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Making the First Notes on the Saxophone

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You have been very patient. I bet you are ready to make some noise on this instrument. So, let us get started. You now know the proper position, adjustment and embouchure, just to review the embouchure; lower teeth under the lower lip, top teeth on the mouthpiece about half way up the cut away portion. I do not want to see you taking too much or taking too little, just right. Now, with the left hand, take your first finger and put it on this second pearl key. You can see this second white pearl key, right there, thumb is on the thumb rest. That note is B. One more time. That sounds fantastic, alright. Now, with your next finger; that famous middle finger, next pearl key down. This is actually, if you are counting all the pearl keys, this will be the fourth one down; it is the second big pearl key, right there, see it? So, you still have that first finger down from the B, next one down; that is A. That sounds lower than the B, doesn t it? Once again, B, A. See, if you have a basic knowledge of the English alphabet, you have got a head start on learning music. Okay, well the next note down, we want to go one lower. So, you are probably thinking Aha! First one was B, then was A, this next one must be Z. Well, no. Our art system of music uses the letters of the English alphabet from A through G. So, immediately below A, would be the note G. To play that note, you keep your fingers on those two keys like you did for the A and add your third finger; your ring finger on this last pearl key of the left hand. Again, just to review; B, A, G. Have fun with those notes; mess around with them a bit. You can take those three notes and make lots of interesting melodies. Let us do one right now, we can play Mary had a Little Lamb , that wonderful hit tune using just those three notes. I am not going to tell you what the notes are? I am just going to tell you that it starts on B and that the only notes in it are B, A and G. You should be able to use your ear to figure out the rest. Let us have a little fun; jazz it up a bit; same three notes. I do not expect you to do that quite yet but I wanted to give you a little taste of what is to come. Alright, next, before we learn any more notes, we got to talk about the very important technique called tonguing.

Expert: Seth Kibel

www.sethkibel.com

P: 410-602-8212

Email: sethkibel@aol.com

Seth Kibel is one of the Mid-Atlantic region's premier saxophonists. His latest release, on Azalea City Recordings, is "The Great Pretender." On his first solo album, The Great Pretender, tenor saxophonist Seth Kibel brings his raucous, blues-drenched sound to 10 songs with support from some of the most skilled artists in the Mid-Atlantic and beyond. Adding their talents to two of Seth’s original More »