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Long tones. Overtones. Transcribing. Patience and perseverance.



For TONE, if you're on your own, I'd recommend using "A Complete Approach to Sound for the Modern Saxophonist". It takes the best of classic books like Rascher's "Top Tones", as well as adds its own exercises, but above all explains everything very clearly - that makes it easier to follow if you're practicing without guidance.

You can download demonstration sound clips of some of the exercises [HERE](http://www.benbrittonjazz.com/completeapproach/Complete%20Approach%20Sound%20Clips%20(Demonstrated%20on%20Tenor%20Saxophone\).zip "20MB zip file!!").

Ben Britton also wrote a follow up book for more advanced overtone exercises: A Complete Approach to Overtones: Vivid Tone and Extended Range.



BUT, "sound" is not just about "tone", it's also about articulation and time feel. You can have the most mind blowing harmonic approach and tone, if your time feel and articulation isn't solid, you will always sound like an amateur. A few things to work on to develop good time and articulation:

• make your metronome your new best friend
  
• slow scale practice with mixed articulation (fundamentals never stop being cool...)
  
• transcribing and focusing on imitating articulation and time feel. Coltrane and Rollins had radically different approaches for example. Transcribe both guys and find out why and how.
  
  One of the best exercises for developing a solid time feel is to play bass lines on the saxophone. After all, if you can't play quarter notes with a solid time feel, with that forward momentum a good bassist has, how can you expect smaller subdivisions to sound better? It's also a fantastic voice leading exercise, and makes refreshing or learning tunes efficient and entertaining. I'd explain more of the concept, but I got it from a Will Vinson video lesson so I'm not sure it would be cool. This and the other lesson on melodic improvisation are well worth the price IMO (less than the price of a box of reeds...).

Since this post hasn't gotten any responses, I'll do my best

You've covered a TON of ground in one post, it comes of as a bit scattered, and therefore pretty hard to respond to, but I'll do my best.

>Are there any recommended books with or without accompaniment (I need recordings since he isn't here)? I bought this book, https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/0769233775/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 .

I have no experience with that particular book. There's a frequently referenced book, Klose's 25 daily exercises for saxophone, that I'm fond of and is held in high regard. Also look on the sidebar on that top link for some ideas.

> I think that I've adopted a double lip embrouchre; when I try putting my teeth on the mouthpiece pads the vibrations sometimes kind of hurt my teeth.

Okay. Some people do better with that, I hear, just be sure that you are staying in tune with all your notes and that your tone is good across the range of the horn. I've always found that I sound best with the standard embouchure, and people I've played with tend to have the same experience, but there are people out there that do the double lip embouchure and sound good.

> So right now I'm trying the 2.5 orange box reeds on my Yamaha YAS62. I just recently bought Hemke 2 reeds because I wondered if it was the reed.
I also own a YAS-275 which is sharing this problem.

I'm assuming this is about your lip hurting. A common problem that this sounds related to could be that you are using too much pressure on the lower lip and pushing on the reed. A symptom of this is that your upper range will sound sharp and the lower range comparatively flat. If that's the case, push in your mouthpiece and try to use less pressure from your jaw on the reed.

> When I play the notes don't sound smooth they sound a little bit abrupt. They sound a little bit restricted like the notes are singular or alone with the other notes around. Am I playing too staccato?

I have no idea what you're saying. You could be dampening the reed by pressing on it with your lip like I've mentioned above. Without hearing your sound, I won't know. "playing too staccato" doesn't make sense to me. Typically, you're maintaining air pressure when you're playing, and staccato is tonguing in such a way as to stop your tone put space between your notes. Given that tonguing in such a way is deliberate, I don't think that you're doing that?

> I can play the C Major scale and it sounds fine legato. When I play the arpeggios it sounds really bad at the top going back down. I play the lowest C, E, G, C, E, G, C going up. The problem is going down from the C when you are pressing your middle finger with the octave key then transitioning to the G. It almost sounds like a little bit of vibration or it is going inbetween the notes. I tried looking up online and it says that I should increase the speed of my air stream. I did this and the problem largely went but was still slightly there. It just made this kind of fluctuation shorter and less obvious basically. I think this thread means what I mean: https://www.saxontheweb.net/SOTW_Archive/alto/08-04-02/boardset-saxweb-boardid-alto-thread-83-spec-4558793.html
Also I left it on the stand for like a month last year when I was thinking of getting back into it and my mum hit it off the stand a while ago which I was wondering if that would ever need to be checked again (the other suggested solution to the weird st I found online was taking it to a tech). I'm thinking that I'm just out of practice but I do remember the YAS-62 used to sound really good.

Work on your intervals. If you can hit the note just fine on a scale but you're having issues with arpeggios, then there's a couple of things that can go wrong. Things that could go wrong include:

• your fingers aren't closing all the tone holes at the same time. Try the problem interval with the notes completely separate, then start narrowing the space between the notes gradually, working on moving your fingers together.
  
  
• The sax's mechanisms might not be fully responsive, due to a sticky pad, weak spring, etc. If the step above did not resolve the issue, watch in a mirror to make sure that everything is moving right, and right away when you go between notes.
  
  
• It might be a voicing issue. Get the note in your head. Sing the note, make sure you know what notes you're going from and to. If you have the wrong (or no) note in your head, you may actually disrupt the primary pitch of the note you're playing and that can result in that "in between" sound.
  
  
• Also, keep an eye out for leaky pads. If you're not sealing right, it can cause an issue. You'd have problems with the scale though, too.
  
  > Also if I do have to take it to a tech, I'm in London what is the best value one (not priced, best value)? I really hope I'm just shit and I don't need to take it to a tech but tell me what you think thanks.
  
  Sorry, can't help here.
  
  
  > Also my mum is only paying for half of my lessons since she would only pay for every other week and I think that I probably should have weekly lessons. What is a fair price for lessons (I'm guessing half an hour)? I don't know if I could get a discount since I'm paying for half of it; is that a reasonable reason to ask for less?
  
  Respect the people that are trying to teach you. If you can't afford their rate, then either find someone else or explain that you can't afford their rate. Not sure how old you are, but if you're in middle or early high school, you might be able to get someone a few years ahead of you to give you lessons, and that should be somewhat cheaper.
  
  > Thanks for reading and getting back to me (if you do)
  Not sure if it is the reed hardness since I can play the low Bb and B okay.
  Edit: Oh wow the PDF links for the real book in the FAQ are actually legible Another dumb question, when sheet music has chords like Bb7 or whatever is that transposed? If someone was trying to play guitar accompaniment could they just play those chords?
  
  If the real book does not specify what key it is written in, it's likely C. You'll have to transpose the chord if you want to read it as a saxophone. For instance, a Bb7 would be played as a G7 on alto or a C7 on tenor. A guitar could just play them.
  
  > Also does the dent in the neck matter?
  
  Probably not if it's small. I'm assuming it's small because you didn't mention it till now.

For what it's worth, I'll tell you what I used to teach myself to play sax. Hope you find this information useful.

I already played clarinet since I was a kid, and had wanted to learn to play sax for many years. Finally picked up a used alto a few years ago, and I taught myself the basics entirely from "Play Alto Sax Today!". I bought what they call the Beginner Pack, which comes with a DVD, a book of sheet music (Level 1), and an audio CD -- currently about $15 US on Amazon. It's published by Hal Leonard. Here's a link...

www.amazon.com/Play-Alto-Today-Beginners-Pack/dp/0634052993

I liked the Level 1 package so much that I when I finished working my way through it, I bought the Level 2 book. It's currently about $10 on Amazon...

www.amazon.com/Play-Alto-Sax-Today-Level/dp/0634028928

It's also worthwhile to pick up a cheap electronic metronome (get one that also has a chromatic tuner, maybe $15 or $20 -- Korg has some decent ones). You can find free metronome and tuner programs for computers online, if you don't want to buy one -- as long as you can sit in front of your computer when you practice.

Spend a week or two just practicing with the mouthpiece, without the sax, just to get a workable embouchure and good air support. You want to be able to blow a nice steady concert A (880 Hz), for about 60 seconds or so, before even thinking about putting your sax together.

I saw a good description of correct embouchure on a sax website. Insert mouthpiece, and then try to saying, "EEE" - "YUU" (pronounce like "you"). It's like your lip and face muscles are doing a tug-of-war between the EEE's and the YUU's. You've got the correct embouchure if you let the YUU's win, with the corners of your mouth pushing in against the sides of the mouthpiece. Hope that makes sense!

There are a few really great websites you might want to look at -- Sax on the Web is a great one, as is Best Saxophone Website Ever.

Finally, I'll mention one really great classic book of sax exercises. It's cheap, and it's worth having. It's called "25 Daily Exercises for Saxophone", by H. Klosé. You may very well be able to find a PDF somewhere, but I think it's worth buying.

Get a teacher man. Even if it's for a few lessons to get you started. I'm mostly self-taught, and only started taking some lessons here and there later in life and I really wish I had started earlier as I wouldn't have had to correct some bad technique. Tone production and articulation are so esoteric that it's nice to have someone explain to you exactly what you need to do and getting instant feedback on whether you're doing it right or not will make you progress 10X faster. The rest (fingerings, scales, chords, etc) is easy to learn on your own.

If you REALLY can't get a teacher I'd recommend the following books:

• A Complete Approach To Sound For the Modern Saxophonist. There are other books on saxophone tone production but they are antiquated and too often sort of unclear (like Rascher's "Top Tones For the Saxophone" or Dave Liebman's "Developing A Personal Saxophone Sound".) This is a clear, well organized and well explained book about everything related to tone production. Every concept has corresponding exercises and clear explanation on how and why to practice them and achieve the set goals. Also, most of these exercises have sound sample demonstrations downloadable for free on the guy's website.
  
  
• The Jazz theory Book
  A great start, again very well explained, on theory. Scales, chords, etc...
  
  The rest (like fingerings) you can find easily online for free, or figure out by listening and transcribing.

I agree that listening is important, but I'd also highly recommend this book: Patterns for Jazz, by Jerry Coker. This is seriously the best $20 you'll ever spend on jazz studies.

Take it nice and slow, maybe around 5 exercises a week (but played in all 12 keys). Once you've mastered those exercises, move on to the next five. The book starts out pretty simple, with major scale exercises, but soon it moves into other scales and chord exercises.

Girl from Ipanema is one of the easier songs to play, definitely a beginner level.

I would recommend this book -

https://www.amazon.com/Antonio-Carlos-Jobim-Bossa-Nova/dp/0634048899/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1E8YMSW7G556D&keywords=jazz+play+along+hal+leonard+bossa+nova&qid=1568768851&sprefix=jazz+play+along%2Caps%2C131&sr=8-1

All the songs are excellent. Playing at the same time as the recording of them playing makes it easy to get the timing right for someone who is a beginner.

There's a great book by Dr Rousseau that goes over some good fingerlings for all saxophones. Also there are some good exercise to get your embouchure like it should be in order to play altissimo. Here's the book - https://www.amazon.com/Saxophone-High-Tones-Eugene-Rousseau/dp/158106005X

Once you get comfortable with using the front fingerlings for E, F, and F#, you'll be able to seamlessly go to G.

Thank you! Several have recommended it and it's cheap so I think it's worth trying. Is this the version you're referring to? It looks like they also have something called a super harness.

Why can't you use a harness? Use a harness for practice but then use a regular neckstrap for parades and completions. I recommend this harness and this neckstrap. Both are amazing and I only use the harness at rehearsals but use the neckstrap at shows/comps/parades

I recommend The Jazz Theory book by Mark Levine. If you want to understand how to build chords, chord progressions, and improv, it's a great resource. You can buy it online or torrent a PDF easily enough.

Bloomdido/Moose the Mooche were my first two. Also if you're serious about playing Parker (or about improvisation at all for that matter), go buy the Omnibook here. I can promise you it will be the best $15 you will ever spend as a saxophonist.

I use a reed case with a humidifying pack in it. Our college professor suggested it. It helps to keep the reeds playing their best for longer, and the humidifier stops the reed from warping by drying it out.

This is the one I have: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001SN7VGO/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1468345279&sr=8-1&pi=SY200_QL40&keywords=reed+case&dpPl=1&dpID=51ESLNO149L&ref=plSrch

I have a rico reed case and some of those humidifier things. I got a 6-pack of humidifier packets for a buck-each. Considering they have been lasting me >3 months each, that's dirt cheap.

They have definitely increased the longevity of my reeds. I am sure you can get the same if you take care of your reeds and spend the time on it like another commenter is noting, but I see no need when I have such an easy and cheap way of doing so with what I bought.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001SN7VGO/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_dp_ss_2?pf_rd_p=1944687662&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B000G39732&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=180RZXE1B51TVTCKJ6WA

Taking an instrument outside is never a good thing. Heat, moisture, humidity, dryness are all the enemies of leather. I read about various methods for keeping the pads in good shape I like using Mink Oil, or a protectant like this one. The truth in you have to take your instrument in at least once a year for a "clean-oil-adjust". It will be completely disassembled, cleaned, and regulated. Any bad pads will be replaced. Instruments that are used outside where it may be dusty need this done more so than others. They make a swab that goes in the bend of the horn. It's not meant to be left inside. Regular professional maintenance is the best thing.

The Charlie Parker Omnibook is a pretty good jazz equivalent for a classical etude book.

I recommend Patterns for Jazz by Jerry Coker. You basically learn some of the patterns in every key and it gives you a good arsenal of beginning solo material.

Check out Patterns for Jazz by Jerry Coker. It's a great way to get you introduced to cell and digital patterns and by the time you've gone cover to cover you'll have a lot under your fingers.

https://www.amazon.com/Patterns-Jazz-Theory-Composition-Improvisation/dp/0898987032/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=patterns+for+jazz%5C&qid=1574088220&sr=8-1

I'm really liking this book. I've been hitting it hard for about a month and I'm only on like page 30. It'll give you a pattern or scale in C, then you have to transpose it to the other 11 keys yourself.

"Top Tones For The Saxophone" by Sigurd Rascher is your friend. http://www.amazon.com/Top-Tones-Saxophone-Four-Octave-Sigurd-Rascher/dp/082582642X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1371440684&sr=8-1&keywords=top+tones+for+the+saxophone

1. Practice long tones. Top-Tones for the Saxophone makes for a great practice companion.
   
   
2. Experiment with different reed/mouthpiece combinations. This can be really costly, though.

Check out an EWI, they are a bit more expensive, but they are a blast to play. Link to one on amazon!

Another possible friend: "Saxophone High Tones" by Dr. Eugene Rousseau.

These guys gave great answers and i personally wouldn't drop 1k on a gift especially on something that may get little to no use, or collect dust as i often see people try to pick up or get back on insteuments and lose interest.

A saxophone has diminishing skill and it sucks to go back after 3+ days and build up again. And it's a bitch to sell one.

Akai Professional EWI USB | Electronic Wind Instrument MIDI Controller with Included Sound Library https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001MTKAD0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_p9uHzbGJKYAZX

https://youtu.be/hi4zH7QcXeU


I honestly think this would be better check it out and tell me what you think, send him a text like "i just saw this crazy thing, what do you think of these?"

•cheaper
•has no diminishing skill
•you can change voices
•dont have to buy so much tech (logs, mpcs, reeds, files, rags, grease, padsavers, etc.)

Of course i'm just going off assumptions as i've never played one but just something to think about.

Jump in the deep end: Search the web for community band your city

Refresh your reading skills and have at it.

But since you're asking, here's a small book of 12 easy songs: https://smile.amazon.com/Kenny-G-Easy-Solos-Saxophone/dp/0793539056

If you want to learn some basics and beyond if jazz theory I recommend The Jazz Theory Book by Mark Levine

I've found these swabs are the only thing that can get moisture out of the top curve of a bari:

https://www.amazon.com/Hodge-BSB1-Baritone-Saxophone-Black/dp/B001M5CZO6/ref=sr_1_1?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1475099113&sr=1-1&keywords=hodge+bari+sax+swab

Here's a couple options from Amazon.

Neotech 2501162 Soft Harness, Black, Swivel Hook -- https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002E1NS2/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_b901xbDRT8AP5

Pro Tec A306M Large Universal Saxophone Harness -- https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AF40QAU/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_k-01xb1G5TKJA

Here's an amazon link: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0769260527

$13, damn. I paid $25 for it 25 years ago, back when my minimum wage job was $4.25/hr. Ha!

Patterns for Jazz

I'm using their humidity control pack case with 73% humidity packs.

Try Selected Studies. It's the All County and All State book for where I'm from and my teacher uses it as his main classical book. It will last you a long time and it goes through all major and minor keys with a slow and a fast song for each.

Get this.

Live this.

https://www.amazon.com/O2964-Top-Tones-Saxophone-Four-Octave-Range/dp/082582642X

Hmmm probably time to get yourself one of these

I use this swab for cleaning the loop. I also keep it on a stand when I'm not playing so it air dries.

Other than that, a rag or towel to wipe the outside.

As somebody who taught himself, developed a bad habit or two, and corrected them with the help of a book (that is to say, no actual teacher), I'd say it's neither hard to teach it to yourself nor hard to correct bad habits on your own, given the right materials.

It's not that I wouldn't have preferred a teacher; I just wasn't ever in a position where I could learn from one. Probably the best book I ever bought was A Complete Approach to Sound for the Modern Saxophonist, by Ben Britton. If you wind up teaching yourself, regardless of what other books you work from, you should pick that one up. It takes all of the "this is what to do to play with proper technique" advice that you see in so many books and gives you much better explanations for how to achieve these things, what to listen for, etc. etc., and it happens to be the sole reason I recognized and corrected my bad habits.

you are 100% wrong - learn it:

https://www.amazon.com/O2964-Top-Tones-Saxophone-Four-Octave-Range/dp/082582642X