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THE ‘SAS’ or ‘SAXOPHONE ABILITY SNAPSHOT’ by Simon T

Here's a way to work out (and work on) any weaknesses you may have at playing jazz saxophone. It's like a snapshot of where you are at the moment and helps you to
focus on some areas you may not have considered and could be limiting your expression. This e-book is divided up into 9 sections: Sound, Listening Influences,
Fingers, Scales, Sightreading, Tunes / Transcriptions, Articulation, Progressions, Patterns & Licks. It’s not meant to replace lessons, nor a definitive answer. Hopefully
it helps you to re-think your practising and set some goals, which are handy if you want to improve faster than a random, ‘hit-and-miss’ type approach.

Each section starts with some questions for you to think about. If you learn from a teacher you might discuss these with him or her. I've selected 5 products for each
section that will help you to 'fill the gaps' in your knowledge. Click on the images or prices to go to the webpage for that product.

The 'recorder' page follows for you or your teacher to assess and mark your progress. You can work through each and write down your weaknesses - these will help
you to create the goals that you can use in your practice sessions. After reviewing each section, complete the 'Goal Setting' chart at the end. You've now got a more
focussed plan of attack for future practice sessions. Good practising!

1. SOUND Mouthpiece range - what range can you get from playing the mouthpiece only? Singing intervals - which intervals can you sing in 12 keys ?
Long notes - how long in seconds can you sustain the notes for at mf, no vibrato Overtones - which notes in the overtone series you can play off three low
fundamentals ? Flexibility - continuing chromatically, what range can you slur from and to Low C ? Dynamic span - soft to loud to soft – how good is your control,
which notes, repetitions ?

Recommended Products – these are books / DVDs that I use and can personally recommend to help you with this area:

Walter Beasley DVD Sigurd Rascher Book David Beecroft Book Robert Luckey Book Larry Teal Book
Embouchure, breath use, Classic – essential treatise Fundamentals explained Thorough altissimo Classic – must have
Tonal focus, contemporary for ALL registers of horn by pro player in new way workout and exercises of all saxophonists
£19.99 £8.50 £17.95 £18.75 £11.99
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Sax Ability Snapshot 1. SOUND

Date : ____________

Mouthpiece range from concert _____ down to concert ______

Singing Intervals m2 M2 m3 M3 P4 tritone P5 m6 M6 m7 M7 octave

Long notes Low C ______ Middle C _______ High C ______ at mf, no vibrato

Overtones Low Bb - Bb - F - Bb - D - F - Ab - Bb - C - D

Low B - B - F# - B - D# - F# - A - B - C#

Low C - C - G - C - E - G - Bb - C - D

Flexibility Low C up to _________ down to Low C slurred

Dynamic Span p<f>p ___ seconds, _____ repetitions, ____ to ____ range

Areas to work on :
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2. LISTENING INFLUENCES Keep a record of who and what you’re listening to. Shows if you’re listening widely too!

Recommended Products – these are books / DVDs that I use and can personally recommend to help you with this area:

Jerry Coker Bk Conrad Cork Bk (free d/ls) Jazzwise Bk (+CD/DVD) Virtuosic Saxophones DVD Stan Getz DVD
As the name says, what to How to understand what you’re 11 issues of jazz editorial Popular sax competition on His final concert - a must
listen for in jazz music listening to. Pro tips – get it excellence. UK’s No 1 jazz mag DVD for first time. Brill acts for all tenor saxophonists
£10.50 £25.00 from £39.00 / year £14.99 £19.99
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Sax Ability Snapshot 2. WHO YOU’RE LISTENING TO

Date : ____________

Saxophonist Date Recordings Comments

(and instrument) (when you heard it) (eg media, date of session, style of music) (eg good licks, transcribable, interesting chords)

Areas to work on :
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3. TECHNIQUE Normal range - do you know the fingerings for all normal range notes Low Bb to High F ?
Altissimo notes - do you know the fingerings for High F sharp and above - options ?
Trills - can you trill half or whole tone notes above the note listed through the octaves ?
Enclosures - can you play tone above, semitone below then the listed note ?
Turns - listed note, tone above, listed note, semitone below, listed note ?
Grace notes - play semitone note below anticipating the downbeat of the listed note ?
Alternate fingerings - do you know the number of options for these different notes and when to use them ?

4. SCALES Types of scales - can you play all these scales through all the keys listed ? In 3rds, 4ths?

Recommended Products – these are books / DVDs that I use and can personally recommend to help you with this area:

Kellie Santin Bk/CDs John O’Neill Bk/CD Kellie Santin Bk/CDs John O’Neill Bk/CD Larry Teal Bk
For beginners - modern Best-selling method for Beg/Int level - extending Int level – sequel to JT Classic – clear fingering
method, easy to read beginning Eb/Bb jazzers range, modern tunes method; extended scales plus charts for trills, alt fingerings
£10.95 £18.50 £12.95 £15.00 £11.99
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Sax Ability Snapshot 3. TECHNIQUE

Date : ____________

Notes known Normal range (Low) Bb B C C# D Eb E F F# G Ab A Bb B C C#

(Middle) D Eb E F F# G Ab A Bb B C C#

(Palm) D Eb E F

Advanced range (Altissimo) F# - G - G# - A - Bb - B - C - C# - D

Bb B C C# D Eb E F F# G Ab A

Trills
Enclosures
Turns
Grace notes

Alternate fingerings Bb (4) : bis Bb; side Bb; 1+4; 1+5 C (3) : side C; 2; long C C# (2) : open; Long C# F# (2) : side F#; 123+5
High E (2) : palm E; Front F + 1+2 High F (2) : palm F; Front F + 1 High F# (2) : Front F + 13+1; Palm F + F# key

Areas to work on :
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Sax Ability Snapshot 4. SCALES

Date : ____________

C C# D Eb E F F# G Ab A Bb B
Major
Major Pentatonic
Dominant
Melodic / Jazz Minor
Harmonic Minor
Dorian Minor
Minor Pentatonic
Blues
Locrian #2
H-W Diminished
W-H Diminished
Whole Tone
Diminished Whole Tone
Major Bebop
Dominant Bebop
Minor Bebop

Areas to work on :
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5. SIGHTREADING A reminder to practise sightreading daily, either graded exercises OR new rhythms or keys

6. ARTICULATION Write in an articulation pattern for fingers and tongue and take it through the tempos.
Swing tonguing with metronome on 2 and 4, fast tempos 1 and 3.

Recommended Products – these are books / DVDs that I use and can personally recommend to help you with this area:

Fred Lipsius Bk/CD Dave Stewart Bk Lennie Niehaus Bk Trent Kynaston Book Jim Snidero Bk/CD
Beg/Int – play common jazz Best-selling music theory Int level - 20 etudes with The best daily practice bk Beg – easy jazz etudes
phrases in 20 original tunes book written for beginners accompanying exercises written – artic patterns plus w/ articulation explanations
£14.95 £6.95 £8.95 £6.95 £13.50
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Sax Ability Snapshot 5. SIGHTREADING

Date : ____________

Grade / Difficulty Key New Rhythms to work on Comment

Areas to work on :
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Sax Ability Snapshot 6. ARTICULATION

Date : ____________

Tempo → 52 bpm 84 bpm 108 bpm 120 bpm 144 bpm

Pattern ↓

Areas to work on :
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7. TUNES How many tunes do you really know - just the melody OR the changes too ?

8. PROGRESSIONS Can you play the changes of a 12 bar Blues in several keys ? Variations – eg Bird Blues? How about Rhythm Changes ?

Recommended Products – these are books / DVDs that I use and can personally recommend to help you with this area:

Greg Fishman Bk/CDs Bob Mintzer Bk/CD Lionel Grigson Book Hal Leonard 6th ed Book Charlie Parker Book
Int/Adv – the best jazz sax Int/Adv – contemporary tunes Packed full of chord changes Cheap, comprehensive fakebook 60 bebop tunes from
etude book on the planet, ever and harmonies. Must have to 100s of 20th C jazz tunes of jazz standards . Bargain Bird, master bebopper
£18.95 £18.95 £21.00 £19.95 £10.95
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Sax Ability Snapshot 7. TUNES / TRANSCRIPTIONS

Date : ____________

Name of tune, composer Melody Changes Can you play it in another Written it down ?
memorised ? memorised too ? key? Which?

Areas to work on :
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Sax Ability Snapshot 8. PROGRESSIONS

Date : ____________

In the key of → C C# D Eb E F F# G Ab A Bb B
Using the chords ↓

Areas to work on :
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9. PATTERNS and LICKS Can you play your favourite licks through all 12 keys? Know any diminished patterns?

Recommended Products – these are books / DVDs that I use and can personally recommend to help you with this area:

Jerry Coker Book Eric Marienthal Book Arnie Berle Book Oliver Nelson Book Dennis Taylor Book
Beg/Int – 100s of patterns Int – THE workout book for Lots of ideas, 2-5-1 licks and Classic patterns and drills 50 terrific ideas including
using all the common chords 12 key technique development patterns. Cheap n cheerful with honkin’ etudes at the end scale patterns and licks
£17.95 £15.95 £9.99 £10.95 £9.95
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Sax Ability Snapshot 9. PATTERNS & LICKS

Date : ____________

In the key of → C C# D Eb E F F# G Ab A Bb B
Using the Pattern ↓

Areas to work on :
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GOALS FROM THE SNAPSHOT

Now that you have had an opportunity to check out where you’re at in terms of playing, read through all your comments made in ‘Areas to work on’
at the end of each section and write them up as your next step goals below!

AREA SHORT TERM MEDIUM TERM LONG TERM

(this week) (this month) (this year)
1. Sound

2. Listening
Influences
3. Fingers

4. Scales

5. Sightreading

6. Tunes /
Transcription
7. Articulation

8. Progressions

9.Patterns & Licks

The more you improve, the more fun you’ll have !