Beginner recording Harlem Nocturne

[Francisco]

I do not remember where I get the backtrack

Alto Startone SAS-75
mpc Yamaha 4c, reed regular Vandoren 2 1/2
criticism are welcome 🙂

https://app.box.com/s/817bigut5gr8bhznxxfhubaxdh4umwgp

 

[Trem]

Certainly no criticism intended, this is just my opinion but some of the notes (when the octave key is used) seem a little strained; I definitely suffer the same issues and I think that it is down to my embouchure being a bit too tight on these notes: I may be completely wrong, if so I apologise... so maybe some of the experienced players here may advise a better description and remedy. During the second half, the higher notes, very much improve. I enjoyed listening to that.

 

[Jeanette]

@Pete Thomas is our resident Harlem Nocturne expert

Great to see this section of the forum being used, well done 🙂

Jx

 

[Rob Pealing]

Another apprentice opinion: I think @Trem is correct, I also wonder if you need to allow your throat to relax and open up more.
I would be interested to hear what the tutors and experienced players in the Café think, has your tutor heard it.
Having said that I enjoyed listening.

 

[GJ77]

It definitely sounds as if you're squeezing/biting on those higher notes which is restricting your sound and pushing a couple of them sharp.

I've found with my students that the best way to break this habit and to learn to use the throat and tongue more to voice those notes, is to use the voice first.

1. Play a low F, then take the saxophone away and sing that note. Keep the mouth wide open and use an 'ah' sound.
2. Now start on that lower F, before leaping up an octave, as is singing Somewhere Over The Rainbow but just using that 'ah' sound. I often get students to hold their hands around their neck and under the jaw while doing this so that they can feel what the muscles are doing.
3. Repeat this several times to get a feel for the muscle contractions and changes in tongue position.
4. Try doing that octave leap on the instrument without using the octave key but always keep in mind what your muscles were doing when you were singing it. Don't bite...maintain a relaxed embouchure.

Hopefully this will help to develop control over the oral cavity and help to achieve a more full sound in the upper register.

P.S. Daily overtone studies from the bell notes, even just for 5 minutes, will be a fantastic further development of these exercises, even if you just learn to control the 8ve and 12th without squeezing.
P.P.S. Mouthpiece only exercises, learning to control pitch by imagining different vowel sounds (ohhh; Ahhh; eeeee). Only attempt these however if you can lock yourself in a soundproof room. They've been known to drive others to commit murder.

 

[GJ77]

By the way, you have a nice relaxed and easy approach to phrasing on this. It really sounds as if you're relaxing and 'feeling' it rather than over-thinking.

Well done.