Graham English

Posts Tagged ‘saxophone’

Playing Outside: The Dominant 7 Pentatonic Scale Pattern 3

This dominant 7 pentatonic pattern is similar to the previous pattern. It still moves up a half step for a total of 2 notes in an eight note pattern. But this time, the transposed notes are the fifth and eighth notes in the sequence. This means that you have to transpose up a half-step twice during the pattern, rather than just once.

Playing Outside: The Dominant 7 Pentatonic Scale Pattern 2

If Pattern 1 seemed easy to you, I guarantee you’ll find this next one more challenging.
Last time, we simply took a four-note pattern and transposed it up a half step for the second half of the bar. This time, we’re using a full eight-note pattern and transposing only the fifth and sixth notes up a [...]

Playing Outside: The Dominant 7 Pentatonic Scale Pattern 1

A favorite scale of jazz saxophonist, John Coltrane, is the Dominant 7 Pentatonic Scale.

Michael Brecker Has Died

Jazz World Loses Sax Musician Michael Brecker
Tenor saxophonist Michael Brecker died Saturday at the age of 57. The artist was one of the jazz world’s most prolific studio musicians. He toured or performed with Paul Simon, Joni Mitchell, and Herbie Hancock. Brecker was known for his powerful tone and his stamina for a solo.
This is [...]

Turbocharge Your Practicing

A practice schedule is an important part of your musical development.
My sax teacher, Nathan Davis, used to tell me, “Go without practicing one day, and you know. Go without practicing two days, your friends will know. Go without three days, and everyone knows.” Good advice.
When you implement a practice schedule, here are some critical points [...]

Saxophonists Tricks of the Trade

To make marathon playing sessions easier on your mouth and to soften your sound for classical playing, buy a pack of cigarette papers. Before you play, fold one in half, put it in your mouth and let it soak for awhile. Then fold it across your bottom teeth. It will form a buffer between your [...]