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Is it bending that Kenny G uses to get his notes to flow seamlessly into one another?

trinifella

trinifella

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Before i explain my question and what it is i need to so desperately find out, let's make one thing clear: No, you did not read wrong; I did say KENNY G!!! lol.

Right, so here goes. Take a listen at 1:33 here (even a 12 year old cud do it any I can't, well as yet, but joining here should change dat ;})- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-KMww9G-DzI#t=1m33s.

Notice this is an alto, so he plays A, and see how the note flows smoothly into G as if he passed elegantly through G sharp on the way to G?? I'm certain he didn't finger G sharp on the way to G, so he must have bent A down right?? I would love you guys eternally if you can help me get this (more than likely amateur) technique figured out. I'll be waiting very eagerly for replies too
 
Re: Is it bending that Kenny G uses to get his notes to flow seamlessly into one anot

Is the question "is kenny gee a bender?" I think the jury is still out on that one.

To bend a note down on the saxophone change the shape and size of the oral cavity by moving your tongue. Experiment. It's very personal.

Try playing a tune on just the mouthpiece. (with reed and ligature of course)

Never dismiss a young musician because of their age. At 12 he may have been playing for years.
 
Re: Is it bending that Kenny G uses to get his notes to flow seamlessly into one anot

Yea its true, age has nothing to do with it. I didn't mean it like dat. To be honest, I played way better when I was 12 than i do now!!! Yea i started at like 7 and played til like 13, and just picked it back up last year mate and I'm 27. But yea I always wondered if it was just cuz its a suprano, but if u check out the lil youngster in the video, he's using an Alto. But I just want to be sure that what he did was bend the note, correct?
 
Re: Is it bending that Kenny G uses to get his notes to flow seamlessly into one anot

Yeah cuz it seems like he releases some notes with his right hand as well while playing A. Hmmmmm, I'd sure love to kno man. It jus sounds so silky. I've tried everything man. I'll see if i can come across a clearer vid of someone doing it. But alot of players do it
 
Re: Is it bending that Kenny G uses to get his notes to flow seamlessly into one anot

I went through frame by frame. Can't see, and it's not helped by them switching cameras as he comes out from behind the pulpit. Sounds like a bend to me, but it's a long way to bend down without fingering the notes.
 
Re: Is it bending that Kenny G uses to get his notes to flow seamlessly into one anot

Kenny has mastered the tachnique of a smooth bend down a tone or probably more to a fingering a tone below and continuing down. I suspect he could do it in reverse too.
 
Re: Is it bending that Kenny G uses to get his notes to flow seamlessly into one anot

Jazz u lost me when u said "fingering a tone below and continuing down". But yea I think you're right. It's the bend
 
Re: Is it bending that Kenny G uses to get his notes to flow seamlessly into one anot

Starting on say C using Throat and tongue, smoothly drop to B and then without a wobble, finger B, drop to A finger A, drop to G finger G etc etc.

I havent spent much time on it but I can do it on the upper stack but havent eliminated the little warble when switching keys.

harder on alto than sop. Worse the bigger the horn. The leader of our sax quartet a soprano specialist can do it well.
 
Re: Is it bending that Kenny G uses to get his notes to flow seamlessly into one anot

Yea man i can bend quite a bit but that wobble sound when the keys change is what messes it up. Hmmm guess with practice it`ll work out. Thanks you guys
 
Re: Is it bending that Kenny G uses to get his notes to flow seamlessly into one anot

Unless I'm not understanding this, at 1:33 the decent from A to G is via a trill, executed with the right hand?
 
Re: Is it bending that Kenny G uses to get his notes to flow seamlessly into one anot

I find that coordinating the finger movement with the adjustment in embouchure takes a lot of practice to do it consistently. Every once in a while I get it but cant repeat it on command.

i confess though, I don't work on it very often. Once one gets the hang it may in fact be quite straightforward.

The basic principle is the longer the vibrating column the less one can influence the pitch with any given amount of embouchure change.

I rather suspect that the amount of change on the bell notes on a bari would be very minimal.
 
Re: Is it bending that Kenny G uses to get his notes to flow seamlessly into one anot

Hmmm a thrill?? But yea i think you are right in regards to the right hand. in the vid it seems as tho the youngster uses his right hand
 
Re: Is it bending that Kenny G uses to get his notes to flow seamlessly into one anot

trinifella said:
Hmmm a thrill?? But yea i think you are right in regards to the right hand. in the vid it seems as tho the youngster uses his right hand
Click to expand...

He uses it to add a mordente to the A, using the side Bb key. I cannot hear any passing G#. A passing Eb between E and D, few notes later.
 
Re: Is it bending that Kenny G uses to get his notes to flow seamlessly into one anot

Bigtwin said:
Unless I'm not understanding this, at 1:33 the decent from A to G is via a trill, executed with the right hand?
Click to expand...

that's what I'm hearing. Trill to the B.
p.s. - - 12 y.o. or not, I wouldn't really listen to that kid as a top exemplar of how to play.......
 

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