How to Play Overtones on Saxophone 

Thanks John :)

I use the concepts from Joe Allard, so No.If you follow Larry Teal's Art of Saxophone Playing, you would be following the drawstring concept of approaching the embouchure. I go into Joe Allard's concepts in detail in my Get a Killer Saxophone Tone course.

That's what my Articulate Like the Pros course is all about - showing you how to articulate cleanly and clearly - academy.donnaschwartzmusic.com

Read the introduction and instructions n the Top Tones book - singing is vital, as I mention in the video. Don't look for shortcuts.

Yes! Bugle Calls are often played for each of the harmonic series. But in terms of standard melodies - nothing I can think of. Remember, overtones follow the harmonic series (octave, fifth, 4th, 3rd, etc). Once you get in the highest part of the range, the notes are closer together, but the intonation is poor.

The intervals are set: low Bb, Bb, F, Bb, D, F, Ab, B, C, D, etc

It always starts with just 1 👍🏻

No there isn't a difference with the alto. Remember, overtones practice takes a lot of patience.

You're not kidding! Just be patient and follow the instructions in the Rascher book and in a bunch of my videos.

Yep! It takes quite. while to get the overtones to come out consistently and without bad habits. Keep at it knowing the goal is to control the reed

Thank you :)

Hard to say without hearing and seeing you. Best thing you can do is take a few lessons from an experienced teacher

Yep!

Great to hear!

That's great - instead of this video on overtones, check out some of my other videos for learning songs by ear. You want to develop your embouchure a bit more before thinking about overtones

@@DonnaSchwartz Thanks! I can actually play songs by ear on guitar, piano, and melodica and I've been also been learning a couple of songs by ear on the sax as well!!!!!!🎷🎷🎷👍👍👍

Gary - as a trumpet player, you get it in terms of the actual overtone pitches - you listed them right. Keep in mind, the intonation goes crazy sharp as you go higher. (And depending upon the brand of your horn, intonation can vary as well) Yes there is a book - Sigard Rascher's Top Tones, which as a brass player, you will understand this better also because he approaches from a brass player's perspective. The notes that you listed are the usual range that many pros can play - some can go higher, some lower. The reason for this: "On videos on the Internet, the first 3 or 4 Overtones on Bb are named, and then they stop." is because of the audience - most people searching for videos on overtones have difficulty playing them, and getting those first 3 or 4 are the hardest.

@@DonnaSchwartz Okay thanks, Donna, that helps out a lot. Now that I know I was right about the notes for Bb, I know the notes I figured out for other Saxophone Fingerings are also right. Learning to play the first 3 or 4 Overtones for Bb fingerings took me less than 3 weeks. Knowing where to go from there took me a while. I didn't know what notes I was trying to achieve from there. Then I saw a video about 2 weeks ago made by Dr Wally Wallace. He was teaching Overtones. Then I heard him demonstrate a Bugle Call. Then it click. After about a week, I was able to hit the 9th Degree and Sometimes 10th. I'm not sure if that is what you call it. Is that good enough or should I try to play higher? I get what you are saying about intonation. On the Alto, it is fairly easy, but with my Tenor, it kind of throws my ear on the higher notes. I can play Altissimo on the Alto fairly easy now. The Tenor really throws my ear. I've been playing the Sax. for about a year and half. I took 1 lesson from a friend before the Pandemic hit. I had a lesson recently. He is really busy, so it is hard getting a lesson with him. So basically, I've been teaching myself by watching RU-vid videos from People like you. I kind of proud of myself. I've taught myself a lot of things on the Saxophone. One of my new Saxophone friends, said that Overtones and Altissimo are advance concepts.I think I can do it, because there was no one around to tell me I shouldn't be able to do it. Again thanks for the info. Gary

It doesn't matter how high you go, what matters is the process and why you are doing the exercise.

Pitches consist of the fundamental harmonic pitch and a series of harmonics or overtones that sound at various intervals above that fundamental pitch. All those upper pitches use the same fingering as the fundamental pitch; they are played using adjustments with the embouchure, breath support and oral cavity. Think of how a bugler (no valves) can perform songs - all the pitches are from the harmonic series.

Are you following the tips I mention in the video? It takes time and patience. I don't know what you mean by throaty...

Throaty means that you push from your throat when you’re trying to get the low notes out rather that pushing from your diaphragm. You got to keep your throat open.

I think you just answered your own question! If you are pushing from your throat, your set up could be wrong for you OR you are not relaxed enough to produce the lowest pitches.

No, that's just one series of harmonics. The rest are usually played on B, C and C#.