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This is my first post in this StackExchange, so I dont know if it is pertinent. Please let me know if necessary to change something.

I am playing saxophone already for some months and I would like to play also some songs of my favorite band, The Midnight. I've made several researches and I found some sheets of a couple of their songs on Youtube and some pdf. Neverthless, comparing to the amount of nice songs with saxophone (of this band or others) the results are very poor. Is there a way to have some sheets? For example should someone with perfect pitch write down notes on paper (therefore I should ask some friends), or some other way?

Thanks for your help!

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If you've only been playing for a few months, it might be difficult for you to listen to it and write it down, AKA transcribing. You would also only be getting a small part of the value. One of the biggest reasons one would transcribe is to analyze it: the chords, the structure, the feel, the small details that the musician is playing. You wouldn't really get any of that if you are a beginner. Of course, sometimes this is the only option if you can't find the sheet music.

However, I might suggest to you that you aren't quite ready to do what you're trying to do. I would start out with learning your scales, learning how to sight read, learning etudes, listening to the greats, learning about harmony and composition, and finding other songs that you're interested in that have existing sheet music.

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Better still, write the notes yourself! Perfect pitch isn't required, just the perfectly normal musical skill of Relative Pitch - check the first note against a piano (or against your sax) - heck, check EVERY note until you get into practice! - and work from there.

Also, just listen and play. Sure, there'll be some trial-and-error. Off you go!

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Totally agree with Laurence. Listen very carefully to what it is you wish to play, establish its key, and either listen and play each note/phrase, or write down what you think it is. Referring to sax or piano whenever possible.

That way, which won't come easily, will make you a better player and musician. Absolute pitch is entirely not needed, and you could even do the first option with little musical knowledge except that of where the notes are on the sax.

Going back 60 yrs, that's how I used to work out songs, and it's half done for you these days - slow a piece down, keep the same key, change the key if needed, all electronically. And, eventually, you'll be the one writing dots out for your friends!

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  • I agree with both answers. Sometimes you'll find your favorite songs, but written for vocal, guitar and/or piano. You can play those as-is, but if you want to play along with the song, you'll need to learn to transpose, which is also a very useful skill. Learning to learn by ear (hear some notes and then play them) is a very useful skill. Also useful is to hear notes in your head and then play them. All of these skills come with practice.
    – Duston
    Commented Dec 9, 2020 at 14:10

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