Saxophone For Dummies E-Book

Denis Gabel

• Herausgeber: John Wiley & Sons
• Kategorie: Geisteswissenschaft
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2011

Seitenzahl: 480

Beschreibung

The fast and easy way to play this popular woodwind instrument Saxophone For Dummies offers the ideal introduction to this popular and versatile instrument, whether you lack any musical experience or are picking up the sax again after a hiatus. Covering both the alto and tenor sax, this friendly guide explains how to get a good sound, how to read music, and how to play songs in a variety of styles, including classical, pop, and jazz, all accompanied by the audio samples on the enclosed CD. With tips on how to buy or rent the best saxophone, and information on how to care for the instrument, Saxophone For Dummies is a comprehensive guide to playing this popular woodwind alone or in a group setting. * Includes tips on buying or renting a new or used saxophone * Audio samples of classical, pop, and jazz music are available on the bonus CD * Advice on cleaning and maintaining a saxophone If you're picking up a saxophone for the first time or are looking to brush up on your skills, Saxophone For Dummies gives you everything you need to appreciate, understand, and excel at playing this popular instrument.

Leseprobe

Saxophone For Dummies®

Visit www.dummies.com/cheatsheet/saxophone to view this book’s cheat sheet.

Table of Contents

Introduction

About This Book

Foolish Assumptions

What You Don’t Need To Read

Conventions Used In This Book

How This Book Is Organized

Part I: Basic Information about the Saxophone

Part II: Getting Started: From First Notes to Special Effects

Part III: A Variety of Styles: The Blues, Jazz, Pop, and Classical

Part IV: Saxophone Accessories, Maintenance, and Practice Tips

Part V: The Part of Tens

Appendixes

Icons Used In This Book

Where to Go from Here

Part I: Basic Information about the Saxophone

Chapter 1: Saxophone Basics

Meeting Mr. Sax

The invention of the saxophone

The saxophone goes mainstream

Getting to Know the Sax’s Components and Their Functions

Parts of the saxophone

How the saxophone sings

Finding the Right Sized Sax

Meeting the saxophone family

Deciding on your perfect match

Following your favorite sound

Matching the saxophone to musical styles

Acquiring a Saxophone

Leasing

Buying: New or used?

Starting with a quality sax

Chapter 2: Assembling and Tuning the Sax

Checking Out Some Important Parts

Needing the Reed

Minding the Mouthpiece

Structure of the mouthpiece

Metal or rubber mouthpiece

Holding It Together with the Ligature

Assembling the Reed, Ligature, and Mouthpiece

Putting the Saxophone Together

Assembling the sax, step by step

Making high and low sounds

Tuning the Sax

Tuning in to a common pitch

Transposing: Different notes for different instruments

Adjusting the saxophone’s tuning

Chapter 3: The Body–Saxophone Connection

Adopting Proper Posture

Standing correctly

Sitting correctly

Practicing posture with the saxophone

Breathing Technique for Playing the Saxophone

Diaphragm and abdominal breathing

Physical support

Training the diaphragm with deep breathing

Adjusting Your Embouchure

Part II: Getting Started: From First Notes to Special Effects

Chapter 4: Notes, Intervals, and First Melodies

Gearing Up for That First Note

Producing good sound

Positioning your hands and fingers correctly

Starting with the note G

Playing notes with the left hand

Playing notes with the right hand

Exercising Proper Finger Technique

Trying a few fingering exercises

Moving on to first melodies

Understanding the Octave Key

Deciphering Key Signatures and Accidentals

Knowing All 12 Notes on the Saxophone

C#/Db

D#/Eb

F#/Gb

G#/Ab

A#/Bb

Chapter 5: The Language of Music: Articulation and Intonation

Playing Short and Long Notes with Articulation and Phrasing

Ascending and Descending Scales

Getting Down with Dynamics

Bringing dynamics into play

Chapter 6: Have You Got Rhythm?

Feeling Rhythm in Your Body

Clapping yourself free

Going over ten rhythmic clapping exercises

Going from Notes to Songs

Playing a bit of the blues

Playing a pop ballad

Letting Yourself Go with Improvisation

How improvisation works

Improvising with pentatonics

Practicing improvisation exercises

Chapter 7: Scaling New Notes and Expanding Your Range

Discovering the Highs and Lows of the Saxophone

Descending into the low notes

Lower-register exercises

Climbing up to the high notes

High-register exercises

Getting Personal with Scales

Adapting your playing using scales

Getting to know the major scale

Examining the structure of major scales

Remembering flats and sharps

Conquering the Chromatic Scale

Chapter 8: Special Rhythms and Techniques

Getting Into the Swing of the Rhythm

Re-examining the eighth note

Playing with swing

Reaching New Rhythms: Syncopation, Offbeats, and 5/4 Time

Syncopation and offbeats

5/4 Time: “Take Me to 5th Avenue”

Having Fun with Sound Effects

Vibrato

Bending

Growling

Flutter tonguing

Part III: A Variety of Styles: The Blues, Jazz, Pop, and Classical

Chapter 9: Getting Down with the Blues

Using the Sax to Play the Blues

The blues scale

The 12-bar blues

Playing the blues

Going from Blues Licks to Your Own Blues Solo

Playing blues licks

The Blues Lick Solo

Playing Your Own Blues Solo

Chapter 10: Jazz — Practice Makes Perfect

Swinging with “Walking Home”

Preliminary rhythmic exercises

Getting down to the song “Walking Home”

Improvising on “Jack the Mack”

First theme

Second theme

Third theme

Solo improvisation

The whole piece

Chapter 11: Rock ’n’ Roll and Rhythm and Blues

Rocking and Rolling to Rhythm and Blues

Getting a Rock ’n’ Roll Sound

Playing “Green Potatoes”

Chorus 1 and 4

Chorus 2

Chorus 3

Putting the whole song together

Catching a “Late Night Train”

Taking it chorus by chorus

Playing the whole song

Chapter 12: Getting Your Groove On: Soul and Funk

Getting to Know the Horn Section

Seeing how each horn section is unique

Playing in a horn section: Five tips

Playing the Quick Sixteenth

Doing the math of sixteenth notes

Playing sixteenth-note phrases

Getting Funky with “Brown Sax”

Grooving with “Crushed Ice”

Chapter 13: Latin Music

Diving Into the Diversity of Latin Music

Checking Out Clave

Rhythm exercise 1 — foundations for clave

Rhythm exercise 2 — clapping clave

Spicing Things Up with “Sax con Salsa”

Mastering melody and tones

Seeing the structure and rhythm

Improvising

Blaming It On the Bossa Nova

Playing “Antonio’s Bossa”

Checking out the parts

Getting the fundamentals

Stars of the Latin Saxophone

Stan Getz (1927–1991)

Paquito D’ Rivera (1948)

Gato Barbieri (1934)

Chris Vadala

David Sanchez (1968)

Wayne Shorter (1933)

Joe Henderson (1937–2001)

Chapter 14: Pop Saxophone: To the Point and Straight to the Heart

Hitting the Highlights of Sax in Pop Music

“Sax on Baker Street”

Careless Sax

Playing Around with Pop Techniques

Growling

Bending

Grace notes and ornamentation

Overtones and altissimo

False fingering

Glissando

Playing with Courage, Intensity . . . and Clichés

Decisiveness and courage

Intensity and emotion

Clichés, famous riffs, and originality

Standing in the Spotlight at Showtime!

Styling, outfits, and accessories

Moves and poses

Freedom with a transmitter mic

Feeling Starstruck: The Greatest Pop Saxophonists of All Time

Rudy Pompilli (1924–1976)

Sam Butera (1927–2009)

Phil Woods (1931)

David Sanborn (1945)

Branford Marsalis (1960)

Candy Dulfer (1969)

Clarence Clemons (1942–2011)

Kenny G (1956)

Pete Christlieb (1945)

Michael Brecker (1949–2007)

Chapter 15: Classical Music: The World of Bach, Ravel and Co.

Exploring the Big World of Classical Saxophone

Examining the Repertoire of Classical Saxophone Hits

Orchestral pieces for saxophone

Concert pieces for saxophone

Solo and chamber music for saxophone

Saxophone and . . . Bach?

Stars of classical saxophone

Great saxophone quartets

Getting Serious about Classical Sax

Ideal classical sound

Tuning, dynamics, and virtuosity

Pondering Playing Techniques in Classical and Contemporary Music

Top tones, upper register, and altissimo

Double tonguing

Flutter tonguing

Slap tongue

Circular breathing

Multiphonics

Quarter tone technique

Selecting a Mouthpiece for Classical Music

Typical and traditional mouthpieces in classical music

The classical reed

Choosing a saxophone

Playing Bach

Noticing the parts of the piece

Part IV: Saxophones, Accessories, Maintenance, and Practice Tips

Chapter 16: The Right Tools for the Job: Saxophone and Accessories

Selecting Your Saxophone

Looking at top manufacturers and models

Avoiding junk

Being wary of vintage

Looking at Mouthpieces, Reeds, and Ligatures

Considering mouthpiece manufacturers

Seeing reeds

Looking at ligatures

Finding the Right Support with Neck and Shoulder Straps

Protecting Your Sax with a Case

Types of cases

Selecting a case

Taking a (Musical) Stand

Saxophone stands

Music stands

Meeting the Metronome and Tuner

Metronome for time and rhythm

Tuner for being in tune

Chapter 17: Cleaning and Maintenance

Keeping Your Saxophone Clean

Swabbing your saxophone dry

Caring for the mouthpiece and reeds

Fixing a Sticky G# Key

Maintaining Mechanics

A well-oiled instrument

First aid for the saxophone

Storing and Reviving Reeds

Storing a saxophone reed

Adjusting a bad reed

Following Some Final Advice

Chapter 18: Practice Makes Perfect (Saxophonists)

The Nine Commandments of Practicing

Practice undisturbed

Practice regularly

Practice effectively

Listen to yourself

Structure your practice

Use practice resources

Work on technical exercises

Practice with others and through others

Practice with joy

Approaching a New Song

Part V: The Part of Tens

Chapter 19: The Ten Greatest Saxophone Players You Should Know

Lester Young (1909–1959)

Charlie Parker (1920–1955)

Sonny Rollins (1930)

John Coltrane (1926–1967)

Dexter Gordon (1923–1990)

Stan Getz (1927–1991)

Maceo Parker (1943)

David Sanborn (1945)

Michael Brecker (1949–2007)

Jan Garbarek (1947)

Chapter 20: The Ten Most Important Sax Players and Their Best Recordings

Lester Young: “The Lester Young Trio” (1946)

Charlie Parker: “The Savoy and Dial Recordings” (1944–1948)

Sonny Rollins: “Saxophone Colossus” (1956)

Miles Davis with John Coltrane and Julian “Cannonball” Adderley: “Kind Of Blue” (1959)

Dexter Gordon: “A Swinging Affair” (1962)

Stan Getz: “Getz/Gilberto” (1964)

Michael Brecker: “Michael Brecker” (1987)

Maceo Parker: “Life on Planet Groove” (1992)

David Sanborn: “Straight to the Heart” (1984)

Keith Jarrett and Jan Garbarek: “My Song” (1977)

Appendix A: Reading Music

Appendix B: Fingering Charts

Appendix C: About the CD

John Wiley and Sons Canada, Ltd. End-User License Agreement

Cheat Sheet

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Saxophone For Dummies®

by Denis Gäbel & Michael Villmow

Saxophone For Dummies®

Published by John Wiley & Sons Canada, Ltd. 6045 Freemont Blvd. Mississauga, ON L5R 4J3 www.wiley.com

Copyright © 2012 by John Wiley & Sons Canada, Ltd.

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Library and Archives Canada Cataloguing in Publication Data

Gäbel, Denis Saxophone for dummies / Denis Gäbel, Michael Villmow.

(—For dummies) Includes index. Translation of: Saxofon für dummies. Includes CD-ROM with audio samples. Issued also in electronic formats. ISBN 978-1-118-08487-8 (bound); 978-1-118-08972-9 (eMobi); 978-1-118-08973-6 (ePDF); 978-1-118-08974-3 (ePub)

1. Saxophone—Methods—Self-instruction. 2. Music theory—Elementary works.I. Villmow, Michael II. Title. III. Series: —For dummies

MT508.G11213 2011     788.7’193     C2011-905673-9

Printed in the United States

1 2 3 4 5 RRD 15 14 13 12 11

About the Authors

Denis Gäbel studied saxophone at the renowned Conservatory of Amsterdam, in Holland and has taught as a visiting lecturer at the Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany.

In 2003, he won first prize at the international Pim Jacobs Concours in Rotterdam, Holland. He was also a finalist at the Dutch Jazz Competition, and won the 2009 Jazz Award from Germany’s Federal Association of Music Industry for his work as composer and arranger on his brother Tom Gäbel’s CD Don’t Wanna Dance.

Denis Gäbel is also a bandleader is his own right, primarily with his group the Denis Gäbel Trio. In collaboration with Jasper Blom, he released two CDs with Nagel Heyer Records (2006 Keep on Rollin’; 2009 Love Call — Impressions of Ellington).

You can find further information about Denis Gäbel at www.denisgaebel.com.

Michael Villmow has played with many renowned musicians such as Ray Charles, Sammy Davis Jr., Caterina Valente and Johnny Logan. He is the founder of the Cologne Big Band, in which jazz giants such as Randy Brecker, Bendik Hofseth, Manfred Schoof and Chad Wackermann played.

As a composer, Villmow has created works for the German radio stations WDR and NDR, and for the opera in Cologne. In 1999, the Norwegian Music Committee commissioned Villmow to write a piece for their national big band and choir, which inspired him to be more involved in vocal music. Since then, he has written several compositions for saxophone and choir, including several masses.

Since 1980, Michael Villmow has worked as music teacher at the Rhein Music School in Cologne, where he mentors students of all ages through individual lessons, and leads many ensembles, and is the head of the Jazz-Rock-Pop Department. In addition, he has worked as guest lecturer for saxophone at the University of Cologne and has conducted ensembles at the Robert Schumann University for Music in Düsseldorf, Germany. Since 1993, he has worked as a conductor, composer, and arranger of the musical executive team at the Youth Jazz Orchestra of Nordrhein-Westfalen in Germany.

Dedication

Denis Gäbel: Thanks to my parents Monika and Peter and my brothers Oliver, Tom, and Colin.

Michael Villmow: Thanks to my children Annika and Frederik

Authors’ Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to Anne Jonas of Wiley-VCH press for the collaboration.

We’re also thankful to Judith Bregy, Thomas Haberkamp, Prof. Heiner Wiberny, Lina Sommer, and our other students.

Finally, we’re thankful to the producers at K&M, Vandoren Paris and for the support of the company Klemm Music Technology, whose music notation software “Finale” was used for this book.

Publisher’s Acknowledgments

We’re proud of this book; please send us your comments at http://dummies.custhelp.com. For other comments, please contact our Customer Care Department within the U.S. at 877-762-2974, outside the U.S. at 317-572-3993 or fax [phone].

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Introduction

Are you fascinated by the saxophone? Is it your dream instrument? Maybe you already know how to play this wonderful instrument or perhaps you want to try it out. Well, Saxophone For Dummies is exactly the right choice for beginners and anyone else looking to expand their skills and knowledge.

The saxophone has influenced many styles of music. Whether it’s in the big bands of Count Basie and Duke Ellington, Bill Haley’s legendary rock ’n’ roll band, or the funk master James Brown, saxophonists have left their indelible mark on music. In the bossa nova song “The Girl from Ipanema,” the breathy saxophone is the icing on the cake.

Saxophone also plays an essential role in the so-called “serious music.” Maurice Ravel’s Boléro shows another side of the instrument. Here, it’s not about the roaring R&B sax that King Curtis played or what you might recall from the pop hit “Baker Street.” Instead, in Ravel’s piece, the saxophone has a fine, clear sound that’s a beautifully integral part of the classical orchestra.

The many faces and voices of the saxophone ensure that it remains a popular instrument. Whether as a solo instrument, as part of a horn section in a big band, or at home in your living room, the dynamic and rich sound is captivating!

About This Book

Saxophone For Dummies helps you to discover the world of the saxophone. This book provides you with everything you need — from help in selecting your instrument and accessories, to sounding out your first notes, to unlocking the secrets of the different musical styles including blues, jazz, pop, and classical. This is a comprehensive guide to playing and understanding the instrument.