What a great tip. I love Leo P's attitude towards practice - "if it's easy, it's boring. Do stuff that is difficult, because that's where the growth is!" It is so tempting to just play things you can already do well, because you like the sound of it. But you have to be better than that if you want to improve.
Omg I have been BEGGING every saxophone youtuber on how to do this! I play bari and I admire his tone so much! I saw them in concert a few months back, amazing!
It’s good to see that someone like loe p still has some trouble with those low notes, I didn’t know that was really common on saxes so I was starting to really upset and giving up on playing the sax
Every saxophone teacher since Adolphe Sax invented the instrument has recommended long tone exercises to improve sound on the instrument. Joe Temperley suggested starting this exercise from middle of the range and then going up to the highest pitch, returning to the middle of the range and going to the low end. Temperley recommended not starting on the ends of the range because of the difficulty and the inconsistency people have in playing those pitches in tune. Always start comfortable. Improvement will come faster that way.
I just had my first lesson with Wenzl McGowen yesterday! He and Leo have played together a tone of times (both started in the NYC subways too). He gave me some great advice; we did a breathing exercise that really makes you work hard. He complimented my tone though! Said it was really nice, and that he "liked it a lot". Should try to get him on a master class. He's just living in his camper, up in Northern Cali and teaching lessons lol. "Wild bronco" almost made me spit water out of my mouth lol.
Thanks Nigel, and thanks for invite Leo P!!! You are amazing guys!!! And thanks for mencionate Grace Kelly. Don´t know the other guys yet, but for sure all are great musicians!!!
I know I’ve actually wondered if I should just join a band around town and quit school band They made me stop playing anything relative to brasshouse or anything that sounds like Leo
Two of my favorites on the tube. Bari sax is a bronco. I lose at it quite regularly but sometimes I win. Talent and work are to different items but in combo you get Leo.
I’m a bass clarinetist as well as a French hornist (I also play trumpet in jazz band but I suck at it lol) but yeah I don’t play saxophone but being bass clarinet is my main. And bass clarinet is sorta similar to saxophone. Apparently I’m really good at bass clarinet but I think I’m average.
This was a very helpful video, thank you for sharing it here. I was hoping to find the full masterclass/course on your webpage but can’t find the one with Leo listed. Where can I find this particular course? Thanks
Glad you enjoyed it Taryn. The full masterclass is inside our Sax School lesson library (along with a whole bunch of other masterclasses like this). If you're interested I have a 14 day trial running at the moment here: www.mcgillmusic.com/join
@Tim Cason Mr Temperley was an amazing saxophonist and Gary Smulyan is another great on bari as Leo mentions but my favorite hands down is Hamiet Bluiett and considered one of the finest baritone saxophonist in the world. He was the pioneer in exploring the many aspects of altissimo playing and extending its range over six octaves. I saw him play many times and actually sat with him at intermission at one of his NYC gigs. He was a true genius, gentleman, and an amazing multi instrumentalist, musician, and human being. His Co founding and tenure with WSQ was pure genius and I saw WSQ live several times. The world and humankind lost an amazing musician and person two years ago. RIP Mr. Bluiett...
Yep, straight long tones helps develop both breath control and the embouchure muscles. Hard to get the pitch in the altissimo range (tends to be flat) without clamping the reed and messing up the embouchure and airstream.
