that’s interesting.

in Jazz, i can pick a random music sheet and play any phrase and my Pro tells me that’s correct. Yet when i listen to the recorded sax player from the backing track, he play’s it differently. Different artists play the same phrase differently in their own style.

Now if i’m the only sax player playing along to the backing track or if i’m the only sax player in a band – then i can play the phrase in my own style.

However, if i’m playing in a band with other sax players, other sax players may play the same phrase different to me – to avoid confusion, everyone usually agrees to play the phrase in the same identical way.

If you want to play the sax identical to the recorded sax player, depending on the complexity of the song, that music sheet can get very very complicated beyond the reach of players with less than 8-10 yrs playing experience. Some jazz phrasing, there’s no musical notation to describe how to play the phrasing exactly, it’s usually accompanied with a lot of written explanation of how to play it.

I can understand your frustration, it sometimes easier to slow the sax playing backing track down to 40bpm and listen to how each phrase is played and mimic it.

In my lessons with a Pro, i say to the Pro “i want to play the phrase just like the recorded sax player plays it” – this usually ends up with the Pro breaking the phrase down into smaller chunks and getting me to copy what he’s doing.

From day one, jazz players do the ‘Call’ and ‘Answer’ practice where they practice two options, 1 – repeat what they heard or 2 – play something different. So further down the line (years later) they get good at copying what they hear in a recorded sax players backing track, without relying too much on what they see in the music sheet.

Some tunes are very complex, take Chopin piano music – the music sheet has all the correct notes, but can i play any of Chopin’s music on the piano from a music sheet – not unless i spend the next 10 yrs working through all 8 music grades. much easier to learn a chopin piano piece by listening to it in chunks and play it back by ear.

Sax music is no different.

There are many play along versions of songs like are describing on you tube. They are not Johnny quality as they seem midi based but the notes play and a bar follows along while the note is played. There are various tunes out there. just search sax play along. just indicate alto or tenor for you preferred key.