Jazz Saxophone Course

Table of Contents
Since this course combines three mediums- video, audio and print- we have created this table
of contents based subject matter or printed material as they appear in each lesson.
Essentially, time is analogous to a page number in a traditional book.
You may want to also integrate other materials (e.g. theory books, ear training materials,
etudes, etc) to further expand the course to your individual needs. Though lessons progress
logically through the course, feel free to begin anywhere youd like!
Lesson 1- Basics- Part 1 (Jim Snidero)
1. Tone quality- 1:42
2. Mouthpiece exercise- 3:04
3. Getting a singing quality- 9:00
4. Weak/Off beat articulation-10:58
5. Every beat articulation-14:00
6. Sonny Rollins articulation example- 16:50
7. Cannonball Adderley articulation example- 17:45
8. Charlie Parker articulation example- 18:20
9. Grace notes and bends- 19:15
10. Charlie Parker bend example- 21:45
11. Charlie Parker grace note example- 23:28
12. Bends versus grace notes- 24:00
13. Grace-bend note combination- 25:18
14. Using different Bb fingerings for grace notes- 27:15
Lesson 2- Basics- Part 2 (Walt Weiskopf)
1. Embouchure- 1:05
2. Light articulation- 3:35
3. Weak/off beat Articulation- 4:35
4. Over articulating- 6:30
5. Tone production- 9:20
6. Subtone- 10:15
7. Ghost notes- 12:35
8. Developing a good swing feel- 15:00
9. Equipment considerations- 19:45
10. Practice habits- 24:00

Lesson 3- Equipment (Jim Snidero)

1. Mouthpiece construction and tone considerations- 1:10
2. Ligatures and mouthpiece/ligature combinations- 6:35
3. Saxophones:
a. neck cork- 9:13
b. key height and intonation- 10:38
c. pads and resonators- 12:18
4. Reeds:
a. reed construction- 14:20
b. how reeds function with mouthpieces- 15:30
c. testing reeds-20:10
d. adjusting reeds- 21:20
e. sealing reeds- 23:45
f. storing reeds- 24:57
Lesson 4- Playing a Ballad (Walt Weiskopf)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.

Overtone Exercise- 1:20

Developing vibrato- 4:45
Volume considerations- 8:15
Ballad formatting and form- 10:10
Embellishments and timing- 11:10
Ballad duo performance, Dont Change- 14:45
Using Cadenzas- 17:10
Ballad duo performance, The Passing of Time-19:00
Preparing to perform a ballad- 21:50

Lesson 5- Tenor Masters of the 50s (Walt Weiskopf)

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.

John Coltrane discussion and listening excerpt- 2: 13

Tritone substitution exercise- 3:28
Coltrane-style etude performance, Another Time- 8:30
Hank Mobley discussion and listening excerpt- 10:00
Tonicize a minor chord exercise- 11:57
Mobley-style etude performance, Dont Forget- 15:10
Sonny Stitt discussion and listening excerpt- 17:05
4-3 suspension exercise- 19:20
Stitt- style etude performance, Way Down Deep- 21:30

Lesson 6- Alto Masters of the 50s (Jim Snidero)

1. Cannonball Adderley discussion- 1:05
2. Cannonball blues example- 3:00
3. Equipment used by Cannonball- 3:55
4. Cannonball articulation style example- 5:15
5. Subtone in Cannonballs playing- 7:00
6. Cannonball-style etude performance, Buckshot Le Funk-10:10
7. Analysis of Buckshot Le Funk etude- 15:30
8. Charlie Parker sound & phrasing discussion- 21:52
9. Parker-style etude performance, Bird Call- 27:00
10. Analysis of Bird Call etude- 29:56
a. Example #1- 30:25
b. Example #2- 31:20
c. Rhythmic displacement- 34:32
d. Odd note groupings- 38:25
ALSO INCLUDED IN THE JAZZ SAXOPHONE COURSE:
1. Getting your Scales Together- 60-page book on scale theory including chord/scale
relationship, bebop scales, 5, 6, 7 and 8 note scales, modes, diminished scales,
exercises in 12 keys and diatonic patterns.
2. Secrets of the Pros- Saxophone Equipment Maintenance- 10-page booklet
of invaluable insight on caring for reeds, mouthpieces, ligatures and saxophones.