Forum of the Saxes

Kym · Joined: 13 Aug 2005 Posts: 35 Location: England

Hey just been practising a composition by one of my teachers at school and it had the most awesome alto solo in it and i wanted to spice it up a bit so i was wondering if anyone could help me to get the really 'dirty' tone, the 'sexy squeal' for the top notes and perhaps how to get some decent note bends. I'm already halfway there on the 'dirty' tone and 'sexy squeal' but the note bending thing im struggling with. Can anyone help me???

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'Of all musicians, Flautist's are obviously the ones who know something we don't!'
Paul Jennings

saxmaniac · Joined: 21 Jun 2005 Posts: 184

I thyink you may be referring to growling? If you are, then just check the back pages of this forum for some great growling tips? Or maybe you're thinking of trying to get an edgier tone? Please be more specific, so I can help you.

Kym · Joined: 13 Aug 2005 Posts: 35 Location: England

lol yes silly me, sorry i should have been more specific lol erm yes im referring to the more edgier tone, i can get it on the higher notes and the altissimo register but not on the middle register i can growl (just about) but i can quite get the edginess on it! Crying or Very sad

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'Of all musicians, Flautist's are obviously the ones who know something we don't!'
Paul Jennings

saxmaniac · Joined: 21 Jun 2005 Posts: 184

Well, in that case all you need is a good box of reeds! Try Rico Jazz Selects. Just slap 'em on the mpc and you'll sound edgier than ever.

Kym · Joined: 13 Aug 2005 Posts: 35 Location: England

Thanks i'll try that, im using plasticover reeds at the mo because theyre softer on my lip and as a flute player sometimes it can be a pain but ill definately try that thank you! Mr. Green

_________________
'Of all musicians, Flautist's are obviously the ones who know something we don't!'
Paul Jennings

saxmaniac · Joined: 21 Jun 2005 Posts: 184

I'm glad that it has helped you. I've played on Plasticovers before, and I've found them to be considerably brighter, and edgier than a regular reed. Quite similar to a jazz reed, believe it or not. So it might not be neccessary for you to change just yet, first try seeing if you can mae that sound with your current choice of reed, and if that doesn't work, then try jazz reeds.

John Laughter · Joined: 12 Oct 2005 Posts: 20 Location: Macon, GA

The Growl

Kym, I have used the “hum” technique to produce the growl since 1956. Both the growl and the “flutter tongue”, were very popular techniques used by sax players in Rock & Roll and R&B music which was hitting the airwaves in the late 50s. For those of us who had joined that local school band, we were asking the band director what this new sound was that we were hearing on the Top 40 hits featuring Lee Allen and Grady Gaines on tenor and Earl Bostic on alto. Obviously these effects were around long before the 50s and still continue today in many forms of music. A 1985 hit that has a lot of growl is “Rockin' At Midnight” by The Honeydrippers. Keith Evans uses a lot of this technique in his tenor solo.

There are apparently one or two other ways to achieve the same results from what I have read on the NET over the years but I have only used the method of humming along with the note that I want to change to a growl tone.

I also suggest that the best way to learn to produce the growl on the sax is to start with just the mouthpiece attached to the neck. Using the entire horn can be a problem at first due to the coordination involved. Play a long note on the neck then starting “humming” a note that is higher or lower than the tone that is coming out of the neck. Some players think in terms of singing falsetto because that is the octave area that you will be in to get above the note that is produced by the neckpiece. Some will sing/hum a lower note. For example, when I play a G above the staff on tenor I find that I usually hum the pitch that is close to D below the G. If you hum the same note that is coming out of the N/P the effect will be cancelled.

You will soon begin to realize that it is taking a lot of air to play and hum at the same time on the neckpiece. This is natural because you will probably open your throat and let too much air out because of your efforts to sing and exhale at the same time. Easier said than done at first! In time you will be able to control the amount of hum and the coordination will become natural. Now put the horn together and see what happens.

Many of us use the growl in the middle and high range, especially from high A above the staff to high F#. I have found that the most effective area for the growl is starting on 2nd space A and up. Once you go below 2nd line G it becomes somewhat garbled.

Now about the “hum.” I have read some articles that suggest that you hum a 3rd above the note being produced on the horn. I can’t hear the note that I am humming due to the stage volume and I have never thought about the “3rd above” concept so I can’t comment on it. I hum in range that is below the notes being played and it works for me. Hopefully you will get more advice from other players. There is always more than one way to approach certain effects.

Other links for the growl;
http://www.petethomas.co.uk/saxophone-growl.html
http://www.wirelessdatasys.com/dea/music/growling.htm
http://www.bobrk.com/saxfaq/2.7.html
http://www.jodyjazz.com/article.interesting.improviser.html
http://www.halleonard.com/item_de...oduct&keywords=john+laughter+