The Saxophone Is Your Voice by John Harle

122 THE SAXOPHONE: VOLUME 2
“The challenge is to sing on something that’s outside of your body.”
Stan Getz
The Saxophone presents my view of how our sound can transcend the ordinary
and visit the magical world of true musical connection with an audience – and the
book provides both structure and insights into achieving that. It’s based on the
evolution of my personal technique over many years, and
my use of the head resonators as part of my day-to-day
playing. But it has only been after intensive investigation
into the system of resonation adopted by singers that I have
been able to articulate how to do this fully. You will discover
that by heightening your awareness of what happens inside
your body before the saxophone sound leaves through the
instrument, you can learn how your body, the saxophone
and the reed inter-connect and how you can refine your
playing. The concepts within The Saxophone were
developed over many years – it has been a labour of love
born out of the infinite possibilities for personal expression
that the saxophone bestows on us. Individuality and
power are in all of us, and my method will help you release
your own power and find your true, personal
saxophone sound.
“The Saxophone is a work of art,
combining scientific research with
balanced and poetic presentation”
Claude Delange
16
PERFORMANCE
Transcending the ordinary
Chapter outline
This section touches briefly on some general aspects of performance, analyzes what happens
as we perform, and gives strategies for preparation and performance:
• Performance vision – ideas for creating personal models for your performance
• Performance style – some practical thoughts about ou role as instrumental soloists
• Unlocking performance – what happens as we perform?
• The performance system – practical aspects of preparation and performance
• Music as words – pacing your playing to engage your audience
• Practice and performance strategies how to practise specific pieces for performance
• Adrenalin and performance anxiety – how to cope under pressure.
Performance vision
Taking charge
Taking charge of your own playing and performance style is more important
today than it ever has been. As many of the old certainties about careers in
music evaporate, the shifting goalposts of the modern musical world require
today’s successful saxophonists to be focused and flexible. This new musical
landscape provides opportunities for saxophonists with a vision of their own and
an approach to performance that will fulfill your musical and personal goals,
perhaps even more easily than in the past.
The musician as magician
From an audience’s perspective, a first-rate professional saxophonist can perform
miracles. A breath is taken from the air and is transformed immediately into the
warm and generous sound that comes from the player’s instrument. That sound
represents a world of magic to the audience, who have come to a musical event
to be transported into an realm of enchantment and fascination. But how can we
begin the adventure that could lead us to be that player?
Having a vision of what you want to achieve as a performer is essential. Stylistic
and musical choices are individual to you, but the closer you get to your personal
vision of what constitutes a great performance, the more authentic and enjoyable
your experience will be.
Here are two tips to help clarify your personal vision. They are:
• How to perform – the style and sound of your ideal performance
• What to perform – the music or genre that will inspire you to perform at your
best.
Performance vision 1 – how to perform
This is very simple advice. Put yourself in the audience’s place. Try this exercise:
• Close your eyes and imagine yourself
in an audience, hearing and seeing
yourself playing in an ideal performance ten years from now.
• This ‘fantasy’ performance deeply moves and impresses you.
• Don’t limit this vision in any way by relating it to your current technical or
performance standard.
!
REMINDERS
• Play the exercise at
60 bpm.
• Do not use your tongue
to star the exercise.
• Relax your jaw.
• Alternate between
single- and fu l doublelip
embouchure with
each repetition.
• Use the practice wheel
to change focus as you
practise. with the
Repeat,
focusing on
placement
of first note
Focus on:
Point of Primary
Resonance
Focus on:
Undulation in
low abdomen
Register 3 upper power lines Alto
• Referring to the diagram, pull an imaginary elastic line back inwards towards
the point of primary resonance.
• Simultaneously focus on the lowest part of your abdomen pushing outwards,
compressing your lungs with the muscles of your back, ending at the point of
primary resonance.
• The point of primary resonance should feel active, soft and powerful.
• Sense changes in the vibrations at the back of your head and undulation
in your low abdomen in a wave-like movement as you move through the
chromatic note changes.
• Repeat the exercise, ‘placing’ the first note correctly as you become familiar
with the sensations of the power lines in the upper part of register 3.
EXERCISE 9
Prepare
Power
Start Up
Register 3
(High)
Power Lines
Focus on:
Vibration
changes in
back of head
h = 96 INCREASE GRADUALLY TO h = 112
116 THE SAXOPHONE: VOLUME 2
Alternate
single- and
double-lip
embouchure
Pull in low
back of head
and push out
lowest
abdomen
TA TU TU TU KU TU KU
TU KA TA KU (sim. ...)
TA KU TU TU
KU TA (sim. ...)
3
3 3 3
3 3
3 3
3
3
3
3
3
(TA)
John Harle: The Saxophone
This seminal work by master saxophonist John Harle offers players of
all levels the most in-depth approach to playing the saxophone. In
The Saxophone, Harle reveals his ground-breaking techniques for
encouraging fluent and natural playing – transforming the musical
experience of students and professionals alike.
Every aspect of playing and performing is explored, from breathing,
resonant tone production and fluent articulation through to techniques
for building ease and flow in performance. This high-quality, boxed-set
edition features bespoke music exercises, illuminating graphics and
illustrations, and superb photographs to inspire every player.
0571539629 John Harle: The Saxophone John Harle £48.00 €64.49
Faber Music wind & brass Catalogue
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