Applied clef: Soprano clef, notated according to the instrument's home key
Useful range: about three and a half octaves (variations in tuning are possible)
Structural composition: parabolic conical metal body, reed head similar to that of the clarinet, Boehm system. Key system. Except for the bB soprano saxophone, which is bent into a pipe shape.
Type of instrument : soprano saxophone, soprano saxophone, alto saxophone, alto saxophone, alto saxophone, alto saxophone, alto saxophone, alto saxophone, alto saxophone, alto saxophone, alto saxophone, alto saxophone, alto saxophone, alto saxophone. E Alto Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone, Euphonium Saxophone (?B Tenor Saxophone). E Baritone Saxophone), Bass Saxophone (?B Bass Saxophone), and Doubled Bass Saxophone (this one is almost never seen)
There is also a special type of saxophone that is in the key of C, with a range between the ?E Alto Saxophone and the ?B Tenor Saxophone, and this one is also used more rarely.
Materials used : Brass . Aluminum (but it is a woodwind instrument)
Characteristics of the instrument : Rich tone, high register between clarinet and horn, midrange like vocals and cello, low register like tuba and double bass.
Typical applications: Used extensively in jazz and modern popular light music. Ravel orchestrated Mussorgsky's piano suite "Pictures at an Exhibition", "The Old Castle"; Bizet's "The Girl from Alet" Suite; Worth Williams in the masque's dance music, "Job", and his Symphonies No. 6 and No. 9; Richard Strauss's "Symphony for the Family"; George Gershwin's "Blue Rhapsody, An American in Paris; Debussy's Rhapsody, Villa I Lobos' Fantasia, Glazunov's Saxophone Concerto .......
Performance Characteristics : The saxophone is made of metal, with a large range of strengths and weaknesses, comparable to other brass instruments in the strength of its sound, and unparalleled by other woodwind instruments, and characterized by woodwinds in its sound quality, with the brightness of metal.
In the performance, because its structure is designed using the scientific principle of Boehm-type flute keys, therefore, its mechanical system is more reasonable, the use of flexible parts. Therefore, it can play difficult music as well as flute and clarinet. At the same time, it is compared with other woodwind instruments, in playing slide, vibrato, spit, overblow, and has its own unique
Invention history: the saxophone was invented by the Belgian Adolphe Sax (Antoine-Joseph Sax, 1814-1894) in 1840 [1]. Adolphe was a sharp instrument maker, specializing in blackwind and flute playing. His original vision was to design a bass instrument for the orchestra that would be more flexible to play than the Ophicleide and adaptable to outdoor performances. He combined and improved the mouthpiece of the bass clarinet with the body of the Ophicleide and named the new instrument after himself.
The first saxophone in the key of C was exhibited to the public in Brussels in 1841. It is said that the saxophone was maliciously kicked and could not be displayed, or that it was displayed under a curtain to prevent plagiarism.
In 1842, Adolphe's close friend Berlioz, an influential Parisian musician, was so impressed with the saxophone that he introduced it in La Revue et gazette musicale on March 13th as a "modified tuba", and then again on June 12th in the La Journal des Débats, which made the saxophone well-known to the world. The saxophone became known to the world.
Then Adolphe was personally attacked by a coalition of rivals, and the saxophone was boycotted and not widely used. Composers at the time were more cautious and less likely to include the saxophone in their orchestras. It is said that the saxophone was once exported abroad with its trademark erased, and then anonymously introduced into France. 1845 the French military ministry intended to improve the obsolete military bands, and with Adolphe's own recommendation, a competition between Adolphe's band and a traditional band led by Carafa was held on April 22 in the Place de la Guerre, underneath the Eiffel Tower, in Paris, with the audience deciding the winner. Dramatically, the musicians in favor of Adolphe's side were even absent that day, and Adolphe filled in the gaps by taking two saxophones and playing alternately. The new band's musical effect was completely superior to the traditional band, and the audience was completely in favor of Adolf's side. The saxophones were the first to make a name for themselves in the marching band.
On June 29, 1846, the saxophone family received a French patent.
In 1928 French classical saxophonist Marcel Mule founded the first saxophone quartet group.
After 1910, jazz emerged in the United States, and the saxophone played an integral role in it.
The reputation of the saxophone
This instrument is played on a single reed, with open and closed tone holes similar to those of the oboe, and a range similar to that of the oboe, and should be a woodwind instrument, but the body is made of copper and can be a brass instrument. It is a woodwind instrument, but the body is made of copper, so it can be a brass instrument. It is thin at the top and thick at the bottom, with the mouthpiece upward, very similar to the bass clarinet. There are many types of saxophones, from bass to soprano, all of which are transposed. The saxophone has an exceptionally rich and attractive sound, resembling brass when played strongly and woodwinds when played weakly, making it one of the best partners in the wind instrument category.
French composers such as Bizet and Saint-Sa?ns used the saxophone in their works. The saxophone is an indispensable instrument in jazz bands and trumpet bands.
Now often use four kinds of saxophone: Bb soprano saxophone (Soprano saxophone). E-flat alto saxophone (Alto saxophone). Bb tenor saxophone (Tenor saxophone). E-flat euphonium saxophone (Baritone saxophone).
Several saxophones have identical fingerings, are all transposed instruments, and are notated in treble clef.
French composer Berlioz once wrote: "The main characteristic of the saxophone is the wonderful variety of tones, deep and calm, emotional, soft and sad, as if the echo in the echo, in the moment of silence, there is no other instrument that can produce this wonderful sound."
The saxophone has also been described as an "unrivaled instrument of grace".
The saxophone is not only good at playing classical music, but also good at playing jazz and light music, and when people mention jazz, the first instrument that comes to mind is the saxophone. The most important feature of jazz is improvisation, in which the strong and weak beats are inverted and continuous syncopation is adopted to make the rhythm change infinitely, and the tone is dramatic, both fierce and wild and deep, both funny and full of sadness. Saxophone in the tone, in the performance of the slide; vibrato, spit; super blowing characteristics, then adapted to the jazz improvisation of the greatest characteristics of the need. Therefore, improvisation has also become a feature of the saxophone player's performance.
Performance method
The wind playing technique depends on the synergistic action of lips, tongue, breath and fingers. Therefore, the use of the tongue is an important part of the blowing technique. Many experts and scholars have said that tongue spitting is the "worst enemy" of wind players, and practice has also proved that due to the problems of using tongue spitting, the performance of works cannot be perfect. On the use of tongue spitting several problems:
1. Tongue and air speed: the use of tongue spitting, to form a stable and aggressive high-pressure air speed, spitting effect can be improved. On the contrary, the air speed is not stable, and to loose, no gathering force, uncontrolled breathing, not the correct chest and abdominal breathing, did not apply the correct breath blowing, that is, the use of the tongue spit sound is not effective. Therefore, it is necessary for students to practice breathing carefully, as well as by practicing long tones to develop a proper, accurate, stable and aggressive high-pressure air speed for each tone.
2. The tongue state, position, movement, and pronunciation principle of starting to blow when spitting: the tongue state when spitting - loose and natural, slightly raised; position - shed "tip "Position - the tip of the tongue is slightly thrown upwards, touching the lower edge of the reed; the tip of the tongue is slightly thrown upwards, touching the lower edge of the reed; the part that touches the tip of the reed should be small and few; Action - the tip of the tongue in the front part of the tongue is slightly shrinking, and also slightly touching the tip of the reed under the work of the tongue. The action - the tip of the front part of the tongue, both in a slight contraction and in a working downward motion - slightly touches the lower edge of the tip of the reed, pronouncing the syllable "突" or "都". The tongue's state, position, and movement should be repeatedly thought out and practiced in order to make the sound head relaxed, comfortable and natural when spitting, and the effect of spitting can reach a clean, clear, and pure degree of beauty. When the tongue touches the lower edge of the tip of the reed, the airflow cannot enter the pipe through the wind gap between the head and the reed, the tongue stops the airflow so that the reed cannot vibrate, and the articulation is terminated; when the tongue leaves the lower edge of the tip of the reed, the airflow will be stopped and the reed cannot vibrate, and the articulation will be terminated. When the tip of the tongue leaves the lower edge of the tip of the reed, the airflow passes through the air opening between the head and the reed, and the vibration produced by the reed is pronounced; the tip of the tongue touches the lower edge of the tip of the reed for a shorter period of time, and leaves for a longer period of time, the longer the pronunciation; the tip of the tone touches the tip of the reed for a longer period of time, and leaves for a shorter period of time, the shorter the pronunciation, and the tip of the tongue plays a role like that of a piston or a valve.
3. The main problems in spitting:
First, the tip of the tongue drives the root of the tongue to move back and forth, which not only slows down the movement of the sound, but also moves the neck, throat, lips, and facial muscles, and the effect of the overtones is to send out a "diu ou" or "dai" (dai), and then the tip of the tongue will move back and forth. "(dai), as well as other mixed sounds, destroying the musical style, which is very bad spitting.
Secondly, the tongue touches the reed too much, tightly, heavily, and violently, and produces a dead hard sound, which distorts the sound and destroys the musical effect.
Third, in the continuous spitting, every up blowing a tone to break the breath once to inhale once, redundantly causing the lips. The two cheeks, neck also move, so that the sound of the start blowing head rough and difficult to hear, destroying the musical effect. The above spitting sound faults, must be corrected in accordance with the two problems described earlier.
4. Five forms of spitting method:
First, the single spitting method - the use of three syllables spitting: "sudden" (tu), "all" (du), "La" (1a). The "tu" type of spitting, often used in the performance of dry and fast music, this syllable in the beginning of the sound spitting, can enhance the stability of the tongue movement, and the movement is simple, so this syllable is called the "basic tonic", so that the performer issued a variety of expression change and This is why this syllable is called the "basic tone", which enables the performers to produce a variety of expression changes and characteristic musical effects. For example, long, short, fast, slow, strong, weak, but the principle of the "tu" syllable remains the same. "Yin" type spitting method, also known as "soft overtones", the tongue position and action is roughly the same as the basic spitting method, the head of the sound can be slightly flat a little bit, the tip of the tongue can be slightly rounded, the start of the sound action to have a gentle idea, so that the sound issued by a soft and more consistent style, this kind of spitting is often used in lyrical melody. This kind of spitting is often used in the performance of lyrical melodic phrases and Legato-Staccato. The "la" type spitting method, although used less, but very useful, tongue in the reed tip along the lower edge of a slight sweep, is next to the non-negative, broken sound is very light and weak spitting, so that you can feel, but actually can not hear the effect of the treatment of the extreme dexterity and subtlety of the spitting, this spitting fully demonstrates the artistic expertise of the virtuoso players.
The second double-over method (also known as the abdominal spitting method) - double spitting method with: sudden - Ku "(tu-ku) or" Te - Ka "(tc-ka) two syllables. The double spit involves alternating between two different methods of starting and sounding, usually by alternating between stopping the reed wrench and cutting off the airflow in the pharynx. Double spit method is good at playing fast phrases, need to have a single spit method of good it foundation, and the pronunciation of the control of the strength and musical performance has a better quality, to play the sound of the rhythm of the smooth, balanced volume, from the blowing sound unity, mastery of the very skillful, in order to play in the music spring, the use of free.
Third, the three spit method - with the "sudden - sudden - Ku" (tu -ttu-ku) or "te-te-ka" (te-te-ka). tc-ka) three syllables. This spitting method can be played as fast as the double spitting method, and is especially suitable for the triplet form or the repeated form of the three different notes of the musical hook structure. This triple spitting often makes the "ku" of each repetition seem overly prominent, so some players use other spitting syllable transitions, such as tu-ku-tu or ku--tu--Kuo. -Kuo
Fourth, the air-expression method - using the "fu" (fu) or "du fu" (du fu) syllable of the Mouth shape. This is a common method used by the saxophone when playing light music. When practicing, as little as possible to shed the head of the flute, the upper teeth close to the head of the flute before the lower spread as much as possible to relax, so that the upper tight down loose, hey sound can be directly from the gas brought out by the "Fu" (fu) sound, but also can be brought out by the sound of the "Dufu" (dufu), this kind of over the sound is mostly used in slower lyrical music. The music of this kind is mostly used in slower lyrical music.
Fifth, play through the method (also known as rolling sound) - notation term Frullato, play through the sound with "tululu..." (tululu...) is the use of tongue (tululu...) is played with a rapid fluttering of the tongue. This kind of spitting is seldom used in orchestra playing, and is used for special musical effects.
5. single spit method (also known as the basic spit method) - the player according to the characteristics of the musical expression changes, can be issued light, heavy, long and short and so on a variety of starting blowing effect, but the "sudden" (tu) syllables of the pronunciation of the principle remains unchanged.
First, legato (legato) Legato notation In the performance of a number of notes within the legato line, in addition to the first note in accordance with the musical style spit, the other notes within the line, without the tongue spit, through changes in the relaxation of the lip muscles and respiratory energy coupled with fingering transitions, and constantly with a breath to make the sound of the tone with the tone of the spring of the coherent and smooth.
Secondly, the soft start blowing (sticking) Portato notation in the performance, such as the second play even tone, but with the "Zheng" (du) syllable, continuous and very coherent with the tongue gently stretching the start blowing each tone, used in expressive and beautiful lyrical music.
Third, the second continuous tone (broken continuous tone) mczzo staccato notation in the performance, between continuous IJeSato and broken Staccat. between the performance method, the basic spitting method of "sudden" tu) syllables blowing each tone, in the performance of each cypress time value, accounting for about three-quarters of the cypress. Fourth, hold the note Tenuto notation in the performance. To play the full time value of the note, the effect is similar to that of even each Iegato, tone to tone to be even responsible for the smoothness of the basic spitting method of "sudden" (tu) syllables blowing each note, is the difference between the continuous Legato and soft overblowing Portato place. Accenting
Fifth. Accent notation in the performance of the basic spitting method of "tu" syllable blowing, in a beat of time to play a strong and weak effect, the main thing is the tone and elasticity of the abdominal muscle movement control.
Short note start blowing
Sixth, the hammer method martele (staccatissimo) notation in the performance of the basic spitting method of "sudden" (tu) syllables start blowing, but each note should be played in a short, strong, and played in a quarter of a beat of the time value of the effect of the notation.
Seventh, the broken note playing Staccato notation in the performance, with the basic spitting method "sudden" (tu) syllables blowing, just more elasticity and granularity, the effect of playing is notated one-half of the cypress.
Eighth, the tremolo notation in the performance of the basic spitting method "tu" (tu) syllables to blow, fast, clean, smooth, even back and forth alternately repeated blowing.
Ninth, trill notation Trill notation in the performance, from the notation of the note to the note above and then back to the note, according to the needs of the music to play repeatedly and quickly. In saxophone performance, the use of jaw natural trill, send "ya-ya-ya-ya-ya..." (ya-ya-ya...). ..." (ya-ya-ya-ya -ya......"). The use of natural vibrato by the saxophone is determined by the style of the music and the emotional character of the particular phrase, and is based on the player's extremely subtle control of the instrument and his own musical artistry to make the music sound smooth, soft, full and pleasing to the ear. We need to learn to study and imitate the natural vibrato of the best artists of all kinds.
Tenth, the glissando notation Glissando notation in the performance, the glissando is the sound from low to high or high to low process of change, in the process of the lower teeth driven by the lower lip to change the reeds of the Lin dynamic area and the length of the glissando and the glissando. Downward sliding tone: the lower teeth drive the lower end in the relaxation of what strength control at the same time to stretch outward, so that the vibration area of the reed increased growth; upward sliding tone: must be practiced in the downward sliding tone on the basis of the practice of the upward sliding tone. On the glissando practice method, and the glissando process is the opposite, first by the lower teeth driven by the lower lip, by stretching and relaxing the control of the state, back to normal pronunciation, type. The use of the glissando to the style of music and emotional characteristics of the need to listen to more good jazz and light music, master and improve the skills of the glissando.
The above are commonly used starting blowing method, not all playing hand cast, the more players actually use the playing method, the more accurate, the more skillful, his playing skills will be higher.
A very good diagram of the spit
It is the simplest and most intuitive way to express the problem of the tongue and reed in the spit technique.
French master Vermeer's method is to use the D part of the tongue to contact the B part of the reed;
Choosing, Assembling, and Maintaining the Saxophone
The choice of instrument is very important in order to master the correct playing method and to learn the saxophone smoothly and properly. Therefore, it is good to seek the advice of a professional teacher as to which manufacturer to buy a saxophone from. At present, the market many saxophones without manufacturers, or labeled factory and brand, but not the factory's products, but a branch factory or relations with the factory's products. Therefore, the purchase of musical instruments should pay special attention to the following points:
First, check whether the metal used in the manufacture of musical instruments is too soft, some musical instruments thickness and strength is not guaranteed, the mechanical system is not strong, and even with the thumb can be pressed in the musical instrument traps, keys and key guards, under normal pressure, can be deformed and bending. This kind of instrument purchase soon, because of the innate deficiency, fault often, how to repair does not work.
Secondly, check each key soft pad on the impression, pad **** beeper on the buckle nail is accurate contact with the center of the sound hole, the key pad is tight. After lightly pressing the pad, check that you can't see the slightest gap around that pad, and ask that there be no air leakage at all. At the same time, but also carefully check that the pad is pressed down the other linkage keys should also be installed equally well, if a key pad check is not very, somewhere leakage phenomenon, it can give the player great difficulties. But also a special intention of a neglected and important professional issues, check all the key pads from the sound hole height is appropriate and the same, if a key pad is lifted too high, the key pronunciation is wild, pitch bias, if lifted low, the key pronunciation is held back, pitch bias low, if all the keys are lifted height is not uniform, the consistency of the sound quality of this instrument and the intonation will be poor, will affect the performance effect is detrimental to the student's auditory and professional The students' listening and professional skills will not be improved.
Third, check whether the tension of the key springs is appropriate. If the spring is too soft, the keys will rise and fall slowly; if the spring is too hard, the fingers will exert too much force, which will easily stiffen the fingers and affect the playing effect.
Fourth, check whether there is a gap between the key post and the connecting rod, if there is a gap, the key pads can not be flat and accurate in the sound hole.
Fifth, check whether the welds are strong, whether the screws are installed reasonably, whether the process is rough. Some manufacturers produce saxophone, due to poor quality, rough workmanship, and even the maintenance department refused to repair.
Sixth, playing check from the bass area down B, native B, C, C, ascending C, D, E, F, ascending G test, must be the lightest blowing, so that the bass area can also be sensitive pronunciation. Finally, measure all the range of the sound issued by the tone is accurate sound quality, volume is uniform and consistent. Seventh, if the economic conditions permit, to buy a higher-grade instruments, to learn the saxophone will undoubtedly play a very positive role.
Instrument assembly
1, assembly steps and methods:
Reed from the reed clip or reed box out, the reed plane with the head of the plane overlap, the top of the reed with the top of the head of the flute Qi, by the left thumb will be pressed on the head of the reed.
Second, put the hoop on the head of the flute with the right hand, with the top edge of the hoop crossing the line of the headstock. Then, align the seam line of the hoop with the center of the reed, and tighten the top and bottom screws of the hoop moderately to hold the reed in place. If the top edge of the hoop does not cross the headstock line and the hoop screws are tightened too far, the reed will vibrate.
Third, install the reed, insert the headjoint into the neck tube, with the center of the headjoint windjammer aligned with the overtone hole key on the neck tube.
Fourth, insert the installed neck tube into the body of the instrument. Then, tighten the screws at the joints. When not playing, carefully place the cap on the headjoint.
Fifth, before the orchestra ensemble, usually with the standard A tone counterpoint, counterpoint, the alto saxophone plays the ascending F tone, tenor saxophone plays the B tone. If the saxophone is low, the head of the flute is plugged into the cork of the boob tube; if the saxophone is high, the head of the flute is plucked upward until the standard tone.
Maintenance
First, take and put the instrument to grasp the bell mouth, not to grasp the keys and linkage rod, so as to avoid bending and deformation of the keys and linkage rod damage to the instrument. After blowing to install the upper end of the main body tube rod plug, and then put the instrument into the case.
Secondly, after each practice, wash and dry the head of the flute and the reed with water, and put the reed into the case carefully, do not continue to be stuck on the head of the flute, in order to prevent deterioration and deformation of the reed, which affects the vibration.
Third, the main body of the instrument and the inner hall, with a pendant rope connected to a piece of cloth, from one end into the other end of the pull out of the inner chamber of the spoils and clean water to remove clean. Musical instrument surface and mechanical system gathered dust, can be removed with a soft brush.
Fourth, after the instrument has been used for some time, the screws of the mechanical system should be checked to see if they are loose, and add a little lubricant.
Fifth, the instrument should not be placed in the sun for a long time and in a humid place, so as to avoid deformation of the pads, mechanical system rust; temporary rest or pause playing, the instrument keys face up, placed in a safe part, in order to prevent damage.
Saxophonist Kenny G
Original Name: Kenneth Gorelick
Chinese Translation: Kenny G, Kylie King
Hong Kong and Taiwan Translation: Kenny G
Birthday June 5, 1956
Height: CM Place of Birth: Seattle, USA
Representative Works Songbird, Theme From Dying Young, Going Home, Jasmine Flower, Forever in Love, My Heart Will Go On, Morning
Birthday June 5, 1956
Height: CM Birthplace: Seattle, USA
Representative Songs: Songbird, Theme From Dying Young, Jasmine Flower, Forever in Love, My Heart Will Go On, My Heart Will Go On, My Heart Will Go On Morning
Michael Brecker
Michael Brecker's dedication to virtuosity has made him one of the most influential saxophonists of our time since Wayne Shorter. His name was not initially recognized by the public, and his excellent improvisational skills were not given the attention they deserved, largely due to a tendency to be stuck in the studio and willing to serve as a backing musician for popular singers.
In fact, Blake's use of the saxophone's technique was near-perfect, with his flexible use of pentatonic, diminished, and augmented scales, as well as his skillful intensification of upper-voice extensions, grainy interpretations of phrases, and dramatically strong and weak melodies, all to dazzling effect.
Blake studied to play clarinet and tenor sax before switching to alto sax in high school. At the beginning of his career, Blake was not a jazz fan, playing with R&B or rock bands, and in 1969 he joined the Dreams, a New York fusion jazz band, where he was introduced to the legendary jazz master Horace Silver. Daring to explore, Brecker continued to seek out new ideas throughout his career, joining the fusion band Steps Ahead in the 1980s and forming a funk jazz band called the Brecker Brothers with his brother, trumpeter Randy Brecker, in the 1990s. In the 1990s, they modified this band into the acid jazz-oriented "Return of the Brecker Brothers".
Major Albums
1980 Swish-EWCD
1983 Cityscape-Warner
1986 Michael Brecker-Impulse
1988 Don't You Want It? p>
1988 Don't Try This at Home -Impulse
1990 Now You See It ...Now You Don't - GRP
1996 Tales from the Hudson -Impulse
1997 Two Blocks from the Edge -Impulse
1999 Time Is of Essence -Verve
2000 Two Blocks from the Edge [Japan Bonus Tracks]-Impulse
2001 Nearness of You: The Ballad Book -Verve
2003 Wide Angles --Verve