I will help you learn the saxophone faster and play better.
Step by Step Courses – Learn at your own pace – Supportive Community
What do you want to learn on saxophone?
Beginner skills
Improvising
Blues, Pop & Ska
How Sax School works
Learn on any device
Your membership gives you unlimited access to hundreds of step by step video lessons for alto and tenor sax.
Stay inspired – learn faster
You will get a new lesson every week so there is always something new to challenge and inspire you.
Connect and share
You get exclusive access to our worldwide community of saxophone learners for support and encouragement.
Brand new to Sax? We have you covered!
I’m so grateful I came across your website (via youtube). Sax School is so professional and engaging – and for the beginner, very well laid out. I also really appreciate your warm and encouraging coaching style, something missing in quite a few other websites!
Become the confident improviser you always wanted to be.
I’m very impressed by the structure of your lessons, and how you have created a worldwide community for us. This is a big advantage for newcomers to saxophone. I have myself spent over 30 years teaching adults and I want to compliment you on your excellent courses!
Want to play the tunes you love? Here are the tools to do it right.
Learn what you want, when you want.
Whether you are a brand new beginner, or have been playing for years, you will always find something to challenge you inside Sax School. You choose what you want to work on, we help you get there!
You’re not alone anymore, our community is here to help you!
As a Sax School member you never need to feel alone when learning saxophone. You will be part of our thriving, supportive, worldwide community of learners who are here to help you along the way, celebrate your learning milestones, and answer your questions. Plus you’ll get to join in on monthly challenges!
Learning is easy with PATHWAYS.
Whether you are looking for beginner skills or advanced lessons, we have a PATHWAY to help you get there. Each PATHWAY is a step-by-step lesson structure so you always know what to work on next.
Your lessons are the best I’ve found online. You have helped me to make so much progress, even though I never was able to read music before!
Exceed your expectations with Sax School
Our structured lesson library will help you reach and exceed your learning goals. Want to just play for your friends, or aiming to be a gigging musician? We’ll help you get there!
I was a complete starter with Sax School at 59 and have now passed my grade 3 exam! Having Sax School is like having a private tutor – it’s such great value!
Learn to play your favourite songs and legendary saxophone solos.
You’ll get on-demand access to hundreds of step by step lessons. Learn in easy steps how to play the music you love. Lessons cover all styles from Big Band to SKA, Jazz Standards to Smooth Jazz (and everything in between), including:
We’ve helped thousands of students.
Here’s what they say…
“Nigel helped me go from absolute beginner to knowing over 30 tunes, and playing regularly with a band in my area!”
Mindy Weaver – USA
“Nigel is a fantastic teacher and a great communicator. I’m always amazed at the range of resources in Sax School and how I can use them over and over”
Gerry Smith – UK
“Sax School has really increased my enjoyment of learning saxophone and I love being able to work through things at my own pace”
Richard Stubley – Sydney Australia
“With no teacher near me Sax School completely changed the way I could learn and enjoy playing saxophone. I’m now a member of a local community swing band and it’s great fun!”
Susanne Pearce – Sweden / Scotland
“Nigel is a great teacher and my progress on saxophone has been down to the help I have received from Sax School”
Stephen Power – Ireland
“Through Sax School Nigel has helped me learn saxophone from scratch. I like that I can learn when I want and at my own pace”
Martin Sweeny – UK
Read more student reviews:
“I’ve improved faster than with any other method I have tried!”
Your system of teaching is perfect for my learning style. I can’t thank you enough for making Sax School.
Deano Worsley, Australia
“The lessons, pdf and backing tracks give an amazing value for money.”
As a trainer myself (public speaking) I wanted to convey my compliments on your pedagogical style. It is a pleasure to get a lesson from you even if you don’t have a clue who I am ;-).”
Ruben Brunsveld,Director Stockholm Institute for Public Speaking
“You are an inspirational teacher and the lessons are brilliantly explained and structured.”
I always wanted to learn to play the saxophone, as it’s such a cool instrument, but was never able to. With your online lessons I have made great improvement. The tunes you choose as well as the exercises you give are great. Thank you so much.”
Annemarieke Kroon, Netherlands
“Without your online saxophone lessons, sheet music & backing tracks, I wouldn’t have been able to set myself up as a solo artist.”
“Without your online saxophone lessons, sheet music & backing tracks, I wouldn’t have been able to set myself up as a solo artist.”A huge thanks for all your help via Sax School – Still a long way to go but I’m now out gigging, both with my 6-pce 80’s party band and on my own in residential care homes -(the “oldies” are loving the tracks I’ve learnt from your website, like Bye Bye Blackbird & Fly Me To The Moon!)
My ultimate goal is to get good enough to start putting myself out there for function work…thanks again!
Alison Clark, England
“I have advanced more in the past year than in the previous 8 combined!”
I thought I was to old to learn much, but I have been playing regularly at my church, at weddings, county fairs and anywhere else someone will allow – it has been great!
Thanks for everything, but thanks mostly for the confidence!”
Duane Gettis, Buffalo, New York. USA
“As a professional educator, I can tell you that your teaching style is first rate.”
I am really enjoying what you are doing with the school. I have watched many DVDs and You Tube videos of talented players who can’t really explain the techniques or the theory – so it often becomes a recital for them but little is gained by the student.
You have a natural gift of teaching coupled with a real musical talent, and that is rare.
Bob Hartmann McNamara, Ph.D., Associate Provost and Dean of the Graduate College, USA
Meet your new teacher: Nigel McGill
“I’ve spent 25 years working in every part of the music business – let me share my knowledge with you”
Nigel McGill
Sax School Founder
Big Bands, Orchestras,
TV Sessions, Festivals,
Musical Directing…
I’ve been very fortunate to have worked in just about every aspect of the music business over the last 25 years.
You may have heard my playing on TV sessions I’ve recorded for shows like “24“ and “Bones“.
For more than a decade I ran the big band for one of the most popular shows in Europe – “Rat Pack Live From Las Vegas“.
I’ve also conducted tours across Europe and performed with Symphony Orchestras.
As a jazz musician I’ve performed thousands of shows in clubs, theatres, and festivals across Europe, Japan, Australia and Canada.
Over all this time I’ve learned a lot about playing saxophone, but also about teaching saxophone.
Let me share my knowledge with you!
Nigel McGill
Endorsed by:
Sax School is so easy to use:
With a simple, easy to navigate members area, Sax School is a breeze to use on any device.
Simply choose the “Pathway” that suits you and work through the lessons to achieve your goals.
✪ Split Screen Videos so you can learn visually.
✪ Step-by-step lesson Pathway so you always know what to work on next.
✪ Choose what you want to learn, from beginner skills to advanced tactics.
✪ Lesson resources including worksheets and backing tracks are included right on the lesson page to help you learn.
Your system of teaching has made my sax playing a possibility! I’m a front man in a rock band, but wanted to play sax too. I started studying with Sax School and 60 days later was playing live – I’ve been playing with the band every night since then!
Thanks a million.
Latest new lessons inside Sax School:
Playing Sax at a Music Festival!
Ever wanted to play saxophone at a huge music festival? In this lesson we break down the pros and cons and share advice from our experiences.
Why Masterclasses are so good for learning saxophone
Find out why as a beginner saxophone player, live masterclasses are so important to your development.
5 Minute Be Bop Articulation Workout for saxophone
Want to get that authentic “Jazzy” sound in your saxophone playing? Learn how with this essential skill.
When should you UPGRADE your saxophone?
When is the right time to upgrade your beginner sax to something better? Find out in this lesson from our monthly Q&A call.
Michael Lington Guest Session Interview with Sax School
Michael Lington is a hugely successful solo artist in the Commercial Jazz (or Smooth Jazz) world with a bunch of hit tunes and albums. Plus he's a top guy and an AMAZING technician on saxophone. As a saxophone player, I love talking to guys like Michael, because...
September Saxophone Masterclass
Get tips to improve your tone, technique and practice habits in the September masterclass from Sax School.
The Swan – Learn this classical melody on alto sax
Want to boost your saxophone tone and embouchure control? Check out this beautiful classical melody played on alto sax!
August Sax School Q&A
Learn how to get a better sound on your sax, cleaning techniques and more in the August Q&A Session!
Guest Session Interview with Jeff Kashiwa
Commercial saxophone legend Jeff Kashiwa shares his tips on getting a great tone and how to approach practicing!