Introduction and Assembly Instructions
With
James RaeJames Rae introduces the saxophone - a little of its history and its three parts, the body, crook and mouthpiece - and shows you how to assemble it ready to play.
Copyright © 2023 Universal Edition (London) Ltd., All compositions by James Rae except where otherwise indicated.
What's in the course
42 lessons (0h 56m) · 1 free
01. The Note G - Fingering and Exercises
3:05
02. A Happy Song - Lesson
0:42
03. A Happy Song - Performance
0:21
04. A Sad Song - Lesson
0:15
05. A Sad Song - Performance
0:26
06. Foundation Rock - Lesson
0:35
07. Foundation Rock - Performance
0:20
08. Rolling Along - Lesson
1:19
09. Rolling Along - Performance
0:21
01. The Note C - Fingering and Exercises
7:10
02. Sovient Shuffle - Lesson
0:31
03. Sovient Shuffle - Performance
0:40
04. First Take - Lesson
0:58
05. First Take - Performance
0:36
06. There And Back Again - Lesson
0:54
07. There And Back Again - Performance
0:40
08. On Target - Lesson
0:18
09. On Target - Performance
0:30
Lesson transcript
Introduction to the Saxophone
Hi! I'd like to tell you a little bit about this wonderful instrument called the saxophone.
History of the Saxophone
- Invented: 1842
- Inventor: Adolph Sax, a Belgian instrument maker
- Purpose: To combine the power of a brass instrument with the agility of a woodwind instrument by using:
- Keyed fingerwork on a brass body
- A single reed mouthpiece like the clarinet
The saxophone is a very flexible instrument and can be used in many settings such as:
- Jazz
- Big band
- Classical
- Rock and pop
Parts of the Saxophone
Of course, the saxophone comes in three main parts:
- The main body
- The crook
- (It's called the crook because it is crooked.)
- The mouthpiece reed cap assembly
- (This is the business end, which actually produces the sound.)
When you put it all together, it sounds a bit like this.
Varieties of Saxophones
Saxophones come in all shapes and sizes. The most popular is the alto sax, but we also have:
- Soprano (smaller)
- Tenor (a bit bigger)
- Baritone (bigger still)
While there are other saxophones that are smaller and larger, these are the four common varieties we have today.
Sound Production
The sound is produced by a reed, which goes on the mouthpiece.
- The reed is a piece of cane called "arundo donax" (to give it its Latin term), which is about the size of a big lollipop stick.
- It goes on the mouthpiece (the piece that goes in your mouth), and is held in place by a ligature.
- (A long word for a small device that holds the reed in place.)
Installing the Reed
When you're putting on the reed, it's important to:
- Pull the ligature down into position before tightening the screws.
- Ensure the reed goes to the tip of the mouthpiece.
Once the reed is firmly in place, we tighten the screws to hold it in position.
If we play on the crook and mouthpiece alone, we get a sound like this.
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Meet your guru
Meet your guru
James Rae was born on Tyneside in 1957. He studied clarinet, bass clarinet, piano and composition at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama from 1975 to 1979, under professors Yona Ettlinger, Stephen Trier, Meriel Jefferson and Patric Standford respectively. Since leaving the Guildhall, he has pursued a highly successful and varied career across three areas: performing, writing and teaching.
James Rae has worked in many West End and Royal National Theatre productions, including Sir Peter Hall's award-winning Oresteia with music by Sir Harrison Birtwistle, and has received many freelance engagements with some of the country's leading orchestras and ensembles. He is the leader of the Phoenix Saxophone Quartet, who over the years have given many recitals and BBC broadcasts, and have recorded the complete works of Carey Blyton on two albums, 'The Return of Bulgy Gogo' and 'Sherlock Holmes meets Dr Who'.
As a composer, James Rae is one of Europe's most published writers of educational wind music, with over 250 publications to his credit, mainly published by Universal Edition. His music includes instrumental study books, sonatas, tutors, baroque, classical and jazz transcriptions, plus many volumes of duets, many of which feature on all the major wind examination syllabuses worldwide. He has also written four musicals for schools with Mike Cornick, and his larger commissions include The Turn of a Wheel, a major work for concert band that premiered in November 1999 for the North Tyneside Concert Band, of which he was a founder member as a boy, and the overture Moving On in 2012.
James Rae has worked extensively as a syllabus consultant and composer for both the Associated Board and Trinity College London, and has been highly involved in developing the woodwind sight-reading requirements for both exam boards. As a teacher, he has held many posts in both the state and independent sectors, and currently works at King's College School Wimbledon, where he directs the Wind Orchestra and Concert Band, and Shrewsbury House School in Surbiton, where he coaches three large bands and a chamber group. That teaching experience runs right through his saxophone series for MusicGurus, which takes you step by step from your very first notes to a confident, stylish player: First Notes, New Keys & Low Notes, Expanding Your Range, Scales & High Notes, Extended Range & Rhythm, and Polish & Style.
