Start Out With Familiar Material
Remember that one lick you used to play every time you grabbed your axe? Now's the time to play it! This will serve as a great confidence boost if you get it right, and if not you'll know from the get go where you stand as a player. There was a reason you played that all the time: You like it! It sounds good! Every time you play it your heart skips a beat and you feel compelled to click your heels! This brings me to my next point...
Make Sure You're Having Fun
Music is fun. We started making music because we enjoyed it. It's not some tedious job you're stuck with (if you haven't been playing for a while, you've probably already got one of those). Much like the “don't get frustrated" tip from part one, this seems obvious, but all of the smashed practice room mirrors at Juilliard serve as proof that musicians lose sight of the fun. Sure, practicing is about discipline and hard work, but chances are if you're coming back to a long-ignored instrument you're doing it for the fun of it.
Take Lessons
There's really no reason to ever stop taking lessons. Even the greatest musicians benefit from meeting one on one with someone else who plays the same axe. When returning to a musical instrument, the advice, perspective and motivation of a teacher are invaluable. In addition, you will be surprised at the amount of little nuances that slip your mind in terms of technique after not playing for a while. For example, when I picked up the sax again my breathing was all wrong—it was as if I'd forgotten my diaphragm even existed. A teacher can help you iron out these sort of kinks and give you a good example to aspire to.
When going back to an instrument it's good to work with a teacher who feels comfortable with all levels of instruction. Someone who only works with inexperienced young'uns might frustrate you, and someone used to dealing with pros might get frustrated with you. If you're no longer in touch with past instructors and craigslist doesn't seem to have what you're looking for, check out sites like http://takelessons.com/ and http://www.privatelessons.com/
Play With/For Other People
If you can't get a private instructor (heck, even if you can) play with and around some other people. It's hard to really improve if you're making music in a bubble. Finding other folks to play with serves two purposes: it exposes you to musical material you might not come across practicing on your own, and perhaps more importantly, it's a huge motivating factor. Getting together to jam with some other musicians gives you something to work towards. It will make the time you spend practicing on your own more productive. While there are certain instruments and genres of music that don't lend themselves to playing with others, it's still important to involve other people in your music making, even just as an audience. Practice and performance are equally important to improving as a musician. Simply having someone there to listen can make you rise to the occasion and push past some of the challenges you face trying to get reacquainted with an instrument.
Set Realistic Goals
Don't overdo it. Push your comfort zone, but keep in mind that you need some time to get back into top form. Do what feels reasonable. If you feel confident playing a recital of Rachmaninoff's third Piano Concerto after a week of practice, then go for it. If you want to stick to Chopsticks, than stick to Chopsticks. There's also a huge difference between getting back into a piece you spent a lot of time on years ago and starting one from scratch. The former will probably come a lot easier and be much more satisfying as a first challenge. The key is to set a goal, accomplish it, and then move forward.
While these tips are by no means an exhaustive list of things to consider when getting back in the musical saddle, they are all things that have helped me in revisiting the saxophone. These ideas and suggestions hold true for musicians of all levels, but are particularly important when trying to come back to an instrument you once played at a high level. Hopefully, readers will consider these as good starting points to get back into a dedicated mind set and rediscover their musical work ethic and the pure joy of playing an instrument.
