Professional Documents
Culture Documents
SURVIVAL KIT
A Guide for Aspiring Professional Saxophonists
or just anyone!
Eric Daniel
Intro
The purpose of this book is to help you better understand how to prepare yourself to become a professional Sax player. Hopefully, after reading this little book you'll have a clearer
idea of how to proceed day by day toward your goal.
First I'd like to share a bit of my personal background with you. I began my musical journey
back in 1961 as a beginning clarinet student living in a small town called Bridgewater,
Massachusetts, USA. I was fortunate because it was about an hours drive south of Boston, a
great cultural center and home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, The Boston Pops
Orchestra, Berklee College of Music, the World Champion Boston Red Sox, The Legendary
Boston Celtics, Joe Viola, and Joe Allard!
There were many occasions to play in youth orchestras, and big bands were very popular
(many high schools had jazz big band, concert band and marching band, as mine did). It
was much easier to find situations to learn to play saxophone in during that period.
The Boston theatre scene was flourishing and there were lot's of musical shows in town at
any given moment. Many Broadway shows use Boston as a place to tune shows up before
opening on Broadway. The musicians are hot and the best players play like the best players
in New York or Los Angeles. In fact many top players have spent a few years in Boston before moving to NYC or LA. Many have passed through the now world famous Berklee College of Music, as I did. Others attended the less well known but excellent and extremely
selective New England Conservatory, which I attended briefly as a clarinet major in 1970.
The Count Basie Band was still touring, as were the bands of Buddy Rich, Maynard Ferguson, and Woody Herman. Many of the sax players in those bands were trained in Boston by
the best sax teachers in town: the legendary Joe Allard (New England Conservatory) and
Joseph Joe Viola (Berklee College of Music), not to mention seasoned pros like Andy
McGhee (Woody Herman and Art Blakey veteran, Berklee staff). The list goes on and on.
The point is that, when I was growing up as a musician around Boston there were lot's of
opportunities for young players to get experience not only playing but working. There was
lot's of competition (and lot's of great sax brothers, too) and you had to be hot just to
survive, and not only on sax, but on clarinet and flute as well! A few rare monsters also
played oboe (such as Joe Viola).
Things have changed a lot since then. You still need to be well prepared but the type of
music has changed and changes continually. Unfortunately, many music programs in public
schools have been hit by budget cuts. Big bands are almost completely extinct. Theatre
orchestras are smaller Pop horn sections are smaller, string sections have been all but
eliminated by synthesizers (for economic and logistical reasons). Recording has become
digital and more decentralized geographically and many projects are being realized in
personal studios all over the world, digital sampling of horn sections is on the increase,
everything is changing fast. One year everybody wants horns, the next year hornless garage
bands are in style. You must adapt. Its Saxophone Survival Kit time y'all!
DJ's have taken over the dance clubs and discos. So what's happening? What's happening
now is that you must either learn to adapt to the ever changing musical environment or risk
extinction, career-wise. Now you still have to be able to perform in as many types of situations as possible, but it's more difficult to get live experience in some of these situations
nowadays, and in some geographic areas, it's nearly impossible. Maybe I can be of some
help
What I'd like to do with this little book is to share my experiences with you. Give you insights into what I consider to be the most vital aspects of how to prepare yourself for
Saxophone Survival in today's musical environment. I have been using these techniques for
over 35 years of playing all kinds of music in theatres, clubs, discos, international Pop tours,
Blues festivals, Rock festivals, TV bands, and recording studios in the USA and Europe, (see the
Credits section for details.)
Try these ideas for yourself.they work.
Now this book does not promise that you will become a rich and famous Saxophone Idol, but
if you want a satisfying career as a Professional Saxophone Player, you'll find it is a very useful
guide. You need to learn how to survive before you can truly thrive.
This is my personal view of what you should include in your.
Contents
The Saxophone Survival Kit
1. Goals
2. Musical Preparation
12
3. Section Playing
29
4. Finding Work
33
5. Always keep your goal in mind, and your eyes and ears open!
43
50
58
61
Consider well the words of advice and concepts you'll find within the pages of
"The Saxophone Survival Kit".
Read them; reflect on them, and of course......Put them to use.
Let's get started!
1. GOALS
Desire
Anything and everything you've ever accomplished in your life began as a desire.
Consider this well.
Before you could walk you had the desire, an inborn natural desire to walk.
Through repeated efforts, which strengthened your hands, arms, and legs and helped you to
develop your coordination (your "technique" so to speak), you eventually arrived at a point
where you could pull yourself up to an upright position and stay up for a few moments before
falling back down.
Your family and friends helped you with encouraging words and smiles when you succeeded.
When you fell, maybe you cried or laughed at first, more from surprise than anything else, at
the discovery that an invisible natural force, you know "The Big G", Gravity, could sit you
down on your little baby butt very quickly indeed if you lost your balance! Your parents,
friends and relatives (your first Teachers) helped you understand it was no problem and
encouraged you to try again (..and this time, smile for the camera!)
Before long you began to get the hang of it.
You enjoyed the experience, the freedom, this new possibility of standing up on your own
two feet, just like all those big people you saw moving around you, coming from and going to
places from beyond your immediate field of vision. You worked on it all the time, day in and
day out. It began to be a top priority item, along with eating, sleeping, and of course, trying
to communicate. Finally you began to take your first toddler steps.
You crawled and toddled your way around your home, discovering areas new to you, places
you'd never been able to get to on your own before; the kitchen, a hallway, and other rooms
full of new sights and sounds. There was the world outside as well. With your new increased
mobility "chops" (i.e. Technique), it was possible for you to explore nature, play games, get
into trouble, have fun, sometimes get lost and learn many, many more new things about the
world around you.
Question: "So, what's all this got to do with Saxophone Survival?"
Answer: "Everything!"
6
Learning to play the saxophone and, if you're up for it, making a living in the music world
are the same as learning to walk or talk or anything else you know how to do NOW that
you didn't know how to do BEFORE. The same principles apply. It all starts with DESIRE.
DESIRE is what gets everyone moving. I mean, without DESIRE it's highly unlikely that you'll
be successful or even survive in Saxophone Land. Strong DESIRE is a necessary ingredient
for Saxophone Survival.
The next question which comes to your mind may be; Okay, but a desire for WHAT?
Very good question, bravo! But I'm afraid you'll have to fill in the answer for yourself.
No, I'm not abandoning you so soon on our little journey; it's just that, you see, at this point, it's
fundamental that you formulate YOUR PERSONAL GOAL.
I'm mean, DESIRE WITHOUT A GOAL IS MEANINGLESS.
Desire, to be of use to you, must have an object...an object of desire. Take time and give
this a good think because without a well-defined goal, a destination, it will be much more
difficult for you to make this journey, if not impossible altogether.
It's difficult enough already so, trust me, make it easy on yourself and dedicate as much time as
it takes to create a well-defined GOAL. Write it down. Fine tune it from time to time as you
begin to better understand your more intimate, deeper desires.
Always keep your goal in mind. This is of the utmost importance! You must concentrate on
it and work toward it continually until it becomes your Center of Gravity. I think of it as a
kind of gyroscope in a spaceship's guidance system. It will keep you on course to your target.
Setting Goals
The earlier in your musical life you begin to set goals for yourself, the better your chances
for Saxophone Survival will be, but fortunately, it's never too late to create a worthwhile
goal. Just the idea of having a goal and finally knowing WHAT you want to accomplish will be
stimulating and energizing for you. It gives you a sense of direction.
This will eventually help you cut through the crowd of less oriented musicians.
It's a great feeling to know WHY you are doing something. To KNOW you're doing it because
you really want to do it. All the necessary hard work seems lighter and even fun because it is
YOUR goal, your personal OBJECTIVE that you are striving to achieve. Someone said,
if it's worth having, it's worth working for.
This goal, this burning desire will help you to keep going and overcome the inevitable
difficulties which will arise to test your determination to succeed.
There are different time frames to consider as well. There are long, medium and short term
goals. Your long term career goals can be reached by setting up and working toward inter7
mediate and short term goals which will help to keep you on the right track.
As you achieve the short term goals, create new ones and move forward. Every time you
achieve one of your short term goals your self-confidence will increase and boost you forward!
What would you like to be able to do a year from now? Two years from now? Six months
from now?
Maybe you'd like to be able to jam with the better players in your school, or in your town,
or compete successfully for a spot in the jazz band, or improve your reading skills, break into
the recording studio scene, improvise better, make an album or whatever. It's up to you to
decide
You might be new in town and feel the need to make your presence felt, meet people, get
into the local Musician's Union and begin working as soon as possible. Maybe you want to do
more challenging or better paying kinds of work. There are many situations in which you will
find yourself on your quest for Saxophone Survival.
Your number one desire will become evident to you very soon if it isn't already evident to
you...look inside yourself. What do you really want?
What turns you on musically? What gets you excited and makes you feel like playing?
Harness that energy and put it to work to achieve your goal.
There's always some kind of music or work that will attract you more than the others. This is
your musical "Center of Gravity", so to speak.
Expose yourself to the best available examples of various musical styles.
Be methodical, do your homework, get recorded examples of everything you can.
Check out the most representative players in each genre. (I've provided a partial listing in
the Styles section of this book.)
Concentrate on what you enjoy the most but be sure to familiarize yourself with as many
aspects of playing as possible.
Versatility is very important, vital actually, for Saxophone Survival.
Keep your goal in mind.
Single-mindedness ensures success (Sufi Master Hazrat Inayat Khan)
Find the best available teacher in your area, hopefully an experienced Pro.
(This will help tremendously.);
Improve your Saxophone Technique;
Sharpen your sightreading skills;
Learn to improvise in various styles;
Transcribe your favorite players' solos;
Participate in Ensemble Situations (school & community orchestras or bands, small groups,
etc;
Audition for Regional and All-State competitions (in the USA) and the like;
Audition for one of the Armed Service Bands (a good earn while you learn idea);
Learn to play the Sax-related "Doubles" (other saxes, flutes, clarinets, oboe, ethnic, etc);
Improve your transposition skills;
Acquire basic keyboard skills;
Learn Pop and/or Jazz Standards and improvise over the chord changes;
Acquire some Basic Arranging skills;
Organize a small group for jamming and or gigging;
Develop, Maintain, and Expand a network of contacts to create more work possibilities;
Learn how to do Studio Recording Work;
Learn how to do Pit Orchestra Work;
Learn how to do home recording;
Learn how to use music copying programs ("Finale", "Sibelius", etc);
Write and record your own original music;
Develop an original, identifiable style;
Create a Web site to promote yourself and help other musicians;
Organize your teaching activities;
Specialize in what you like to do best;
Become a recognized authority in your specialty by writing articles, reviews and books;
Improve your lifestyle;
Feed your Spiritual Life (The best source of strength and inspiration);
Contribute some of your time to helping others;
Dedicate more quality time to your family.
Remember to take time to seriously focus in on your Personal Goal.
Fill in the distance from where you are now and your long term goals with intermediate
and short term goals which will act as stepping stones to the eventual achievement of the
main object of your desire.
Be as honest and objective with yourself as you can about your actual level. Take a good
look at your strong and weak points. (This is where a good Pro teacher can really help.)
Your Goal will be your guide now as you move into the next phase...ACTION!
So.what's your plan?
paper and a new pencil with an eraser. Everything having to do with this project, or goal,
will be entered somewhere in the notebook.
Prioritize!
At this point, you should have quite a few ideas jotted down. Read them over to yourself.
This time try to judge them by order of their importance.
Make a new list of your ideas in what seems to you to be their order of importance as steps to
take toward your goal.
These points you can consider to be the key features in your action plan. What other steps
would be helpful towards the execution of these key features? Write them down.
Now re-organize everything into a neatly structured outline form.
You now have a good layout of your action plan!
Set reasonable deadlines for the completion of the various phases of your project.
As you begin to act on your plan, you may need to tune it up from time to time.
It may be too ambitious, on the short term (weekly or monthly) side, if so, lighten it up a
taste. Not challenging enough? Move the metronome up a notch! You've got the idea. Don't
forget.
Patience Pays!
Working steadily and patiently will pay off in the end. Think of your project, the goal for
which you have created your plan.
Patience is really the proof of the confidence or faith you have in yourself to accomplish
what you have set before you as a goal. So work calmly and well.
Patience and constant day in, day out effort is your best strategy for eventually arriving safe
and sound at your desired destination, or Saxophone Survival.
You will succeed by always trying to move forward along the guidelines set down by you in
your action plan.
Just remember, if you want your plan to work.work your plan!
Even if you're on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there. (
Will Rogers)
11
2. MUSICAL PREPARATION
12
Often really busy musicians don't have time to teach on a regular basis but it's sometimes
possible to get them to give you a single lesson. You may be able to attend a clinic or Master
class to check out name players in their teacher mode. They may be able to steer you
onto a lesser known but really great teacher.
A lot depends on where you live. Big cities offer more choice of teachers, and have the
advantage of being musical work centers. If you study with a busy, working pro you will later
find yourself in the position of having a friend in the business that may be able to help you
get those all-important first real gigs.
In my opinion, the sacrifice of traveling a little farther so you can study with a great teacher is
well worth the time and expense. If cost is a problem, take bi-weekly lessons instead of a
weekly lesson if possible. Do whatever you have to do to get with a great teacher!
When you finally are with that teachertrust him. Let him or her be your guide. Put yourself in
his or her hands, try to assume their point of view. Be alert and follow his or her instructions.
Make notes, prepare your lessons well, and be professional. Don't waste your, or your
teacher's, time by not preparing well for lessons.
If you understand how to be a receptive student and trust your teacher, it will be easier for
you to receive what your teacher has to offer. If you become his best student, or one of his
best students, he may eventually recommend you to someone for a gig. (This is how I got
started).
You may eventually become colleagues (as happened in my case), who knows? It's up to you
to show him, or her, that you're serious, capable, and reliable. You must demonstrate this
by preparing your lesson assignments to the best of your ability. Ask questions. Practice
daily.
Remember your goal.
Okay, let's get it started.
Intro
The Saxophone Survival Kit is not a method book and certainly no substitute for an
experienced teacher, but, in this section, I'll try to give you an idea of what you need to work
on and some suggestions of how to proceed if you happen to be without a qualified teacher at
the moment.
Please remember to set short and mid term goals, plan your time, and be patient as you
work steadily and methodically on the areas listed here.
In the preceding chapter I underlined the extreme importance of taking the time to really
focus in on your Personal Goal.
In this chapter we'll discuss the essentials every saxophone player should keep in his or her
Saxophone Survival Kit. These are the tools you'll use to move forward along the lines
you set up with your intermediate and short term goals.
13
Saxophone Technique
Saxophone is a fairly easy instrument to get started on. Most people can pick it up and get a
sound to come out immediately.
Much easier to begin learning than something like violin for example.
That's the good news, right? Let's have a closer look.
Because of this initial "easiness", a lot of beginners and self-taught players slip into incorrect
playing habits (unnatural playing positions, embouchure and breathing problems, strange
uncontrollable vibratos, (ouch!), among others).
So I repeat, do yourself a BIG favor and find a good top notch teacher. You will save yourself a
lot of grief and wasted time. It's much easier to get off to a good start playing the "right
way" than it is to go it alone, or worse, with an inadequate teacher, only to have to "unlearn"
bad playing habits later on.
A very good general reference book, which I highly recommend to players and teachers
alike, is Larry Teal's "The Art of Saxophone Playing". It's very clearly written, illustrated, and
covers all the basics of tone production, diaphragm breathing, embouchure problems, articulation, correct playing position, vibrato, intonation, playing in the altissimo register (harmonics), some good alternate fingering positions, and a good bibliography.
Be careful about lending it out to your friends or students as it has a way of "disappearing"!
Pick one up.
Sound
There is no substitute for a great sound!
You will be able to express yourself musically and communicate with your audience, to the
extent that you have developed and learned to color, or modulate your sound.
If you consider the possible dynamic changes, color (or timbric) shadings, various types of
articulations and inflections, a wide range of "special effects", and all the possible
combinations of these, you can see that the sonoric possibilities for expression at your disposal
are virtually infinite! Just with your Sound!
This is an area of prime importance and will be something you will work on continuously
for your entire playing career.
14
Gaining control of your sound will enable you to work in a wider variety of situations as well,
thus improving your chances for "Saxophone Survival!
The entire range of human emotion can be transmitted or evoked by the sound of a
saxophone and it is your sound which, when it comes from your heart, will eventually touch
the hearts of your fellow musicians and the listening public.
There is no better way to start your practice routine than with tone studies designed to help
get you in control of your sound. It's the best place to begin the musical day!
Control of your sound is not the only element to consider in your musical preparation; there
are other important areas you must address yourself to as well (like reading and
improvisation skills), but I believe it is the single most important element of all. It can make
all the difference in your career possibilities and in your enjoyment of playing in general.
Make a point of checking out all the players who have made a contribution to the evolution of
the tonal approaches to saxophone playing.
Do some research into the history of the saxophone and saxophone playing.
Listen, listen, listen... ..not only to the notes. Listen to the feeling behind the sound and phrases. Try to get on the same wavelength, so to speak.
We'll be taking a closer look at this in the Improvisation and Communication Through
Music chapters. In the meantime, keep sound in the forefront of your mind at all times.
Here's a short list of players, each with an immediately recognizable and stylistically important
sound. I feel you should be familiar with these influential players as they each have made,
or are making a big contribution to the conception and perception of the saxophone sound
heard in top level playing situations.
Alto Sax
Johnny Hodges...
...Lead Alto with the legendary Duke Ellington Orchestra
...Lead Alto with the Count Basie Orchestra
Marshall Royal...
...Soloist of the original version of Harlem Nocturne
Earl Bostic...
.Alto Sax with Dave Brubeck (Take Five soloist)
Paul Desmond...
Julian Cannonball Adderley...
..Leader of The Cannonball Adderley Quintet
Charlie (Bird) Parker. ..
..Bebop innovator
Maceo Parker...
.Funky Alto soloist with James Brown (great groove and attack)
David Sanborn...
...Very influential session man and soloist (often imitated)
Eric Marienthal...
..Great all-around session player and soloistgreat sound!
Kenny Garrett...
.Very influential modern jazz player (Miles Davis alumni)
Tenor Sax
Lester Young...
..Very influential Jazz player form the 30s (known as Pres)
..Famous for solo on Girl from Ipanema and much more (60)
Stan Getz...
Sonny Rollins...
...Legendary jazz tenor (50s- today)
John Coltrane...
..Jazz tenor giantbig influencepost-bop
King Curtis...
...R n B / Soul innovator.60s
Tom Scott... .... ..Check his work with Steely Dan, and His group LA Express, (70s today)
Clarence Clemmons... ....................................... ...Rock tenor concept (w/ Bruce Springsteen)
Mike Brecker.................. ...Extremely gifted and influential jazz tenor player (70s - 2007)
15
Soprano Sax
Sidney Bichet...
.Soprano sax pioneer 20s and 30s
Jerome Richardson...
..Top session player70s check Sanford and Son TV Theme)
John Coltrane...
...Check famous My Favorite Thngs solo60s
Branford Marsalis... .beautiful soprano solo work w/ Sting on Englishman in New York)
Bari Sax
Harry
Carney...
...Bari Sax with Duke Ellington Orchestra
Gerry Mulligan...
...innovative jazz bari player60s, 70s
Ronnie Cuber...
..Simpsons bari sax , jazz player
Stephen "The Doctor" Kupka......................... ...Founder of super funk band, Tower of Power
Of course, the list could go on and on but a good familiarity with these extremely distinctive
players will take you a long way toward having an idea of the most characteristic saxophone
sounds used in big band playing, film soundtracks, TV, musical shows, jazz and pop
recording situations; not to mention club dates and functions type gigs such as
conventions, parties and receptions of all kinds
.Have fun listening to and learning from these saxophone greats!
xophone strap to get the mouthpiece moved up to a natural position, and loosened up your
belt to allow room for some good diaphragm breathing, let's go for your second-line written
G...
Hang on a second!
I forgot to tell you how to find the ideal amount of mouthpiece to put in your mouth!
This is very important.
Your top teeth should rest on the mouthpiece at the point where the reed and the
mouthpiece meet. (Examine the profile of the mouthpiece against a light source to see the
point I'm referring to.)
Let the weight of your head rest easily upon the mouthpiece as well. Your lower lip should
roll slightly over your bottom teeth and touch the reed at the same point.
This is your pivot point or, as the now legendary sax master Joe Viola described it to me
many years ago, the sweet spot.
The sides of your mouth should close in around the sides of the mouthpiece as if they were
elastic bands. Let your jaw relax, independent from the upward support your lower lip is
applying to the surface of the reed at the sweet spot. Now BLOW!
That's good, now this time blow AS HARD AS YOU CAN!
Don't try to sound pretty, just give it a LOUD HONK!
Okay, now you've found your raw sound. Blow again, same energy and body awareness
but take some of the rough edges off the sound. How?
Imagine yourself blowing into the center of the sound. If it's really honky, very bright and
nasal sounding, you're probably taking too much mouthpiece, i.e. you're beyond the sweet
spot Back off your position slightly and try again.
If, on the other hand, it's muffled or stuffy and dark sounding, try taking a bit more
mouthpiece and try again.
Keep doing this process until you find the spot that sounds best to you. Take a five minute
break and come back to your sweet spot. Memorize the physical feeling you get when you
are dead on the sweet spot.
One test to see if the spot is good is to play a 2nd line G and pop the octave key without
changing your lip position. Keep blowing, release the octave key and let the note shift back
down to the original octave without changing your lip or jaw position. When the octave shifting becomes smooth (no perceptible change in lip/jaw position), you are at the sweet
spot.
After repeated attempts, you will eventually get the feel of this optimum mouthpiece
sweet spot and return to it automatically each time you prepare to blow into your
saxophone.
(Warn your family members before you do the loud honking routine, as it can be rather
frightening to the unprepared! ).
17
Once you've established your sweet spot" on a second line G, you'll need to move on to the
other notes on the saxophone. This is best accomplished by moving away from this G
chromatically, striving for uniformity of sound, using the sound you've achieved on the G as
your point of reference.
Your main concern should be to go for a sound which is as homogeneous as possible as you
move through the chromatic scale. Thinking of a piano keyboard will help you understand
what I mean. When you play through the chromatic scale on a pianoforte, the tonal quality of
the adjacent notes is very similar and it is difficult to perceive any change in timbre from one
note to the next.
Strive for this evenness of sound as you practice your scale exercises, play ballads or slow
etudes, and interval studies.
This is most easily achieved by doing slow chromatic exercises at first as they allow you to
really focus in on your.SOUND.
Reading Skills
The ability to read music well is a necessity for most types of ensemble playing.
You must make it your business to become a proficient reader and eventually become an
excellent sight reader.
Good sight readers are in demand because they require less rehearsal time, thus saving
time and money for the client in work situations like theater shows or TV situations where
rehearsal time is very limited if you consider the amount of music which must be prepared.
Often you will only have a first read-through, pause for possible comments by the director
(he or she may need to make some last-minute change in the parts or a suggestion about
interpretation, etc) and then you will play it once down from the top and that's it; the next
time you play those arrangements will be at showtime.
Recording studio situations require very quick reading also because, studio time being ex19
tremely expensive, the client is usually interested in getting as much material as possible
recorded in the allotted time.
It's definitely a big advantage for you if you can enter a situation and perform well with little
or no rehearsal. Fortunately, it's possible to develop and improve your reading ability
through methodical practice. Remember your goal and your action plan. Practice hard, play
easy.
Some quick tips for improving your reading (and especially sightreading) skills:
Look over the part(s) before you begin to play.
(This may seem too obvious to mention but it's surprising how many mistakes you can avoid
this way.)
Check the following items: Time and Key signatures, any repeat signs with their respective
1st, 2nd, or 3rd endings, D.S sign and Coda markings, eventual time signature, tempo and
key changes, dynamic and articulation markings, and unusual technical passages.
If you do this you will eliminate many problems before they have a chance to become
problems.
Break down unusual rhythmic passages by sub-dividing the rhythms into smaller time
values (eighth or sixteenth notes for example). This will allow you to determine the
exact placement of all the notes in a phrase;
Try to read ahead of the notes you're actually playing, as you do when reading words
aloud. Your eyes must always be ahead of your fingers. It's important to keep your
place all the way to the end;
When playing in fast 4/4 tempos (tempi), try to feel the groove in a Two feel (as if you
were playing in Cut time (Instead of feeling it as a fast four). In other words, you will
concentrate on where one and three are felt.
(Just for laughs, try patting your foot in a fast 4/4 tempo. Go ahead, try it...
Okay, now count off the same tempo but this time tap your foot only on one and
three. See how much more relaxing it is this way? You will play more relaxed at fast
tempos if you get used to feeling and seeing fast tempos this way.
What do I mean by the expression seeing fast tempos this way?
By seeing I mean that as you are reading ahead, picture an imaginary bar line
placed right on beat three of each bar, dividing the bar exactly in half. This way you
will have target points on one and three which your mind can lock onto when
calculating (much quicker than Pentium 4) where to place the notes in time.
Try actually marking a few bars of any music, in 4/4 time, that you have handy in light
pencil. That's right, place a vertical imaginary bar line right through beat three. Notice
how your eyes lock onto where one and three are.
As you get more experience sightreading at quick tempos, you will begin to appreciate
this way of visualizing the bars, without having to actually mark them in pencil.
20
on this area, you will be surprised at how many good playing opportunities will open up for
you! It's fun, too.
Improvisation
All Sax players are eventually called upon to play an improvised solo.
How you perform when that moment arises can either augment or diminish your chances
for Saxophone Survival in a given performance situation. (As in the little story above.)
Preparation is the keyword here. (At home alone, again.)
22
style appropriate to the arrangement you're playing. You don't have to try to make musical
history every time you have a solo to play. The solo should be at least credible however. By
credible I mean that the solo should be in style, i.e. rhythmically and harmonically coherent.
Try to let the sound of the harmony come out by using guide tones (the harmonically
characteristic notes of the chords) as strong notes in your solo.
If you do this, the solo will sound at least credible which is a good place to start.
As you become more familiar with the harmonic progressions you will be able to play more
fluid lines through the chord changes and begin to do something resembling expressing
yourself The more you work on this area, the more fluid, expressive, musical and satisfying
your improvisations will become. Remember, the melody is your friend. Observe how the
notes of the melody relate to the chord progression.
Have fun!
It's helpful to keep a music notebook nearby when you practice playing short phrases or
patterns in all the keys, which is very useful. It will happen that you will discover phrases
that you like by accident, unintentionally. They're happy mistakes sometimes and may lead to
a more original or personal phrase to develop. Jot them down in your notebook for further
development, and then return to the phrase you were working on. Come back to your
notebook later to work on your newfound licks.
Once again, an experienced pro teacher can guide you through this area. He will know
how and when to get you started based on your progress in the area of scales studies and
general technique issues.
Doubling
Intro
Playing more than one type of saxophone and other related instruments will give you a big
advantage on the journey toward Saxophone Survival.
Nowadays, as opposed to when I began playing professionally back in the late 60's, sax players
who double well on clarinet, flutes, and double reed instruments like oboe and bassoon are
becoming more of a rare breed. However, if you check around for yourself, you'll soon
discover that these versatile players are still the most in-demand for studio, television, quality
live concerts, Broadway musical orchestras and even small combo situations. In fact, a sax
player with a variety of doubles at his or her disposal is in a position to greatly enhance the
sound of any group by tastefully switching instruments during the set, thereby keeping the
sound of the group fresh and interesting.
Naturally, there's much more time and effort involved in preparing yourself to perform on
multiple instruments but it's definitely to your advantage as it set's you apart from the crowd of
non-doubling saxophone players. Become a more valuable player!
The major part of the most rewarding musical experiences that I've had personally, so far,
were made possible by my ability to perform well in a variety of styles on the various saxes,
flutes or clarinets.
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Before we get deeper into this important survival area, let's have a quick look at a list of the
commonly used doubles.
Saxes: Eb Sopranino, Bb Soprano, Eb Alto, Bb Tenor, Eb Baritone.
Clarinets: Bb Soprano, Eb Alto, Bb Bass Clarinet.
Flutes: Piccolo Flute in C, Soprano Flute in C, Alto Flute in G, Bass Flute in C
Double reeds: Oboe, English Horn, Bassoon
Other: Recorders, assorted Ethnic instruments, and newly evolved wind-driven synthesizers.
My personal list: Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Baritone (saxes), C Flute, Alto Flute, Piccolo Flute
and Bb Clarinet and Bass Clarinet.
There's so much to learn! One step at a time.
Fortunately, you can move ahead with patience and confidence because you have already
learned a lot about music from studying your primary instrument. All you need to do now is
apply your knowledge and musical experience to the technical and stylistic aspects of the
other sax-related instruments (which already have many things in common with your main
instrument.) The trick is to grasp the important differences that exist between one instrument
and another and concentrate on these areas until they begin to feel as natural to you as your
primary sax does. It takes work but is definitely achievable with the guidance of an expert
teacher to keep you away from problems that can prove overwhelming if you try to do it
yourself , at least in the all-important initial phase.
Clarinet
As always, I strongly recommend getting together with an expert clarinet teacher, especially
for those all-important, formative first lessons. You should learn the legitimate i.e.
classical clarinet concept from a top teacher. For now, stick with me and I'll try to give you
an idea of how to proceed. Here we go.
One big difference between playing saxophone and playing clarinet lies in the fact that on
the Saxophone there is an octave key which, when pressed, shifts the pitch of the note you
are playing up one octave.
The clarinet, on the other hand, is equipped with a register key which, when pressed,
shifts the pitch of the note you're playing up one twelfth (one octave, plus a perfect fifth).
For example if you play a written D (one space below the staff, in treble clef) and apply
the octave key to it, a D one octave above will sound. Very simple.
On the clarinet, however, if you are playing the same written D and subsequently apply
the register key to that fingering position, an A (one line above the staff, in treble clef)
will sound.
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Another important difference between these two instruments is that the saxophone mechanism is based on closing (covering) or opening (uncovering) the tone holes with pads.
On the clarinet instead we find a mechanism which combines pad-covered holes and open
holes which must be hermetically sealed with the cushiony ball of your fingertips. Therefore, clarinet playing requires very precise finger placement. If you don't cover the open
holes completely the note will probably come out as a squeak, or not come out at all.
For sax players this creates some difficulties at first, especially when they discover that their
favorite licks will all have to be adjusted for the new clarinet fingerings they must now use!
The only solution is to take that clarinet out and practice playing it just as seriously as you
study saxophone playing until you begin to feel natural with it. All the same principles apply.
Be methodical. Monitor your progress.
The first thing to do, as always, is to get your sound going. Exactly as you would with your
saxophone. Then make sure to get the chromatic scale well under control, just as you did, or
are currently doing with the sax.
Lots of finger work is required so, once again, scale and arpeggio study should be at the top of
your practice sessions, right after the long tone work and interval studies.
Slow interval studies will help reinforce your brain-finger connection while, at the same
time, helping you to refine your sound.
Take your time, pay close attention to details such as lip position (embouchure), open or closed
sensations from your throat area, arm and hand position, possible areas of unnecessary
muscle tension in your shoulders, etc. It's a good idea to use an inexpensive small mirror for
checking your embouchure but if possible a floor length dressing mirror is even better as it
will allow you to check out your total body position while practicing.
Always search for and listen to the best classical Clarinet players you can find, live or on
recordings and try to emulate them.
Other musical styles of clarinet playing such as swing, jazz, and of course, Dixieland should be
studied as well, but only after you have a reasonable command of the classical clarinet
concept.
As usual, you need to become at least credible in whatever clarinet situation you find
yourself involved in. By credible I mean you should be in tune, have a good clarinet sound,
articulation, and be able to interpret the music in the appropriate style. In other words, you
must sound like a real clarinet player! Be patient, organize your practice time, and keep
your goal in mind always. This is a very big Saxophone Survival item!
Flute
I love playing the flute.no reed problems, ever!
Seriously speaking, flute is my favorite double. The sound of a flute can create a marvelous
range of atmospheres. Played in the low register it can create a sense of mystery or sensuality,
this is especially true of alto flute. Of course, it is also often used for quick, birdlike passages in
the upper register. What march would be complete without the high trilling of the piccolos
and flutes?
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Thanks to late-60's Rock bands like Jethro Tull (led by lead singer/flautist Ian Anderson),
and Stevie Winwood's Traffic (featuring sax/flute work by Chris Wood), flute began to be
heard by a vast pop-rock audience. During the same period jazz pioneer Rahsaan Roland
Kirk was working flute into his poly-strumentalism based brand of free jazz.
The increasing popularity of the Bossa Nova and Latin Jazz in general (in the 60's once
again) provided a great occasion for sax players to stretch out into flute solos more and
more often. One example in particular can be found in the highly successful latin, bossa
nova and eventually, disco music recordings published by Herbie Mann from the 60's on up
until the early 1980's. Check out this influential player's discography when you get a chance.
All this flute activity in the sixties greatly increased the popularity of the instrument and
many sax players began to use it as an additional color instrument on small group gigs. It's
interesting to note the renewed interest in using the flute in such new areas as: NuJazz
electronic, brazilian-grooves, bossa-beats, lounge atmosphere, chill-out moods,
vintagehouse sounds and 70's funky phat-beats. Of course, TV and Theater situations
continue to demand a high level of proficiency on flute.
Top arrangers and artists expect to hear those flute parts in their arrangements sounding
absolutely gorgeous. (How you do it is your problem!)
So where do you start?
By now, you know me, so you also know I'm going to say it's time to strive for tone, tone,
tone and more tone at home alone as usual.
Report immediately to a top flute player/teacher!
With the help of an expert player, choose the best quality flute you can possibly afford.
Professional level flutes are expensive ($ 2500 for a silver production-line model, much
more for the prestigious hand-made models). Fortunately, there are now some very good
student models available. Some brands that offer free-blowing and in-tune entry level flutes
are: Yamaha, Pearl, Jupiter, among others.
As I mentioned above, enlist the aid of an experienced teacher/player when choosing a first
flute. Have them test several from your price range for you. Prices range from as low as
$200 but your best choices will probably be in the $ 500-900 range. (The eventual resale
market value is something to consider as well when choosing a flute.)
I repeat, buy the best flute you can possibly afford. It will be much easier to play and sound
good on because you won't have to work against it, (we sax players need all the help we
can get to sound credible on our doubles). Playing on an out-of tune, unresponsive
instrument is incredibly frustrating.leave it out.
I highly recommend flute-playing not only because of the increased work possibilities it offers
but because there is so much beautiful flute music around to play! Once you get started, you'll
really begin to enjoy working on the tone studies, scales and arpeggios, and articulation
exercises which are necessary to get this instrument sounding as it should. Music by Bach
and Debussy are great for really getting into the concept of legit
(i.e. classical) flute playing.
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I recommend studying flute in the morning before you play anything else. The reason for
this is because playing sax and clarinet tend to be in conflict with the flute embouchure
which requires sensitivity in the central inner portion of the lips.
Once you've done your morning flute session, move on to your reed instruments. This will
destroy some of the work you did during the flute session. For this reason, I recommend a
second flute session in the afternoon. This way you can refresh your flute embouchure
and be ready to hit it again the next morning. Continuity is important for building and
maintaining a good sound on flute.
*(Note: If you are doing a recording session on sax and flute, try to do the flute tracks first. Your flute playing
will be more precise with a fresh embouchure. Arrive in time to warm up well. Always warm up on long tones
and intervals, and then get your articulation going over scales, arpeggios, and chromatic passages. Check the
parts, if available).
Some players get so deeply involved with the flute that they give up the other instruments
altogether! This is a very personal career choice, of course.
Remember to seek opportunities to play duets with more advance players. Alternate playing
the first and second parts. (Playing the second parts will really give your low register playing a
workout!)
Find a great teacher/player and stick to him, or her, like glue!
"By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail." (Benjamin Franklin)
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3. SECTION PLAYING
Saxophone players are very often called upon to play in sectional type situations. The most
common situation used to be the standard 5 voice sax section comprised of two altos, two
tenors and a Bari sax used in a big band which was in turn comprised of a four voice trumpet
section, a four voice trombone section and a rhythm section made up of bass, drums, piano,
and guitar.
Nowadays however, due to new economic and musical realities, sax sections tend to be
smaller or non-existent. Saxophones tend to be used not in sax sections but in horn
sections of various sizes ranging from two horns (usually a trumpet and an alto or tenor sax)
to larger five or six horn configurations.
The principles of section playing are basically the same in all these situations, with only
slight changes or additional considerations when moving from the smaller horn section
conception to the larger full big band five voice situation. In big band playing the lead alto
conception becomes an important factor as well as the particular roles the inner voice
players must understand as well.
There are several factors you must consider to become a good section player:
Concentration
In whatever section situation you may find yourself called upon to perform, an element vital to
your performance will be concentration. Assuming you have arrived at a reasonable level of
instrumental proficiency, concentration on your role in the section will be the next most
critical factor to your success as a section player.
A sax section, or horn section is really great to listen to when it's TIGHT and IN TUNE.
So, it's up to you do keep on top of the situation and give 100% towards achieving this all
important end result. Naturally, the more proficient everyone in the section is, the better your
chances of sounding good together will be. However, a section of only fairly proficient players
who are working as a team and concentrating on getting a good, in tune and COMPACT
section sound will come off sounding much better than 4 or 5 hotshots each trying to get
noticed by trying to out blow each other, hanging over longer on notes and not listening to
each other! No contest!
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Intonation
Intonation problems can ruin the sound of any musical ensemble so
tune-up before you begin rehearsals, practice sessions, lessons, gigs, etc.
Tune up again after you and your horn are nice an warmed up.
A good chromatic tuner will fit into your instrument case and is an excellent investment!
(A great way of checking yourself, I mean, if you're not part of the solution, you are probably
part of the problem.)
During performances try to lock onto a solid pitch reference such as a keyboard while playing.
When playing unison passages with other instruments, use a straight (i.e. no vibrato)
sound and try to lock onto the prevailing intonation of the moment.
Playing in tune is an essential element for any good performance but is absolutely vital in
creating a strong section sound. It requires constant vigilance and concentrationkeep your
ears open to what's going on around you.
Keep it tight!
Tightness happens when the section members are all playing with the same time and
stylistic concept, sometimes referred to as being in the groove, or in the pocket.
There is also extreme attention being paid to articulation, dynamics, phrasing, and
breathing. (Make a *habit of being conscious of these details.)
Sections and section players that become tight are often called as a unit for touring and/or
recording work.
Team up with the best trumpet and trombone players you can stand for this kind of thing. (I
meant to say the best ones you can find.) Really.
Saxophone Survival requires tight section playing!
We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then, is not an act, but a habit. (Aristotle)
Create a space that's as distraction-free as possible. Ask not to be disturbed during your
practice time.
Try to practice in the morning when you're fresh, even if you don't have much time. Playing
first thing in the morning makes me feel more like a musician immediately. If that's a
problem, then try immediately after work or school before you do anything else.
Try to have a regular practice time of day. It creates a sense of "continuity" and rhythm in
your practice program.
Warm-up, open up and get your air moving with some loud, long low tones. Move to
"harmonics" off the low B flat, B, and C positions.
"Wake up" your brain/fingers connection with some short phrase or lick which you find
difficult to play by "rote", any musical fragment you like will do, in all keys and octaves.
(This warm-up period should take about fifteen minutes to do.)
Keep a log of your daily work on scales, method books,etc. (including metronome markings).
Make notes of questions to ask your teacher, or interesting discoveries you make during
practice (variations on improv.phrases you stumble onto by accident, new fingerings, effects,etc.).
Take short breaks every 20/30 minutes to rest your "chops", look over trouble spots in
reading material, drink a glass of water, etc.
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4. FINDING WORK
Before we get into the area of how to find work, let's have a look at the various types of work
situations available for saxophone players.
mertime, hopefully).
Depending on where you live, the type, quality, and pay scale of local live work will vary. If
you live in the USA or the UK, there is a strong musicians union that dictates a minimum pay
scale for the various kinds of live gigs in your area.
If there is not a strong musicians union where you live, some place like Italy for example,
then you'll have to check around with the working musicians and employers in the area to
get an idea of the current rates musicians are getting for various types of gigs. These prices
can vary widely.
In any case, it's very important to play around in live situations with as many types of groups as
you can for a certain period. It will really help you become more versatile, and of course, more
visible. However, never lose sight of your primary goal in the midst of all this versatility!
Straight ahead and strive for tone!
Here is where you can begin to earn while you learn If you take care of business on these
kinds of gigs, you will certainly get called back for other gigs with that group in the future.
Not only will you get more work with that group, but probably from other groups that the
musicians you met there may be involved in. You may hit it of well with the drummer, who
just happens to play in 2 other bands, one of which is looking for a good sax player who is
easy-going, won't get everyone arrested, can read well, and double on flute!
Always exchange your name, number, e-mail address and instrumentation with the
musicians you meet at gigs or rehearsals.
The possibilities for increasing your Saxophone Survival chances are enormous when you
begin to create a network of good players. Cultivate your contacts garden well and you
will begin to see better harvests coming in from this area. Try to always widen your
horizons. Keep alert for opportunities to grow musically and professionally.
You will work more and more and the quality of the gigs you play on will improve
economically and musically if you make it a habit to cultivate and expand your network to
include contacts such as: Contractors, musical directors, dj's, clubowners, studio owners,
engineers, producers, booking agencies, artist's management agencies, tour companies,
convention organizers, teachers, artists, etc.
Keep players you enjoy playing with in mind (and in your cell phone ) and recommend them to
people who may ask for help putting a group together for a function, to back up an emerging
artist, or whatever. Become known as a person to call when people need to resolve a musical
situation. You must be trustworthy and discreet at all times.
Simply put, gigs lead to other gigs, if not, you are not taking care of business as you should in
some way. Work on your weak areas.
Once you get that first gig, if you take care of business, the market will begin to open up
for you. So you see, it always pays to do the absolute best you can, no matter what the pay
is like or how unimportant the gig may seem to be. Somebody said, work like you don't
need the money. Think of maintaining your Personal Standard and maintaining your
34
credibility as a Pro regardless of the pay (which, by the way, YOU agreed to in the first
place.)
Here's a quick story of how this Saxophone Survival technique helped me:
Back in '84, I was called by Dave C., a singer friend of mine in Rome, where I live. He asked if
I'd be willing to play on a demo project of some of his original songs. He also asked me for a
break on my usual price because he was paying for everything himself with no financial support
from a record label (a common situation). He was a friend and I like to go into recording
situations anyway so I said, okay , even though I was very busy working on a TV show at
the time. A day or two later I was at the studio with him, the engineer, and his arranger (who
I had not met before).
The songs were Pop-Commercial material but, to tell you the truth, they did not seem like
strong hit material (to ME). I kept my opinion to myself and started warming up over the
track while the engineer worked on the sound and levels. Some ideas started to come as I
played around the melody. We started trying the ideas with different instruments, finally
agreeing that soprano sax was the best sound for these particular tracks. The feeling between everyone in the studio was positive and we recorded some good solo tracks which seemed to add energy, appeal and interest to the tunes. Everyone was happy.
That's it. The session was over. The engineer and the arranger asked me for my contact info
which I was happy to provide (I gave them each a business card). Dave paid me and after
chatting a bit, I left. They remained in the studio to continue working.
I saw Dave several weeks later and he thanked me again even though the people he had
given the demo to had decided not to use the material (another common situation). I
eventually forgot about the whole thing as I was busy doing other things.
Two years later I got a call from someone in the Milan office of Polygram Records. They
wanted to know if I could come to Milan to play on a couple songs for one of their artists.
The artist turned out to be Zucchero Sugar Forniciari (an Italian Pop star). The project was his
hit album Rispetto The producer-arranger turned out to be Corrado Rustici, Dave's arranger
friend from before! He had remembered me from the demo session and had the Polygram
people fly me to Milan for the sessions. Interesting
This session led to a 7 year period of touring and recording with Zucchero (see the Credits
section for more info). A lot of new contacts for recording and touring with other popular
artists came my way due to the exposure I received during this period.
So you see, you never know what can come from seemingly unimportant gigs!
Strive to always do your best because if you take care of business every time you're called
upon to play you will eventually build up a good list of contacts, a good reputation, and
credibility as a Professional. Make every gig work for you and your probabilities for Saxophone
Survival will increase with every gig you do.
There are no little or stupid gigs. It's YOU that make them big or small or stupid.
Keep your goal in mind. Try to maintain a high Personal Standard every time you play.
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Every gig is important to you, your group, and your employer so get used to giving out 110%
all the time! The gigs will improve if you get in the habit of working this way. Nicer things
will begin to happen for you.
(Small opportunities are often the beginning of great enterprises.- Demosthenes)
At this point, you may be saying to yourself, This all sounds cool, butHow do I get on that
first gig?
Put up announcements on bulletin boards at schools, rehearsal studios, music stores, etc.
Of course, you should also make yourself easy to find by establishing a presence on the
Internet as well. Nowadays, it's very easy to set up a free website account . The social
networking communities such as MySpace.com, Facebook.com and many others offer an
excellent, easy to do method of becoming findable and at the same time, network with
other musicians, industry people (DJ's, record labels, clubs,etc) and eventually creating a fan
base. This is becoming a very effective way of meeting musicians and/or promoting yourself
and any eventual projects you may be involved in now or in the future.
It's becoming increasingly important for musicians to learn how to do promote themselves
and their projects on the Web. Investigate this area and use the knowledge your benefit.
Once you have established contact with other musicians you enjoy playing with, it could be
time to
If possible provide at least basic lead sheets for the rhythm section players, or more complete
parts, if you have them. Prepare CD's or audiocassettes of the arrangements, if you don't
have written parts or are dealing with non-readers. Get this material to the musicians well
before the first rehearsal so they can come prepared.
The idea is to make it as simple as possible for the musicians you call to participate in your
project.
When they come to the first rehearsal prepared and find things well-organized, they will feel
that you are serious about the project. They'll play better, too. . so it'll be more fun for everyone!
It's the best way to get started off on the right foot!
The players you choose should all be musicians you respect that like to play the music you
are planning to perform and that know how to work harmoniously in a group situation. This
process of finding musicians usually happens naturally, you find each other because you
are all tuned in to the same wavelength, so to speak.
It's also your responsibility to find gigs for the group; otherwise you will have problems
keeping the band together.
Once you are rehearsing the band, begin to search for gigs. Promote the band.
Create a Promo-Pack
As soon as you have rehearsed at least four tunes well, record them onto a CD as best you
can (either live in your rehearsal space or in an economical demo studio).
Take some digital photos (for eventual Internet use) of the band (group shots and individual
shots) with and without instruments.
Prepare a brief curriculum of the band. This should also contain a brief list of credits of the
individual members of the band. Include a tech rider, i.e. a diagram of your stage layout
which includes info about eventual technical requirements such as microphones, monitors,
drums, and amps. (This is for the use of eventual local sound engineers.)
Assemble the 3 items listed above (CD, Photos, and Curriculum) into a Promo-Pack.
Give a Promo-Pack of the group to club directors, agents, etc., when you go out to book
the band. You must find gigs if you want to keep the band together. It gives everyone an
extra incentive to practice if you have gigs coming up.
If you keep the band working you will eventually begin to have a public that follows the
band. Keep these people informed about where you will be playing by creating an e-mailing
list and creating a Website with all the latest band info on it: sound clips, gig info, bio, photos,
a tech rider i.e. stage plan, eventual press clippings, contact info etc.
(When people ask you for info, you can refer them to the site and they can download
whatever they need from there at their convenience!)
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Touring Situations
There are many types of touring situations and many ways to be on tour. The differences
usually have to do with the budget of the group or featured artist.
Let's look at three different levels of touring: Low budget, Medium budget, and High Budget
Low Budget Touring:
This kind of touring situation is common among new groups who have organized a series
of concerts in clubs or small festivals, primarily to promote their independently produced CD.
This kind of situation requires traveling in personal, or rented cars or rented 7-9 passenger
vehicles. (Depending on the size of the group of course.) These groups may have little or no
financial tour support from their independent label so everything must be done as inexpensively as possible. This means finding inexpensive but clean hotels, booking double rooms,
and finding economical places to eat. The expenses like car rentals, gas, tolls, and hotels
are paid by the band members. What's left over after paying expenses is divided by the
band.
In a case like this, it's necessary to sell the band at a price which will allow the band to
make an acceptable amount of money after expenses. In this case, everyone must be united
and dedicated to promoting the band. Otherwise, some band members may become tired or
feel they are not making enough money and leave the band. This can be stressful and
create tension within the band.
A variation of this situation is when the tour is organized by a little-known or emerging
artist who covers the expenses and guarantees the band a wage on a per gig or weekly
basis. At this point, the artist will try to sell the situation for as much as the market will bear,
keeping the profit after paying all expenses and the band. This arrangement is simpler for
the band to understand as they no longer have to make calculations about how much
money they will have in pocket at the end of the gig. The artist accepts any possible risk of
losing money. In this case, band members must protect their interests by getting all details in
writing in a contract. Just in case
Medium Budget Touring:
A medium budget tour situation is usually organized by an agency which has been engaged
by an artist or band's Management. The agency books the hotels, provides transport and is
usually represented by one of their employees who occupies the role of Tour Manager. The
tour manager takes care of handling the money for the gigs, paying everyone, making sure
everyone knows about travel appointments, sound check and concert start times and any
emergencies that may arise.
On a medium budget tour, each musician negotiates a price acceptable to them. This price
may be all expenses paid plus a fee or a higher fee without all expenses paid. In this
second case, some musicians may decide to book themselves into double rooms with another musician in order to save money on rooms. Others prefer the privacy of a single room
which allows for precious moments of peace and quiet and privacy while on the road.
39
The variables are many but whatever deal is made between the agency and the musician
should be put into contract form, as usual.
High Budget touring:
This kind of touring is the most comfortable way to be on tour and happens when the
featured artist is very popular, is playing at large venues, and/or has good record label
tour support.
Here there is usually a high level of organization involved because there are many more
people in the entourage. There are sound, lighting and instrument technicians, musicians,
possible wardrobe people, possible on-site catering staff, vehicle drivers, stage hands, a
tour manager and possible assistants of various types.
Musicians on this level of tour negotiate a price, or have one negotiated for them by their
personal manager. All expenses are paid, the hotels are deluxe, and everyone has a single
room. Often there is a smaller sum (known as per diem) agreed on in addition to the
main wage agreement to cover daily expenses like laundry, cabs, and other miscellaneous
expenses.
Transport is usually a mix of planes and/or double-decker tour buses with sleeping cubicles in
case of overnight travel to places that are inconvenient to get to, in time, by plane.
In this kind of situation the tour manager oversees the whole tour and is in constant contact
with the Home Office and all gig locations. An assistant of his may fill the role of Road
Manager. The road manager travels with the band and takes care of anything related to the
band members: problems with hotels, medical emergency calls or appointments, travel time
communication, possible cash advances, etc.
Often the musicians are paid by bank wires directly to their accounts and use the cash (per
diem) they receive weekly for day to day miscellaneous expenses on the road.
This is usually the least stressful touring situation for musicians as they are very well treated
during the tour and can concentrate on making great music on stage.
Once again, everything is set down in a very tight contract.
Touring can be stressful depending on the length of the tour, travel conditions, meals, and
lodging factors which can vary widely according to the overall budget of the tourand your
personal contract.
It's extremely important to try to maintain harmonious relationships with everyone when
touring because you will be together a lot every day. Stay relaxed, and try be a good traveling
companion. It's necessary to adapt to traveling and living on the road.
Taking care of your health is important. Time zone and climate changes can lower your
resistance. Getting sick on the road is much more complicated than it is when you're in
town (especially if you must find an adequate sub). Try to eat well, rest when possible, and
take your vitamins!
Bring something to do in your free time. Nowadays, a laptop computer can become your
home away from home. Many musicians are able to get work done, write music and even
record demos in their hotel room while on the road!
Touring with name artists can be financially rewarding: Take one giant step towards
Saxophone Survival!
Recording Situations
Recording is an area I really enjoy!
There are some good benefits to be had when you begin to be involved in recording studio
work. Here are a few that come to mind:
Playing on records, jingles, TV and film soundtracks requires versatility, a flexible sound,
good intonation, reading skills, knowledge of styles, improvisation skills and musical taste.
Along with a strong dose of professionalism, patience and often diplomacy.
When you arrive at the studio, there may be conflicts going on between the Artist, Producer,
Arranger, Engineer, and other Musicians,or Everything may be very relaxed with just
you and the Composer in a home studio in the country. Be ready for anything! Be professional.
Everything is possible and there's always the element of surprise because you don't always
know what you'll be expected to play. You have to try to be ready for anything!
When you begin to play in recording situations you will become aware of defects in your pla41
ying that really become glaring defects when you hear them on the recorded tracks. This is
tough to deal with. However, it's a big advantage as you can hear yourself and discover
areas that you need to improve in.
It is best if you discover these defects in a more low pressure environment at first though,
like at home alone!
42
Keeping your goal in mind is like having an internal guidance system working for you 24
hours a day! Your eyes, ears and heart are your internal radar system keeping you informed of
events happening around you which could be useful to you or other musicians you know. Any
opportunities which come to your attention should be taken into consideration as you
continue working toward your goal.
In this business, you never know where your next opportunity will be coming from so it's best to
keep your attention span opened up to 360 degrees. I never cease to be amazed by how
events seem to fall beautifully into place in completely unexpected ways to produce little
miraclesparticularly when I'm practicing a lot and concentrating on new material or
technical studies.
Here's an example of what I'm talking about:
A few years ago, a 9 month TV orchestra gig which I had been contacted to play on fell
through unexpectedly due to problems beyond my control. I had not made any other major
commitments for that period because the gig seemed like it was going to happen up until
the last minute. (Sometimes these things happen even in the best of families!)
After getting over the initial disappointment about losing the gig, I began to see it as an
opportunity to work more live and to study more at home. I had been planning on improving
my flute playing, especially my sound and articulation, anyway.
To make a long story short, I got together with my friend Tony Cerqua, a great funk and soul
drummer, to form a new band. We had an initial meeting to decide how to proceed in order to
get the project up and running quickly. We basically followed the method I described earlier in
the Organize your own band section of this book.
While that was going on, I was dedicating my morning practice time to working on my flute
sound and technique. Lot's of long tones and articulated scale studies! After a couple of
weeks of this, I was beginning to really see some good progress so I was feeling great.
About that time, I got a call from the University of Music in Rome. They wanted to know if I
would accept a beginning flute student. I said yes immediately, already imagining how good
this was going to be for my flute playing. (When you teach you are forced to really observe
yourself closely as you play. Only when you have a clear idea of the playing process will you
43
be able to explain it in a way that a beginning student can understand and apply.)
Once I had begun to teach this one student at UM, I began to get requests to sub for
teachers in their Ensemble Labs Program. We had fun trying to play together and arranging
pop or jazz tunes for live performance. My work load at the school grew quickly and
became a new, unexpected source of income at just the right moment!
So you see, if you find yourself with extra time on your hands, take advantage of it to sharpen
your Saxophone Survival skills! Always do your bestthere will be surprises!
I'm convinced that when you are working hard on improving your playing, The Universe
adjusts a bit to give you more growing room. I've seen this happen many times.
Employ yourself
Keep yourself busily employed working toward your goal anyway you can!
It's amazing how many great opportunities will seem to just come your way naturally,
without any particular effort on your part if you keep practicing and remain alert.
Tune in
By keeping tuned in, I mean looking consciously and CONTINUOSLY for opportunities. You
have to keep your eyes open for them because sometimes they are hiding behind things we
sometimes call problems or difficulties.
Difficulties often serve as little wake-up calls, which help you, or force you even, to
discover inner resources or talents you may not have been aware of, or had not really
dedicated much time to.
Expect the unexpected and try to turn all conditions and circumstances to your advantage,
remembering always to be honest in your dealings with everyone as well. I can assure you
that you'll never be bored again or complain about having nothing to do.
complacent. A lot of great friendships begin this way, too. Try this idea out for yourself.
You'll soon discover that the best and busiest players are often the coolest people to talk to
(once you manage to catch them in a free moment). They are almost always willing to take
time to talk and become friends with young highly motivated players, like you.
They remember when they were the new kids on the block!
Remember
Find the best teacher for you (remember your goals). Put yourself in his hands and try to
become his best student. If possible, this should be a true saxophone pro that has
experience as a teacher and player.
Analyze the saxophone market in general, and in your area specifically. Is there a void
you can fill? Use your imagination. Try to create a niche for yourself. Specialize in
something! Become a more valuable player.
Increase your VISIBILITY by jamming whenever and wherever possible. If you don't feel
ready, listen to, and get to know, the best players in town and practice with the idea of
eventually playing with these people.
Prepare business cards and exchange numbers with every one you meet.
CREATE A NETWORK of musicians, especially good rhythm section players.
Cross-index everyone you meet by 1) instrument, 2) where you met them, (to jog your
memory) 3) style of music they do best... .in other words GET ORGANIZED! This will
come in handy, use your imagination.
Team up with a trumpet player for small section work. Trombone players are great to
add as well. (Find the best you can stand!).
Treat every client and project seriously. Always remember that every situation you are
involved in can become a step up or a step down.
FORM YOUR OWN SMALL GROUP! Make a tape, or better yet a CD and get it around to
all the independent labels, clubs, DJ's, agencies, hotels, etc.
Get on the phone and INVITE PEOPLE to your gigs. Create a website and start creating
a mailing list. Take time to make friends wherever you go, life is just more fun this way!
Go around to all the recording studios in town.
Meet the engineers, secretaries, musicians. Keep your horn handy, sometimes things
just "Pop" up unexpectedly. Try to always be ready to jump on opportunities.
Here's what I mean:
45
Sometimes Life brings you to a point in which you may find it necessary to move to another
city for any number of reasons. I have changed cities a few times, and believe me, it's not
easy starting out in a new town! When this happens, you'll be faced with the necessity of
finding work as soon as possible otherwise you will exhaust your cash reserves before long.
This is the time when having your Saxophone Survival Kit close at hand and in good order
can make all the difference for you.
Check out this little story:
Let's go back to the fall of 1983. I had just arrived in Rome, spoke very little Italian, and knew
absolutely no one, except my Italian girlfriend (who spoke some English). I was 30 years old
and already had a lot of experience playing in bands, doing theater work, recording session
work, etc. My main problems were the language barrier and not knowing anything about
the music scene in Italy, or Rome. I had to learn my way around fast!
The first thing I did, once I had a phone, was to get some business cards made with my
name, phone number, and a listing of my available instrumentation (doubles).
(Nowadays, it's easy to make your own business cards and other promotional materials,
such as a good curriculum, using a computer)
The next thing I did was to start going around to the live music clubs looking for
opportunities to jam and meet the local musicians. I began collecting numbers and passing
my business cards around to everyone I met on these occasions.
I also went through the phone book to find all the recording studios in town. I made a list
in my Action Plan notebook of all the addresses and phone numbers of the studios, including
the names of people who had responded to our initial calls on the phone. (My girlfriend, Angela, helped with the translation and setting up times to visit the various studios.)
We started actually visiting the studios one by one, meeting secretaries, engineers, musicians
who happened to be around doing sessions, and the studio owners. I always had at least
my alto sax, soprano sax and flute with me on these occasions (just in case).
On one of these visits to one of the larger and busier studios in town, I met Claudio
Simonetti, a producer and film score composer. He happened to be recording some music
for a series of TV specials that he was the musical director for.
Fortunately, Claudio spoke good English, so it was much easier for us to communicate. He
was curious to hear me play so he said, Try playing on this tune It was a version of the
tune Maniac from the film Flashdance.
Fortunately, for me I had heard this tune before, liked it and it was in a good key for alto.
I was a bit nervous because I really wanted to make a good impression on him. I played a
nice, funky Pop solo over the track. I could see the engineer and Claudio in the control
booth grooving so everything was going okay. I was playing well, loosening up, and actually
beginning to have fun! He put up another track, same dealeverything went great, fortunately for me.
He immediately offered me a guest soloist gig for the 4 TV specials! I could hardly believe
my luck! Nice break, huh? My first TV gig in Italy!
46
This is an example of how going out and meeting people, keeping your horn nearby, can
pay off for you. Of course you must be well prepared to really take advantage of these
unexpected opportunities.
When Opportunity meets Preparation nice things happen!
Expect the unexpected, practice as much as you can, keep your goal in mind always, and
follow your action plan.
BE POSITIVE, don't "bad-mouth" people, BE PROFESSIONAL, and remember,
PUNCTUALITY COUNTS (a lot!).
Talk about money matters calmly and serenely BEFORE you accept the gig. Make sure
everything is clear from the top;
GO THE EXTRA MILE FOR PEOPLE, try to be helpful and, whenever possible,
cooperative;
Always bring some extra double to the gig. Let people know about any additional
instruments you play well.
Let's take a moment to look back over these last two reminders: Go the Extra Mile and
Bring Extra Doubles to Gigs.
They are related in a way since they both have to do with doing or bringing something
EXTRA to your gigs.
The reason I always bring some extra instrument to sessions or gigs is because I know that
certain instruments are more suitable to use on a song than others. Often people call me
to play alto, but I'll bring the tenor also because I know that, at some point, tenor may be
more appropriate for a given tune. I bring flute, clarinet and soprano for the same reason.
It's something I do automatically now, because I have experienced good results from doing
this. Often an arranger doesn't know about the other instruments you play, and you bringing
something extra may help him or her resolve a musical situation in a surprising way
(everyone loves a nice surprise!).
This is particularly useful in film soundtrack recording where the various melodic themes
return repeatedly and are often played by different solo instruments at different times.
Once people know your instrumentation, you'll get more calls and more varied types of
calls, which keeps work interesting, and challenging for you. People won't know about your
doubles unless you bring them along and play them. Of course, learn how to play them
before you bring them! Where? You guessed it.home alone.
I know, it's a lot of stuff to carry around, but it will help you resolve certain situations. It also
sets you apart from other musicians that don't think of bringing or doing extra things.
Here's another little story that illustrates the power of this Saxophone Survival Technique:
Back in 2003, my friend and top lead trumpet player Mike Applebaum (first call for Ennio
Morriconi filmscore sessions) and I were preparing to travel to Milan to record the horn
tracks for Italian pop artist Alex Britti's album 3. Over the phone, Mike asked me what
47
trumpets to bring (he plays all the various trumpets and fluegelhorn, and is a great
composer/arranger)). I suggested that he bring everything. Even the piccolo trumpet, he
asked. My reply was yeah Mike, you never know, he might dig it. We cabbed out to the
airport and a few hours later we were at the Jungle Sound Studio in Milan with Alex,
listening to the tracks he wanted horns on.
After a snack while listening to the tracks, talking with Alex, making notes, and generally
getting onto Alex's wavelength, we were ready to start recording. Alex came into the room
as we were setting up our gear, saw the piccolo trumpet and said, Hey Mike, what's that?
Mike picked up the picc and blew some characteristic Bach phrases and the Penny Lane
solo, etc. Alex dug it so much that he decided to add a piccolo trumpet solo to the last 20
seconds or so of the track! As it turned out, the tune became an instant hit, we did the video,
the tour, and Mike played his piccolo trumpet solo many times on Italian national TV for an
audience of millions in Italy, and via satellite to various other countries! A lot more nice
things happened for my friend Mike because of this fortunate piccolo trumpet solo. And
so it goesit pays to bring extra, unexpected horns to sessions or live gigs. You never
know
Becoming a more valuable player leads to more and better paying gigs!
Dress appropriately for the gig...if you don't know what to wear, ask the leader.
Always keep emergency contact numbers for gigs, in case of car trouble, getting lost, etc.
Remember to keep your ever-present cell phone charged up and fully operational at all
times, it can really save you in a pinch.
When things are slow...no problem, you have more time to practice, start a band, write
music, etc... .. avoid that unemployed feeling. Keep yourself employed in activities that
move you toward your goal.
Work on your STAGE PRESENCE
Stage Presence is something that some musicians just seem to have naturally.
Others need to work at developing their Stage Presence. So what is Stage Presence anyway?
To me Stage Presence means being truly 100 per cent present on stage. This means
actively participating and contributing to what is taking place at any given moment on
stage. For example, if you are the only horn on the gig, you will not be playing all the time.
When you are not playing, you must contribute to the show with your Stage
Presence.
This has to do with how you are dressed, how you move when you play and when you're
not playing, how much you smile, your level of concentration, having fun, etc
If the singer is singing, focus your attention on him or her, listen to and enjoy what they are
doing. Actually, there are many artists that I've worked with that I would have gladly paid
to listen to. (Please don't tell anyone I said that!) When the audience sees you smiling, grooving, and digging the singer, their attention will return to the singer. You act as a mirror
beaming the audience's attention to whatever is the most important thing happening on
48
stage at any given moment: soloists, dancers, whatever. If you clap your hands, they will get
more into the groove, too, and some of them will begin to clap their hands with you.
The audience has more fun when they see you having fun!
Avoid making unpleasant facial reactions to mistakes or unexpected problems on stage.
This looks very bad from the audience. Most of the time, the public is unaware of little things
that can happen on stage. Don't tip them off with a strange facial reaction. If you are in a
smaller space like a club, where the people are up close, you can make eye contact with a
few people around the room and get them more into the show. Who you make eye contact
with is completely up to you! (I mean, I don't wanna know about it!)
(Be sure the eye contact bit doesn't get too out of hand, I mean look at everyone, not just
the most physically attractive ones, sometimes they're married to someone in the band, or
the club owner, or.. Mr.Big! (I don't want to be reading about you in the chronicle pages!
Anyway)
Avoid being seen checking your watch on stage as people will probably get the impression
that you are not having a good time, which is not cool at all from the audience point of view. If
you must check the time, do so discreetly. Have a good time for real!
If you are listening to a comedian for example, smile (at least) at the punch lines, even if
you've heard the joke a million times before. Remember, you are part of the show from the
moment you set foot on stage. Be a more valuable player on stage; make the star and the
other musicians look good. That's your job when you are not actually playing. Of course
when it's time to play, do it with class and as much style and taste as you can muster.
Make a habit of working this way on stage and you will become more in demand for live
gigs of all kinds.
Once again, remember that every gig is important. You never know who's checking you out in
any moment.
Oh yes, last but not least,SMILE... ..and thank God you're workin'!
Put these ideas to the test for yourself!
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Attitude plays a major role in Saxophone Survival. Depending on it's nature, it can be
your best friend or your absolute worst enemy.
Think about this a moment. How often have you seen seemingly intelligent and talented
people blow wonderful opportunities because of a bad attitude? You may have had this
experience personally. I know I have, and it's not a pretty sight. On the other hand, a generous,
positive attitude can be the winning secret for Saxophone Survival.
It's very difficult to succeed as a professional musician, or anything at all for that matter, if
your attitude is out of tune. This is a very important area to get under control as it can
make or break you in the music business, or life in general.
The main reason I feel attitude is so important is that, when faced with unexpected
conditions or difficulties, great or small, it will be your predominant attitude that will
condition your responses, or reactions.
If your attitude is positive, constructive and open you will be more likely to see new opportunities hidden behind the difficulties you will inevitably encounter along your path to your
goal.
The difference between not surviving, i.e., not reaching your goal, and success in the achievement of your goal lies in your reactions. If your reactions to difficulties are positive, they
will help you to keep moving forward and greatly increase your chances for Saxophone Survival.
You've undoubtedly seen the results a positive attitude can bring. Day after day, you move
about doing your daily activities, going to school or work, rehearsing, meeting and interacting
in many ways with all kinds of people with all kinds of attitudes.
Cheerfulness and warmth in dealings are always welcome.
On the other hand, a reputation for having a bad attitude, or being difficult to work with
can take a very long time to shake off, because bad news travels fast, especially in the
relatively small circle of professional players, producers and contractors.
Your attitude is always there helping, or hindering you in your affairs and relationships with
clients, fellow musicians, and of course, your audience, the public. See what I mean?
50
If you persevere in your effort to keep your goal in mind constantly, your actions and
attitude will fall into line.
Rehearsals;
Lessons;
Performance situations;
Project-related meetings;
Travel related appointments.
Punctuality is even more important when meeting people for the first time.
You make a much better first impression if you show up on time, or better yet, early.
If, for reasons legitimately beyond your control, you see that you are going to be late, by all
means call the leader or a trusted colleague at the gig to advise them of your situation.
Eighty per cent of success is showing up (Woody Allen)
Next question.
*In addition to the above items I also carry small screwdrivers, pieces of cork, pad glue,
super-light lubricating oil, a pocket knife, elastic bands and extra reeds( that I've tried out
already at home ).
These items can help you do quick instrument repairs or reed substitutions at rehearsals or
gigs.
Note: Never carry these things in your carry on luggage on flights. The metal detector will go berserk and you
may cause a panic in the airport.
Do you make negative comments about other players behind their backs?
This is definitely unprofessional behavior and can lead to unfortunate conflicts with
colleagues and clients. It's not a good idea.
My Mom used to always say, If you don't have anything good to say, don't say anything.
This is some very good advice. Silence is Golden.
If you find that someone is trying to draw you into a negative conversation about a
colleague, try to change the subject or find an excuse to leave.
The music business is full of little cliques, work teams, and other groupings of people.
Some musicians are friends with musicians that are not necessarily your favorite people.
If you want to work well with as many people as possible it's best to avoid getting into di54
scussions about other musicians (who they make like or dislike), religion, politics or other
potentially sensitive areas.
It's not necessary to comment or contribute to all conversations. This approach will pay off in
the long term as you will be able to function within various work teams that may be in
competition or conflict with each other in some way.
Rest assured if people bad-mouth colleagues behind their backs to you, they will probably
do the same to you when you are not around. Understand this, but don't participate in this
uncool activity as it definitely makes a negative impact on other people (and yourself).
Try to remain above the level of gossip and remain concentrated on your musical mission. If
you must comment, be diplomatic, or funny.
Remain calm, diplomatic, and ask for input from a higher authority (teacher, the
composer/arranger, bandleader, section leader, etc). Remain positive.
It's important to maintain a harmonious atmosphere around you if you want to work well
together with people.
This requires give and take on everyone's part.
Are you afraid to send a good sub to a gig because you're afraid he might do a better
job and take over your gig?
There will come a time when you will need to send a sub to a gig or rehearsal because of
conflicting appointments or illness.
The most professional thing to do is send the best available sub you can find; possibly
someone you know and can trust to do a professional job.
The idea is to see to it that the gig continues to go smoothly in your absence.
The quality of your sub reflects on you. If you send an inadequate sub, the gig will suffer and
you will probably be held responsible.
Provide your sub with all the info necessary to do the gig well (important contact phone
numbers, list of songs and keys, parts, info about what to wear, etc)
Players who send inadequate subs because of insecurity are not getting the point at all!
Be secure, send a good sub and take your chances. It will pay off as you will leave a very
good impression as being a musician who knows how to take care of business (even when
you're not there!)
Do you ever do favors for people without expecting a payback from them?
This is an interesting point to consider. Many times you are approached by people for favors, or
you may recommend someone for a gig. Then, later, you may discover that when
someone asked them about who to call for a gig they recommended someone else instead of
you. Well, you see, this is perfectly okay if you were sincere in recommending that person in
the first place. Furthermore, you should be happy for your colleague that did actually get that
particular gig.
If, however you recommended that person in the hopes of getting a recommendation in
return, then you may be disappointed because things don't always go according to our little
calculations.
I believe that there is more than enough room for everyone in this great, swingin' Universe,
so I try to help players who can really play by recommending them when people ask me for
advice. Some of these players return the favor because they feel I'm best for certain kinds
of situations, other times they will recommend their closer friends who may be very well-suited for that gig. It's all okay to me because I trust in the Universe enough to know that the
good we do comes back to us multiplied many times. Often our actions may return to us
56
from a completely unexpected direction and may seem unrelated to something we have
done or said or thought. The important thing is to be sure our actions are sincere, positive,
and professional; the rest will take care of itself, so to speak.
Do you try to impress people with your latest hot licks while the string players are
trying to tune up?
Be considerate of your colleagues; find a place where you can warm-up without creating
problems around you. Be aware and considerate of other people who are trying to work,
light people, cameramen, etc...
This is just plain common courtesy.
I think you've got the idea. Make it a point to keep your attitude open and positive until it
becomes a habit that works for you and not against you.
57
I began studying clarinet at the age of nine in a group class sponsored by a local music
store in Bridgewater, Massachusetts It came easily to me and the instructor, Robert Corbert, a
flute player, suggested that I would be better off studying privately with an excellent
professional clarinetist and teacher by the name of Pasquale "Pat" Prencipe.
Pat, bless his soul, played second clarinet and bass clarinet with the Boston Pops Orchestra
under Arthur Feidler. He also played bari sax, clarinet and bass clarinet in the theaters in
Boston and was the contractor at the South Shore Music Circus in Cohasset, Massachusetts
He lived in a big house in the country, had a beautiful wife, (Shelly), a blind Cocker Spaniel,
and always drove a new Ford Thunderbird convertible. He was a very classy guy and was to
become my teacher, mentor and "musical second father" for the next ten years. This all
started back in 1961!
The lesson always started out with some Chromatic Scale Exercises involving various combinations of articulations. The emphasis was always on keeping the fingering CLEAN and
PRECISE while NEVER forgetting about DIAPHRAGM SUPPORT and a big, full SOUND.
Whenever it seemed I was just going through the motions, he'd shout something like..."That
was dull, dead, insipid, boring, and very wimpy sounding, other than that, it was perfect!
Now play it again like you MEAN IT!" (It was a terrifying experience for me at first. Later I
got used to his ways and, of course, it was my desire to play these exercises the way he wanted
them so these episodes became less frequent as time passed.)
We would pass on to my assigned scale study which progressed gradually through all the
Major and Minor Scales ALWAYS WITH A METRONOME. I prepared the scales in varied articulation groupings with the STACCATO notes "al dente" as he would call them. "Crisp,
bouncy, lively", were a few of the ways he described how a good series of staccato notes
should be. Fully supported "succulent chunks of sound". (I could almost taste them!) Our
scale work included intervallic studies in diatonic 3rds and 4ths as well...after a few years.
We went through the Klos books, Paul Jean Jean Etudes, Oppermann, and my favorite
(which was for "fun" at the end of the lesson, Jay Arnold Swing Etudes. They were very jazzy
sounding. We worked on solfege with the Bona book and, later, Paul Hindemith's "Elementary Training for Musicians" (check Hindemith's foreword if you can find the book. It's a killer!)We spent a lot of time on rhythm work, conducting and singing, etc. I also participated
in auditions for clarinet chairs in regional and state competitions and began playing in the
58
Junior division of The Greater Boston Youth Symphony Orchestra which rehearsed once a
week in Boston.
(The plot thickens!)...
While this was going on, at the age of 12, I began studying alto saxophone, always with
"Pat". Since I had been studying clarinet for a couple of hours a day for 2 years, my reading
"chops" were pretty good. All I had to do was to learn the technique of the instrument and
apply my increasing knowledge of music to the new instrument.
It was kind of expensive taking two private lessons a week, at least for my family in those
days, but Pat was cool; he gave me the extra sax lesson free! He was a beautiful teacher and
friend.
He took me under his musical wing and began preparing me for a professional career (I wasn't
thinking much about a career yet, myself, I just enjoyed playing in the various musical
groups).
Looking back on my 9 year relationship with my first real Teacher, Pasquale Pat Prencipe,
I'm constantly amazed by the good fortune I had of finding him so early in my musical life.
Believe me, I thank God for leading my parents and me to him for clarinet lessons at the
age of 9. He taught me so much about music and clarinet playing; the importance of
dedication, expression, being responsible and professional.
At a certain point, when I was about 15 I began to prepare more seriously for Saxophone
Survival. Pat explained to me the advantages of learning how to play flute. I was so stupid at
that time because I was convinced the flute playing was for girls, a wimpy instrument, etc.
What a goofball I was! I didn't want study flute also because I was beginning to feel loaded
down with things to practice.
Fortunately, Ian Anderson, the flute-playing leader of the band Jethro Tull came to my
attention. I also found out about Eric Dolphy, Herbie Mann, and started listening to Stevie
Winwood's band Traffic which featured flute and sax solos by Chris Wood. I changed my
mind about flute playing, thank God!
Pat sent me to a great flute teacher and busy classical player, Bill Grass (what a guy!), who
lived in a beautiful house in the woods near Newton, Massachusetts What an atmosphere
to study flute in! I started studying flute seriously with him. So now I was doing three lessons
a week.
I'd like to take this opportunity to thank my parents for paying for, drive me around to all
these rehearsals and lessons. They were and have always been very supportive of my
musical activities.
Eventually, I began playing lead alto in my high school's stage band, led by Al Borzamato, a
sax player and dedicated music educator, and in a community jazz band led by Vince
Gannon as well. I began improvising on blues tunes.
As you can see, my free time was filling up with musical activities; rehearsals, auditions, concerts, and lessons. I also was now practicing 4-5 hours a day 5-6 days a week! Fortunately,
59
60
Thielemans,
Lew
Soloff,
Rodney
("no
I feel privileged to have been able to meet and work with these people!
More Credits
TV Productions, Film soundtracks, and Commercial jingles form another area of my
professional activities:
"Fantastico 5"( '84)Staff musician RAI-TV network(Italian National Network...'84-'87),
"Domenica In" ('86, '98,'00,'01),
"La Corrida" ('88 to '93, 2004-07), San Remo Song Festival ('94' '95, '96), "Caramba Che
Sorpressa",
"Scomettiamo Che"('93,'99), Trent' Anni Della Nostra Storia"('86), "Miss Italia nel Mondo"
('99,'00,'01),and many others.
English lyrics for projects by: "Positive Power", Frank Vinci, "Mercuzio" ( Marcello Modugno),
Gazosa, Lara Martelli, Jim Porto
Co-Founder with Silvano Melgiovanni of EMI/Loft recording
artists " Positive Power ". Founder of Eric Daniel & Friends
Co-producer with Luca Cucchettiof the Nu-Soul album Old Sax Nu Soul for Quarto Miglio
Quality Music
Author of The Saxophone Survival Kit, A Guide for Aspiring Professional Saxophonistsor
just anyone.
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HAVE FUN!!!
E.
HAVE FUN!!!
E.