How To Play Saxophone | Mike Potter | Activity https://www.howtoplaysaxophone.org/members/sax-daddy/activity/ Activity feed for Mike Potter. Tue, 26 May 2026 03:34:32 -0700 https://buddypress.org/?v=11.2.0 en-US 30 hourly 2 92579612ec01ac205f277c1dbf8e3375 Mike Potter replied to the topic Tequila! in the forum Your Video https://www.howtoplaysaxophone.org/forums/topic/tequila-5/#post-123416 Wed, 30 Oct 2024 01:40:35 -0700 Great playing Kris! I love playing this song live, always a crowd pleaser.

]]> 61b936384b7bf220727bf70373579aec Mike Potter started the topic Tune for my wife in the forum Recording Your Saxophone https://www.howtoplaysaxophone.org/forums/topic/tune-for-my-wife/ Thu, 28 Mar 2024 18:34:25 -0700 A little tune for my wife, she wanted something to dance slow to… found a pretty good backing track and sort of figured out the melody line.

]]> 37ad011131598df97dc2250bea0ea071 Mike Potter replied to the topic My collection 4 tenors 2 altos 1 soprano and 1 c melody at 117 yrs old in the forum Show Us Your Sax https://www.howtoplaysaxophone.org/forums/topic/my-collection-4-tenors-2-altos-1-soprano-and-1-c-melody-at-117-yrs-old/#post-121231 Thu, 28 Mar 2024 18:23:37 -0700 nice collection!!

]]> af3e30e238ee55b1858ed68f699017c3 Mike Potter replied to the topic Lovely Day in the forum Recording Your Saxophone https://www.howtoplaysaxophone.org/forums/topic/lovely-day/#post-120878 Wed, 06 Mar 2024 05:16:51 -0800 Thanks Jeff, Pete, Leo and Mel!

]]> 792b98cc7839dd90ad9f20c79df2ead0 Mike Potter started the topic Lovely Day in the forum Recording Your Saxophone https://www.howtoplaysaxophone.org/forums/topic/lovely-day/ Tue, 05 Mar 2024 04:39:36 -0800 Haven’t posted in a while, once Covid lockdowns ended I’ve been fortunate enough to be playing with a number of different bands in the last couple years. And putting together a photography business (at least trying to). I’m putting together a website and wanted to have a video with images and a nice music track. I decided on the song Lovel…[Read more]

]]> 1d9a997d9907129e9b09e1f148c2d268 Mike Potter started the topic A Marshmallow World in the forum Recording Your Saxophone https://www.howtoplaysaxophone.org/forums/topic/a-marshmallow-world/ Fri, 16 Dec 2022 03:35:46 -0800 Thanks for the great backing track John. Fun little holiday tune.

]]> de9380edf77905ebbffd09ffca577407 Mike Potter replied to the topic Boppin at the Hop in the forum Recording Your Saxophone https://www.howtoplaysaxophone.org/forums/topic/boppin-at-the-hop/#post-110444 Tue, 05 Apr 2022 16:13:21 -0700 Thanks folks! I love these classic Rock & Roll tunes! I’m playing in a new band that plays old classics and I’ll be incorporating a few of the tunes I’ve picked up here into the mix as instrumentals (give the singer a break). Glad things are finally getting more back to normal!

]]> 2174c66018e259d324bf33ad53d82750 Mike Potter started the topic Boppin at the Hop in the forum Recording Your Saxophone https://www.howtoplaysaxophone.org/forums/topic/boppin-at-the-hop/ Fri, 25 Mar 2022 02:38:31 -0700 A fun tune by one of my favorite sax players (Lee Allen), great backing track John!!! I was fortunate enough to see Lee play several times with the Blasters back in the 80’s. Always a great performer putting on an awesome show, he played tenor and a young Steve Berlin played Bari, they had a great sound and played some kick but rock and roll! I…[Read more]

]]> 0b4a406762a9e9fb2e59cccde965a6d9 Mike Potter replied to the topic Help me make it through the night in the forum Recording Your Saxophone https://www.howtoplaysaxophone.org/forums/topic/help-me-make-it-through-the-night-3/#post-110017 Sun, 13 Mar 2022 03:50:04 -0700 Nice Pete!!!

]]> 7a5da737228b9ba5eacf07f51d3c8504 Mike Potter started the topic Santa Claus is Coming to Town in the forum Recording Your Saxophone https://www.howtoplaysaxophone.org/forums/topic/santa-claus-is-coming-to-town/ Tue, 14 Dec 2021 04:57:04 -0800 My granddaughter came over, brought her alto and we recorded this tune as a duet (alto and tenor). She played the solo on her alto, this is the first time she’s ever played a solo that wasn’t written out. She’s a senior in high school and up to this point hasn’t played any jazz or R&R, just symphonic and marching band songs. I gave her some ti…[Read more]

]]> 07d6996623686fa9d22333e4f72f6d71 Mike Potter replied to the topic Pic from NAMM a few years back in the forum Share a Video https://www.howtoplaysaxophone.org/forums/topic/pic-from-namm-a-few-years-back/#post-108186 Tue, 07 Dec 2021 02:18:12 -0800 Yeah that show was a lot of fun, It’s amazing to just hang and listen to all the incredibly talented players. A talked a bit with Nadir a couple years back, super nice guy, he makes fantastic mouthpieces. I didn’t get a chance to meet you John, hopefully one day! As you said it’s not a good time for travel and hanging out in crowd…[Read more]

]]> 4ffa38693e2a832c07b25b5354d70bf4 Mike Potter started the topic Pic from NAMM a few years back in the forum Share a Video https://www.howtoplaysaxophone.org/forums/topic/pic-from-namm-a-few-years-back/ Sat, 04 Dec 2021 22:55:45 -0800 I thought the board members might enjoy this pic of John and Nadir at the NAMM show a few years ago.

John & Nadir

]]> fa4946c943b933d73a7d02000b2fa858 Mike Potter replied to the topic Greg Piccolo in the forum Share a Video https://www.howtoplaysaxophone.org/forums/topic/greg-piccolo/page/4/#post-106981 Tue, 12 Oct 2021 02:40:27 -0700 I’m on a road trip from So Cal to Eastern Idaho to visit family, I downloaded all three of the Colin James & the little big band albums, fantastic!!!

]]> 9a822af4f0dc7e064cd92b5a2075fb9b Mike Potter replied to the topic Greg Piccolo in the forum Share a Video https://www.howtoplaysaxophone.org/forums/topic/greg-piccolo/page/4/#post-106967 Mon, 11 Oct 2021 04:20:35 -0700 Yeah!!!

]]> a65943aa779e05ed3a014c73f495f40a Mike Potter replied to the topic A few clips from a gig last night! in the forum Your Video https://www.howtoplaysaxophone.org/forums/topic/a-few-clips-from-a-gig-last-night/#post-106401 Mon, 06 Sep 2021 04:27:23 -0700 thanks folks, it was fun, I was able to play the Bari I picked up last fall at a gig finally! Man that thing literally wore me out, I’m glad I only had to play it on half the songs! We only had a couple practices as a horn section before this gig, typically I’m the only horn in the band, the band leader wanted to bring in another sax and…[Read more]

]]> 9c8de86126598c1dbbcf32f4abfc70c9 Mike Potter started the topic A few clips from a gig last night! in the forum Your Video https://www.howtoplaysaxophone.org/forums/topic/a-few-clips-from-a-gig-last-night/ Sat, 04 Sep 2021 18:09:46 -0700 Had a gig last night, first one with this group since 2019. They play a mix of oldies but it’s all up beat and fun. We played the tune “Never Can Tell”, which I renamed “The Song that Doesn’t End” for the horn section… Good times. The clips are from friends who attended, hoping to get better video from the event staff who was supposedly…[Read more]

]]> fb40883530f395798e80906ed8c689c6 Mike Potter replied to the topic Noble "Thin Man" Watts in the forum Share a Video https://www.howtoplaysaxophone.org/forums/topic/noble-thin-man-watts/page/2/#post-106097 Mon, 23 Aug 2021 12:15:26 -0700 I discovered the thin man a few years ago, love his playing.

]]> 6914da92c347e925062132bc3b3c30a3 Mike Potter replied to the topic testing a stellar x2 vintage mic in the forum Recording Your Saxophone https://www.howtoplaysaxophone.org/forums/topic/testing-a-stellar-x2-vintage-mic/#post-105117 Wed, 30 Jun 2021 14:23:12 -0700 These are great mics at a very reasonable cost.

]]> de07f2c4092992eb5410a84c16c7e310 Mike Potter replied to the topic Johnny's Mic For The Backing Tracks in the forum General Questions https://www.howtoplaysaxophone.org/forums/topic/johnnys-mic-for-the-backing-tracks/#post-104711 Wed, 09 Jun 2021 06:00:16 -0700 If you’re looking for a very reasonably priced, large diaphragm condenser mic you might look at the Stellar X2 and/or X3. They’ve been compared with the Neumann U47 and are priced between $265 and $350 each.

]]> 86445f74b1aac419e04ebd48b93bbdb9 Mike Potter replied to the topic No F# Key Players in the forum General Questions https://www.howtoplaysaxophone.org/forums/topic/no-f-key-players/#post-104710 Wed, 09 Jun 2021 05:51:43 -0700 I have an F# key but I still use the left hand split F with the right hand Bb side key. It’s just easier. Both of them seem to sound pretty much the same.

]]> c35a8517cba83526778e6be04ce369cc Mike Potter started the topic First gig in over a year. in the forum Your Video https://www.howtoplaysaxophone.org/forums/topic/first-gig-in-over-a-year/ Sat, 17 Apr 2021 20:39:29 -0700 It was a huge blast getting to play live again. The last gig I played was Jan 20th of last year. We played at a local club, 25% capacity (just over 40 people), did two sets of original tunes. Messed up about half of them! We not practiced once before this gig, two weeks back. Not great but man it was nice getting to play again.…[Read more]

]]> 4454cfdd2967f844f67a3bd5b7b65e4b Mike Potter replied to the topic Alto version Wicked Game in the forum Your Video https://www.howtoplaysaxophone.org/forums/topic/alto-version-wicked-game/#post-103362 Sat, 17 Apr 2021 20:35:42 -0700 Yes! Even better when you face the camera!

]]> 7e15effbc09dce6a2bbeba37beb88253 Mike Potter replied to the topic Ooo Baby Baby in the forum Your Video https://www.howtoplaysaxophone.org/forums/topic/ooo-baby-baby/#post-103361 Sat, 17 Apr 2021 20:34:23 -0700 Sounds great Leo!!

]]> 324de6c004bdf936d506f3cde97c7c17 Mike Potter started the topic Cold Shot in the forum Recording Your Saxophone https://www.howtoplaysaxophone.org/forums/topic/cold-shot-2/ Sat, 20 Mar 2021 15:37:05 -0700 I got my first Covid vaccine shot yesterday, thought this would be a good song to play along with to commemorate the event!

Love the backing track John!

https://soundcloud.app.goo.gl/MPnB5wqzTG1VwEmE7

]]> cc36f569c2e326eda4204ef18914bf01 Mike Potter replied to the topic Soul Serenade in the forum Recording Your Saxophone https://www.howtoplaysaxophone.org/forums/topic/soul-serenade-2/#post-102672 Thu, 18 Mar 2021 03:16:43 -0700 Thanks John! Yeah, I piddled around with a soprano (borrowed from a friend) a few years back and quickly realized there was no way I could make it sound good! Ha ha! I love playing tenor and I still have so much to learn.

]]> 321c7c4fe8449458b0738300b3de5e96 Mike Potter replied to the topic Soul Serenade in the forum Recording Your Saxophone https://www.howtoplaysaxophone.org/forums/topic/soul-serenade-2/#post-102628 Mon, 15 Mar 2021 17:37:46 -0700 Thank you fellow saxophonists! I say I want a soprano but I really don’t have the chops for one and at this point in time in my life I’m not really sure I want to spend the time to go down that path! I’m finally starting to get a decent sound on my tenor (and the Bari), my alto playing is horrific so I’d be better off working on the alto than…[Read more]

]]> 412f6b47e5c264f95e0e362c09fe1022 Mike Potter started the topic Soul Serenade in the forum Recording Your Saxophone https://www.howtoplaysaxophone.org/forums/topic/soul-serenade-2/ Sat, 13 Mar 2021 03:55:25 -0800 Playing around with this backing track on a rainy & cold day in So Cal. Wish I had a soprano.

https://soundcloud.app.goo.gl/yiEpi2t5sb2XqvSw5

]]> 7f2a2f6336deeb694d67ea51269969df Mike Potter replied to the topic You Belong to Me in the forum Recording Your Saxophone https://www.howtoplaysaxophone.org/forums/topic/you-belong-to-me/page/2/#post-102291 Mon, 01 Mar 2021 04:37:04 -0800 Great question! I probably did, I don’t think I changed any of the settings on the channel I recorded.

]]> 7a5d4e80cdcce1e847333dfeb4b2fe59 Mike Potter replied to the topic You Belong to Me in the forum Recording Your Saxophone https://www.howtoplaysaxophone.org/forums/topic/you-belong-to-me/#post-102264 Sun, 28 Feb 2021 18:50:23 -0800 Pete, thanks! yes it has the double braces on the arms for C, B and Bb.

]]> 780ae501bd26d3595a13bc63c7d5fe88 Mike Potter replied to the topic You Belong to Me in the forum Recording Your Saxophone https://www.howtoplaysaxophone.org/forums/topic/you-belong-to-me/#post-102263 Sun, 28 Feb 2021 18:47:54 -0800 S P. Yes! You’re right, I have that tenor tone so engrained in my head it’s difficult for me to play the alto. I want to subconsciously make it sound like my tenor. I’ve been splitting my practice time between the two horns (focusing on long tones to get the alto tone even). Hopefully this will help!

]]> 53c98794401b3044ffa85e11ba4fefa2 Mike Potter replied to the topic You Belong to Me in the forum Recording Your Saxophone https://www.howtoplaysaxophone.org/forums/topic/you-belong-to-me/#post-102242 Sun, 28 Feb 2021 03:24:41 -0800 Thanks folks!!!

Pete, I’m playing an Eastman 52nd St tenor. I really like this horn, it very much reminds me of the sound of the King Super 20 I had years ago but with modern keyword. I was using a cheapie guardala fatboy copy that I bought from a friend, .115 tip opening with a select Jazz 3S reed.

My mic is a Stellar X2 large capsule c…[Read more]

]]> d523e5c0db3be20d1f0564402e4684d6 Mike Potter started the topic You Belong to Me in the forum Recording Your Saxophone https://www.howtoplaysaxophone.org/forums/topic/you-belong-to-me/ Wed, 24 Feb 2021 16:37:11 -0800 Great backing track John. I did a version on my tenor and alto. I posted the tenor here cause I think it’s the better of two – my alto tone is still a little a nasally. The alto version is on my soundcloud page if you want to compare.

https://soundcloud.app.goo.gl/LGXVqYz76mvWkc9Q7

]]> c2cb4a5ce14e4d8e65ff4dc701c6a5ea Mike Potter replied to the topic Drift Away - Bari and Tenor in the forum Recording Your Saxophone https://www.howtoplaysaxophone.org/forums/topic/drift-away-bari-and-tenor/#post-102082 Mon, 22 Feb 2021 19:47:35 -0800 Thanks folks!

LOL, no worries Pete, you sound fantastic by the way!

John, I’m playing an Eastman 52nd St. Baritone sax I picked up about a month ago. I’m using a Drake Contemporary II mouthpiece with a .115 tip opening and I used a Select Jazz 3M on this tune but I had to work it a bit to be able to get to play loose enough in the lower…[Read more]

]]> e92b2d17e169a64f61363b1a8457d473 Mike Potter started the topic Drift Away - Bari and Tenor in the forum Recording Your Saxophone https://www.howtoplaysaxophone.org/forums/topic/drift-away-bari-and-tenor/ Sat, 20 Feb 2021 22:03:49 -0800 Having fun with the new Bari, trying to get a voice on it, still having a bit of an issue with barking but I think stepping up the reed strength some has helped. Thanks for the great track John!

]]> be05b2602fb728645e0b791de6c853dc Mike Potter replied to the topic Wonderful Tonight in the forum Recording Your Saxophone https://www.howtoplaysaxophone.org/forums/topic/wonderful-tonight-2/page/2/#post-101912 Mon, 15 Feb 2021 22:07:06 -0800 Excellent Bruce!

]]> f6bea1b84f9d39039e7b4f11969283e7 Mike Potter replied to the topic Cissy Strut in the forum Recording Your Saxophone https://www.howtoplaysaxophone.org/forums/topic/cissy-strut/#post-101840 Fri, 12 Feb 2021 19:18:19 -0800 Thanks everyone!

]]> e49e4954ff69a85f084aff97b516370c Mike Potter started the topic Cissy Strut in the forum Recording Your Saxophone https://www.howtoplaysaxophone.org/forums/topic/cissy-strut/ Sat, 06 Feb 2021 22:03:29 -0800 Thought I’d try mixing my Bari, tenor and alto into this tune, it’s been a favorite for years and I’m glad John put together an awesome backing track for the tune! There’s plenty of clams in this tune and hitting low A on the Bari was a huge challenge.

Cissy Strut

]]> 106cf81bd50290b5303dd5330695d572 Mike Potter started the topic Watermelon Man on Bari Sax in the forum Recording Your Saxophone https://www.howtoplaysaxophone.org/forums/topic/watermelon-man-on-bari-sax/ Thu, 28 Jan 2021 22:56:48 -0800 I picked up a baritone sax the other day and thought I’d give it a try on a recording of Watermelon Man. Lots of fun playing this sax, different approach needed from my tenor, I’ve got much to learn. Plus these things suck the air right out of you. Let me know what you think.

WaterMelonMan

]]> c9657c5add3cda023413faef0ab4460a Mike Potter replied to the topic 11 Year Old Daughter Plays Yesterday on her Barbie Pink Soprano Sax in the forum Your Video https://www.howtoplaysaxophone.org/forums/topic/11-year-old-daughter-plays-yesterday-on-her-barbie-pink-soprano-sax/#post-101082 Mon, 11 Jan 2021 21:02:52 -0800 BRAVO ABIGAIL!!! I loved every second of it. I to suffer from dyslexia (directional) and I have to mark up my sheet music (as well as enlarge the images) to be able to read while I’m playing. I look forward to seeing and hearing more of Abigail’s playing in the future.

]]> 65198bce5cd1a5d423f7db9875c64695 Mike Potter started the topic Santa Claus is BACK... in the forum Recording Your Saxophone https://www.howtoplaysaxophone.org/forums/topic/santa-claus-is-back/ Fri, 25 Dec 2020 20:01:26 -0800 This was fun, I tried just going through this a couple of times and then recording it. Turned out more like “the stripper meets Santa Claus”, gotta live the blues!!

https://soundcloud.app.goo.gl/pZLykiYBV8mQ6cJk9

]]> 776ccd6e8686da28c02fa1547c8fad65 Mike Potter started the topic Oh Holy Night in the forum Recording Your Saxophone https://www.howtoplaysaxophone.org/forums/topic/oh-holy-night/ Tue, 22 Dec 2020 23:34:43 -0800 Something mellower, I’m not real good at playing “between the lines”.

https://soundcloud.app.goo.gl/oPiv5ZUqKczgNMwAA

]]> 3350a2329dee7960b2f191446410b5a5 Mike Potter started the topic Sleigh Ride in the forum Recording Your Saxophone https://www.howtoplaysaxophone.org/forums/topic/sleigh-ride/ Sat, 05 Dec 2020 21:19:38 -0800 Great backing track John!! Fun tune, not easy, this tune sucked the air right out of me!

]]> b607fa6a931d00c60c3e59ed98c630a8 Mike Potter replied to the topic Holly Jolly! in the forum Recording Your Saxophone https://www.howtoplaysaxophone.org/forums/topic/holly-jolly/#post-99959 Sun, 29 Nov 2020 20:06:58 -0800 Lol! Yeah I hear ya, when I first started playing sax I took some lessons from a local player who had that cool rock and roll gritty sound. In the first lesson he looked at my mouthpiece (typical student model “low baffle” piece) and started laughing. I got a full lesson on mouthpiece design that day, but he let me use one of his berg’s which…[Read more]

]]> 427775bcbec5f71ae2669efe024296f7 Mike Potter started the topic Please Come Home for Christmas in the forum Recording Your Saxophone https://www.howtoplaysaxophone.org/forums/topic/please-come-home-for-christmas/ Sat, 28 Nov 2020 04:20:19 -0800 Had fun with this song!

Please

]]> 0d3c199414e10e8878a2f202ad18cf1a Mike Potter replied to the topic Holly Jolly! in the forum Recording Your Saxophone https://www.howtoplaysaxophone.org/forums/topic/holly-jolly/#post-99897 Fri, 27 Nov 2020 20:38:41 -0800 Thanks William, I’m using a fairly high baffle mouthpiece and a pretty soft reed (select jazz 2 soft). Usually I play a 3 medium but I thought I’d try a softer reef just to see how it sounded (plus bitting the low notes was much easier!!).

]]> 11bfc55c5e5e49f0685694bca8ead3eb Mike Potter started the topic Holly Jolly! in the forum Recording Your Saxophone https://www.howtoplaysaxophone.org/forums/topic/holly-jolly/ Fri, 27 Nov 2020 00:11:35 -0800 The first of the holiday songs for this year, I’m going to try and record a couple a week or so.

https://soundcloud.app.goo.gl/9SjDxAczmSKnnveU7

]]> 53fb1c88bd8f207fc011ff60fc7e812c Mike Potter replied to the topic What a Wonderful World - Duet with my Granddaughter in the forum Recording Your Saxophone https://www.howtoplaysaxophone.org/forums/topic/what-a-wonderful-world-duet-with-my-granddaughter/#post-99872 Fri, 27 Nov 2020 00:09:59 -0800 Thanks folks! This was so much fun, music is such a great thing to be able to share with my family.

John, yes my oldest grandson is also playing sax! He was playing alto and wanted to play tenor so I picked him up a student model tenor (Jean Paul) and he’s doing really well.

]]> 0ba37270ef300dab73eaf0d23c49329f Mike Potter started the topic What a Wonderful World - Duet with my Granddaughter in the forum Recording Your Saxophone https://www.howtoplaysaxophone.org/forums/topic/what-a-wonderful-world-duet-with-my-granddaughter/ Tue, 24 Nov 2020 01:25:47 -0800 My granddaughter came over to hang with the old people for a few hours yesterday, she brought her alto sax and wanted to play a duet on What a Wonderful World. I told her I had a nice backing track and we can record it for fun. She’s in the HS marching/symphonic band and unfortunately due to covid they’ve had no practices/shows or any upcoming…[Read more]

]]> c2da8816aeaed251fe702a76063168f0 Mike Potter started the topic Getting my Sax back tomorrow! in the forum Problems With Your Sax? https://www.howtoplaysaxophone.org/forums/topic/getting-my-sax-back-tomorrow/ Sat, 21 Nov 2020 01:38:15 -0800 So a couple weeks back I came to the conclusion my Mark VI tenor was becoming unplayable and I was either going to sell it or get it set up. I decided to hang on to it and took it to my sax tech, he tore it down and it needed a bunch of work. Most of the tone holes weren’t flat, the neck tenon was out of round, the octave mechanism wasn’t rea…[Read more]

]]> fcbe76757e6f26ea232b16930a6fa246 Mike Potter replied to the topic Help Please. in the forum Mouthpieces https://www.howtoplaysaxophone.org/forums/topic/help-please-2/#post-99723 Sat, 21 Nov 2020 01:28:13 -0800 Yeah mouthpiece positioning is always a comfort vs tone trade off. If go by what I was always taught (about halfway up the bill” I get a good tone up till D3 and the it gets more difficult to hit the altissimo notes, I end up adjusting to compensate. But the I watch videos of some of my sax hero’s (Sanborn, Red Prysok, King Curtis) and it loo…[Read more]

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