Five Tips for a Successful Performance

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Getting Started

Every performance opportunity is unique, but some performance concepts are the building blocks of success, regardless of the situation.

These tips will help you and your bandmates have a great performance in front of any audience.

1) Be ok with “new”

You might not get time in a performance venue until right before the performance.

Or the location might change from indoors to outdoors (or vice versa) at the last minute.

One of the best ways to combat this is to practice in non-standard conditions. Practice in a new space at least once a week.

Better still, invite some friends to critique you playing in a space you’ve never been in before.

2) Always make a beautiful sound

I don’t understand why so many young saxophonists today focus first on making ugly sounds. They want to growl, they want the rock sax “wheeze,” or to slap tongue so hard you can see pink coming out of their bell. Make a beautiful sound your default. Other sounds are effects, and when used VERY sparingly are quite… effective. Ears tire quickly if your effects become your everyday style.

3) Play the way you play

Similar to the last point, I know too many young saxophonists who try to change the way they play to cater to what they think their audience will expect. To borrow one of my favorite quotes, “Ain’t nobody can do you like you.” Embrace your own sound and technique. Don’t go out of your depth in a performance until you have spent adequate time in the woodshed. Focus on executing what you know you can execute, and execute it exceptionally well.

4) Prepare by practicing for people you respect

Nothing prepares you better than working with a small group of people who will be brutally honest with you about your performance. Before I perform, I like to play through any solo material for 2 or 3 people whose musical tastes I truly respect. It doesn’t matter if they play a different instrument, they can still critique you on your sound. Find these people, play for them often, and then choose what to work on based on their feedback. You will grow faster than you ever dreamed.

5) Show your artistic depth

Take risks. Do more than just play notes on a page. You are better than a robot, so show it. Audiences love musical risk-taking.

Be willing to push that crescendo, accelerando that phrase, drive back to tonic.

Do whatever moves you, and you will move your audience.

About Sax Rhino

Sax Rhino is the bareknuckled, sassy brainchild of Chance Varner and Ken Moorhead.

We’re venturing bravely into the Sheet Music as a Service (SMaaS) jungle to make buying and selling sheet music better for you: music educators, performers, and composers alike.

We’re a little wacky, a lot different, and proud to be Sax Rhino.

Free Offer!

We’re offering a free quartet for download on our site.

Just go to saxrhino.com/free and fill out the form to get yours.

Thanks!

Chance & Ken