The Saxophone Method vol. 1
Learn to play saxophone with a great band!
The Saxophone Method vol. 1 is the first part of a complete course for beginner to intermediate alto saxophonists.
Free play-along and demonstration audio tracks for all the tunes are available from MusicGurus through Schott. These tracks will give you the feeling of playing with a great band from the very beginning.
Master the skills to play in any style
You start my mastering the essential foundation skills of breathing, embouchure, tonguing and posture.
As you progress you will play in a great variety of styles: tango, jazz, reggae, spirituals, salsa, bossa nova, blues, folk, medieval, baroque and classical. You will discover music from all over the world and from many different historical periods.
A step-by-step approach to reading music
The Saxophone Method vol. 1 teaches you to read music in a systematic way, covering the most common rhythms. I introduce notes and rhythms in a logical, progressive steps through tunes that I wrote especially for this book. The first tunes are simple, allowing you to focus on developing a good sense of pulse and to get used to the basic fingering positions. The mp3 backing tracks, featuring Richard Bolton (guitar), Simon Woolf (bass) and Andrés Ticino (percussion), make them fun to play.
Other key features of The Saxophone Method vol. 1:
- Clear explanation of all relevant aspects of musical theory.
- Scales and arpeggios are presented in an interesting and musical way.
- Useful advice and information about care of the instrument, reeds, mouthpieces, accessories and transposition.
- Ideal both for teaching yourself and for learning with a teacher.
Supplementary materials you may find useful:
- A video course on Foundation Techniques is available from MusicGurus.
- The Saxophone Method: Repertoire 1 gives you more music to practice and enjoy, and will help you consolidate what you have learned.
- While it stands alone as a complete method, The Saxophone Method is also designed to complement my Jazz Method For Saxophone.