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TMEA 2012. Making Your Sax Section Sound Great by Dr. Michael N. Jacobson Professor of Saxophone Baylor University. Tone Production Section Playing, Blend & Balance. Tone Production. Eliminating Tension Lower Jaw Throat (vocal chords) Equilibrium of Embouchure & Air
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TMEA 2012 Making Your Sax Section Sound Great by Dr. Michael N. Jacobson Professor of Saxophone Baylor University
Tone Production • Section Playing, Blend & Balance
Tone Production • Eliminating Tension • Lower Jaw • Throat (vocal chords) • Equilibrium of Embouchure & Air • Equipment (reeds – mouthpieces – ligatures)
Buzzing the Mouthpiece • Tongue Position (Voicing)
Buzzing the Mouthpiece • Pitch = Jaw Pressure Embouchure Support Voicing (oral cavity / tongue position) Reed Strength
Buzzing the Mouthpiece • Bending Pitch = Jaw, Embouchure, Throat, Voicing • Enhances flexibility, pitch control, embouchure control & relaxation.
Buzzing the Mouthpiece • Pitch References for SATB Saxophones
Mouthpiece Voicing • Tongue Position Whistling • Relationship to: • Low Register Response • Pitch / Portamento / Pitch Bends • Tonal Control / Consistency • Getting settled on different horn (alto tenor or alto bari)
Saxophone Embouchure • Shape: round or oval • Corners: in & towards mouthpiece • Lower Jaw: down, away from reed • Chin: relaxed, not flat or pointed • Upper & Lower Teeth Alignment
GOOD: • Corners in towards mouthpiece • Lower jaw down and chin relaxed • Upper & Lower teeth aligned NOT: • Corners • Flat chin NOT: • Corners • Upper lip • Teeth / jaw
Mouthpieces • Brands: • Selmer: S-80 C* or D S-90 180-200 • Vandoren: Optimum 3 or 4 • Rousseau: R3 or R4 NC 3 or NC 4 (0riginal) (New Classic)
Reeds • Strength: 34 for IntAdv Players • Brands: • French Cut Vandoren & V12, Rico Reserve & Royal • Regular Cut Vandoren Java & ZZ Jazz, La Voz, Rico regular
Reeds • Storage: flat surface with grooves • Synthetic Legere Regular – run ½ size hard (compared to Vandoren) Studio Cut – true to size (compared to Vandoren)
Reeds • Placement and Adjustment (seal) • Lower Placement = less resistance • Higher Placement = more resistance • Take care that reed tip stays in contact with and seals to the tip rail of the mouthpiece
Normal Lower Higher
Ligatures • Full Coverage = Darker Tone • Minimal Coverage = Brighter Tone • Brands: Louis standard/Benade Rovner (Minimal <--------------------------> Full)
Section Playing • Examples from Grainger: • Lincolnshire Posy 2. Horkstow Grange 6. The Lost Lady Found • Irish Tune from County Derry
Section Playing • Lincolnshire Posy 2. Horkstow Grange • Melody in top voice Full harmony distributed among voices Frame inner voices with Melody & Bass Use vibrato depending on other ensemble doublings
Section Playing • Lincolnshire Posy 6. The Lost Lady Found • Tutti voices Unisons and octaves Equal balance among voices No vibrato
Section Playing • Irish Tune from County Derry • Melody in inner voices Full harmony distributed among voices Enhance Melody and diminish other voices Vibrato options: Use on Melody and not other voices Use as a section with a similar approach among voices Don’t use due to doublings with other instruments
Handout Layout Page groupings: 1 – 2/3 – 4/5/6/7 – 8/9 – 10/11 – 12/13 – 14/15/16/17 – 18/19/20/21 Total: 4 front back pages