I would venture to guess that many of us go into a practice session or performance somewhat mindlessly. Of course, once the horn is in our mouth, we usually snap into conscious music-making mode. However, are there things we can do set ourselves up for the best possible results before we start playing? To dig [read more…]
The definition of the word, Soul as defined on Dictionary.com: the emotional part of human nature; the seat of the feelings or sentiments. When it comes to music, it’s been my experience that the sound of a human being singing tends to touch the average person’s heart more than any other sound. Because we all [read more…]
Obviously, there's more to great sax playing than playing a bunch of fast notes. But without being able to get around the horn quickly and smoothly, you can't move your audience with that feeling of musical adrenaline that got you excited about the sax in the first place.
The problem is that too many of us feel like practicing boring scales and arpeggios is part of the dues we all have to pay, without realizing that practicing technique can be a fun and creative process.
With his new streaming video course focused 100% on technique, renowned recording artist, Adam Larson takes you way beyond what "falls easily under the fingers". Instead, he gets you rooting out anything that might be tripping up your fingers - all while adding new melodic and harmonic sounds to your vocabulary. So if you're ready to tear it up without wanting to tear out your hair, click below and let's get started today!
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Lightning-Fast and Crystal-Clean Saxophone Technique
This article is a guest post from Jeff Rzepiela, whose transcriptions of saxophone solos by the greats can be found at www.scooby-sax.com. Playing in a big band’s sax section can be a thrilling experience. When the section is in synch, it can be like the Blue Angels flying in perfect formation. On the other hand, [read more…]
Is that once-burning desire to burn on the horn starting to flicker? Are the hours you used to devote to practicing now in jeopardy of being traded in for hours in front of a TV set and a bag of Ruffles? Or maybe you’re still practicing your tush off, but progressing at a snail’s pace [read more…]
Let’s face it – saxophonists are known for playing out of tune. Well, not only for playing out of tune, but suffice it to say that the saxophone is anything but a perfectly tuned instrument. Simply pressing down the keys while blowing ain’t gonna cut it. And if you play alto or soprano – forget about it. You’ve really [read more…]
UPDATE: This article is from 2011, so apologies in advance for any ridiculously outdated information. That said, most of the information here is quite general and should apply to playing gigs with DJs. Also, please feel free to leave a comment or reach out via the contact page if there are any broken (ancient) video links. [read more…]
Sometimes I think back on the way it used to be… I traveled regularly with multiple horns and never had a problem getting on a plane. Usually a tenor and a soprano, sometimes even a backpack with a clarinet and flute too. When I moved to the east coast for college, I even remember getting two [read more…]
As a sax player coming up, it was strongly engrained in my subconscious that no woodwind doubling equals no music career. I remember going to my strict but highly effective sax teacher Vince Trombetta (who also taught this other sax player named Michael Baker – or Brecker or something like that) and the accompanying displeasure of [read more…]
Those of us familiar with Mike DiRubbo’s fiery brand of no-nonsense improvised flights of fancy can attest to the fact that he’s a major player in the jazz saxophone game. With shades of Kenny Garret, Jackie McLean, and John Coltrane, DiRubbo’s alto speaks in a distinctly powerful voice that’s at the same time modern and timeless. [read more…]
This is a guest post from saxophonist, clarinetist, flutist, pianist, educator, and blogger, Mark Catoe. Back in April, the self-described “nonpartisan enterprise,” MinnPost, published an interview with Christian McBride. In it, he talks about the groups he currently plays with, having fun playing music, and knowing James Brown. I find the entire read fascinating (head [read more…]