[JazzItUp]

You have been real supportive of my work, and I have gotten great advice from alot of you here and it shows in my playing. Anyway I wanted to leave you a recent video of me playing my Alto Sax.

Any pointers would be helpful, and I am sorry for the choice of music, I know many of you here don't like Smooth Jazz at all. But that is my style, I am into Dave Koz and Gerald Abright, but I might try a Charlie Parker tune some time if you want me to. But for now, Smooth R&B is my thing. (Unless it's Kenny G, then I'll listen to a dying Ox. Sorry CountSpatula .)

Anyway enjoy the video, and I am looking for a site for some Blues scales & Licks, anyone know any? I'll use the search function too.

 

[CountSpatula]

Kenny G is my hero

 

[Carl H.]

Kenny G is my hero

Better hit the golf course!

 

[JazzItUp]

haha! let's not make this about you and your brother from another mother!

 

[Scudetto]

nice playing, what is the mouthpiece

 

[brutlix]

You call that altissimo?!!

I love your wicked sense of humor!

Keep it up, man!

 

[JazzItUp]

nice playing, what is the mouthpiece

Thanks man. The mouthpiece I'm not sure what the name of it is, I got it as a birthday present but I can give you a link where you can purchase it.

You call that altissimo?!!

I love your wicked sense of humor!

Keep it up, man!

Haha it's the truth! I have arguments like this with myself sometimes!

 

[Jolle]

I Listened with joy. Didn't yawn at all But you asked pointers, so I'll give you. Just personal thoughts, I'm no way an experienced player.

The little amount of mouthpiece you take in, is mentioned already. Frankly, to me it sounds like your mouthpiece/reed combination it just a little too strong. I just say you because I had exactly the same (and still have a bit). And I had the same problems :
- on longe notes your tone floats
- on- en offset of sound is a bit sloppy
- dynamics is difficult to control

Normally I would have to say "put this one away for a while and build chops on a more suited one". It's a way to avoid learning bad habits. Personally, I have to admit I didn't. I practiced long tones until the whole neighbourhood went nuts.

Check the exercises of "Tone production by Phil Barone" in the section "tone producing". That helped me in a week already, so it can't be bad. And get a softer reed to practice : you'll have to take more mouthpiece in to get a full tone, and you learn to control your note without having to do too much effort. Too much effort really makes it harder to get the right embouchure.

Another thing I noticed in your second piece, is that you tend to play a bit "cramped". Your fingers fly all the way That's a lot of energy you waste there. Been there, done that, again.

The less you move your fingers, the faster you can play. I learned that (a bit) by playing licks slow, and gradually speed them up while focusing on moving the least possible. It helps getting that habit away. And in the meantime you learn cool stuff to use in solo's. "extend the vocabulary" that's called here I believe .

A third thing is the emotion. The nice thing about sax is that emotion is created very easy, but you shouldn't start what my teacher calls "chewing on the mouthpiece". Once more, been there, done that

A last thing is the devotion : you have it man, it's great to see. You sound good already, really. And with your devotion, you can get far in a short time.

my two cents

edit : and keep on posting, I dig it!

 

[RootyTootoot]

I liked your tone (not sure about Jolle's comments re reed and m/p - could be right, not sure) and tuning was pretty good, I thought. Finger work was sloppy at times IMHO. You were a bit too lax with the rhythm as well at times. But you're a good player already and you're going to be a very very good player if you keep at it. All the best.

 

[Jolle]

I'm not sure either. It just sounds like, and taking in not enough mouthpiece can very well be a consequence of that. It's the only way I got a decent sound out of a too strong combination.

 

[JazzItUp]

Hey thanks Jolle! That's great advice!

I do take little mouthpiece, but my school teacher never said anything. I remember he told me to take a bigger bite and less bottom lips to play the low notes, and he told me something about diaphragm but I have no idea what he was saying. He's a great player though top notch.

Guys I know I may not have the correct fingerings sometimes but I had to learn from a few books I bought at Sam Ash and from you guys. So keep the helpful advice coming I will work on it.

Jolle I feel like I owe you man.

 

[JazzItUp]

I liked your tone (not sure about Jolle's comments re reed and m/p - could be right, not sure) and tuning was pretty good, I thought. Finger work was sloppy at times IMHO. You were a bit too lax with the rhythm as well at times. But you're a good player already and you're going to be a very very good player if you keep at it. All the best.

Thank you RootyTootoot that means alot to me.

Oh and my finger work does tend to be sloppy at times. And I need to work on my rhythm with music.

Just some flaws right? if you don't correct it, who will?

Thanks again.

 

[CountSpatula]

Diaphragm...pushing down on your diaphragm while playing I think helps a LOT of things...like your tone and control and lets you maintain your pitch center...mainly on long notes. Maybe something along those lines is what your teacher said? (Well thats what my teacher tells me atleast hehe )

Sometimes though it seemed like when you breath you take shallow breaths and your shoulders lift up lol. Your stomach should expand (deep breaths) when you breath in and there shouldn't be any tension in your upper body...

I might just be seeing things who knows...Kenny Gs music is making me crazy.

 

[saxjuss]

Really nice,at beggining i tought it was nothing special,because you didnt color it so like i would like,but when i got the feeling i started liking it,really niceThe music isnt bad,i like it myself tooi think i will post a video of my playing to youtube too