PROFESSOR OF MUSIC INDIANA UNIVERSITY
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SAXOPHONE HIGH TONES
A systematic approach to the extension of the range of all the Saxophones: Soprano, Alto, Tenor and Baritone Eugene Rousseau © Copyright 1978 Etoile Ml1sic. Assigned ro MMB Music, Inc., St. Louis, MO, USA. All rights reserved. International protection secured under UCC, Buenos Aires and bilateral copyright treaties. No part of this publication may be reprodl1ced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted-in any form or by any means now known or later developed-without prior written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical artides and reviews. Caver Design: Carl Simpson Ml1Sic Al1tographer: A. Snesrud Photos: F. Satoh Third Printing: August, 1998 Printer: Publishers Express Press, Ladysmith, Wisconsin PRINTED IN USA ISBN: 1-58106-005-X For further information, contact: MMB Ml1sic, Ine. Contemporary Arts Building 3526 Washington Avenue Saint Louis, MO 63103-1019 USA 314531-9635; 800543-3771 (USA/Canada) Phone: 314531-8384 Fax:
[email protected] E-mail: Website: www.mmbmusic.com
PREPACE
The possibilities for differences in the kinds of expression utilized in playing the saxophollC are perhaps as varied as the range of capabilities exhibited by the instrument' s countless performers. That the saxophone, this youthful member of the wind family, is already well·established as an insttumem of enormous potential goes almost without saying.
1'he list of esteemed saxophonists
throughout the world, (:"ncompassing a11 manner of musical styles and tastes, is irnrnense, and growing steadily. Musical literature';;{or the instrument inc1udes original and transcribed works from virrually every era of musical history, with the contemporary composers .. happily, to an increasing degree - conrinua11y discovering its abundant resources. Among the many facets of the saxophone's evolution is the one to which the present book addresses itself, namely:
harmo7lics, or overtones -- those high tones aboye the norrnal range.
A keen and
widespread interest has fOl many years been exhibited by players, teachers, and composen in the extension of the saxophone's range upward, beyond the normal
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aurhor himself shares in this intentness, which has been the rnainspring for the pages that follow.
April, 1978
AUTOGRAPHY; A. SNESRUD PHOTOGRAPHY: F. SATOH
BIOGRAPHY Eugene Rousseau, one of the great saxophonists of the world, enjoys the unique ability of being at home in a variety of musical styles. Since his highly successful recital debut in New York's Carnegie Hall, he has had engagements as a soloist and guest lecturer across the United States and throughout the world, inc1uding Canada, Europe, Africa, Australia, and J apan. Among these are appearances with the Gordon MacRae Show and Woody Herman's Third Herd. Of his numerous solo recordings, Rousseau's most notable is the first undertaking of its kind, an album devoted entirely to saxophone solo and orchestra, Concertos lor Saxophone (Deutsche Grammophon 2530 209). A disc of the Eugene Rousseau Saxophone Quartet for Golden Crest Records will be released later this year (1978). Inc1uded in his publications are a two-volume Method lor Saxophone (Kjos), and 27 solos published individually for the alto, tenor, and baritone saxophones (Belwin-Mills) . In recent years Eugene Rousseau has devoted much of his time and energy to the acoustical aspects of saxophones and saxophone mouthpieces. He is chief advisor to the Yamaha Corporation for saxophone research and development and is currently President of the North American Saxophone Alliance. He holds the Ph.D. degree from the University of Iowa, where he was a pupil of Himie Voxman, and has been Professor of Music at Indiana University since 1964.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Preface
3
Fingering Chart: normal range
6
The Embouchure
7
Closed Tube t!xercises
8
Acoustics and Venting
13
The Technique of Overblowing Sixths
19
Bridging the Registers
~
26
Beyond the Sixths
'
Fingering Chart: high tones (soprano, alto, tenor, baritone) ~
Chromatic Scales Major Scales: one octave
34
38
,42
Major Scales: extended range Major Arpeggios
31
43
:
47
Minor Scales, Harmonic: one octave
48
Minor Scales, Harmonic: extended range
49
Minor Arpeggios
53
Minor Scales, Melodic: one octave
54
Minor Scales, Melodic: extended range
55
Whole-Tone Scales
59
Augmented Arpeggios
60
Diminished Scales
61
Diminished Arpeggios
63
Exereises in Thirds
65
Pentatonie Scales
66
Artieulating the High Tones
69
6
FINGERING CHART FOR THE NORMAL RANGE by EUGENE ROUSSEAU
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@) 1977 NeU A. KJo. MII.;c Co., Publi.her, Park Ridge, A11 Right. Reserved Internltlonl. Copyris"t Secllred Thll cIIIrt 1I exlrllCted lrom lhe Eugene
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7
THE EMBOUCHURE
The requisite for accomplishing harmonics or overtones on the saxophone is a good tone. In turo, the accomplishment of a good tone on the saxophone, as on aH wind instruments, necessarily depends upon a proper embouchure. While the scope of this book does not include those elements of playing normaHy associated with beginners, it is nonetheless essential that one have a thorough understanding of the fundamentals of the saxophone embouchure before attempting to achieve any high tones above the normal range of the instrumento These fundamentals are as follows: . (1) Curllower lip slightly over teeth.
(2) Keep chin in a natural position. (3) Form 'ah "00" shape (as in saying coo) with the mouth and lips. (4) Form a circular shape with the mouth (the lower lip should appear somewhat bunched). (5) Place mouthpiece alone in the mouth, with top teeth resting solidly on the top of the mouthpiece. (6) The round, "00" shape should now give solid support aH around the mouthpiece. To determine the propor amount.of mouthpiece needed in the mouth, as well as the strength of the roundness and bite, the test ~ to blow on the mouthpiece alone to attain the concert pitch shown below. Always play this test arfortissimo leve!. o
alto
tenor
báritone
soprano
lf the pitch produced on the mouthpiece alone is higher than indicated in the staff aboye, direct the air stream down, remembering always to keep the embouchure solid. lf the pitch on the mouthpiece alone is too low, direct the air stream up. In either case, p.ever loosen the embouchure, which should remain solid at aH times, while the air does its job properly: THE HARMONIC SERIES Each tone produced on a. wind instrument is comprised of several tones, a phenomenon known as the harmonic series. Although not heard as the principal tone, sorne harmonics -- in varying degrees of strength _. are present when the principal tone is sounded. The main tone, or fundamental tone, is the strongest of these severa! tones, and is the pitch that isheard. Each of the other tones is caHed a harmonic, or overtone, terms quite familiar to any saxophonist interested in high tones aboye the normal range.
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© Copyright 1978 Etolle Musie, Ine. Bloomlngton, Indiana
AII Rlghts Reserved. Internatlonal Copyright Seeured. Prlnted In U.S.A.
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8
By changing the embouchure and air pressure it is possible to bypass the fundamental, thereby causing one of the harmonics to be heard as the main pitch. For this purpose the saxophone embouchure needs to be stronger than normal (a stronger circle), with slightly more reed exposed' within the mouth. This should be realized by a very slight forward movement of the jaw, rather than taking more mouthpiece into the mouth. The air pressure must be increased as the higher harmonics are attempted, the effect being a
smaller quantity of air put to use. This technique will equatt: with a higher pitch on the mouthpiece
alone, following the testing procedure described on page 7.
The following series of tones, the harmonic series, may be practiced on all of the saxophones in the
manner indicated. It will be evident that, (1) the harmonics work less well as one ascends to the
higher fundamentals -. B, C, C#, etc., and, (2) the c10sed tube harmonics are more difficult on the
soprano, o~g to its short tube.
CLOSED TUBE EXERCISES Diamond.shaped notes indicate fingering to be used.
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ACOUSTICS AND VENTING
In acoustical terms, a vibrating air column produces a tone on a wind instrument, although this column of air does not vibrate uniformly throughout its length. The point at which it vibrates most vigorously is called an anti-node, while the point of minimum air motion is called a node.
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