NASA Conference 2020

Tempe, Arizona
Tessa Welterlen
tessaraemusic@gmail.com

CoDE SWITCHING:APPROACHINGJAZZAS A CLASSICAL SAXOPHONIST

PLAYING TECHNIQUE 8 CONCEPTS

Classical Jazz
Sound
Airstream -High, focused air Slightly lower, wider air
-Mouthpicce pitch - Alto:A -Mouthpiece pitch - Alto:F#, Tenor:E, Bari:D
"Wheat"- high arc, further back "Weather" - flatter, further forward
Air stays mostly constant, small changes within -Air changes more suddenly and drastically within
phrase phrase
-Roll bottom lip outward)_
Timbre -Varies, but the spectrum of accepted varlations-Varies, spectrum is broader
are narrower in scope (adheres to accepted -May change with the style of the tune
standards & common practice) Lead Alto: Projection, Edge, Bright, higher
-Uniform throughout range harmonics
-Round, Warm, Clear, Pure Ballad: Dark, Velvety, Mellow
-Tends to stay the same regardless of piece -Focus is on emotional impact & contrast of the
SOund
Style
Vibrato -Varies, but the spectrum of accepted variations-Varies
are narrower in scope (adheres to accepted -Wider, slower
standards & common practice) -May change throughout one note
Terminal vibrato - starts in middle of longer note,
-Faster, narrower
-At start of note, continues in same manner becomes wider and faster
through duration of note -Straight tone only is also acceptable
Consistent
-Generally expected at some points in piece
Articulation -Light, quick, clean is goal Varies, Used to produce a wide range of expressive
"Too devices
-Tongue is slightly more perpendicular to reed -Generally further back on tongue
because of higher arc, tongue further back in "Doo"
mouth Tongue is slightly more parallel to reed
-Release with air -Slower/Softer/More time spent dampening the
Notated in the piece reed
-Air stops completely when tongue is on reed -Bebop/Back-Tongue/Swing Articulation tongue
upbeats & slur into downbeats on eighths
"Dit & Daht"/Clipped Notes stop reed with tongue
-Ghosting/"Half-tonguing" - Mute reed with tongue

as you continue air (1 note)

"Doodn" tongue - mute reed with tongue as you
continue air, note is accented when release, usually
on upbeatt
-Left to interpretation of performer, sometimes
must disregard whatt is written
-Air more continuous, doesn't always stop with
articulation
Accents -Slightly more air within the phrase -Slightly more air within the phrase
-Notated in the piece -Sometimes aided by harder articulation more
tongue on the reed, or longer time on reed
-Sometimes aided by release of tongue from reed
(un-muting)
-Left to interpretation of performer, sometimes
must disregard what is written

-First, Highest, Last

 Approach to -Intentions of the composer are prioritüized, -Contribution of performer is prioritized
how -Tune is vehicle for performer's creative expression
Preparation of success of performance depends on
-Develop skillset/tools for Improvisation
Music performer transmits work of the composer,
performer as "conduit" -Learm and memorize tunes
-Subtle personal interpretive decisions -Will likely play tunes again and have more chances
-Emphasis on precision and control to solo

Usually less opportunities to perform the piece

JAZZ TECHNIQUES:
Swing- Swing Feel & Swing Articulation
Rhythmic Feel & Manipulation
Play in middle vs. back of beat
Quarters vs. Eighths/Long vs. Short is reversed
Turns Often written as even 16ths, but played uneven 16ths, 1st note is longer
Effects
Pitch Manipulation & Bends - Bends: narrow/medium/wide, fast/slow, and into/out of notes; Falls: between
pitches/at end of note; Glissandos - Use lower jaw movement, tongue position, keys, & key shading -Less IS More
Fingerings- more frequent use ofbis Bb & middle octave palm D LSK2
Shakes Up a minor 3rd
Subtone Tongue on reed, Cushion reed with bottom lip, &/or Lower bottom jaw- Aiming for softer, darker sound
with muted upper harmonics and typically more air in the sound

EQUIPMENT:
Reed Selects, Vandoren Java or Z2 (No 2 or 2&1/2's for studentst)
Alto Meyer/NY Meyer
Tenor Otto Link
Bari - Rico Metalite, Berg Larsen, Rousseau Jazz JDX 5

MATERIALS & REsOURCES5:

Basic& Intermediate Jazz Conception for Saxophone - Lennie Niehaus
Patterns for Jatz, by Jerry Coker
Arpeggios&Scales -with Bebop/Back-Tongue/Swing Articulation
Patterns& Vocab
Transcriptions - By Ear 1s, Sing, Play
Aebersold-Vol. 24 Major &Minor, Vol. 54 MaidenVoyage,Vol. 3 I1-V7-1 Progression