Low C Sharp Introduction

Now we come to low C sharp, similar to B in the way you produce it:

• C key: Press it down firmly.
• Low C sharp key: It's next door to B.
• Note layout:
  • There's B,
  • There's C sharp,
  • And there's low B flat.

C sharp is not quite as low as B, but still requires lots of air to produce.

Descending Scale

We introduce it with a descending scale, just as we did with the B.

Mechanism Note

Quick important note on the mechanism of the saxophone:

• The G sharp key is connected to all three keys (B, C sharp, low B flat).
• Ensure your G sharp action is working correctly; otherwise, the bottom notes won't speak clearly.
• The G sharp key must be perfectly synced with the lower notes for them to function properly since they are all connected.

Tip: You can press any of these three keys to produce a G sharp, which helps in rapid technical passages. We'll discuss that later.

Exercise Two: Little Finger Training

Purpose:

• Muscle training for the little fingers, involving both little fingers at once.
• Goal: Synchronize the weakest fingers of both hands to strengthen them.

Practice: You can practice this without even blowing the instrument. Just get a feel for where they are.

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Triplet Introduction

Now we come to triplets. Triplets are used in many pieces of music and are quite simple to grasp:

• Definition: There are three small notes in the space of one fairly big note.

• In 4/4 time:

  • If that's your pulse, your triplets will be:
    • T, T, T, T, T, T, T, T.

• Notes: If these are crotchets, these will be triplet quavers.

Understanding Triplets

A good way to internalize triplets is to think of the word:

• "triplet, triplet, triplet, triplet, triplet, triplet, triplet, triplet, triplet".

You can contrast it with quavers:

• "quaver, quaver, quaver, quaver, quaver".

When you combine them, you can hear the difference:

• Quaver: quaver, quaver, quaver, quaver
• Triplet: Triplet, Triplet, Triplet, Triplet.

The pulse stays the same, but the notes are more frequent.

Exercise Three: Introducing Triplets

This exercise introduces triplets in a very simple way, six quaver triplets followed by a minimum:

• Rhythm: Simple as that.
• Practice: Triplet, Triplet, hold; Triplet, Triplet, holds.

Exercise Four: Triplets Grouping

In this exercise, triplets can be grouped in crotchets and quavers. It may look complicated, but all it is:

• tum ta tum ta, tum tum ta, tum ta, Tum.

Visual Cue: You can see the three brackets above the notes, indicating that these notes are triplets.

Triplet Study

This is a little study in the key of D minor, which uses triplets and C sharp:

• Key Reminder: Watch out for the low C sharp near the end of the piece.
• Performance Tip: Mind the gap in the last bar between the B flat and the G, because most of the piece involves stepwise movement. Here, there's a leap.

I prefer to use the button B flat in this particular case as it keeps all the movement in one hand, no need to coordinate two hands.

Practice Recommendations

• Start slowly: Practice it slowly at first, and then gradually increase the speed.
• Technique Goal: Always aim for an even technique.
• Fast Playback: When you speed up, it should sound fun to play.

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D Minor Scale

Next exercise: The D minor scale, probably the easiest scale to play on the saxophone:

• Button B flat: This preset turns all the B's on the saxophone (most of them) into B flats without needing to press any other key.

Finger Practice:

• Watch my fingers to see how easy it is to play the scale.
• You can play it very rapidly; just lift one finger after the other in order, allowing it to lie nicely under the fingers.

Caution: Do not try to play it too fast too soon. Remember, the secret to fast playing is in slow practice.

Arpeggio Time

Now for the D minor arpeggio with all naturals (D, F, A):

• Slurring: When you slur it, be careful when moving from note to note so you don't catch any other notes.
• High D Note: When you reach the high D, think of it like a police car.

Endless Practice: You don't have to stick to what's written in the book; you can play these over and over until you run out of breath, aiming to improve with each playing.