Saxophone

A day before the performance, I try not to play, at all, if I can help it. Choosing the reed is the only thing I would do. I try to mentally calm down and do completely different things to keep my mind off of the performance. Practicing the…
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It's common to hear a student say, "No matter how much I practice this, it just doesn't get any better". This student has obviously gone through days or even weeks of practice room frustrations. So what can the teacher do?
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I began experimenting with extended techniques as soon as I began playing the saxophone. I remember my elementary school friends and I turning our mouthpieces upside down and squawking at each other. I also saw the percussive abilities of…
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Jazz classes must have a balance between preparing students for performances and teaching them to become jazz performers. The best way for students to learn how to learn heads is to do it daily. The next best way to teach students how to…
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There has been a debate over the years regarding the question of materials used for manufacturing both instruments and mouthpieces. A great number of saxophonists believe that metal mouthpieces are exclusively for playing jazz, and that…
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If I'm to be completely honest, I'd have to say that, more than anything, I chose to play the saxophone because of how it looked. Maybe that's shallow, but 11-year-olds are supposed to be shallow.
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In this article, I hope to offer some sound advice toward the development of a quality, in tune, exciting sax section. Many of today's sections have difficulties that can be readily remedied through easily developed techniques in rehearsal…
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