Fundamental Music Instruction Alto Saxophone

Fundamental Music Instruction

Edward

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Alto Saxophone

Welcome to the


Intermediate Workbook – (transition to Advanced level playing)

Now that you have been playing for quite some time, your skills have developed to a point where you can transition from a beginner to an advanced performer. You have learned at least 7 notes and should be playing these with a good sense of Tempo Control (rhythmic accuracy), a pleasing tone, musical phrasing and a legato articulation style. In this book your range of notes will more than double – you will play more advanced rhythms – play faster but still work on a pleasing tone and smooth (legato), controlled phrases.

To make the most progress possible, a student must find a quiet place to practice and get in the habit of truly listening to the sounds being produced. Learning to critique one’s sound is the best tool for building a lasting mastery of musicianship on every level. The music in this book is sequential from initial sounds to songs that are appropriate for the first performance. It is designed to go along with the music rehearsed for concert performances so students should work through both sets of music together – many concepts are repeated from this book to ensemble music to help reinforce important aspects of musical development.

Ed Kelly, Fundamental Music Instruction Administrator

Left Hand position Right Hand position

A Quick review of Hand Position and Embouchure:

All sound comes from the most effective use of the breath

(wasted air =wasted sound)

Use these pictures as reference in this book to keep these very

important asects of your progress fresh in your mind.

Put upper teeth firmly on the top of the

mouthpiece.

Place the lower lip slightly over the lower

teeth.

Seal the lips around the mouthpiece; make

them firm.

Point the chin and firm up the corners of the

mouth.

Keep the lips firm while opening the mouth

slightly.

Don't bite down on the mouthpiece.

The way in which the air (breath) meets the reed will effect the sound

of the instrument – too much air will produce a “Honking Sound”

Mouth muscles poorly formed will not allow the air to vibrate the reed

properly and will create sounds from wavy airy tones to squeeky out of

tune notes. The trick is listen and adjust – listen and adjust!!

&

#

44

Alto Sax.

˙n ˙ w ˙n ˙ w œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙n ˙ w

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œ œ ˙ œ œ ˙ œ œn œ œN w œ œ ˙ œ œ ˙ œ œ œ œ w

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#.. ..˙ ˙ œ œ ˙ œ œ œ

œ œ œ ˙

Intermediate Workbook

Cold Soggy Buns

Which Sounds Right ?

Rain Rain

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Low Note F 4 keys (no O.K.)

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Low Note E 5 keys (no O.K.)

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Low Note E 6 keys (no O.K.)

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Low Note F# 3 + Middle (no O.K.)

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Low Notes have a warm, rich, deep tone when played correctly - if they are thin sounding or "squeaky" you will need to adjust the "magic spot" (placement of the reed on your bottom lip).

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œ œ œ œœ œ œ œ

œ œ œ œ œ œ˙ œ œ œ œ

œ œ œ œ ˙ ˙ œ œ˙

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œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙ œ œ ˙ œœ ˙ œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙ œ œ œ œ w

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˙œ œ ˙ ˙ ˙ œ œ w

œ œœ œ ˙ œ œ ˙ ˙ w

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˙˙ ˙ ˙ ˙ ˙ w

œ œœ œ ˙ œ œ ˙ ˙ w

March

Mary 2

Hush Little Baby

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The page first pages of this workbook offer a good opportunity to work on the physical requirements for playing the lower range of the saxophone - be patient and do you best to get a deep tone on these sounds. (no "Honking")

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Good tone starts with continuous and steady airflow to the instrument. Breathing practices and using a tuner will improve pitch accuracy and create a round and rich sound. Don't over blow.

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You are asked to begin with a 6 finger D and then move to a 1 finger B in this song - be careful to coordinate the wide change in fingerings (you will keep going between D-B, D-A). Try to play legato and move all fingers exactly at the same time to avoid "Blip" sounds!

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œ œ œ œ ˙

1.

˙ ˙ ˙ ˙

2.

w

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Œœ œ œ œ œ ˙

Œœ œ œ œ œ œ œ

Œœœ œ œ œ w

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œ œ œ œœ œ ˙ ˙ œ œ w

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œ œœ œ œ œ ˙ œ œ œ œ

Fine

œ œ ˙œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙

œ œ œ œ

D.C. al Fine

œ œ ˙

Winnie

Dreydle Dreydle

Camptown Races

Twinkle Twinkle

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High Note D (6 +Thumb)

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High Note E (5 +Thumb)

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F# is played using the right middle finger key - E uses both the right pointer and middle - start with the middle and simply add the pointer.

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This song requires you to move the left ring finger at the exact same time you move the right middle finger.

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Remember to keep working on the Legato Style!

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& 44œ œ# ˙ œ œ ˙ œ œ œ#

œ œ œ ˙ œ œ# ˙ œ œ ˙

&œ œ#

œ œ w# œ œ œ œ œ œ# ˙ œ# œ œ œ œ# œ ˙

& œ œ# ˙ œ œ ˙ œ œ# œ œw

& œ œ œ œœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ

œ œ œ œ œ

& œ œ œœ ˙

œ œ œœ ˙

œ œ œœ ˙ œ œ ˙

Lightly Row

Old English Song

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Beginner Band Skill Levels

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# ˙ ˙œ.˙ ˙ ˙ œ .˙ ˙ ˙

œn ˙ œ œ œ œ œ .˙ Œ

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#.. ..œ œ œ œ ˙n ˙ œ œ œ œ ˙ ˙ œ œ œ œ œn œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙ ˙

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Good Night Ladies

Whose on First

Angels We Have Heard on High

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The difference between High note and Low Note F is the use of the Octave Key (Left thumb Key).

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The higher you go in the range of the Saxophone, the more you will need to support the "Embouchure" (form more "EEE" shape with tongue, lips and jaw).

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The lower you go in the range of the Saxophone, the more forward the jaw is for the "Embouchure" (form more "OOO" shape with tongue, lips and jaw).

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˙.œjœ w

˙.œjœ w

1.

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jœ w

2.

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jœ ˙

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œ œ .˙ œ w

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# .˙ œ œœœ œ .˙ œ w .˙ œ œ œ

œ œ w w

Here Comes the Bide

Sing Noel

Peace is Flowing Like a River

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Keep working on the EEE and OOO shapes to create a warm, rich tone!

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Try these two measures 1 Octave higher by pressing the octave key for all the notes - remember to support the Embouchure with a strong EEEE shape!

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Don't play too slow, and try to play all the notes from beginning to the end of each curve line in 1 breath (Phrase marking).

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43˙ œ œ œ œn œ œ w

˙ œ œœ

œ œ œw

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jœ œ œ œ

œ .œjœ œ œ œ œ .˙

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Jœ œ œ œ œ œ œ

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42

Jœ œ

Jœ œœœ œJœ œ

Jœ œ œ

Jœ œ

Jœ œ œ

œ œ

Jœ œ

Jœ œ œ

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43

Jœ œ

Jœ œœœ œJœ œ

Jœ œ œ

Jœ œ

Jœ œ œn

œœ œ

Jœ œ

Jœ œ œ

Scales

America

King of Glory

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This is a Low C - it requires the bottom of the right pinky keys and the most OOO shape for the embouchure.

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A view of the right pinky key for low C:

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You have a choice between E or a high note G (played using 3 keys + the octave Key). Use a good deal of EEEE shape to support the embouchure!

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& œ ˙ œ œœ ˙ œ ˙ œ œ

œ ˙ œ ˙ œ œœ ˙

œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙

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œ ˙ œ ˙ œ œœ ˙ œ ˙ œ œ

œ ˙œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙

& œ.œ.œ.œ. œ

.œ.˙- œ. œ. œ. œ. œ

.œ. -̇

& œ.œ.œ.œ. œ

.œ.˙- œ

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œ# . œ. œ.Œ œ.Œ

Shoo Fly (Mid Range and High Range)

Suprise Symphony

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Beginner Band Skill Levels

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To this point we have learned many facets of musicianship – some of these are:

Breathing as a musician

Mouth muscle formation – Embouchure

Proper technique for holding the instrument

Tone production – (playing with a pleasing sound)

Rhythm + music notation

Finger Combinations to change pitch

Notes ranging from Low Note C to High Note G

Legato and Staccato styles

The following songs are an opportunity to “put it all together”. They are all longer

and require many if not all the many concepts discussed so far. Try to study them so

that you will be comfortable with your own performance. You, the performer, are the

best to critique the sound quality and musical style being produced. If you develop

the skill of truly listening to the overall effect of the musical performance you are

creating, it will help you progress faster than any teacher can. Play, practice and most

of all – listen and enjoy!

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43 œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙ œ ˙ œ

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2.˙˙œœ˙˙ œœ

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44˙̇ œ ˙ œ œ œ œ ˙ œ .˙ œ Œ Œ

Over the River

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You need to choose the part that suits your abilities best - High note G requires a strong supported Embouchure to play "in tune". if you are not quite ready for this play the C's instead.

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Be listening constantly to the tone you produce - The shape of the mouth effects the sound and tuning - listen and adjust!

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"Ties" attach 2 notes into 1 longer one, but slurs mean you still play one long sound - you simply change fingerings to the next note without breathing in between.

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& 44 ˙ œ œ œ œ ˙

˙Jœ œ


&˙ œ œ œ œ ˙

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Finew

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œœ œœ ˙̇ œ œ œ œ œ .˙ œ

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œœ ..œœJ

œœ œœ ˙̇ œ œ œ œ œ

D.C. al Fine

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˙

Go Tell it on the Mountain

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Review: Syncopation = short, long, short long (eighth quarter eighth quarter)

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This is High Note A (remember you may also play the F instead).

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High A is one of the most difficult notes to play in tune - listen to the sound you make and adjust.

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Embouchure adjustments include: flattening the chin, pulling the corners of your mouth back a little, applying a bit more "bite" to the reed, or in reverse - putting the jaw a little more forward for low notes, opening the mouth a bit more (also low notes)...............

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œ œ ˙œ œa œ œ œ œ ˙

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œ œa œœ œ œ ˙

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œœ œœœœ˙̇

& œœ .œ

Jœ œ

œ œ œœœ œ

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Jœ œ œ ˙

For the Beauty of the Earth

Hark the Herald Angel Sing

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This Key signature includes F sharp and C sharp.

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C sharp is the "open note" of the saxophone - you do not press any keys.

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œœ œœ œœ œœœœœ œœ œœ

œœ œœ œœ œœœœœ œœ œœ

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Jœb œ

˙ œ œ œ œ œ œ .˙ œ œ

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œ œ œ œ œ œœœ œ

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1.

œ œb œ œ w

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To Coda

.˙Œ œ œ

œ œ œ œ œ œ œb œ œ œ

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œ œ œ œœ œ œ œ œ œ œ

D.C. al Coda

œ Œ ˙

Frosty the Snowman

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This new note is an Bb - it will use 2 keys and "the bottom side key" (middle right of saxophone)

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Other Time signatures have had a 4 as the bottom number - this one has a 2 which means every note is half the value (or double the speed).

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Right hand side key

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B Flat (Bb)

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Another way (Alternate) to play this note is Left pointer and right pointer.

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#.. .˙ œ ˙ œ œ œ œ œ ˙ w Œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ

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œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙ w

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œ œ œ œ œn œ œ ˙ œ œ œ ˙ œ œ œ ˙ w

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43

.˙ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙ w œ œ ˙ w w

Little Drummer Boy

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jœ œ .˙

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22.˙ .˙ .œ j

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Silent Night

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Play very Legato!

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It would be better to choose the lower note and play with a deep tone.

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Jœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ

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jœ œ œ

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2œ œ

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2..œ

Jœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ .˙

Deck the Halls

Away in a Manger

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Remember the 2 in this time signature makes everything double the speed!

& 42œ .œ# œ .œ

Jœ œ œ .œ J

œ

&.œ

Jœ .œ#

Jœ ˙ .œ

Jœ

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œ# œ œ œ .œ œ œœ œ œ# œ œ .œ œ œ œ

& œ œ œ œœ .œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ .œ œ œ

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Jœ .œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙

Joy to the World

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New rhythms: dotted eight notes and sixteenth notes. Sixteenth notes are double the speed of eighth notes (since there are 2 eighth notes in 1 beat, there are 4 sixteenths notes in 1 beat. The quickest way to "get a feel for this" is to play the song as you would sing it and pay attention to how the speed of the notes speed up for the sixteenth.

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Fundamental Music Instruction Alto Saxophone