties and I was playing in adult bands in bars and clubs when I was fifteen years old.

I've been playing sax daily since January 29 (I haven't picked up any of my brass or guitars since.) I memorized the chromatic scale the first day and along with practicing the essentials I'm reading standards out of fake books just for fun. This is the best time I've had in years. Brass was torture. Saxophone is so much more of a sophisticated and seductive instrument. When I'm about to practice, I tell the wife, "I'm going to make out with my sax for a while."

Why did I wait until now? Why? Why did Eric Swayne beat me to the music room that day?

Life's mysteries. But it looks like I've finally solved this one. :)

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