The site to boost your playing to the next level. Strategies for how to play saxophone and trumpet, how to improvise jazz, how to practice music, how to read music and much more.
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Free Video: 3 Mistakes Most Musicians Make When Improvising and How You Can Avoid Them: donnaschwartzmusic.com/free-video-jazz
About me: Donna has performed on saxophones in the NY and Los Angeles metro areas with artists such as Vicci Martinez from NBC’s The Voice, Richie Cannata from Billy Joel’s band, Bobby Rondinelli from Blue Oyster Cult and the legendary vocalist Barbara Morrison, at such notable venues as the House of Blues in Anaheim, The Orpheum Theatre (LA), City National Grove of Anaheim, The Canyon Club, The Paramount NY, The Orleans Las Vegas, Aquarius Resorts NV, World Cafe Live PA, Wolf Den (Mohegan Sun), and many more. She has taught privately and in public schools in NY and Los Angeles for 30 years.
Thanks, Donna, for your review and tutorial on the EMEO. I've had mine now for about 2 months and I love playing it. The quality of this instrument is exceptional and is exactly like a conventional sax. It is great to be able to play with headphones so that you can practice and not disturb anyone and also take it on trips to keep up your practicing. Mine came with the new silicone mouthpiece, but I like playing just with the bent tube alone, which I think gives easier articulation.
I really like the idea and need to have a way of practice but don't like the sounds. I wouldn't play these sounds on my keyboard. I would rather see what sounds it approximates an acoustic sound of a trumpet, trombone or bari sax.
I have a dull thumb/under-wrist pain and need to see an orthopedic soon, but in the meantime, I found this brace: "FEATOL Carpal Tunnel Wrist Brace Night Support, Wrist and Thumb Brace for Dequervain's Tenosynovitis, Tendonitis, Arthritis." It has metal inserts and Velcro straps that limit wrist movement very well.
Donna, just wanted to say: I tend to skip ads, especially 3 minute long ones. But I had to stay to the end to listen to your virtuoso sax playing in your latest ad. I am a guitar player myself, but I thoroughly enjoy and learn from sax players like yourself. I appreciate the love and passion that you have for music. Thank-you!
It could be me but I think this doesn’t work right, the reason why I drop my jaw is because the notes won’t come out right and if I play when I don’t drop my jaw I just play the octave note
I received mine yesterday and have been able to adjust it so that it can be used on a flugelhorn as well as trumpet or cornet. Great item. The arthritis in my left shoulder and hand doesn't bother me when playing now. Thanks for the info Donna.
I've been playing trumpet for 1.5 years but it annoys me that my lips get tired and don't allow me to practice more than 1 hour a day. So I waste the time that I keep for practice into nothing. So now I'm thinking of switching to saxophone after the stories of saxophonists how they studied for 2-3 hours every day. What 2-3 hours? In my first months I could not play the trumpet more than 20 minutes a day
Get a trumpet teacher to help you strengthen your embouchure and breathe properly. You won't last 2-3 hours on a sax without getting help from a teacher to help you with your embouchure on that instrument either.
Thanks! Great review! We had the same problem with I-Klip and the mount around the ball wears out after a while. We‘re on our second one. We’re going to try the Peak model.
i started with the sax in the 5th grade and finishing the first part of my music degree which is 5yrs i really want to move to rumpet idk its just looks and feels nice
Hi Donna. Many thanks for this detailed video. I'm typing from just outside London, UK and am hoping that EMEO can be shipped here if I can't get one from a nearby store. Also just to clarify... would I be correct in saying that the EMEO is not limited to the Respiro sounds only? If so, how well could the dynamics be breath controlled with other sounds - such as the single woodwind instruments from the Vienna Symphonic Library, for example? Thanks again.
EMEO should be able to be shipped to the UK. I haven't tried it with other instrument sounds, but I can't see why it wouldn't work. I would suggest you email them with your questions.
Are doing the fifth and then the third overtones after the initial Bb, standard intervals or is it arbitrary? (i.e, you started at Bb, then went to F and then A(?) for your overtones.) I hope I explained this correctly and didn't confuse you or anyone else.
The rhythm in “Jive Talkin’” was modeled after the sound the Bee Gee’s car made crossing the Julia Tuttle Causeway each day from Biscayne Bay to Miami!
Your comments about chasing licks fit me to a tee. I can play’em, but they don’t always fit. So then what. Can you explain your approach in a nutshell? I’m trying to evaluate how it might differ from a way I’m currently trying to get used to- voice leading into the 3rds, 5ths, 7ths , OR constructing a new melody based on the chord tones and tweaking rhythm patterns of the original. The path seems inordinately mysterious and complex. Is there a reliable approach that one can apply to most tunes. Encyclopedic memory I do not have.
I'm going to suggest that you sign up for my free on-demand masterclass where you'll get a better idea of what I am talking about - donnaschwartzmusic.com/ytbc
Very helpful comment. I won't feel lazy now when I point my trumpet down a bit. Coincidentally, when looking to buy another Besson trumpet, the vendor offered to throw in a metal clarinet. The research about it was very interesting, but I declined the offer. I've never played clarinet but I am curious if practicing it might improve my trumpet playing.
Picked up trumpet after not playing for almost 10 years. When I play a note, I notice a lot of air just before the sound. And can hear some resonating air during the note. Cannot play consecutive notes without sounding like air. Any tips?
Without hearing you, and knowing what you mean exactly, I can't give a definitive answer. You really should take some lessons from a good teacher who understand trumpet embouchure so they can help you.
I sold my professional sax and all my gear because I couldn’t practice as I live in a flat , I’ve always regretted it. I would like to take up the sax again but how can I practice, I feel trapped 😢😢
Just one suggestion. If you are going to make the title 'How to Play the Saxophone Quietly' perhaps point out the headphone port right away instead of 6 minutes into a general review.
Got one ordered and on the way. Your video was very helpful, going into detail in the Respiro segment that they don’t on their website. I need to practice silently 50% of the time, so this will really fit for me. Can’t wait to get it
I have Vol 24. It did not come with CDs instead there is a note 'includes Online Audio Tracks' and a link in the book. I can find no way to make this link work. Download to my Mac or my phone take me to sales sites. Does anyone know how to download these tracks? I have paid for them!
Ty for this video. Just purchased a student model alto sax and it came with a cheap strap. Definitely do not want the sax pulling on my neck so I purchased a strap that is similar looking to the jazz lab one, but it looks a little bulky and the hook is made with very cheap looking material. The last strap you showed looks the best for me, so I will definitely check it out.
Thank you Donna. I am 83 and have had TMJ for 5 weeks. Upon waking at 0500 after sleeping on left side. Ok after sleeping on right side. Have concluded that I was using too much ombachoer after much dental work. Thanks for your channel. James NZ
I don't know what too much embouchure means... If you have TMJ, you need to be mindful of your jaw position when playing saxophone. Some people place their jaw in such a position that irritates the TMJ. Some people have too much tension in their jaw when they play, which is also not good.
I don't work for PEAK Music Stands - I am endorsed by them. Contact the company via their website. I know they ship to other countries because I recently spoke to them about this
@@DonnaSchwartz Thank you Donna for your reply....I've tried reaching them and sent them an email many days ago but no response. I had to order another one yesterday. In the meantime if the new one I ordered is not what I'm looking for, I'll try them again. :)
I would love to purchase this holder. I have had 3 or 4 for my IPad Pro and definitely not secure….i almost lost it recently…the knob stripped while I was performing and my iPad fell to one side. Phew!!
The reason why is because if you want to play the saxophone - the actual saxophone - you need to learn the embouchure. The EMEO is not designed for that. Also, if you are a beginner, you do want to learn all your fingerings. The EMEO can help you with that too, but I think the EMEO is great for people who have been playing for a little while, can't always practice because of where they live or the times they have to practice, and for those who want to explore electronic sounds and possibly add them to the repertoire. For me personally, I'm not thinking about absolute beginners playing this before playing the actual saxophone and developing the embouchure, fingerings, breathing etc
Hey Donna, I'm trying but something has changed of late, the lower notes as a whole I'm suddenly having more trouble with them than usual. Especially low D and beyond,,,, I like the breathe from the top, it helped so thanks so much. I am happy to have you as one of my bad ass instructors. Cheers!
