So, I’ve been wanting to learn “Carol of the Bells” on my alto sax for a while now. It’s such a classic, and I figured it would be a fun challenge. Plus, who doesn’t love that tune around the holidays?
First things first, I needed to find some sheet music. I did a bit of digging online and found a few different versions. It turns out “Carol of the Bells,” or the “Ukrainian Bell Carol,” is a pretty old tune. It used to be a New Year’s chant, which is kind of cool, right?
After comparing a few options, I settled on a version that seemed pretty straightforward. I think I grabbed a PDF from some sheet music website or something. This one was specifically arranged for an easy alto saxophone, which is perfect because I’m no pro. I didn’t want to be wrestling with something too complicated. Also, I’m pretty sure it came with piano accompaniment, but I didn’t need to use it because I was just focusing on learning the alto sax part.
Next up, I warmed up my sax. I played some scales and long tones, just to get my fingers moving and my embouchure ready. It’s always good to warm up, you know? Helps prevent any weird squeaks or bad habits.
Now, for the actual learning part. I started by slowly going through the sheet music, note by note. I figured out the fingerings for each note. I already knew some basic notes on the alto saxophone like B, A, G, F, E, and D, so that was a good starting point. I took my time with this part, making sure I was getting the rhythm right too. “Carol of the Bells” has a pretty distinct rhythm, so I wanted to make sure I was nailing it.
Once I felt comfortable with the notes and rhythm, I started playing the piece in small sections. I repeated each section a few times until I could play it smoothly. Then, I started putting the sections together, gradually building up to the whole piece.
Practice Makes Perfect
- I spent a good chunk of time practicing this, not just in one sitting.
- I spread it out over a few days, playing a little bit each day.
- That way, I didn’t burn myself out, and I could really let the music sink in.
After a lot of practice, I could finally play the whole thing! It wasn’t perfect, of course, but I was pretty proud of myself. It’s a really satisfying feeling to learn a new piece of music, especially one as iconic as “Carol of the Bells.”
I even recorded myself playing it, just for fun. It’s always interesting to listen back and hear where I can improve. Plus, it’s a nice way to track my progress. I’m no Charlie Parker with his plastic Grafton saxophone, but I’m getting better with every song.
Anyway, that’s my little musical adventure with “Carol of the Bells.” It was a fun and rewarding experience. If you’re thinking about learning it on the alto sax, I say go for it! Just remember to be patient with yourself and enjoy the process. It is very easy!
