Keys to Better Saxophone Articulation - Chad Criswell
Citation: Criswell, Chad, Keys to Better Saxophone Articulation. Teaching Music, Feb. 2012, Vol. 19, no. 5, pp. 48-49.
Article Title: Keys to Better Saxophone Articulation
Author: Chad Criswell
Magazine or Journal Title: Teaching Music
Summary:
Article Title: Keys to Better Saxophone Articulation
Author: Chad Criswell
Magazine or Journal Title: Teaching Music
Summary:
- Articulation
- Technique
- Should be taught once fundamentals of playing are understood
- Begin with legato tongue
- Follow with separated tonguing, slurring, and combinations
- Use quarter notes
- Stress continuous air flow
- Tu or du syllable
- Teacher and student must listen
- Can’t see what’s happening in the mouth
- Use call and response to have student match teacher sound
- Utilize Ed Sueta Rhythm Vocabulary Charts for practice
The Easy Move From Alto Sax - Andrew J. Allen
Citation: Allen, Andrew J., The Easy Move From Alto Sax. The Instrumentalist, Sep. 2012, Vol. 67, no. 2, pp. 28 & 30.
Article Title: The Easy Move From Alto Sax
Author: Andrew J. Allen
Magazine or Journal Title: The Instrumentalist
Summary:
Article Title: The Easy Move From Alto Sax
Author: Andrew J. Allen
Magazine or Journal Title: The Instrumentalist
Summary:
- Equipment
- Care must be given to mouthpiece and reed choices
- Best choice might be a medium across all aspects of both
- tip opening, facing, chamber, and reed
- Reed: 3
- Avoid jazz mouthpieces if not playing jazz
- A comfortable, adjustable neckstrap is also essential
- Tone Production
- Fix embouchure using the mouthpiece alone
- Match mouthpiece pitch to reference pitch
- Note that the embouchure won’t be significantly different from previous sax
- Soprano
- Common problem when switching to soprano is taking too much mouthpiece
- Harsh, uncontrolled tone is produced
- Always use a neckstrap
- The mouthpiece should enter the mouth at the same angle as tenor or alto
- Not like clarinet
- Don’t allow the right thumb to wrap around the back
- Tenor
- This is a more difficult switch.
- Larger size is often the cause of the problems.
- Hands and fingers struggle to negotiate the keys
- More mouthpiece will need to be taken
- Baritone
- Size again causes an issue in the switch.
- Instrument should not rest on feet or floor.
- A large amount of mouthpiece must be taken
- Staying open and sustaining airflow is essential
- Practice long tones
- Alto
- Switching to alto from tenor usually has embouchure problems
- Negotiate amount of mouthpiece that needs to be taken
Double Tonguing - Sean Murphy
Citation: Murphy, Sean, Double Tonguing on Saxophone. The Instrumentalist, Nov. 2012, Vol. 67, no. 4, pp. 22, 24-26, & 43.
Article Title: Double Tonguing on Saxophone
Author: Sean Murphy
Magazine or Journal Title: The Instrumentalist
Summary:
Article Title: Double Tonguing on Saxophone
Author: Sean Murphy
Magazine or Journal Title: The Instrumentalist
Summary:
- This article provides sax students and teachers with tips from the masters on how one can be successful in double tonguing.
- Those providing commentary include Timothy McAllister, Jean-Denis Michat, Eric Nestler, Griffin Campbell, and Christian Forshaw.
- Many of the descriptions include musical examples and tonguing syllable exercises.
Creative Teaching Techniques: Good Tone Equals Good Intonation
Citation: Mauk, Steve, Creative Teaching Techniques: Good Tone Equals Good Intonation. Saxophone Journal, May/June 2012, Vol. 36, no. 5, p. 16.
Article Title: Creative Teaching Techniques: Good Tone Equals Good Intonation
Author: Steve Mauk
Magazine or Journal Title: Saxophone Journal
Summary:
Article Title: Creative Teaching Techniques: Good Tone Equals Good Intonation
Author: Steve Mauk
Magazine or Journal Title: Saxophone Journal
Summary:
- Intonation
- Despite improvements, some notes are still out of tune on the sax
- Low B-flat, middle D-E and high A & C# are sharp
- Middle B-C# are flat
- Adjust with oral cavity and altered fingerings
- Check with tuner
- Should focus on tone first
- Essential Elements
- Defined tonal concept
- Proper mouthpiece combined with correct reed
- Proper embouchure and oral cavity settings
- Supported airstream
- Instrument in good repair
- Common Problems
- Dropping the jaw for low notes
- Pinching for high notes
- Air speed problems
- Changing the embouchure
- Not using altered fingerings
- Tonal Focus
- Strive for a full, well-centered, focused tone
- Practice at mezzo forte or forte
- Try playing from low F to upper G
- In lower register, use a smaller “ooo”
- Higher register, use “ah”
- Listen
- Trust your ear
- Anticipate sharp and flat notes
- Adjust to others
- Don’t settle
A Distinctive Tone On Saxophone - Sean Murphy
Citation: Murphy, Sean, A Distinctive Tone on Saxophone. The Instrumentalist, Mar. 2012, pp. 28, 30, 32.
Article Title: A Distinctive Tone on Saxophone
Author: Sean Murphy
Magazine or Journal Title: The Instrumentalist
Summary:
Article Title: A Distinctive Tone on Saxophone
Author: Sean Murphy
Magazine or Journal Title: The Instrumentalist
Summary:
- Tone
- Can be very individual or blended
- Embouchure
- Don’t just make sound
- Differentiate between good and poor tone
- Praise production of sound
- Lay focus on fundamental exercises
- Technique will come more quickly than tone
- Thus, spend time on tone
- Adjusting embouchure is easier at a young age
- All the weight of the head should be on the teeth on the mouthpiece
- Test by pulling on neck of instrument
- Make neck strap proper length
- Lower lip
- Too much mutes sound
- Also, makes tone brighter
- If smooth underside of lip is present, lip is rolled out too far
- If no pink is seen, reed is not vibrating enough
- Use a mirror to check
- Tighten corners of mouth
- Equipment
- Have multiple reeds
- Establish a rotation
- Use a reed case
- Protect the mouthpiece
- Use cap
- Listening
- Find classical recordings
- Listen for vibrato and phrasing
Improving Saxophone Intonation: A Systematic Approach - Sean Murphy
Citation: Murphy, Sean, Improving Saxophone Intonation: A Systematic Approach. Canadian Music Educator, Winter 2011 pp. 37-38
Article Title: Improving Saxophone Intonation: A Systematic Approach
Author: Sean Murphy
Magazine or Journal Title: Canadian Music Educator
Summary:
Article Title: Improving Saxophone Intonation: A Systematic Approach
Author: Sean Murphy
Magazine or Journal Title: Canadian Music Educator
Summary:
- Manipulate pitch with oral cavity
- Use a drone for practice
- Don’t use a pitch to help students use their ears
- Play drones for each other to tune
- Know which pitches are generally sharp or flat
- Teach alternate fingerings
- Experiment with the instrument to discover alternate fingerings