Saxophone teaching and learning comprise a diverse field. Every student is an individual, as is every teacher; study can be at any level from elementary to conservatoire or university; it can take place in one-to-one or group situations; and of course there are many different musical idioms to explore using the saxophone. It is difficult to imagine a ‘complete’ guide to teaching and learning the saxophone. However, I shall try to offer at least a personal view of what I consider to be some of the essential factors, common threads running through good teaching and learning at all levels.

Although there are a very few exceptional saxophonists who are truly self-taught, learning usually occurs through a process of interaction between students, teachers and institutions. The goals of this learning process are: the awakening and refining of the latent talent and musical imagination which is there to a greater or lesser extent in all saxophone students; the equipping of the student with the skills, techniques, judgement and experiences to draw upon in giving the imagination a voice, making communicative and accurate performances. These performances may be made by playing from written music, from memory or by ear, in as many of the different styles of music available to saxophonists as possible or desired.

Music is a complicated subject. It has physical, emotional and intellectual components, which all need to be addressed. There is a long continuum of levels of achievement; through the learning process the effort of the student, guided by the teacher possibly in the environment of an institution, is directed towards gradually improving the communicative range and technical standard of their playing.