Universal Saxophone Method Exercise Index

[helen]

For years now I have been meaning to develop an exercise index for the Universal Saxophone Method, by Paul DeVille. Over the past couple of weeks I have finally gotten around to doing so.

I have attached this index here for all of you good folks to take a look at and offer up some suggestions on how I could perhaps improve it.

As an instructor I often use the Universal Method with my advancing students. However, I always find myself flipping through the book looking for exactly the section/exercise I need.

My goal in creating this index is to make it easier for both students and instructors to find what it is they are looking for quickly and easily.

Is it perfect? No. Is there stuff I might have missed? Quite possibly. How could I make it better? How can I make it more user-friendly? That's were you come in.

Any comments are welcome.

After you've worked on something long enough you get blind to it. That's why after my 4th time through the book looking at the various pages I thought I would put it out to the sax playing world and get some feedback.

In case you don't have your own hardcopy of the book, the University of Toronto does has a PDF available for viewing and downloading, since the book is now in the public domain.

Thanks everyone. I really appreciate your thoughts... helen


Attachment removed as requested, see later post with new index

 

[jbtsax]

You are to be complimented for undertaking such a monumental task and doing it in an excellent fashion. I remember taking lessons from my band teacher (who was not a saxophone player) in the 1960's using this book. He attempted to have me work on scales, arpeggios, exercises, etudes, etc. in one key at a time. The book was full of paperclips to go from one section to another, and of course they were falling off all of the time.

In my own teaching I used the Rubank elementary method for beginning students and went to the Rubank advanced method skipping the Intermediate which I thought was a waste of time. From time to time I would copy pages from the DeVille to use as supplementary material. The duets were especially nice.

 

[Yansalis]

Thank you thank you! I have often wished there was a guide to using this book, something that turns it into a method book. An index is a great idea and will simplify the use of the book enormously.

 

[CliveMA]

Thanks Helen. Your index is thorough and accurate.

Unfortunately my aging eyes (and worsening double vision) have difficulty reading it due to the background colour and font choice.

I wonder if it may be possible either to make the source available for editing or else make a plain copy in white background with a plain font such as Arial?

Sorry for the trouble.

 

[helen]

You are to be complimented for undertaking such a monumental task and doing it in an excellent fashion. I remember taking lessons from my band teacher (who was not a saxophone player) in the 1960's using this book. He attempted to have me work on scales, arpeggios, exercises, etudes, etc. in one key at a time. The book was full of paperclips to go from one section to another, and of course they were falling off all of the time.

In my own teaching I used the Rubank elementary method for beginning students and went to the Rubank advanced method skipping the Intermediate which I thought was a waste of time. From time to time I would copy pages from the DeVille to use as supplementary material. The duets were especially nice.

I use Rubank as well. That is actually my go-to method for my students who don't have those horrible school band methods like Essential Elements, et. al.

I only use the Universal Method for my students who are advancing and continuing to stick with the instrument in a serious why. Or, I will print copies of pages that are giving my students difficulty--like the lower note exercises on p. 197-200.

Thank you thank you! I have often wished there was a guide to using this book, something that turns it into a method book. An index is a great idea and will simplify the use of the book enormously.

Yesterday I had a phone chat with a sax teacher friend of mine. She actually came up with a way to change this index into exactly what you are looking for: a guide to use the Universal Method for Saxophone as a progressive method book. I will be retooling this index with her ideas in mind in the coming days/weeks.

Thanks Helen. Your index is thorough and accurate.

Unfortunately my aging eyes (and worsening double vision) have difficulty reading it due to the background colour and font choice.

I wonder if it may be possible either to make the source available for editing or else make a plain copy in white background with a plain font such as Arial?

Sorry for the trouble.

No trouble at all. This is why I put this out here to get everyone's input. I will redo this for you, and send you a "clean" copy. If I can't send it through the conversations tab on the forum, I'll email it to you...

The other problem with a coloured background--as was pointed out by my sax-teacher buddy--was that if you want to print it on an inkjet printer, it will suck a lot of ink.

I didn't think of this, since I use an Epson Ecotank printer that uses almost no ink whatsoever for colour.

 

[CliveMA]

"Clean" copy received. Thanks Helen

 

[helen]

I was trying to edit my original post, but that doesn't seem possible. I guess there is a time limit on the editing feature on the forum.

In any event, based on the feedback I received from members here and from my fellow teachers I work with, I have updated the Universal Sax Index to make it more user-friendly and useable in general.

I hope this is helpful for you all...

PS: If there is a forum moderator around, I would appreciate it if you removed the attachment from the first post of this thread. Thanks!

 

[mizmar]

If there is a forum moderator around

Hit the "report" link on the post and say what you want changed.