How to play super altissimo on saxophone with Tom Politzer
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 20 ก.ค. 2024
- Tower of Power lead tenor Tom Politzer shares some tips with me on how he plays super high on his sax!
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IN THIS VIDEO:
One of the most iconic bands to check out as a saxophone player is Tower of Power. For 50 years they have been the tightest horn section anywhere. And their current lead tenor player Tom Politzer is amazing!
One of Tom's super powers is playing in the very top octave of the altissimo - what I call the "Super Altissimo".
I reached out to Tom and we filmed a "Guest Session" for my Sax School members. This session was amazing and for about an hour Tom shared loads of tips on how he approaches altissimo, practice, reed preparation (which was a real eye opener) and vibrato.
In the video today you can see Tom's tips on how he has developed his "super altissimo" technique.
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Awesome....met Tom at jazz alley when David Sunborn had him sit in with them last year and he was meeting folks in audience and he handed out his cards....looking forward to taking lessons from him someday to try to nail down my altissimo
Just found an interesting quote by David Sanborn from a brief ‘92 Baltimore Sun article. "It's like kind of a physical thing based on your own physiology and your relationship with the horn. It's a lot of trial and error and determination. That's what does it -- because the notes are there."
I love your videos McGill!! Very informative and you learn a lot! Thank you!
That was a fantastic interview. Tom is amazing and puts in the time needed for that great range. I thought it was also useful to know that above the high g there are no fingerings. I always thought you need them even though i only practice up to d above the high f. Lucky for me i don't perform where you need alot of really high altissimo. Thanks again for that fantastic interview. Patrick
James Carter, multi-instrumentalist, is perhaps the today's all-time master of altissimos.
In the '40's and '50's, Earl Bostic's "Up In Orbit" told the story of his altissimo prowess.
Then came the '60's: King Curtis ("Let It Be") and Junior Walker ("Hot Cha") were determined 🔥 to make altissimos a frequent part of their arsenal in a melodic way.
A 27-year-old Grover Washington, Jr., a then-rising star for Creed Taylor's Inc. Records, effectively used altissimos ("Mr. Magic") in melodic context, under the tutelage of Bob James.
Those recordings saw Grover at his Classical Best 👌 - Classical Jazz with second-to-none arrangements by Bob James and first-class delivery by Mr. Grover Washington, Jr. on soprano, alto and tenor saxophones.
His baritone feats came later ("Just The Way You Are" by Billy Joel.
How could one have forgotten Sil Austin, Organic Jazzician who crossed over into what is now mis-classified as "Smooth Jazz", a misnomer, with his "Oh, Danny Boy" in which he accurately hit the tenor saxophone altissimo "A" in context of a melodic utterance - not for the mere sake of playing an overtone "A"!
Lennie Pickett and your guest are agreeably great, too.
Thanks, Nigel.
This awesome.. I love this man.. And I love saxschool.. Thank you so much
I have several songs from Tower Of Power! Excellent music!
Gerald Albright! Altissimo played melodically and articulately at quick tempos!
can this interview be purchased separately? i dont wanna get the full membership on the site, just this one video
Very insightful..thank you👍👍👍
Cheers Jay. Hope it was helpful.
Very helpful Nigil
Marc Russo is my altissimo hero
Lenny Pickett listened to Junior Walker
I would LOVE to hear what TP said about vibrato! (hint, hint)
What make of mouthpiece does Tom use? What tip opening and any other info you can give. Thank you for your great video.
Think Anchor Tounging for Trumpet players when you make a HISSsssss Pronuciation - I have done extensive work on this and this is what I have found
I want to play Altissimo just like Lenny Pickett.
So Sigurd Rascher is the answer haha
Nice video, thanks 👍
Cheers - Sigurd Rascher is the man!
Is that a C Melody sax in the background?
No, I’d like to have a go on one though!
i really get promble in playing altissimo on a tenor sax i need help plz
Hi Jose. Working on some Overtones can really help. Check out this: Getting started with Saxophone Overtones - Saxophone lesson from Sax School. How to play saxophone th-cam.com/video/fKDl_CnA8nY/w-d-xo.html
Hi Nigel. Sorry for so many bari sax questions. It's just I have been really trying to get altissimo on the bari sax after working on overtones for a while but there no fingering charts or videos. Is it possible?
Altissimo is heard on the alto or mainly the tenor sax...not really heard much on the bari, so change over to the tenor. 😮
Politzer and Pickett both appear to play some sort of Berg Larsen stainless steel mouthpiece.
Lenny Pickett: Berg Larsen 130 0 SMS (probably from the early '70s) Vandoren 3 1/2 bass clarinet reeds. (blue box)
@@enoffz8021 and Tom ?
@@momentaneo8230 I've used the same setup myself and it does work. Try more than one reed until you find a good one.
How can distuned saxophone be repaired?
Hi. Not sure what you mean by distuned. Most saxophone issues can be fixed by a good repairer though.
Long tones.
I suck at altissimo on tenor but on soprano I can get to a double altissimo g
Wow, most people find altissimo harder on soprano. Well done!
Thanks!
Are you kiding me lenny form snl is the king of high notes
You’re right there. Lenny Pickett showed Tom how to do it (Tom now does Lenny’s gig in Tower of Power).
I’m sorry have you heard about Leo P!??!
leo breaks glass in his free time...
He plays dubstep...
Leo is a pop star. We’re talking about funk altissimo here.
I think altissimo is overrated, like who has the huskiest pickup truck. Listening to Ben Webster, Lester Young, or Trane I just don't hear them going there a lot.
These guys never played what the tower of power is playing. I also couldn't image steps ahead without Brecker's altissimo tones.
Overtones. And tongue. Air speed. Relax…. The rest is just gear. Yes gear affects the ease and color but that’s it. If you can’t do it on a student mouthpiece you’ll struggle on a pro mouthpiece
Who needs an altissimo on a tenor :)
Huh? Pendejo! lol
Why play tenor if you want a soprano sound 🤣