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Wanting to learn sax house music.

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PCthug

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Been playing for a few months now, and still very much a beginner. I think the main problem is, is that i am playing music i am not too interested in, but will persevere until i get a little better.
I am wanting to try and learn to play house music on the sax.
I know its not everyones cup'o'tea, but its the type i like and what really got me liking the sax sound, so dont be rude about it.
Where would i learn this kind of music, and is it called improvisation?

I like this style...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8TvED_9rYMU (love the sax and violin combo half way through).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWfHBuD8VVg&feature=watch_response_rev

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5tDImPGHUuI&u=HccC6kLtwoo&list=FL&feature=BF

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B1K6ug9-wiw&u=HccC6kLtwoo&list=FL&feature=BF

I also really like this style too..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AuKduq-ltAU
 
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I've just followed your links thinking to myself, "House music on the sax? Get real!" I hate house music, all that boom boom boom!
Then I watched your links and I actually quite enjoyed it. I thought the sax worked very well, ok so you'd have to be young and hip to get away with it, so that rules me out, but it was quite good! I don't think you learn this sort of music, you just get a feel for it. If your already into it then it should come fairly easily. Just listen to the main part of the music, I suppose it would still be called the melody, and either harmonise with that, or form solo around it (sorry I can't explain it any clearer than that) You'd have to learn your scales or at least be able to play scales quite well but I don't think it would be too hard. And yes, it's definitely improvisation!
 
Yeah, i like dance music but people mistake house/garage as being the same as trance (which I hate).
House and garage is a little slower and perhaps more melodic. I am not keen on all of it, but like some of the latin sound, and mainly the Sax.
 
I've been playing sax with DJs at clubs for years now, and I can honestly tell you that despite what any jazz nazis may tell you, this is some of the most fun I've had playing, period. Although I love playing bebop and modern jazz, I also recognize that electronic music production is a true artform in and of itself.

It's funny that you bring this up PCthug, since I just recently posted a 2-part series on playing sax with DJs at clubs. It's pretty comprehensive and goes through all of the basics from the styles that work best with sax, to how to get the gigs, to the equipment you'll need, how to set up at the gig, and then how to play with the DJ. There's actually a pretty spirited debate in the comments section about the legitimacy of dance music as an artform, so that's pretty entertaining as well.

Here's the article, leave a comment on the post if you care to:
http://www.bestsaxophonewebsiteever.com/get-gigs-jamming-with-djs-part-1
 
Great write-up dorono, and welcome to the cafe.
I have left a comment too.

The thing is, is that this style of music is not very common place as people dont associate the sax with it, so you wont find much info as people think funk is a dirty word in the circles of sax playing.

Having said that, i have converted at least 3 people with this thread, lol.

As for being young Taz, i am in my forties, so no spring chicken.


MATT
 
Jazz Nazi - nice turn of phrase! The guy in the videos is a great showman and player - good on him, he's got a nice little earner going there. Reminds me a bit of Snake Davis in the days of M People. I can well imagine it's great fun, but wouldn't it be kinda difficult to keep this up for more than a couple of numbers at a time? After all, you are playing at pretty much the same bpm for every number, and just playing to a rhythm track - no chord changes to work through. So although it's great for free-form impro, wouldn't the lack of structure and dynamics just make it all sound pretty samey quite quickly?
 
Heya Bill,

You're right in that it can get to be the same thing over and over again after a while. The trick is to hook up with DJs who play a jazzier style of house, as many of the jazzy house music tracks have jazz-based chord changes. You also need to be able to take on a different approach from track to track. Maybe one track will have me playing more bop-based stuff. Another might be some free-form floaty lines. Another track might have me playing somewhat "out" to create tension. You can definitely use dynamics, especially if you're mic is up loud enough, but you're right in that you mostly have to play pretty loud. It really comes down to the chemistry with the DJ.
 
I've done a couple of these too - like Doron said it largely depends on the DJ's musicality. If in doubt I tend to use blues scale patterns and funk rhythms, so exercises based on these would be a good starting point.
I should probably check Doron's link now, shouldn't I?

Nick
 
PCthug said:
....so you wont find much info as people think funk is a dirty word in the circles of sax playing.

Having said that, i have converted at least 3 people with this thread, lol.

As for being young Taz, i am in my forties, so no spring chicken.


MATT
Click to expand...
Young at heart then? As for funk being a dirty word, I don't think it is, You'll find many a great sax player funking it up all over the place you know. I for one love a bit of funk!

Welcome to the cafe Dorono
 
Hello Matt, yeah, please do check out my post if you have a minute, I'm really curious to get your thoughts.

Also, I found my way to the MySpace page for your group, "Mulligan Soup." So cool! I love that style of music and have always wanted to play that myself. Really cool arrangements, sounds like so much fun, and your bari playing sounds great.

All the best from Los Angeles,

Doron
 
dorono said:
Hello Matt, yeah, please do check out my post if you have a minute, I'm really curious to get your thoughts.

Also, I found my way to the MySpace page for your group, "Mulligan Soup." So cool! I love that style of music and have always wanted to play that myself. Really cool arrangements, sounds like so much fun, and your bari playing sounds great.

All the best from Los Angeles,

Doron
Click to expand...

Eh, i have already checked it out, and replied, lol.
You even replied back to me.

I think you have replied this to the wrong thread.
 
Hi Doron, thanks for the positive feedback!

I've now checked your blog posts, great info, thanks. Certainly it's helped clarify a few of the technicalities I was suspecting. I'll know what to demand next time I get one of these gigs!

Nick
 
A thought for Matt and any other interested parties:
For funk rhythm study you could probably do worse than Bob Mintzer's 14 Jazz and Funk Etudes - I've not tried the book myself but I'm a fan of other stuff he's done...

Other than that, listen to Maceo Parker!

Nick
 
@Taz Thanks so much for the welcome, it's great to be chatting with you fine folks on a rare rainy evening here in Los Angeles!

@PCthug OOPS-A-DAISY, looks like I did indeed get mixed up with who I was sending what to, gotta get it together! :)

@saxnik So glad to be of help. Definitely feel free to let me know if there are any issues you'd like to see covered on my website. I've got a lot of content lined up, so I'm always open to ideas that could help people.
 
How about some licks and patterns that can be used over such tracks
It is quite good music to practice over actually because a lot of the tracks lack a strong melody so you can add one.
Treat them just like backing tracks
I am going to have some fun with this I think
Thanks to PCthug for bringing it up and Dorono for adding so much info on the subject.

mamos
 

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