Things to do · Arts and crafts
Learn to play the saxophone
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A first saxophone course gets you from embouchure and breath control to reading music, playing tunes in popular styles and improvising short phrases. Adult beginner bands in the US take people who have never played a band instrument and teach them to read music as they go.
Moderate£100 to £500 / $130 to $650MonthsIndoorsAlone or with othersUK and US
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What it's really like
City Lit's Saxophone 1A, an 11-week Saturday course in London, covers embouchure, breath control and tonguing, reading music for the saxophone, counting time, long notes, scales and studies, repertoire in popular styles and improvisation. It is the first of three modules that make up the first year, and the college suggests about 20 minutes' practice on at least four days a week.
You need your own instrument from the first week. City Lit asks for an alto or tenor saxophone, strength 2 reeds and a tutor book the tutor will recommend. Hiring is one way round the upfront cost; Dawkes Music's beginner alto rental comes with a mouthpiece, two reeds, a case, a cleaning swab, cork grease and a neck strap.
In the US, New Horizons bands are built for adults learning or relearning a band instrument. The University of Miami says its New Horizons Band is one of over 200 bands and orchestras in the New Horizons International Music Association. The Museum of Making Music's Beginning Band in Carlsbad, California, is designed for adults who have never learned a concert band instrument and teaches them to read music.
Ways in and what they cost
| Where | Format | Cost (as last listed) |
|---|---|---|
| City Lit, London | Saxophone 1A: 11 Saturday sessions of 90 minutes from 19 September 2026; no saxophone experience needed; bring your own alto or tenor | £229 |
| Morley College, London | Big Band Beginners: 12 Tuesday evenings of two hours from 15 September 2026; for players at about Grade 3-4 with little or no band experience | £285, or £215 concession |
| Museum of Making Music, Carlsbad, California | New Horizons Beginning Band: Wednesdays, 12 August to 9 December 2026; for adults who have never learned a band instrument; alto, tenor and baritone sax among the instruments | $125 for the session |
| Eastman Community Music School, Rochester, New York | New Horizons Green Band: Wednesday mornings for a year in two semesters; true beginners welcome; bring your own instrument | $210 a semester (2026-27) |
Dawkes Music listed its Yamaha YAS-280 alto saxophone rental at £35 a month including VAT, with a three-month minimum, maintenance and insurance included and a £50 excess for loss, theft or damage beyond repair.
How to start
- Book a beginners' class at an adult education college or a beginning band at a community music school; City Lit's Saxophone 1A needs no previous saxophone experience.
- Get an alto or tenor saxophone, bought or hired; City Lit does not recommend soprano or baritone for its beginners' course, and some music shops hire out a beginner alto by the month.
- Buy a box of reeds and the tutor book your teacher recommends, and plan on about 20 minutes' practice on at least four days a week.
Where to go
- City Lit: Saxophone 1A, for beginners (London) UK
- Morley College: Big Band Beginners, for saxophone and other players at Grade 3-4 (London) UK
- Museum of Making Music: New Horizons Beginning Band, fall 2026 (Carlsbad, California) US
- Eastman Community Music School: New Horizons Green Band for beginners (Rochester, New York) US
We opened these links on 8 November 2026 and found them to be what we say. Dates, places and prices are on the official page, where they stay up to date.
Plan this
Pick a day, or a month, and we will set out how to get ready, step by step, with a date and a reason for each. Courses and classes have start dates and can fill up, so the plan begins with finding and booking one. Kit comes after the first session, once you know what you need.
Questions people ask
Which saxophone should a beginner start on?
Alto or tenor. City Lit's beginners' course asks for one of these and does not recommend soprano or baritone.
Can I rent a saxophone instead of buying one?
Yes, from some music shops. Dawkes Music listed a beginner alto at £35 a month with a three-month minimum, and from month four half of each payment can be credited towards buying an instrument from them.
Do I need to read music to learn the saxophone?
No. City Lit's Saxophone 1A needs no previous saxophone experience and teaches music theory and reading as part of the course, and the Museum of Making Music's Beginning Band teaches students to read music.
How much should I practise the saxophone as a beginner?
City Lit suggests about 20 minutes on at least four days a week, using long notes, scales and studies.
Where this comes from: City Lit, Saxophone 1A (ME611A); Morley College, Big Band Beginners (W26JPMA02A); Dawkes Music, Rent an alto saxophone; Museum of Making Music, New Horizons Fall Band Session 2026; Eastman Community Music School, New Horizons Green Band; University of Miami Frost School of Music, New Horizons Band; Daily Herald, Prospect Heights retiree finds meaning in making music (1 March 2017). Opened 8 November 2026.
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