I've been working on ways to get the notes from A2 to F#3 to sound solid and in tune. It is especially difficult when I am on a lower note and go up play, say, C3 or a D3. I've tried all kinds of exercises, and they have done some good. My latest exercise seems to really have pushed me into a new realm. I'm almost there. The exercise ( I have mentioned this before) is simply to play 7th chord arpeggios up and back slowly using only the notes from D2 to F#3. I play them first by ear and then check them with the tuner. Example, GbMaj7: F2, Gb2, Bb3, Db3, F3, Db3, Bb3, Gb2, F2. I have a list of about 50+ arpeggios that I play (not all in one day). I do this for 10 minutes a day. I love exercises that hit two skills at the same time.
I used to do 16 second long tones full range of the horn with crescendo and decrescendo. I took a lesson from Al Garth (eagles sax player) and he said he didn't have the control of the alt the way I did. Id do them up to D4 on tenor. But that one thing really helped my high register on sax more than anything else. Those notes just became easy. K
What littlewailer has said is good advice. I will add this...play the first 7 notes of "Somewhere over the rainbow" in as many keys as you can. That helps players hear the high notes as words to a familiar song. It helps to sing the high notes thru the instrument.
I do that with Patsy Cline's "Crazy". It helps me control the octave shifts. But so far working on the high notes is tough for me. The notes themselves are just irritating. I practice them last because after a couple of minutes, I am ready to walk away from the sax.
Thank you. I will work on that. Your ideas are always appreciated. Many times on SOTW, I have been told to get a teacher and while I know it is a great idea, I also know that it will never happen for me, so gleaning these learning ideas are extremely valuable to me. Lately I have been concerned about the amount of spit in the reed and mp. It sounds bubbly when played. I have to turn the sax over and wipe the mp with a paper towel. I never saw my sax man ever do this, and I'm wondering if Scotch helps decrease saliva.
I would recommend reading and playing Dave Liebman's "Developing a personal saxophone sound".
Top Tones by Sigmund Rascher wouldn't hurt, either. Be sure to carefully read the text, too.
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