Fingering and tonguing taught here. (80 Graded Studies for Saxophone Book 1)

Member Name: paulhanton

Product:	80 Graded Studies for Saxophone Book 1
Date:	09/07/08 (138 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Essential progression book.

Disadvantages: Can be a bit daunting.

80 Graded Studies for Saxophone (Alto/tenor) - Book One.

I am starting to review some educational music pieces, as well as sheet music, and whilst I really wish that Dooyoo would have a seperate category, or at least place this in the woodwind section as I asked, it will do here. This is not an exciting, nor humerous, nor gripping review, but if you intend to learn saxophone, or any instrument it will be of interest. There are more like this to come too.

This guide, collated by John Davies & Paul Harris, and printed by Faber Music is essentially 46 short(ish) pieces to help students progress in their saxophone learning. The pieces are taken from many different sources, from different centuries.

The studies get progressively more difficult in the following areas:

~~Note Structure~~
The pieces start of in single notes (crotchets) or two beat notes (minims) which are relatively easy to play and count. By the fourth piece, some crotchets and minims are being put in the same bars as well as slurs. By the 11th piece, half notes (quavers are introduced), by piece 25, semi quavers (1/4 notes) and finally by piece 40 we have semi demi quavers (1/8th notes). (I should point out that in music theory it is actually a semi breve, four beats that is a 'whole note')

~~Timing~~
As well as being able to play and hold the length of notes described above, the player needs to be able to count out, depending on beat, how the notes go together to make the tune. The most simple beat and note structure of course is 4/4 time, with single crotchets, counted simply as "1,2,3,4", so if you had two crotchet followed by a minim (a two note beat) in one bar you would still count 1,2,3,4 but the 3 and 4 would be the length of the minim. Timing also gets progressively harder as you go along in this book, it is my downfall I have to admit and I have resorted to infantile counting such as 'co ca co la' for a run of four semi quavers.

~~Key signatures~~
Starting in C Major, which means no flats, no sharps, is where the book begins, gradually making the key signatures more difficult as we progress and throwing in 'accidentals' (notes that are not in keeping with the key signature) as we go along. Up until piece 34 it is okay with only two sharps or flats in each key signature, then we start having things like A Major (three sharps) and so on.

~~Register jumps~~
On a saxophone to get the high notes one needs to use a key called an 'Octave key' which is placed on the back of the sax and is utilised using the left thumb. (For any learners, you can actually go up a scale without this just using your diaphragm and embouchure, but it is a difficult technique to learn). Anyway, jumping from high notes to low, or vice versa, in the space of a beat is hard, and this book makes it get harder and harder. This is a real skill and used in many classical pieces, well worth persevering with.

All these progressions are designed to improve your:
~~Sight reading~~
So you look at the music and learn to play it effortlessly, reading ahead slightly to anticipate what is coming.

~~Fingering technique~~
How deft, quick and smooth your fingers can work the keys, this is not easy, many learners play their keys hard, more advanced players. 'glide' across the keys.

~~Tonguing technique~~
Sometimes between notes you use your tongue to make a break in the music, sometimes you don't (slur) instead making the notes flow into each other. Some techniques call for firm or smooth actions, you will learn about this from this book.

~~Sense of rhythm~~
Tied in with timing and counting, you will need to know that it 'works' when you are playing something, stopping, starting, resting in appropriate places.

~~Mood and intonation~~
To me the hardest parts of playing to master. This book is good for giving instructions on how a piece should be played. After mastering basics you will need to 'feel' a piece.

~~Breathing~~
There is little worse when playing than running out of breath mid bar. This book is good in that it has 'breath' marks which help you to learn when it is the best place to take a breath. Very soon you will pick this art up, and the best saxophonists (not me) can do a thing called circular breathing where they can hold a note for an awful long time.

~~Finally~~
Whilst this book is aimed to get the student to intermediate, and there is a book two for advanced, some of the timing in the last pieces seem a little difficult for grade 5 or 6, whereas the key signature are about right. I get to study 33 quite well then start to flounder a little, though leaping forward, study 37 is doable. Studies 41-46 are horrid, and I am determined to master them, though goodness only knows what book two brings. A great book, in my mind one of two or three 'essential' study books for saxophone. At around a fiver, go get it now.

Summary: Graded studies for saxophone.