I've played alto for about five years now, but never cared to memorize scales. When I saw the contest you put out, I somehow memorized them all in one day and can play them with certainty! I'm definitely going to get stuff to work on in your website, Thanks!
@@xxczerxx I had an nice advanced instructor help me learn scales, but it was throughout the whole range of the instrument, and we didn't go on to other scales until I could play it well, do the minor equivalent to it, and play it in thirds. He unfortunately had to quit because he got another job, it took 6 weeks for us to get five whole scales down, so I can tell you that playing these scales up chromatically to the ninth is the way to go!
Man you’re doing a great job for the sax community I do believe that you’re one of the best teaching online. Maximum respect and keep going this for us please!
Since I’ve only started to learn the Sax a couple of months ago, I don’t yet know all the scales. But your tips have already improved my skills and I’ll now try it with the scales I know. Thanks for sharing your tremendous knowledge with us.
We had to learn all of them in Jazz band class. At the time it seemed like a pain. But the next time we got out a new chart and i soloed the changes just clicked. Nothing makes a band teacher smile like when your improvising and you nail the changes. Man i miss jazz band. :-)
Jay, Appreciate the videos and the tips. After a long break due to military service, eagerly trying to re-learn how to play saxophone, improve my skills, and hopefully play gigs again. Long way to go...but have enjoyed the courses and videos and feel they are accelerating my growth. Thanks and keep em' coming!
Thanks! Great video. Although familiar with all 12 keys, I never thought to play them all in one breath. Wowza! Thanks for the challenge and all your inspiration on the channel.
Thanks a lot Jay, scales are my warmup routine but I only do 7 of them,I'm going to try them all. Would love to see a similar video for minor but I have enough to do at the moment 😃..
Honestly that contest helped me a lot, I already knew my scales but there’s a big difference between knowing your scales snd being proficient in them. After a few hours of grinding it I can play an E major scale without even thinking about it
Wow thank you Jay! This exercise is awesome… I’ve played sax and flute for 30 years and never committed scales to memory in the same way, always relying on knowing what actual notes are in the scales (incl. double sharps and all that confusing stuff!). Now after 5 minutes a day for a week it’s just intuitive . I can start anywhere, and now jamming with my band is next level …. What else have you got? Lol
My teacher penciled a low Bb on a the staff with a squiggly line to Bb one octave up. Then he wrote a B nat and a squiggly line to B an octave below. Continued that half step up and down pattern up to high F then down again. It’s in the ancient manuscript “Patterns for Jazz” by Jerry Coker, David Baker et al. Said learn your major scales by next week. He didn’t write out all the notes, just squiggly lines.
Studying for an audition next year in June: I have app 30 scales ahead 😵💫😵💫 … in groups of 3 = 10 scales. Genius! Thank you, the mountain is less steep! Combined with circular breathing training, let’s do this. Thank you for inspiring me today 🎉🎉
I always cringe slightly when people talk about "hard" keys to play in and refer to Db and Ab. They might be more challenging to READ, but not really to play. Since you can leave the Ab/G# key down all times (on Db major, not Ab major) it really smooth in the hands. I do however agree on F# and B as slightly harder, since they got that A# to B step which might halt progression until you learn to use different A#/Bb techniques. Also E#(F) to F# can be a bit of a fingerbuster to get running. When I started playing sax my teacher told me these scales were harder than the other, so they became harder for quite some time. Until I figured out that "hey, its just to play them like the other scales". So now as a saxteacher myself I try to not put self-fulfilling prophecies on my students! Love your work here on the channel!
Muy interesante Jay, gracias, yo las aprendí junto con las menores en el conservatorio de Badajoz, también con las terceras y cuartas y muchos ejercicios más como los Marcel Mule y más xd 💛🎶🎷🐤☺️
God damn. I thought I had these learned but I noticed by the time I got to the last scale I forgot the first (as in, couldn't remember the arpeggios etc...I guess I still "knew" the notes). However I'll keep playing this until I know the 12 scales inside out. I think what I'll try to do then is learn every Maj 9 arpeggio for same scales. Surely that's a solid foundation.
Ur my only hope into learning my 12 major scales. I need to learn then in 5 days so I can get into the wind ensemble. I’ll update in a few weeks if I made it or not
Is is better to do it without reading the notation - i.e. counting tone-tone-semitone etc in your head & really focusing on the notes you're playing? Or will reading the sheet music get the muscle memory up better? I'm coming back to "sax" via Aerophone & want to start this from scratch properly.
Hi everyone!! Please can someone help me? How can I do the exercises ( scales and so on),at home, without screaming my neighbors heads off? I tried to put a cloth in the sax but the low register doesn't sound and in the medium seems like there's any cloth...🧐😊 Thanks !!!
Thanks for your tips! Hope I can manage to do the 12 Keys in 1 breath to participate to the contest to win the JodyJazz MP 😀 (no way I can do it...but I will try)
Wow I've never thought to practice scales like that. I usually use and give students the Kynasston book to learn full range in all 12 keys. This is certainly a great tool for the toolbox, thank you!
Have you done a video on Bb fingerings? From what I can see your mostly rolling on the bis key? Do you use the side fingerings or long f/f#? I was really surprised to see you rolling in f# major, it always pinches my finger rolling down. How much do you use the alt f# and c fingerings during this exercise? Any tips on expanding lung capacity?
It's actually a lot easier to learn the 12 tetrachords first, as each major scale is just a combination of 2 of those. It makes accurate repetition even easier to achieve and therefore accelerates internalization of the technical fundamentals.
Hi there, I have been playing Sax for about 2 weeks, and I have been learning my Eb Scale, (Concert Gb) 2 octaves and my palm Eb is sounding very sharp, but the rest of my notes are in tune? Is there something wrong with my sax
great these exercises, I would love to practice but I can't find the PDF on the website. I got access to 14 for free but I can't dig into it. Can someone give me a hint where to look for it?
I saw a video not long ago downplaying the idea of "levels" in music and now I'm sensitized to it. Also, do saxophonists practice scales in thirds, fourths, fifths, etc like pianists do?
I was confused about why he went to the Db next, but I looked it up... because it's a C#! Woo, theory is so important. Okay, challenge excepted- sort of. I'm going to learn all 12 scales. But just to be clear... you start at C, go up to C#, down to C, then C# up to D, down to C#?
For me, any of the scales that involve the side A#/Bb is challenging for me, because going from side A#/Bb to B natural (and in the other direction) requires coordination between the left/right hands. Still working on it, LOL.
Have you tried using the 1 and 1 Bb fingering? B and F key for Bb Doesn’t sound quite as clear but for situations where you don’t have to hold the note out very long or play it loudly it’s a good alt fingering
The thing that baffles me with scales is why learning by formula isn't given greater emphasis. TTSTTTS/WWHWWWH (or whatever) gets away from the tyranny of needing scales notated in all the keys.
Sax isn’t like piano or guitar, where you can get by not knowing each note in a scale by name as long as you know the scale formula. On horns, you’ve got to know each note name to play the right fingering.
@@SalimSivaad for me it's not like that. Except when I'm sight-reading I don't have a strong connection with the note names. It could be because I predominantly play by ear but when I know what the scale sounds like to me it's just a chain of intervals and I play those intervals. My sax tutor used to have me play scales in lots of different ways e.g. CE DF EG FA GB AC and I think that helped to get the intervals under my fingers.
I've played alto for about five years now, but never cared to memorize scales. When I saw the contest you put out, I somehow memorized them all in one day and can play them with certainty! I'm definitely going to get stuff to work on in your website, Thanks!
That is great to hear.
That's nuts, it took me like a year to learn them all properly. I guess you already knew the keys quite well but never played them as scales
@@xxczerxx I had an nice advanced instructor help me learn scales, but it was throughout the whole range of the instrument, and we didn't go on to other scales until I could play it well, do the minor equivalent to it, and play it in thirds. He unfortunately had to quit because he got another job, it took 6 weeks for us to get five whole scales down, so I can tell you that playing these scales up chromatically to the ninth is the way to go!
thats so relatable
Great exercises! I just need a third lung 🤣
LMAO, as a bari sax player that’s the first thing i thought-
Man you’re doing a great job for the sax community I do believe that you’re one of the best teaching online. Maximum respect and keep going this for us please!
Since I’ve only started to learn the Sax a couple of months ago, I don’t yet know all the scales. But your tips have already improved my skills and I’ll now try it with the scales I know. Thanks for sharing your tremendous knowledge with us.
We had to learn all of them in Jazz band class. At the time it seemed like a pain. But the next time we got out a new chart and i soloed the changes just clicked. Nothing makes a band teacher smile like when your improvising and you nail the changes. Man i miss jazz band. :-)
Jay, Appreciate the videos and the tips. After a long break due to military service, eagerly trying to re-learn how to play saxophone, improve my skills, and hopefully play gigs again. Long way to go...but have enjoyed the courses and videos and feel they are accelerating my growth. Thanks and keep em' coming!
I played saxophone for 25 years. I have take a long break and getting back to the basics this hard work.
I feel so fortunate to watch you and learn , Sir ----- Love from Bangalore, India.
thanks for watching!
Thanks! Great video. Although familiar with all 12 keys, I never thought to play them all in one breath. Wowza! Thanks for the challenge and all your inspiration on the channel.
Thanks, the all in one breath is an extra challenge, most important is just knowing them well of course.
You are a great teacher Jay! I really mean that. That's How I approach all my technical eaxercises. Great 🔥
I appreciate that!
Thanks Jay for all the helpful lessons.
Thanks a lot Jay, scales are my warmup routine but I only do 7 of them,I'm going to try them all. Would love to see a similar video for minor but I have enough to do at the moment 😃..
Honestly that contest helped me a lot, I already knew my scales but there’s a big difference between knowing your scales snd being proficient in them. After a few hours of grinding it I can play an E major scale without even thinking about it
Great scalar lesson … muchas gracias amigo! 🎵
Wow, quarter of a million subscribers. May be old news but congrats to Jay.
that's very recent. Thanks for subscribing.
Wow thank you Jay! This exercise is awesome… I’ve played sax and flute for 30 years and never committed scales to memory in the same way, always relying on knowing what actual notes are in the scales (incl. double sharps and all that confusing stuff!). Now after 5 minutes a day for a week it’s just intuitive . I can start anywhere, and now jamming with my band is next level …. What else have you got? Lol
Glad to hear it. Lots more stuff on the channel and in the Shed. BetterSax.com/shed
My teacher penciled a low Bb on a the staff with a squiggly line to Bb one octave up. Then he wrote a B nat and a squiggly line to B an octave below. Continued that half step up and down pattern up to high F then down again. It’s in the ancient manuscript “Patterns for Jazz” by Jerry Coker, David Baker et al. Said learn your major scales by next week. He didn’t write out all the notes, just squiggly lines.
he did that to save time in your lesson. It takes a while to write out all the notes.
@@bettersax Nevertheless, I went to my lesson the next week with all 12 scales under my fingers.
Studying for an audition next year in June: I have app 30 scales ahead 😵💫😵💫 … in groups of 3 = 10 scales. Genius! Thank you, the mountain is less steep! Combined with circular breathing training, let’s do this. Thank you for inspiring me today 🎉🎉
Thanks Jay for your work!! It's really helpful💓
My pleasure
Don't practice until you get it right. Practice until you can't get it wrong.
I always cringe slightly when people talk about "hard" keys to play in and refer to Db and Ab. They might be more challenging to READ, but not really to play. Since you can leave the Ab/G# key down all times (on Db major, not Ab major) it really smooth in the hands. I do however agree on F# and B as slightly harder, since they got that A# to B step which might halt progression until you learn to use different A#/Bb techniques. Also E#(F) to F# can be a bit of a fingerbuster to get running. When I started playing sax my teacher told me these scales were harder than the other, so they became harder for quite some time. Until I figured out that "hey, its just to play them like the other scales". So now as a saxteacher myself I try to not put self-fulfilling prophecies on my students! Love your work here on the channel!
Man, what a great exercise !!
Cool drill. Now I want it for the trumpet and CC tuba.
I used to play soprano and I couldn’t touch bottom c with was Concert Bb, but on alto I can easily play concert Bb but can’t play my c key
This is the fastest way to learn it. Thanks so much!!
Glad to hear this helps.
I love this idea, Thanks I,m gonna try it....
You, after 12 scales on the bari, made me chuckle
Good video I LOVE IT.
Hello Better sax. I find it kinda cool that you look like my friends dad and he plays alto sax.
Merci pour vos précieux conseils.
Et bravo.
Patrick
Flexing on the bari. Nice! :-D
😁
Muy interesante Jay, gracias, yo las aprendí junto con las menores en el conservatorio de Badajoz, también con las terceras y cuartas y muchos ejercicios más como los Marcel Mule y más xd 💛🎶🎷🐤☺️
So helpful thanks so much for the great vid
eyyyyy i see that JJ Jet, thats my main piece, love that thing but in my experience it needs hundreds of hours of your love before itll sound good
Merci !
God damn. I thought I had these learned but I noticed by the time I got to the last scale I forgot the first (as in, couldn't remember the arpeggios etc...I guess I still "knew" the notes). However I'll keep playing this until I know the 12 scales inside out.
I think what I'll try to do then is learn every Maj 9 arpeggio for same scales. Surely that's a solid foundation.
Awesome great music song. 🎷🎷
So sound
Gracias, esta muy bueno el desafío. Saludos
Ur my only hope into learning my 12 major scales. I need to learn then in 5 days so I can get into the wind ensemble. I’ll update in a few weeks if I made it or not
It's been somewheres round 104 weeks now did you make it?😂 😮
"251" thousand subscribers - tis jazz
Is is better to do it without reading the notation - i.e. counting tone-tone-semitone etc in your head & really focusing on the notes you're playing? Or will reading the sheet music get the muscle memory up better? I'm coming back to "sax" via Aerophone & want to start this from scratch properly.
Hi everyone!! Please can someone help me? How can I do the exercises ( scales and so on),at home, without screaming my neighbors heads off? I tried to put a cloth in the sax but the low register doesn't sound and in the medium seems like there's any cloth...🧐😊 Thanks !!!
Thanks for your tips! Hope I can manage to do the 12 Keys in 1 breath to participate to the contest to win the JodyJazz MP 😀 (no way I can do it...but I will try)
You can do it! Good Luck!
Awesome excercise! Just wondering if there are any scales where you would NOT use the Bis key for Bb or A#? Thank you.
Wow I've never thought to practice scales like that. I usually use and give students the Kynasston book to learn full range in all 12 keys. This is certainly a great tool for the toolbox, thank you!
Do you have a video where you teach each scale individually?
thanks
Have you done a video on Bb fingerings?
From what I can see your mostly rolling on the bis key? Do you use the side fingerings or long f/f#? I was really surprised to see you rolling in f# major, it always pinches my finger rolling down. How much do you use the alt f# and c fingerings during this exercise?
Any tips on expanding lung capacity?
I have done a video on Bb vs bis fingerings as well as a side key video. search my channel and you'll find them
@@bettersax a video on the optimal/fastest fingerings for the awkward scales (C#, F#, B) would be great. :)
It's actually a lot easier to learn the 12 tetrachords first, as each major scale is just a combination of 2 of those. It makes accurate repetition even easier to achieve and therefore accelerates internalization of the technical fundamentals.
Did this in marching band and now I know all twelve because I know the tetras truly magical
Hi there, I have been playing Sax for about 2 weeks, and I have been learning my Eb Scale, (Concert Gb) 2 octaves and my palm Eb is sounding very sharp, but the rest of my notes are in tune? Is there something wrong with my sax
Good evening,How can you read music signs/notes /symbols?
(The black symbols you were playing how can you read it?)
can you recommend me a baritone sax to start learning?
Yanagisawas are great if you can afford one or find a used one.
Really off topic but do you have any tips for Tenor Sax? (I'm an Alto Saxophonist) and I've been struggling with Altissimo and Octave Jumps on Tenor
Jay - I just entered the contest and uploaded my video playing 6 major scales in one breath...it only took a few takes!
Great! Good Luck!
great these exercises, I would love to practice but I can't find the PDF on the website. I got access to 14 for free but I can't dig into it. Can someone give me a hint where to look for it?
no one help me?
I saw a video not long ago downplaying the idea of "levels" in music and now I'm sensitized to it. Also, do saxophonists practice scales in thirds, fourths, fifths, etc like pianists do?
Yes, that is a great way to expand technique.
I was confused about why he went to the Db next, but I looked it up... because it's a C#! Woo, theory is so important. Okay, challenge excepted- sort of. I'm going to learn all 12 scales. But just to be clear... you start at C, go up to C#, down to C, then C# up to D, down to C#?
Great video Jay, it looks like you are using my SaxSupport and no neck strap, how is it working for you?
It’s pretty good for recording I find since we don’t want to move at all. I’m planning a video with it soon.
@@bettersax Yes, it can be a little restricting on stage. Keep up the good work, your videos are inspirational.
😱 insane
My dream is to play this instrument,,, its time I started.
Mmm where is the pdf please ?
Great exercise. One question, though. Doesn't it clash with the common recommendation of playing the scales full range?
Not at all you can do both 😊
For me, any of the scales that involve the side A#/Bb is challenging for me, because going from side A#/Bb to B natural (and in the other direction) requires coordination between the left/right hands. Still working on it, LOL.
Have you tried using the 1 and 1 Bb fingering? B and F key for Bb
Doesn’t sound quite as clear but for situations where you don’t have to hold the note out very long or play it loudly it’s a good alt fingering
Bis bis bis
I passed out just watching you rip through that on a bari 👻
Does circular breathing count as "one breath?" ;)
i dont even play saxophone but i watch all better sax's saxophone learning, i dont even have saxophone
Bro where is the link to download the 12 major scales??
BetterSax.com/shed
Thanks but cannot get pdf in your Better Shed site
Once you get to the Shed page, look under Music Theory Lessons
@@bettersax Thanks , will try again.
Got it now. Thanks!
I can’t tell if that’s just a well fitting shirt or if jay has been lifting haha!
Mainly been lifting cookies lately 😂
Hey :) Progress after day 2? 3/6 :P
Yes! looking forward to hearing all 6 in your entry.
a W E E K?!🤯
…here goes🤞
how to learn all 12 major scales quickly: practice them. *mind blown*
Im a trombone for 5 years and just started learning alto sax
Wish I could afford a beri... I like the berj more then the alto
👍👍👍👍👍🙏
Damn 21 seconds of continuous playing 😮
Do You work for B&H Photo?
Heard Your Distinctive Voice
I only got enough breathe to get me through barely 1 scale 😂
I’m a trumpet player but interesting…
I play all 12 keys easily but from memory.
That's the best way - much better than being a slave to the dots.
400👍🏼
why didnt any of my teachers introduce me to these scales ?
Jay Metcalf is the best teacher in the business .. by far .
bobby G..
The thing that baffles me with scales is why learning by formula isn't given greater emphasis. TTSTTTS/WWHWWWH (or whatever) gets away from the tyranny of needing scales notated in all the keys.
Sax isn’t like piano or guitar, where you can get by not knowing each note in a scale by name as long as you know the scale formula. On horns, you’ve got to know each note name to play the right fingering.
@@SalimSivaad for me it's not like that. Except when I'm sight-reading I don't have a strong connection with the note names. It could be because I predominantly play by ear but when I know what the scale sounds like to me it's just a chain of intervals and I play those intervals. My sax tutor used to have me play scales in lots of different ways e.g. CE DF EG FA GB AC and I think that helped to get the intervals under my fingers.
Pls calm down when playing
Why to change scales chromatically?
Why not by circle of fifth?
It is much more logically!