"screaming"altissimo

[PearlDrummer27]

i've been experimenting playing altissimo at the school of the arts where i study here in charlotte, and playing with the jazz ensamble, i get opportunities all the time to play gigs. my director is a brass fanatic, so he cant help me with this, and i havent seen my sax teacher in about a month, so i ask someone to help quick. is "screaming altissimo" a mouthpeice thing, or is it a growl or a flutter tongue deal? (ex: Kirk Whalum's screaming altissimo D on the first part of his solo on "watermelon man" with george duke, rick braun, boney james, fourplay, etc.). thanx much

[hornstar]

it's a "growl" thing. the growl is achieved by activating the vocal chords as you blow, so that you sing note that clashes with the note you are playing. the resulting harmonic dissonance between the two notes in the horn comes out as the note played, with the growl sound. the screaming altissimo is just that technique, applied to altissimo notes.

[PearlDrummer27]

yeh, i had some idea that that might have been it. seeing as the airflow is critical, and in that range, it's pretty concentrated, do you have any ideas on what i can do so that i dont "squeal" instead of scream the note?

[Helen]

Take a look in the threads under the tips and techniques section:

http://saxontheweb.myforums.net/viewforum.php?f=52

There's info. on growl tones, altissimo, etc. You can likely find some help there.

[hornstar]

I recently got a Guardala Superking R&B tenor mpc on trial from WWBW. according to their size chart, it has a .145 tip opening, by far the most open mouthpiece I've ever played. I have a strong embouchure, but I didn't think I'd be able to play it, yet I found it very easy to play. and while it's too bright for jazz, it cuts through really well on stage for rock/blues work. the biggest gain is that it makes the screaming altissimo easy through most of the range, because it's more open for the airflow. you might want to try one out, I'm definitely keeping mine. it's like a secret weapon.

[CashSax]

I play a DGSKRB on my Tenor..The tip is around a .120 maybe less, this is a well known fact around here.It's an easy pc to play. Fantastic tone as well. :twisted:

[hornstar]

thanks for the correction, Cash, the tip opening didn't look like .145 to me, but that's what it said on the WWBW chart, and they're such experts. :wink:
it is a great piece. you're playing an SBA as well, right? that's my horn of choice, and with this mpc it's downright scary.

[alexh]

Actually, there are two varieties of "screaming" altissimo, both of which can be heared frequently:

- The "growl thing", as hornstar calls it, that is, humming while playing. Made famous by Coltrane (listen to A Love Supreme!!!) Also used frequently by Joe Lovano, Jerry Bergonzi, and many others

-the "split tone thing": Harder to achieve, doesn't work equally well on all tones, but much better sounding in some (pop) contexts. Play the note with as little pressure as possible, such that it is just about to break to the next lower overtone. Made famous by Sanborn (I guess), it is an effect that almost every popish alto player uses (check out Eric Marienthal, for example)- best (and easiest) note is F# above the staff (some call it the motorbike F# if played as a split tone). For Tenor players: Listen to Mike Brecker on Time is of the Essence.

Alexh