Choosing instructional materials for beginning saxophone students

ByBret Pimentel December 1, 2001January 3, 2018

Importance of appropriate materials

Choosing the right method books and materials—or choosing not to use them—can be a deciding factor in a beginning saxophone student’s success. A student assigned page after page of boring finger exercises will lose interest quickly, but a student given only “fun” assignments may fall behind in development of sound technique.

Different approaches

Russell Pizer, in a 1971 article in The Instrumentalist, compares different types of published methods. The first he terms the “whole note approach.” This apt classification refers to method books that start with several pages of whole notes and whole rests. Though a challenge to the motivation of even the most enthusiastic student, this scheme has several benefits. First, it builds a firm embouchure and breath support from the first lesson by encouraging the practicing of long tones. It also allows a more methodical approach to adding articulation and fingering changes.

The second approach described in Pizer’s article is the “melody approach,” in which fingerings are presented and explained. Melodies are provided that reinforce the new fingerings. This method allows students to quickly begin playing simple tunes, but may cause students to neglect basics of tone production.

A third style of published method is the “rote-to-note” approach that draws upon the Suzuki method. In methods of this type, students learn to play melodies or exercises without using traditional staff notation. Music reading skills are taught later. This approach encourages the development of ear training and intuitive playing. It may prove a disadvantage, however, to students who are involved with a school band program and find themselves lacking music reading skills.

Is a published method necessary?

Paul Berler, in a 1997 Saxophone Journal article, asks, “…but what happens when there isn’t a method book that suits the student? What happens then? Well, you do one thing saxophonists over the years have been able to do very well: improvise!” A bookless approach allows for more individualized instruction, but places a greater burden on the teacher to develop a cohesive, logical program of study. It also leaves the student without written material to use as a reference while practicing during the week.

Evaluating published methods

Pizer provides a detailed chart to use in rating published methods. He encourages teachers to decide how well each of several dozen topics is covered by a method book. Topics under the heading “Introductory Materials” include music theory, terminology, suggestions to players, instrument care, and a fingering chart with accompanying explanation. Pizer also suggests the teacher look for illustrations showing the instrument, proper playing position, hand position, and correct embouchure. It may also be appropriate to find out whether a piano accompaniment book is available.

With regard to topics like embouchure and playing position, Berler addresses the notion that these items are unnecessary in a printed method because they should be demonstrated by the teacher. In opposition to this view, he points out that many students have a saxophone and method book well before they have a private teacher. Though clearly a far from ideal situation, it is common enough that a good method should make provision for it. Students with private teachers may also find text and illustrations on these topics useful as a reminder during the week.

Pizer also suggests that a method book should include exercises covering scales (including chromatic), arpeggios, familiar and unfamiliar tunes, sufficient range of the instrument, and a variety of rhythmic figures. Under “Miscellaneous Fundamentals” he includes topics such as key signatures, accidentals, common meters, dynamic and articulation markings, tempo, repeats, first and second endings, and fermatas.

Marvin Blickenstaff, in a 1998 Keyboard Companion article, explores the elements that make a method book appealing to young students. (“Who would dare teach something the students do not like?” he asks.)

Is student appeal mostly visual layout and colorful illustrations?

Is student appeal mostly musical—familiar tunes or pieces which can be learned easily and feel good technically?

Does student appeal lie in the pacing of the book—having enough time to feel secure with one idea before moving on to the next?

Does student appeal result from the success they feel at each step of the learning process?

Does student appeal reflect the enthusiasm of the teacher for the materials at hand?

Recommended method books

In The Instrumentalist in 1989, Bill Perconti and Ronald Tyree suggest the Eugene Rousseau Saxophone Method (in two volumes) or the first two volumes of Arthur Hegvik’s Modern Course for Saxophone. They describe the Rousseau method as a “traditional approach” with a good balance between melodic excerpts and technical studies. Rousseau also receives favorable marks for his special exercises for awkward high- and low-note fingering exercises and his fundamental information on embouchure and breathing.

The Hegvik method gets a favorable review because of its flexibility in lesson planning. Perconti and Tyree also call attention to its use of familiar folk tunes and its unique approach to breath support. The first two pages are exercises with notes slurred, and tonguing is not introduced until page three.

The Rousseau and Hegvik methods are also the only books marked “highly recommended” by Larry Teal in The Art of Saxophone Playing. He does note, though, that the ubiquitous Hovey method published by Rubank is “excellent.” Teal suggests that different methods may be appropriate to different age groups, suggesting the Anzalone “Breeze-Easy Method” for very young students and Bichon’s Jouez du Saxophone for the high school beginner.

Conclusions

Although it may be impossible to write a beginning saxophone method that is universally appropriate for every student, several tried-and-true method books may serve as a starting point. The Rousseau and Hegvik methods are recommended highly by noted saxophonists and pedagogues. The Rubank method is also solidly assembled and more readily available than most competing books. Whichever method the saxophone teacher decides to use, he or she will find it necessary to adapt the material to the student’s specific requirements and provide supplements as needed.

Bibliography

Berler, Paul. “Young Teacher, Young Student,” Saxophone Journal 22, no. 1 (July/August 1997): 64-65.

——————. “Young Teacher, Young Student, Part II” Saxophone Journal 22, no. 2 (September/October 1997): 62-63.

Blickenstaff, Marvin. “When Choosing a Method for Your Beginning Students, What Role Does the Repertoire Play in Your Decision?” Keyboard Companion 9, no. 1 (Spring 1998): 42-44.

Perconti, Bill, and Ronald Tyree. “An Annotated Course for Traditional Saxophone Study,” The Instrumentalist 43, no. 10 (May 1989): 54-59.

Pizer, Russell A. “A Beginning Method Book Evaluation System,” The Instrumentalist 26, no. 1 (August 1971): 28-29.

Teal, Larry. The Art of Saxophone Playing. Miami: Summy-Birchard, 1963.

Woodwind playing and pedagogy

Flexible EWI fingerings

ByBret Pimentel July 24, 2010October 27, 2022

With traditional woodwind instruments, the fingers work together to change the effective length of the instrument’s body tube by opening and closing toneholes. Woodwind fingerings at their most basic use the fingers in sequence. For example, a certain note might be produced with an “open” fingering (all toneholes open). When the “first” finger (the one closest to the mouthpiece) closes a hole, the pitch drops, perhaps by a whole step. Adding the next farther finger drops the pitch again, and so on toward the bell end of the instrument.

“Forked” fingerings, in which a lower tonehole is closed while one above it is open, often produce somewhat inferior results—notes that are mismatched in timbre and/or intonation. (Some modern woodwinds use special mechanisms to correct for this, such as the F resonance mechanism on a high-quality oboe.)

An electronic woodwind-style instrument, such as the Akai EWI series, uses a fingering system that is designed to be similar to a traditional woodwind, so that a traditional woodwind player can easily adapt to it. But this is an arbitrary choice. Since the instrument’s tone production system uses electronic circuitry and software, rather than a vibrating air column, the fingering system don’t necessarily have to use the fingers in sequence, and forked fingerings don’t have any inherent problems. The fingerings can be invented completely from scratch, with no acoustical limitations.

EWI fingerings are designed to draw upon the best of both worlds—the familiarity of traditional woodwind fingerings, and the flexibility of a non-acoustical fingering system.

Note that the current-model EWI4000s, using version 2.4 of the operating system, includes several fingering modes. The mode I am considering here is the “EWI” mode, as the “flute,” “oboe,” and “saxophone” modes sacrifice some flexibility for the sake of increased familiarity to traditional woodwind players. You might consider this article to be subtitled, “Why you should be using the ‘EWI’ fingering mode.”

The current manual (“revision D”) shows a mere 17 fingerings in its EWI mode fingering chart (11 chromatic pitches, with B-flat through D having fingerings in two octaves, and B-flat having one additional alternate fingering). But many, many more are possible.

We can consider the individual EWI keys as having individual functions, rather than being inherently interdependent. For example, pressing none of the keys produces a C-sharp:

Adding any key will alter the C-sharp pitch by a given amount:

key	pitch change (in semitones)	exceptions
LH 1	-2
LH bis	-1	If both LH 1 and LH 2 are pressed, LH bis has no effect
LH 2	-2	If LH 1 is not pressed, LH2 produces -1 (this makes LH middle finger C possible)
LH 3	-2
LH pinky 1	+1
LH pinky 2	-1
RH side	+1	No effect when used in combination with LH pinky 1
RH 1	-2	If LH 3 is not pressed, RH1 produces -1 (this makes 1 + 1 B-flat possible)
RH 2	-1
RH 3	-2
RH pinky 1	+1
RH pinky 2	-1
RH pinky 3	-2

If I press LH 1, LH 2, and LH 3, the pitch is lowered from C-sharp by a total of 6 semitones, producing the G fingering familiar to saxophonists, oboists, flutists, and clarinetists.

But that is only one possible combination. I could also produce a G with, for example, LH 1, LH 2, and RH 3. Or LH 3, LH pinky 2, RH 1, and RH pinky 2. These fingerings would be extremely unlikely to work on a traditional woodwind, but with the EWI the possibilities are wide open. As long as the total pitch change adds up to -6 (and accounting for any of the listed exceptions), you get a G.


Standard G fingering.(LH 1 + LH 2 + LH 3) = (-2 + -2 + -2) = -6 = G	One alternative G fingering.(LH 1 + LH 2 + RH 3) = (-2 + -2 + -2) = -6 = G	Another alternative G.(LH 3 + LH pinky 2 + RH 1 + RH pinky 2) = (-2 + -1 + -2 + -1) = -6 = G

These examples are illustrative but likely have few real-world applications. For a more practical example, consider trills, which among traditional woodwind players are a subject of endless discussion and books upon books of awkward, complicated fingerings. An ideal trill fingering involves moving only one finger, preferably one that can be moved in a rapid, controlled, non-awkward way. Continue reading for a musical example and sound clip →

Woodwind playing and pedagogy

Common doubling combinations from the Broadway doubling list
ByBret Pimentel May 25, 2009March 16, 2017
The most popular thing on my website is the Woodwind doubling in Broadway musicals page, which brings in visitors from around the world. I’ve even been lucky enough to hear occasionally from major woodwind doublers who are working on Broadway.

I thought it might be interesting to take a look at the most common combinations of instruments called for. I’m including a table at the end of this post that shows every combination that occurs 10 or more times on the current version of the list. The first column numbers the rows for convenience in referring to specific data; the second column indicates how many times that particular combination occur. Read More “Common doubling combinations from the Broadway doubling list”
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Woodwind playing and pedagogy

How to do long tones (and why)
ByBret Pimentel January 10, 2024January 10, 2024
Long tones are at the core of most woodwind warmup routines. The most simple and obvious version is this:

Simple sustained notes are good for developing consistent breath support, which is required to keep the long tone steady in pitch, volume, and tone color. (Some teachers also suggest them for developing “embouchure strength,” one of the harmful and pervasive myths of woodwind playing.)

Many players and teachers recommend a version more like this:

This is a worthwhile improvement, as dynamic change requires a flexible and relatively relaxed embouchure on top of steady breath support. Exercises like the Herzberg long tones use this concept.

But I like this even better:

The first thing to notice is the addition of extreme dynamic markings, from niente (“nothing,” essentially zero volume) to fff (which should be understood here as maximum controlled volume). Achieving a note that starts from 0%, crescendos smoothly and evenly to 100%, and then back to 0%, is much more specific and demanding than just a general “get louder, then softer.” It requires powerful breath support that starts before the note sounds and continues until after it ends, as well as a tuned-in voicing and well-functioning equipment. (And it can serve as a diagnostic to find issues in these areas.) Exercises like the David Weber chromatic exercises use this approach. (At the link, scroll down to “Longtone 1.”

Less-advanced players should start and end as softly as possible and work toward a true niente. Players at all levels should take the opportunity to discover and then improve their loudest dynamic level.

The second thing to notice is the addition of a tempo marking. This demands that the dynamic changes happen within a specific timeline, as of course they do in real-world music. Faster or slower tempos than the one marked here may be used; each presents its own challenges.

A very thorough long tone warmup might involve playing these on every note within the instrument’s range. Each will have slightly (or severely!) different demands. For a more practical approach, consider a rotation: on day one, do these on the instrument’s lowest note, and the note a fifth above that (or some other interval), a fifth above that, and so forth. The next day, start on the second-lowest note, and the next day the note above that, and so forth.

Happy practicing!
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Woodwind playing and pedagogy

Creating fingering charts with diagrams from the Fingering Diagram Builder
ByBret Pimentel January 30, 2016November 21, 2022
My Fingering Diagram Builder has been around for a little over five years now. I was careful to name it the Fingering Diagram Builder instead of the Fingering Chart Builder because it is a tool for creating individual diagrams, not for assembling them into comprehensive fingering charts. But the difference can be a little confusing, so I get frequent questions from users who complain that they can’t figure out how to create and download a “chart” with multiple fingerings on it.

The reason I didn’t try to build a complete system for creating fingering charts is that I assumed users would have widely-varying needs, and would do better to assemble charts using some other kind of software. Here are a few examples of how that might be done, using music notation software, using a word processor, and using a text editor to create HTML code (such as for a website). All the software I’m using here is free to download on Windows, Mac OS, and Linux, but whatever free or commercial programs you are already using probably have similar features. You’re on your own to work out the details (and feel free to share them in the comments if you are feeling helpful).

Creating a fingering chart in music notation software

I am using MuseScore here, but commercial software like Finale and Sibelius and other free software like LilyPond could be used in similar ways.

First I set up a musical “score” with the notes for the chart. I used whole notes, separated by double bar lines, but that’s up to you.

Next I created my fingering diagrams in the FDB. I sized the diagrams “tiny” with “thick” lines.

Adding the diagrams to the score is very simple in MuseScore—I just dragged the downloaded diagrams from my file manager right onto the score. If I drag the diagram and hover it on top of a note, that note gets highlighted. Then I can release the diagram and it attaches to the note.

Initially the diagrams are placed right on top of the note. I selected the diagrams and used the Inspector panel to give them a horizontal offset of -2.5sp and a vertical offset of -10.5 sp, which moved them above the staff, more or less centered above the noteheads. I adjusted the A and tenor B-flat fingerings’ horizontal offsets a bit more to make them look just right.

Here is the finished product, a small chart with a few bassoon fingerings:

Creating a fingering chart in word processing software

I am using LibreOffice Writer, but something like Microsoft Word or Apple Pages would work just as well.

First I opened a new document and inserted a table. My table has three rows and seven columns.

Then I dragged the downloaded diagrams from my file manager into the bottom row of the table.

I merged some cells together, dragged in some images of notes on staves, and added some text.

A few more little tweaks and here is the finished chart:

Creating an HTML fingering chart in text editing software

This code be used in any text editor or HTML source editor, and of course similar results could be accomplished with a visual/WYSIWYG editor. I’m not showing complete code here, just the most relevant parts.

I started with a framework for a table that I could use to show a note with two alternate fingerings. (This is a flute fingering chart with horizontally-oriented diagrams. For an instrument with vertically-oriented diagrams, you may want to rearrange things a bit.)
```
<table>
  <tr>
    <th rowspan=2><!— note image here —></th>
    <td><!— first fingering image here —></td>
    <td><!— first fingering text here —></td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td><!— second fingering image here —></td>
    <td><!— second fingering text here —></td>
  </tr>
</table>
```
Then I plugged in <img> tags and text:
```
<table>
  <tr>
    <th rowspan=2><img src="images/f-sharp-note.png" /></th>
    <td><img src="images/f-sharp-standard.png"</td>
    <td>Standard</td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td><img src="images/f-sharp-trill.png"</td>
    <td>Trill from E</td>
  </tr>
</table>
```
I duplicated that code for additional notes. Since this is a sample alternate/trill fingering chart, each note has at least two fingerings. For notes with more fingerings, I added <tr>s and changed the rowspan values accordingly.

I also added a little CSS to spruce things up:
```
<style>
  table {
    display: inline-block; /* make tables wrap gracefully depending on screen width */
    margin: 1em; /* put some space between tables for legibility/clarity */
  }
  th img {
    max-width: 8em; /* manage size of note images */
  }
</style>
```
Here is the result:

I hope that sparks a few ideas for you if you are considering putting together a fingering chart. If you have other methods or tips, please share in the comments section!
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Woodwind playing and pedagogy

Principles for teaching woodwind methods
ByBret Pimentel April 16, 2023April 30, 2023
If you are teaching a woodwind methods course, you might be interested in my book.

I teach a woodwind methods course at my university. This class (sometimes known as “woodwind techniques” or “class woodwinds”) is for music education majors. It’s a kind of crash course in the woodwind instruments (flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, and saxophone) in preparation for careers in school band directing. Here are some things I try to keep in mind when teaching it.
- It’s a pedagogy course, not a performance course. Since my background is in performance, not music education, it’s tempting to veer off into the finer points of playing. But while hands-on experience with the instruments is crucial, the real goal here is that they are able to effectively teach beginning and intermediate students, which is a (somewhat) separate skill. Give your students lots of chances to practice their teaching.
- Keep it concept-based. While some time needs to be spent on the quirks of each instrument, it’s more efficient to teach underlying principles like breath support, voicing, embouchure, and finger movement, which vary from woodwind to woodwind less than many educators think. Help your students make connections between how the instruments are played, rather than walling the concepts off into a flute unit, an oboe unit, etc.
- Keep it mission-critical. Mine is a one-semester course; some schools offer the luxury of spreading the woodwinds over several semesters. But even a semester for each instrument wouldn’t be nearly enough. Be disciplined about sticking to the most central, useful concepts. Knowing the early history and development of the oboe isn’t a bad thing, but it’s not critical to this course. Ditto for show-and-tell with the alto flute or sopranino saxophone, discussion of circular breathing and double-lip clarinet embouchure, and reedmaking. Be ruthless about cutting what are probably your favorite lectures—the more advanced, obscure ones.
- Expect your students to forget everything. They can probably learn just enough clarinet fingerings to get through the test, but they will almost certainly forget them as soon as you hand them a bassoon. Gear your woodwind methods course activities toward broader skills like the ability to read a fingering chart, rather than short-term memorization of specifics.
Give your students their best chance at becoming successful woodwind teachers!
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Why doesn’t my new mouthpiece work?
ByBret Pimentel November 12, 2022November 29, 2022
So you bought a new mouthpiece! How exciting. But wait—it’s not playing as well as you hoped. Maybe it squeaks, or some (or all) notes don’t come out very well, or the tuning is weird. Let’s consider some possible reasons why:
- First, it’s always a good idea to review the fundamentals of tone production: breath support, voicing, and embouchure. Those things probably didn’t really change when you got a new mouthpiece, but maybe the old one was more forgiving of some weaknesses in your technique, and the new one is revealing those issues.
- A new mouthpiece is likely to require a different reed than the old mouthpiece. Try some harder or softer reeds and see if your results change. In general, a mouthpiece with a larger tip opening tends to like a softer reed, and a smaller opening works better with a harder reed. But it’s more complicated than that, and the only way to really know which strength, cut, brand, etc. will work best is to try them out. (Some mouthpiece makers do suggest reeds that go well with their mouthpieces, but your results may vary.)
- Also: even if your new mouthpiece is compatible with the reeds you have been buying, ones that you previously used on the old mouthpiece may have kind of molded to the old mouthpiece. Try some fresh ones.
- Not all mouthpieces are created equal, even mouthpieces of the same brand and model. This can be due to hand-finishing or other manufacturing variables. It’s possible that the one you got isn’t as good as the one that your friend or teacher or favorite professional player uses. If possible, it’s worth trying several before you pick one. And especially with older or used mouthpieces, they can warp or otherwise change shape in small ways, and that can change their playing characteristics and ability to mate well with a reed.
- Let’s consider one more hard truth: if you bought a mouthpiece never having played on it (or at least one like it) before, you may have picked something that just isn’t going a good match for you. It’s easy to get caught up in the promises in advertising copy or on product websites, or to assume that your favorite player’s mouthpiece will be suited to your equipment and playing style. Some mouthpieces are made for extreme or unusual reed choices, embouchures, or playing situations, but most players benefit from a relatively middle-of-the-road mouthpiece. And, of course, some mouthpieces just aren’t as good as advertised at all. Your best bet might be to return or sell the new mouthpiece, and invest instead in lessons with a good teacher who can either guide you in a better-informed purchase, or help you get the results you want out of a mouthpiece you already have.
A good rule of thumb is that a mouthpiece can’t give you skills, talent, or creativity. It can only remove, or add, obstacles to tone production. Pick a mouthpiece that makes it easier for you to do what you do, and get some help from a qualified teacher if needed. Good luck!
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