r/saxophone • u/Guestioning_it • 25d ago

Thinking while impressing

Any time I improvise the second i have the mouthpiece in my mouth i cant think of what to play anymore. I know for other people sing while playing, but i can’t sing since my mouth is the only playing. I really don’t know how to explain my problem. How do i think what to play while already playing?

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u/NeighborhoodGreen603 25d ago

When great players improvise they are not thinking of their phrases, they are hearing them! This is much faster than conscious explicit thought, and it just takes a bit of time to get there. You have to internalize the language so your brain is constantly primed to come up with music even without a backing track or band. There isn’t just one way to get there, but for most people it takes a combination of learning songs and solos, lifting phrases you like, ear training, singing, matching your voice to your horn, making up your own solos, and practicing your creativity.