Right on! I can remember going to a music contest back in high school in rural Eastern Washington sometime in the 60’s. I played “March of the Tin Soldiers” or maybe it was “Toy Soldiers” something like that. Maybe they weren’t marching. It was used by many woodwind participants because it was appropriately leveled. It covered the whole range of the alto sax without any altissimo. It started with a fanfare passage running up to high F a couple times. There were other high parts in the piece. I played it without errors but the judges were critical of my high note articulation. I was scooping too much between notes. They warned me that the highest notes are the most sensitive to changes in bite pressure. They told me to work on tonguing while keeping the pitch level. Much like your video. Maybe that could be a challenge for your beginner students in future videos- work on high notes maintaining level pitch. I was going to add that a scoop is sometimes needed for the proper expression. I was going to use as an example my latest home recording project of “It’s in His Kiss (The Swoop Swoop Song)”. I thought that swooping up a bit to the very first note, then level for the next three, was the way to emulate the vocal. (“/Does-he-love-me”). But I just listened again to the original by Betty Everett, and to the famous cover by Cher, and both of them hit the first “Does” very level. No scoop.
YES, thank you, Jamie! Clarification, when the tongue is touching the reed, the lungs are pushing air, waiting for the release of the tongue. This rush of air combined with the release of the tongue is what creates the "attack" of the note. Some of my students tried to touch the reed with the tongue, release, and then exhale, which is in the wrong order, and this creates the unwanted attacks you are speaking of. I went to a resort hotel in Tunisia last year. There was an alto sax player doing a solo gig with tracks. He played with this non-attack style all the time. Very annoying. But, the worst thing is wondering how many of the people in the audience might think that this guy is great?!
My sound improve thanks to you! I play since 5 years everyday. I knew i was doing mistakes. You help me a lot! I am surprised about my own better sound now!
I did not think that i would learn to play a nice sound. Even though i love saxophone music. To late to learn, I am 61 old. Not with a good expensive saxophone, just a simple normal one, no present teacher, just videos from you tube. Thank you!
Thank you very much. Although I am not fluent in English and I rely on TH-cam translation to understand your words, I have benefited greatly from your videos. 🤗
Embouchre strength from the sides is absolutely essential like you say at 5:30. For about a month, I lost all strength on the right right side of my mouth due to Bell's Palsy (a facial paralysis) 😕It left me unable to play a single note on a saxophone without air just leaking out the side. Then, until strength came back completely, I couldn't play loud or high. I'm fully recovered now 🙂 and I've learned to keep the sides of my embouchre firm (and not to just bite the reed in the middle).
@@GetYourSaxTogether Yes, I was for a couple months around the time Lenny Pickett was a guest artist. I'm the one who posts many videos of high altissimo. Example: th-cam.com/video/UwgfUI9PMWg/w-d-xo.htmlsi=IrxJkUPVvZax5GN3 Notes that high won't come out without the right embouchre, mouthpiece and reeds. If only I could find a way to make money with a website teaching how to play those high notes. I could call it the "Upper Circle". 😉
Great advice and a great exercise. Thank you. This may lead onto a different topic, but I tried doing the exercise but over a full range scale and found that once I got to top d,e and f I had to squeeze my embouchure or die. Any advice? Cheers
I am completely self taught, and I never had the bwow, to my ears (I did recordings, too... ) In fact, I wish I knew how to scoop with my 'coral avity' cause I think scoops are saxy. In fact, I also only ever get three overtones out of the low b flat, on a sunday, maybe, when the stars align I get a fourth, and the only altissimo notes I can play are fsharp (which barely qualifies) and G, and only with the most awkward fingering possible. i wanna scooooop. I bet you teach that, too. Got any material already for that? Perhaps under a name that isn't obvious?
Get your free tongue stability chest sheet here🎷 www.getyoursaxtogether.com/bwow
Right on!
I can remember going to a music contest back in high school in rural Eastern Washington sometime in the 60’s. I played “March of the Tin Soldiers” or maybe it was “Toy Soldiers” something like that. Maybe they weren’t marching. It was used by many woodwind participants because it was appropriately leveled. It covered the whole range of the alto sax without any altissimo. It started with a fanfare passage running up to high F a couple times. There were other high parts in the piece. I played it without errors but the judges were critical of my high note articulation. I was scooping too much between notes. They warned me that the highest notes are the most sensitive to changes in bite pressure. They told me to work on tonguing while keeping the pitch level. Much like your video. Maybe that could be a challenge for your beginner students in future videos- work on high notes maintaining level pitch.
I was going to add that a scoop is sometimes needed for the proper expression. I was going to use as an example my latest home recording project of “It’s in His Kiss (The Swoop Swoop Song)”. I thought that swooping up a bit to the very first note, then level for the next three, was the way to emulate the vocal. (“/Does-he-love-me”). But I just listened again to the original by Betty Everett, and to the famous cover by Cher, and both of them hit the first “Does” very level. No scoop.
Great comment thanks. I should have mentioned the pressure sensitivity of shorter tube notes.
You are a great example for fellow teachers. Succinct with clear explanations And exercises. Cheers from Ohio's Harmonica Man🤞
Wow, thank you!
YES, thank you, Jamie! Clarification, when the tongue is touching the reed, the lungs are pushing air, waiting for the release of the tongue. This rush of air combined with the release of the tongue is what creates the "attack" of the note. Some of my students tried to touch the reed with the tongue, release, and then exhale, which is in the wrong order, and this creates the unwanted attacks you are speaking of. I went to a resort hotel in Tunisia last year. There was an alto sax player doing a solo gig with tracks. He played with this non-attack style all the time. Very annoying. But, the worst thing is wondering how many of the people in the audience might think that this guy is great?!
Don’t get me started on that! 🤦🏻
My sound improve thanks to you! I play since 5 years everyday. I knew i was doing mistakes. You help me a lot! I am surprised about my own better sound now!
That's great!
I did not think that i would learn to play a nice sound. Even though i love saxophone music. To late to learn, I am 61 old. Not with a good expensive saxophone, just a simple normal one, no present teacher, just videos from you tube. Thank you!
@@MariMari-to3pm 👍🏻
Thank you very much. Although I am not fluent in English and I rely on TH-cam translation to understand your words, I have benefited greatly from your videos. 🤗
You are welcome!
Great advice, thank you!!! As a beginner this is quite a revelation!. Love your channel!!❤
Glad to help. Thanks so much!
Great training Mr Anderson, Thanks!
My pleasure!
Embouchre strength from the sides is absolutely essential like you say at 5:30. For about a month, I lost all strength on the right right side of my mouth due to Bell's Palsy (a facial paralysis) 😕It left me unable to play a single note on a saxophone without air just leaking out the side. Then, until strength came back completely, I couldn't play loud or high. I'm fully recovered now 🙂 and I've learned to keep the sides of my embouchre firm (and not to just bite the reed in the middle).
Glad you’re fully recovered now. Are you in my inner circle?
@@GetYourSaxTogether Yes, I was for a couple months around the time Lenny Pickett was a guest artist. I'm the one who posts many videos of high altissimo. Example: th-cam.com/video/UwgfUI9PMWg/w-d-xo.htmlsi=IrxJkUPVvZax5GN3 Notes that high won't come out without the right embouchre, mouthpiece and reeds. If only I could find a way to make money with a website teaching how to play those high notes. I could call it the "Upper Circle". 😉
Great advice and a great exercise. Thank you. This may lead onto a different topic, but I tried doing the exercise but over a full range scale and found that once I got to top d,e and f I had to squeeze my embouchure or die. Any advice? Cheers
Definitely don’t die. 💀
Would have liked to hear an example of what that bwow sounds like. Now I'm not sure if I'm doing it or not.
listen to archie shepp, charles lloyd, david murray and anthony braxton
Jamie does an (exaggerated) example at 12:22. :)
@@AaronTMartin Thanks! Never got that far into the vid, good to hear I'm not doing it then!
@@wouterdesmedt1736 ahh so you commented saying Jamie hadn't done something in a video which you'd not fully watched.. ahh got it ;-p
@@adamS_work Would've been nice to have it at the start, since this is what the video was about. But yes, guilty.
Hi Jamie, can you please remind us which mouthpiece you're using + ligature? Many thanks.
My full setup www.getyoursaxtogether.com/gearlist
I am completely self taught, and I never had the bwow, to my ears (I did recordings, too... )
In fact, I wish I knew how to scoop with my 'coral avity' cause I think scoops are saxy.
In fact, I also only ever get three overtones out of the low b flat, on a sunday, maybe, when the stars align I get a fourth, and the only altissimo notes I can play are fsharp (which barely qualifies) and G, and only with the most awkward fingering possible.
i wanna scooooop. I bet you teach that, too. Got any material already for that? Perhaps under a name that isn't obvious?
Check out my technique vids th-cam.com/video/oq0XJn9qw_4/w-d-xo.html and th-cam.com/play/PLBRGEAheQrpmNJ5Utbv8F6W8jB-k_WAeX.html
I played with double lip embochure do you think it's possible or what ??
Sure.
Great lesson Jamie, thank you. BTW, is that a new ligature on your Link??
Selmer 404 eagle eye! 🤣
@@GetYourSaxTogether nice - very Brecker 😎. Do you prefer it to the usual (Rovner?) and is it the alto size??
@@GetYourSaxTogether nice - very Brecker 😎. Do you prefer it to the usual (Rovner?) and is it the alto size??
@@SimonH58990 don’t know if it’s the alto size. Not much difference but I like how it looks and I fancied a change.
Scoop us up, Jamie!
😉
I wish there was a shock collar for BWOW's
Imagine!
If people "don't know that they're doing it" then it would've been nice to have heard an example of what it is they're not supposed to be doing😂!
listen to archie shepp, charles lloyd, david murray and anthony braxton
Jamie does an (exaggerated) example at 12:22. :)
No I don’t so Irina, not those guys. More like certain bad 80s pop solos. Reluctant to name names!
Almost every amateur sax player basically.
@@rinahall "ouch!!"🤭
What an image: Botox your musical expression... 🎷😐😑🎷
🤣