Saxophone Skill Builder(V2)

Saxophone Skill Builder A practice companion for intermediate to advanced players

Kevin Nortness

Saxophone Skill Builder A Practice Companion for Intermediate to Advanced Players

Kevin Nortness

© 2015 Kevin Nortness Seattle, USA

MUSICEDUCATIONFORALL.COM 

s oo con a ns a co ec on o exerc ses a me a a ress ng a numb nu mber er of is issu sues es co conc ncer erni ning ng th the e sax saxop opho honi nist st.. The The is issu sue e of strengt str engtheni hening, ng, ref refini ining, ng, and and gaining gaining con contro troll over the saxoph saxophone one tone is addressed through exercises utilizing long tones, timbre, harmoni har monics, cs, and vibr vibrato ato.. Iss Issues ues of spee speed d and prec precisi ision on of of att attack ack are address addr essed ed thr through ough exerc exercises ises in single single and doubl double e tongui tonguing. ng. A nu num mbe berr of is issu sues es in invo volv lvin ing g fi fing nger erin ing g an and d de dex xte teri ritty are are address addr essed ed through through scale scale patt pattern erns. s. In additi addition, on, I’v I’ve e attempt attempted ed to reso re solv lve e so some mewh what at th the e cl clas assi sic c is issu sue e of sc scal ale e pa patt tter erns ns be bein ing g tedi te dious ous and bo bori ring ng by gi givin ving g th them em so some me mel melod odic ic fl flow ow th thro roug ugh h dimished interjections. I ho hope pe the hese se ex exer erci cise ses s pr prov ove e to be as ef effe fect ctiv ive e fo forr yo you u as th they ey ha have ve been for me. Kevin Nortness 

December 2015

TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 Flexibility........................ Flexibility...................................... ............................ ............................ ............................ ............................ ............................ ............................ .......................1 .........1 2 Harmonics............................. Harmonics........................................... ............................ ............................ ............................ ............................ ............................ ........................... ...............6 ..6 2.1 Major Scales in Harmonics............................. Harmonics........................................... ............................ ............................ ............................ ..................7 ....7 2.2 Scale Patterns in Harmonics............................. Harmonics........................................... ............................ ............................ ............................ ...............8 .8 2.3 Clarke Study No. 2 in Harmonics..............................................................................10 3 Miscellaneous Patterns............................ Patterns.......................................... ............................ ............................ ............................ ............................ ......................13 ........13 3.1 Arpeggiated Sixth Chords with Diminished Interjections..........................................15 3.2 Fifths Downwards................ Downwards............................. ........................... ............................ ............................ ............................ ............................ ................17 ..17 4 Scales............................. Scales........................................... ........................... ........................... ............................ ............................ ............................ ............................ .....................18 .......18 4.1 The Modes of the 24 Major and Minor Scales..........................................................19 4.2 Study in Chromaticism............. Chromaticism........................... ............................ ............................ ............................ ........................... .........................31 ............31 5 Tone............................. Tone........................................... ............................ ............................ ............................ ............................ ........................... ........................... .......................39 .........39 5.1 Long Tones............................ Tones.......................................... ............................ ............................ ............................ ............................ .......................... ............ 40 5.2 Octave Key Exercise............................. Exercise........................................... ............................ ............................ ............................ .........................41 ...........41 5.3 Intro to Exercises in Timbre......................................................................................42 5.4 Exercises in Timbre.......................... Timbre........................................ ............................ ............................ ............................ ............................ ................43 ..43 6 Tonguing............................. Tonguing........................................... ............................ ............................ ............................ ............................ ............................ ............................ ................44 ..44 6.1 Single Tonguing............................ Tonguing.......................................... ............................ ............................ ............................ ............................ ....................45 ......45 6.2 Double Tonguing 1............................ 1.......................................... ............................ ............................ ............................ ............................ ...............46 .46 6.3 Double Tonguing 2............................ 2.......................................... ............................ ............................ ............................ ............................ ...............47 .47 6.4 Double Tonguing 3............................ 3.......................................... ............................ ............................ ............................ ............................ ...............48 .48 7 Vibrato............................ Vibrato.......................................... ............................ ............................ ............................ ............................ ............................ ............................ ....................49 ......49 7.1 Vibrato Exercise 1........................... 1......................................... ............................ ............................ ........................... ........................... ...................50 .....50 7.2 Vibrato Exercise 2........................... 2......................................... ............................ ............................ ........................... ........................... ...................51 .....51

1

Chapter 1

FLEXIBILITY

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3

4

5

Chapter 2 HARMONICS

6

The following chart is intended as a reference of saxophone harmonics. harmonics. It is not intended intended as an exercise. exercise. The The player player is expected, expected, however, to be able to play all the following harmonics before attempting the exercises that follow. follow.

Harmonics of the Saxophone

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8

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Chapter 3 MISCELLANEOUS PATTERNS

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Chapter 4 SCALES

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20

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Chapter 5 TONE

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Let each of these notes last an entire breath. Aim for a steady tone. Take a quick full breath, then start the next note. Don't take breaks. This exercise should be considered strenouos. Keep your embochure engaged between notes.

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42

The instructions "bright" and "dark" refer to quality of tone or "timbre." A dark tone is achieved by increasing the volume of space in the mouth and throat. A bright tone is achieved from the opposite. To get a dark tone, drop the aw as low as you can before the bottom lip leaves the reed. Also drop the tongue as low as it can lie in the mouth (preferrably flat). Adjust lip pressure to keep the note in tune. For a bright bright tone the jaw is up high and the ton tongue gue is curved in the mouth to take up space. Again, adjust lip pressure for tuning. The exercises pose their biggest challenge in effecting a smooth transition between these two extremes. In addition, the dynamic markings should also be in the extreme ( ppp to fff ). Do the exercises slowly and meticulously. Each one should be done many times.

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44

Chapter 6 TONGUING

The 'kah' attack feels impossibly awkward and unpleasant- more like a backfire than an articulation. Before double tonguing is attempted, make sure this awkwardness with the K attack has been at least somewhat overcome. It will take a long time. Try spending extended peroids only using the K attack.

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Chapter 7 VIBRATO

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