the saxophone · web viewthe eb/bb saxophones are primarily used in bands whereas the f/c...

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

I. HISTORY OF THE SAXOPHONE..........................................................................I–1II. TEACHING PHILOSOPHIES AND METHODOLOGIES....................................II–3III. CARE OF THE INSTRUMENT AND COMMUNICATION WITH PARENTS.....III–5IV. PLAYING POSTURE.........................................................................................IV–7V. THE VALUE OF A FLUTOPHONE PROGRAM.................................................V–8VI. FOOT TAPPING AND COUNTING.................................................................VI–10VII. EMBOUCHURE AND TRANSPOSITION...................................................VII–11VIII. ABDOMINAL BREATHING........................................................................VIII–12IX. ARTICULATION.............................................................................................. IX–13X. TONE AND VIBRATO......................................................................................X–14XI. FINGERINGS AND ALTERNATIVE FINGERINGS........................................XI–15XII. THE VALUE OF LISTENING TO RECORDINGS.......................................XII–16XIII. BRANDS, MODELS, AND EQUIPMENT...................................................XIII–17XIV. LITERATURE.............................................................................................XIV–18XV. INTONATION..............................................................................................XV–19XVI. JAZZ STYLINGS AND IMPROVISATION.................................................XVI–21

2017 Chippewa Marching Band Alto Saxophone Section

Saxophone Notebook - Fall 2019

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I. HISTORY OF THE SAXOPHONE The saxophone was invented by Adolphe Sax (1814-1894) in the 1840s. Sax’s father was an instrument maker, instilling a love

for music at a very young age. Sax attended the Brussels Conservatory of Music and

while he attended, he played the flute and clarinet. He had an interest in trying to mix woodwind and brass

instruments. He built his instruments in his father’s workshop and

submitted them to competitions. Eventually he moved to Paris and took up an interest in

showing his inventions to the Paris Military Band. When he started to make his mark in Paris, he made

enemies in other inventors. There was a competition that he won to get his

instruments into the Paris Military Band. In 1846, Sax patented 14 saxophones.

1. Eb and F Sopranino2. Bb and C Soprano3. Eb and F Alto4. Bb and C Tenor5. Eb and F Bari6. Bb and C Bass7. Eb and F Contrabass

The Eb/Bb saxophones are primarily used in bands whereas the F/C saxophones are primarily used in orchestra (which is rare on its own).

Sax had a publishing and manufacturing company to spread the use of the saxophone. He also had help from composers such as Hector Berlioz to write music for the saxophone.


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Marcel Mule (Left) – Was the second saxophone teacher at the Paris Conservatory. He performed, recorded, and taught a lot of saxophone.

Sigurd Rascher (Middle) – Encouraged composers to write repertoire for the saxophone.

Larry Teal (Right) – First full time saxophone professor in the United States. He created the Michigan School of Saxophone.

In Germany, we have saxophones that can play lower than the contrabass and a sopra,

which is the saxophone equivalent to a piccolo.

II. TEACHING PHILOSOPHIES AND METHODOLOGIES When teaching, you need to address the entire group, but ALSO the individual student.

These children are under YOUR care and supervision. NO ONE can read your mind. You need to tell the students what you want and make

your expectations clear to them.


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Lead Time – Give your students plenty of time to improve. They need to understand the goals moving forward and what to expect in the future.

DO NOT over talk. Students are there to play, not to be lectured at. Do not get in their way.

Ride the wave with your students. Go at their pace, do what they need to be successful, but do it their way.

Teaching Concepts

1. Balance2. Blend3. Intonation4. Articulation5. Keys and Tempos6. Dynamics7. Counterpoint8. Phrasing9. Harmonies10. Chords and Intervals11. Form/Introduction/Bridge12. Divided Parts13. D.C./D.S./Coda/Fine/Fermata/1st &

2nd Endings/Repeat Signs14. Ritardando/Accelerando15. Similes and Patterns

You need to be a supplier of information in a disciplined environment.

Education will not take place without discipline. Teach by the power of personality.

o What is it about me that the students will be drawn to? You need to develop your persona for your students.

Scales are the foundation of our skill set.

Skill Set – It is our job as educators to help our students develop a skill set because the better they play, the better and happier they will be in the band program.

We play scales as our foundation to improve techniques, tone, consistency, keys, chords, intervals, etc.

Better the kids play = the better you will feel as a band director. A quick way to teach chords is to play scales in canon. By 9th grade students should know all major and minor scales (and arpeggios). Teach the chromatic scale in 6th grade because chromatic scales teach ALL the notes as

well as enharmonic spellings. There is no harm in giving written tests to show the students’ understanding of musical

terminology.

“Being a great teacher is a lot like being a policeman,” – Larry Teal

Everyone is kept to the rules and teachers enforce these rules that are kept for music.


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Teach students about metronome and tuning apps to help them enforce the rules outside the classroom when practicing.

There are three parts to a lesson;1. Technique2. Etudes3. Literature It’s simple, but it works! Scales should end up around 140 = Eighth notes

To play is to blow, we’re all tube blowers. Always allow time for praise, students are starving for it. Life is no fun with a belly full of

criticism. At a young age, musical form (ABA, AAB, ABC, etc.) should be taught so students can

recognize patterns faster. Talk about divided parts and how they fit together. This would go well with a chord

lesson.

Cracking G’s For younger students, sometimes the G will crack (in

sound). When you play a G, the octave hole is not in the right spot.

The keys that open for G and A are different. To prevent cracking, have students blow faster, harder air.

It will go away eventually, so don’t freak out.

“Read so you know how other people think.” – Jason Nichol Be well read – Keep reading! Having a wide range of

books in your memory helps you understand humans more. Be well listened – Keep listening to all sorts of music to get a better understanding of

humans and their relationship with music. Be well traveled – Travel! Travelling is a great experience and will help understand

different cultures and how people exist within those cultures.Don’t let education interfere with your education.

III. CARE OF THE INSTRUMENT AND COMMUNICATION WITH PARENTS Enforce proper care of the instrument!

Parents appreciate written notes on what to do/where to buy/what to know in regard to instrument they are purchasing and its care.


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In class, go over the following with the student (but make this information accessible to the parent as well);

o Reed brands to purchase o Stores or websites to purchase

reeds, cleaning supplies, and o repair services. (Parents should NOT

try and repair instruments themselves. Have the student bring the broken horn to you, the band director, or to a reliable music store or repair shop.)

o The purpose, importance, and proper care of the mouthpiece.

Wash with warm, soapy water every 2 weeks, I recommend getting a special toothbrush for this cleaning endeavor.

Also talk about where and why you get mouthpiece pads.

o The purpose of cork grease and how/when to use it. Use it every day.

o When and how to swab out the instrument Take the neck off, put the weight in the bell of the horn, then turn the horn

upside down so the weight falls out the other end. Then pull it through.o When you place the horn on the floor, place it keys down in order to prevent side

keys from bending. DO NOT PUT THE INSTRUMENT IN A BATHTUB, SINK, OR DISHWASHER TO

CLEAN IT. TAKE IT TO A PROFESSIONAL IF IT NEEDS AN ACID BATH. “Shove its” are long, fuzzy pipes that go into the horn after performing, intended to soak

up the moister. However, it also keeps the moisture…

Make sure you give your student a horn that WORKS! If you are signing out school-owned instruments, make sure you play on them before

giving them to the student. HAVE RULES IN THE CLASSROOM: Don’t let other students play on other students’

horns or allow for tomfoolery that might break something and cost hundreds of dollars in repairs. Keep the chaos within the music being performed, do not allow it to be wild and free among your young, pubescent teenagers or tweens.

If class is after lunch, encourage students to rinse their mouths out with water before playing their horns. Because that’s gross.

Every now and then saxophones have pads come loose or even fall out. It needs to be sent to a reliable music store or repair shop to be re-padded.

Always keep the parents in the loop! Parents are going to spend a lot

of cash on their child and their pursuit of music in your classroom. You need to be able to pass along information to both the parent and the child.


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Communicate with the parents via letters, email, band packets, parent-teacher meetings, one-on-one, etc.

o You should have a band packet for all parents of all ages at the beginning of the year.

Parents will get angry if you don’t provide them with information. Facebook is a great way to get information out to parents and the community. Some parents may ask about practicing, so keep them informed on what’s going on

inside the classroom.o A great way to do this is by having a weekly band newsletter that goes out to

parents with the following information; What they’re learning Upcoming dates for performances, tests, homework assignments, etc. What their child should be practicing (encourage students to branch out

and practice non-assigned material as well! That’s always more fun than actual assigned practicing).

Supplies students will need for their assignments (i.e. metronome, tuner, music stand, music, etc.)

As an instrumental band teacher, you will be a generalist in all instruments rather than a specialist.

Make sure you teach your students HOW to practice. As a parent, you should off your ears and support when a child is learning how to play.

Sit and listen in, even if you know nothing. The support will help motivate them and even improve their public performing anxiety.

Be super encouraging as their band director because not all parents will be as supportive!

Have a rubric to help explain grading to parents and students. Have an available list of private lesson teachers for interested parents. Also explain why

private lessons are important. It will help the student improve beyond the classroom, because you are a generalist, not a specialist.

IV. PLAYING POSTURE When playing, you have five points of contact.

o 2 Thumbso The Neck Strapo The Mouth to Mouthpieceo The Right Hip

To play saxophone, sit on the edge of your chair, back straight, and feet flat on the floor. The saxophone will lay on the right leg/hip. Mouthpiece and neck should be straight to ensure the player’s ability to see the music.


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There is the option to either play with the saxophone on the side or in the middle. If students choose to play with the saxophone in the middle, the instrument will lay between their legs. Adjust the mouthpiece and neck according to where the instrument lies. Where the instrument lies depend on the size of the instrument, the length of the player’s arms, and what is most comfortable for the player.

o Soprano – Lie in the middleo Alto – Can lie either in the middle or on the side.o Tenor – Sideo Bari – Side

Make sure the students’ shoulders are relaxed and that the neck strap is at an appropriate height.

Bring the mouthpiece to the mouth, not vis versa. Fingers should be curved, like a C. Be gentle! Just push on the pearls of the keys, there is no need to slam down. Keep

pinkies near the instrument as well.o A way to test this is to put pennies on the pearls of the instrument. The students’

goal is to keep the pearls on the keys while playing properly. This will maintain the student’s pearl-to-finger distance.

V. THE VALUE OF A FLUTOPHONE PROGRAM This program makes the transition to a harder instrument easier.

We (as a society) that the first wind instruments were made of bone and represented that of present-day recorders, whistles, and flutophones.

The fingerings throughout the basic woodwind instruments (clarinet, flute, saxophone, recorder, etc.) are all similar. They are cumulative (meaning they are based on an adding and taking away system.)


Left: Childhood Friend Isabel

Felton, 6th Grade, 2010

Right: Teacher Academy Student Makayla Orman, 7th Grade, 2015

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Flutophones are inexpensive instruments that are great starting points for young students to get into music. It may not be possible to have a flutophone/recorder program in every school district, but they produce good results.

Every 4th/5th grader should spend about two hours a week with a teacher and a recorder.

Every student is given a book and a flutophone/recorder.

Flutophone is easier than brass or clarinet. Through the flutophone program, students will

learn;o The lines and spaces in treble clefo How to count in 3/4 and 4/4.o How to play some universally known tunes.

Decrease dissonance and increase continence. As a teacher you want to build a positive band

program. You will do this through increasing continence and decreasing dissonance towards your program.

o You want the kids to be in band, so you want to take their culture and include it within the program.

o Have students buy instruments instead of rent! Renting means it is easier for the students to give back the instrument (and is generally more expensive).

This program allows you to see the gifted, the quick, the slow, the motivated, and the talented.

Assign instruments to students based on the results from the flutophone program, as well as based on their skill set, their social-economic background, and physical traits that will make it easier/harder to play.

o Students from high-economic families should be put on expensive instruments like oboe and bassoon because not only can they afford the reeds and the instrument, but they can also afford private lessons.

o Students with good ears should play horn or other brass instruments.o Students who struggle with coordination should go on trombone.

Do NOT let students play whatever the hell they want (within reason). You need to have a balanced band program.

When you start off teaching, find yourself a job in the elementary/junior-high standing, because not only are the students just beginning, but you are too. Work your way up to high school.

You NEED to make a personal connection with your students and their families. The relationship between you, the parent, and the student is essential for the

transfer between flutophone and band. Your band needs to be a nice size, on a grand scale, with a large scope. Life in the United States is not equal or fair.


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Get the big boss’ kids in the program. You’ll be more likely to expand your program that way.

A student having good friends in the program raises the probability of the student staying in band. Put their culture within the classroom will enhance the experience and keep them interested.

Optimal time to start students in band is 5th grade because that is when they are starting to explore the options given to them via sports, so you want to get in and make your mark first.

Mancelona Middle School 7th/8th Grade Band – Spring Concert, 2017Conductors: Jessica Tippett (absent), Gretchen Heegeman

VI. FOOT TAPPING AND COUNTING It will be helpful for students to be able to kinesthetically feel the beat/pulse.

o One way we can do this is to tap your foot/heel/toe. This involves multitasking. It will help keep the time.

Be careful not to let foot tapping get out of hand. It is supposed to assist the musician, but not be audible.

Encourage all students to experiment with kinesthesia. We can use body movements, but only when suitable and appropriate.


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Counting is the quantitative aspect of measuring musical time. Give handouts with graded examinations to help measure their success and skill set. This all will help them be able to recognize, subdivide, and accurately identify

rhythm patterns.

What is music? According to Prof. Nichol, it is sound architecture within time.Tempo Markings, Slowest to Fastest

*Estimated beats per minute taken from the Metronome X App on Mac1. Largo (30 bpm)2. Lento (40 bpm)3. Adagio (66 bpm)4. Andante (76 bpm)5. Moderato (100 bpm)6. Allegro (120 bpm)7. Presto (169 bpm)8. Prestissimo (200 bpm)

VII. EMBOUCHURE AND TRANSPOSITION Do not take transposition lightly. An instrument sounds in the key in which it was built. (If you play a C on an Eb alto

saxophone, the note will sound like Eb.) Time on Task – Doing the things instead of talking about them. Envision how you want the piece to sound. Get the students through all their scales. Orchestras tune to an A because all strings in orchestra have an open A string. Bands tune to a Bb because that note is open on brass instruments.


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“Flat chin, corners in.” Embouchure – French for “around an opening.” Aperture – The opening referred to in the definition above. The top teeth are anchored to the top of the mouthpiece. DO NOT use double lip

embouchure like oboists do.o Some students have sensitive teeth so to help with that get a mouthpiece patch.

You can get them at any music store. It is a good way to measure where your mouth meets the mouthpiece.

When putting the mouthpiece in your mouth, go to where the reed meets the mouthpiece.

Saxophone embouchure is an “o”. Apply equal pressure to all sides of the reed and mouthpiece.

The jaw is stronger than the muscles, so students will try and bite down to control the sound.

There is a concert pitch assigned to each mouthpiece.

o C# - Sopranoo A – Altoo G – Tenoro D – Bari

It will be difficult to reach this pitch, but don’t worry! Relax and support with air!

Once the students achieve the concert pitch, maintain for 10 seconds.

There is one embouchure to rule them all. With this embouchure you can play the whole range of the instrument.

Students chirp. This is a result of poor embouchure. Typically, there will not be enough lip support from the bottom lip.

“Drop your jaw” for low notes is incorrect. Don’t move your jaw at all around the range of the instrument.

To achieve the low notes, push air and blow as if you’re fogging up a mirror. Practice with students how to breathe. Use blowing out candles v. fogging up a mirror. Doing this regulates the controlled release of air and maintains consistent air pressure. Avoid the strong weak blowing which will result in honking. This can be practiced with long tones.

VIII. ABDOMINAL BREATHING Abdominal breathing is an essential part of playing. With these deeper breaths, more

oxygen is being sent to the lungs. We all breathe abdominally when we sleep. We breathe with our chest when we’re

awake. You should discuss abdominal breathing with students in the 8th/9th grade. There are three stages to abdominal breathing;

o The abdominal cavity is filled expands.o The chest (thoracic cavity) is filled.o The throat fills.


Aperture

Pressure

Pressure

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Do breathing exercises with students. It is possible to over-breathe. We exhale carbon dioxide (CO2) which we like to refer to as “dead air,” so

sometimes we need to release dead air in order to take in more air. We need to measure our breaths according to the musical phrase. It makes a

difference! We need to work out our abdomen and embouchure to ensure good results. Be able to demonstrate abdominal breathing to students.

o Leaning forward in a chair and breathing is an example of abdominal breathing.

o Blow a piece of paper at a wall and see how long they can keep it on the wall for.

Engage your embouchure to focus the air! Air Leaks – Students will get air leaks from expelling air from the corners of their

mouths when they play. Just don’t do it. Tighten the embouchure to prevent it.

IX. ARTICULATION Train your tongue!

Rule #1 – Top of the tongue on the tip of the reed. Make sure the part of the tongue on the tip of the reed has taste buds.

o Short tongue/large oral cavity Tip to tipo Long tongue/small oral cavity Anchor

tonguing


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Anchor tonguing – Placing the tip of the tongue behind your bottom teeth and hitting the reed with the middle of the tongue.

A tonguing placement test is to take an old reed and color the tip of the reed with a safe marker. Have the student tongue, and the marker will show up on the tongue of the student.

With younger students, you will see their throats move because of their lack of coordination. Don’t worry! They’ll practice out of it.

“Ta” and “Te” are the ideal movements for the tongue. Practicing tonguing with students to build basic muscle memory. Use articulation

exercises and work on them daily. A high school junior should be able to articulate sixteenth notes at 120bpm. Once the muscle is strong, it will be able to assist and identify different articulation styles

needed in professional playing. AVOID…

o – Nothing hitting the reed when played.o – Articulating with the throat with a “k” sound.o Thudding – Slamming the tongue on the reed.o Slap tonguing – Just no. Don’t do it.

You can play Round Robin for articulation identification. Just go around the room and have students articulate individually to identify good v. bad articulation. Make sure not to embarrass students, however. Ask if they would like to meet after class or after school to work on improving articulation rather than working on it in front of the entire class.

A fine musician is a musical athlete. A fine musician has three things;

1. Great tone2. Fine fingers3. Coordinated tongue

X. TONE AND VIBRATO Within the hierarchy of music, tone is #1.

To get good tone;o Listen to good role models.o Find your sound.o Students need to be aware

that they need to sound good.o Have goals.o Model the human voice.

Vibrato & tone come with time and work.


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When practicing vibrato, practice with a metronome. Start at 60bpm and work it up to 76bpm. Work through the subdivisions with your students.

When using vibrato on saxophone, you will use your jaw. It won’t be physically visible, though. Most of the movement will be in the back of your jaw.

Use vibrato when appropriate. (Long notes, chorales, etc.) High school sophomores should be able to use vibrato.

XI. FINGERINGS AND ALTERNATIVE FINGERINGS


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XII. THE VALUE OF LISTENING TO RECORDINGS Saxophone Notebook - Fall 2019

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We have to become life-long learners. It is important for students to have tonal and stylistic models. It gives us examples of

what music is supposed to sound like. Two pieces mentioned by Professor Nichol were Oscar Petersen’s “C Jam Blues” and

Bill Evans’ “Waltz for Debbie.” Have students listen to recordings and construct listening lists.

o An assignment idea is to have students listen to a listening list. They then pick one and answer opinion-based questions about it. Pros, cons, elements they heard within the piece, what the performer did that they liked/disliked.

Research (R) = Have your students done their research on the piece they’re performing?

Listen (L) = Have your students listened to the piece they’re performing outside of class?

Practice (P) = Have your students practiced today outside of class? Memorize (M) = After a while students should be able to memorize their music because

they’ve been playing it so much.o “Off the Stand” – Being able to look away from the music stand and perform

well. We need to teach musical style by learning ourselves. We need to spread the love of music to our students and their parents. Your most prized possession is going to be your career/profession.“Once you decide to become a musician, you never get a day off.” ~ Johnathan Nichol

XIII. BRANDS, MODELS, AND EQUIPMENT Purchase rather than rent!


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Students should rotate their reeds because if they use the same one everyday it will get moldy and gross.

o Put cute little stickers on the lower backs of the reeds and rotate the reeds everyday with the students till it becomes habit. (i.e. Today we’re going to use the turtle reed! Tomorrow we’ll use the dog reed!)

o Do reed checks regularly with younger students!

Always use Vandoren reeds. Start with beginner horns, but ALWAYS

skip intermediate horns and move straight to professional horns.

Look out for counterfeit horns. They exist. They exist in multiple colors, too. Be careful!

o Counterfeit horns do not have replacement parts, so one they break they’re done for. They also have a poor quality of sound and break easily.

o Don’t buy horns off Amazon or other untrusted sources. Make sure you have a list of trusted brands and sources to buy instruments from. When students transition from middle school to high school, they should buy a better-

quality mouthpiece. Make sure you have a list of private teachers as well. Use rubber cushions! They help students so much! It is great for mouth placement and

teeth sensitivity. Good ligature options are Vandoren MO and Vandoren Optimum. Rovner is a good

brand if you need a temporary replacement ligature. They’re cloth, but durable. Only use plastic reeds for marching band. They’re great for marching band

because they last a long time. However, with concert performances, use cane reeds.

XIV. LITERATURE With your thoughts, you create your world.

Music and art drive the musician to do what they do best. There is more to being a band director than meets the eye. The top 3 ensembles focused on in schools today are;

o Concert Bando Marching Band


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o Jazz Band However, there are more groups than that.

o Orchestrao Woodwind Ensembleso Brass Ensembleso Percussion Ensembleso Jazz Combo

As a band director, it is important to be familiar with three easy, three medium, and three hard pieces of literature for each instrument and ensemble. Schools always ask about marching band first. That is the most visual and the most well-

known of the band groups. The goal is to become a master teacher and be able to juggle all the groups and juggle

them well. No one is going to pay for the extra groups. Keep planting seeds through;

o Promotion of the programo Listening assignments and listening listso Planting ideas and proposals to studentso Being enthusiastic about music.

Enthusiasm is contagious!

Left: Mancelona High School Marching Band – Bass Festival 2016Right: Mancelona Middle School 7th/8th Grade Band – Fall 2015

XV. INTONATION “Playing out of tune is like playing wrong notes.” ~John Nichol

It is essential for musicians to play in tune. If the band is out of tune, the band director can’t hear. Some people ARE tone deaf. Band directors have to be able to have control over the situation, making playing in tune

a PRIORITY.


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Used to have to purchase tuners and metronomes, but now they’re apps on our phones. You need to keep a tuner/metronome on hand. Encourage students to invest in a metronome/tuner app.

Frequently talk about pitch with your students. We need to continually wrestle with our own pitch. Be careful with saying the word “wrong.” ASK students whether pitches are flat, sharp, lower, higher, etc. Teach pitch discrimination;

o Have 2 students play a note one right after the other, then have student say which one is lower, which one is higher, etc.

Involve the students in the process!!! Once you’ve worked with the tuner for a long time, get rid of it! A pitch is variable. It is not always exact. Don’t tune one note! Imagine your ears are a police scanner. Always listen for intonation.

In the measures above, the D, B, and C# in the first measure will 99.99% of the time be flat. The D, E, A#, and C# in the second measure will 99.99% of the time be sharp.

The best tuning notes on the saxophone is Bb or A.Be in tune, in tone, in time, and in touch.

MSBOA stands for Michigan Schools Band and Orchestra Association When you go to Festivals or Solo & Ensemble, there are 5 categories on the judge’s

form;1. Tone2. Intonation3. Rhythm4. Technique (Articulation & Fingerings)5. Interpretation

Tone and Intonation walk down the street holding hands. They’re very close. Always have your lights on and pick up all the information you need to be an effective

teacher. Always be thinking about the 5 MSBOA categories. You have to hand out those rhythm worksheets! It’s good to make sure your students

have a logical and visual understanding of the music as well as an auditory/abstract understanding.

A Baroque piece is a good piece to have at Solo & Ensemble because Movement I shows technique and Movement II usually demonstrates musicality.

Enact upon mindfulness and awareness. Talking about it makes the students aware of it.

Tone is abstract. Yes, it can come from good air support, good embouchure, good tongue and throat technique, but it is only an abstract concept.

Make sure students have stylistic models. Videos, audio, and guest artists are great ways of inspiring students.


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Left to Right: Isabel Felton, Dylan Biers, and Gretchen Heegeman at State Solo and Ensemble in 2014.

XVI. JAZZ STYLINGS AND IMPROVISATION The saxophone appeared as a jazz instrument in the

1930s. It was known as the “Darling of Jazz” because it could create unique tonal signatures on a conical tube. The saxophone (and range of saxophones) are based on the human voice.

Jazz Saxophonistso Lester Young (Shown Right)


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o Coleman Hawkins o Dexter Gordono Stan Getzo Johnny Hodgeso Phil Woodso John Coltraneo James Cartero Kenny Garretto Bob Mencero Robbie Smith

If you teach saxophone, students can develop an interest in jazz. Saxophonists can find gigs in…

o Big Bandso Jazz Combos

An ideal saxophonist is one who is well versed in classical and jazz.

Both genres of music have different ways of blowing, articulation, and embouchure. Classical relies heavily on the printed page and skill developed by what is on the page. Jazz relies on cocreation, improvisation, and imagination.

Big name composers such as Schumann and Chopin were able to improvise. Get Maiden-Voyage Fourteen, Easy-to-Play Jazz Tunes #54. It is a great resource to

introduce students to jazz. Backing Tracks – A recording that helps students who want to practice jazz but lack an

actual group to play with.o irealpro is a backing track app student can get.

Go to the school of Count Bassey to learn how to teach and run big bands (these are recordings). Check out Duke Ellington as well.

Build a music library and buy professional recordings. Jazz music is fat, classical music is focused.

Jazz Blues Scale (in G)

Minor Pentatonic Scale (in A)


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the saxophone · web viewthe eb/bb saxophones are primarily used in bands whereas the f/c...

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