Technique of the Saxophone - Volume 1 | Saxophone Method Book for Scale Studies and Improvisation | Berklee Guide Sheet Music for Alto Tenor and Baritone Sax | Jazz Practice Resource for Students
Product ID: 12898199
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Master the fundamentals of saxophone playing with Technique of the Saxophone: Scale Studies (Volume 1) by Joseph Viola, a cornerstone of the Berklee Guide series. Designed for students of all saxophone types—including alto, tenor, and baritone—this comprehensive method book builds a solid foundation in technique, theory, and musical expression. * * Developed at Berklee College of Music, this guide includes over 210 targeted exercises, covering all major scales and related modes. Each exercise is crafted to reinforce finger strength, rhythm, articulation, and tonal control. The material progresses in difficulty, supporting both beginner and intermediate saxophonists as they grow in confidence and fluency. * * This volume doesn't just focus on scales—it integrates melody, harmony, and rhythm in a way that prepares players for real-world improvisation and performance. General practice tips and insightful explanations throughout the book make it ideal for classroom instruction or independent study. * * Whether you’re preparing for jazz ensemble auditions, private lessons, or daily practice, this book is a powerful tool for saxophonists aiming to elevate their skills. It also makes a thoughtful gift for pianists and a versatile music teacher resource in band programs or private studios. Review: Great for more than just sax players. - This book isn't just great for saxophone. Any instrumentalist should take the concepts of this book and apply them to their instrument. I've gained a lot in applying the concepts to trumpet (though greatly adjusting the ranges). So often we get trapped in the box of running our scales from tonic to tonic in little octave boxes, but this book will force you go beyond that, start from anywhere, and explore the full range of your instrument. Often neglected are the bottom ranges of scales that we can't complete the octave on, so we are lacking technique in those areas. Also, due to the habit of always starting low and going up, many musicians find themselves less capable of starting at the top and going down. The book covers: - Extended range scales starting from any given note - Modal scales based in every key both ascending and descending covering the full range - Scale exercises in thirds (labeled as dyads) - Diatonic triad arpeggios - Diatonic 7th chord arpeggios (labelled as tetrads) - Diatonic 9h chord arpeggios (labelled as pentads) - Diatonic 11th chord arpeggios (hexads) - Diatonic 13th chord arpeggios (septads) The later sections have many rhythmic variations that will really test you. It's easy to get something locked into muscle memory, but when you have to play it in an odd rhythm you realize how much you're relying on finger patterns rather than really knowing it inside out. The same can be said for starting scales from various points or playing modes. Also, between each section is a polytonal exercise that forces you to apply the previous chapter's concepts, but while very quickly changing keys which primes you for the mental process of playing over fast changes. All of the exercises are written out explicitly in every key, though optimally you'll stop needing to look at them. If the book is missing anything, it's more sequence work or scales beyond majors their derivations (modes, and by extension, natural minors) But I won't dock the book any credit for that. It's still a fantastic resource and has more than enough material to justify the very low price. I'd also recommend supplementing with Mel Bay Encyclopedia of Scales, Modes and Melodic Patterns . This book does include the sequence ideas not covered in this book as well as more coverage of other scales, though it is not so explicitly written out as in this book. The Arnie Berle book is a fantastic book to follow up on after working in this book. Review: Great service. - Great book. Great service.
| Best Sellers Rank | #801,524 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #175 in Saxophones (Books) #816 in Music Techniques (Books) #3,822 in Music Instruction & Study (Books) |
| Customer Reviews | 4.5 out of 5 stars 116 Reviews |
Y**E
Great for more than just sax players.
This book isn't just great for saxophone. Any instrumentalist should take the concepts of this book and apply them to their instrument. I've gained a lot in applying the concepts to trumpet (though greatly adjusting the ranges). So often we get trapped in the box of running our scales from tonic to tonic in little octave boxes, but this book will force you go beyond that, start from anywhere, and explore the full range of your instrument. Often neglected are the bottom ranges of scales that we can't complete the octave on, so we are lacking technique in those areas. Also, due to the habit of always starting low and going up, many musicians find themselves less capable of starting at the top and going down. The book covers: - Extended range scales starting from any given note - Modal scales based in every key both ascending and descending covering the full range - Scale exercises in thirds (labeled as dyads) - Diatonic triad arpeggios - Diatonic 7th chord arpeggios (labelled as tetrads) - Diatonic 9h chord arpeggios (labelled as pentads) - Diatonic 11th chord arpeggios (hexads) - Diatonic 13th chord arpeggios (septads) The later sections have many rhythmic variations that will really test you. It's easy to get something locked into muscle memory, but when you have to play it in an odd rhythm you realize how much you're relying on finger patterns rather than really knowing it inside out. The same can be said for starting scales from various points or playing modes. Also, between each section is a polytonal exercise that forces you to apply the previous chapter's concepts, but while very quickly changing keys which primes you for the mental process of playing over fast changes. All of the exercises are written out explicitly in every key, though optimally you'll stop needing to look at them. If the book is missing anything, it's more sequence work or scales beyond majors their derivations (modes, and by extension, natural minors) But I won't dock the book any credit for that. It's still a fantastic resource and has more than enough material to justify the very low price. I'd also recommend supplementing with Mel Bay Encyclopedia of Scales, Modes and Melodic Patterns . This book does include the sequence ideas not covered in this book as well as more coverage of other scales, though it is not so explicitly written out as in this book. The Arnie Berle book is a fantastic book to follow up on after working in this book.
A**R
Great service.
Great book. Great service.
J**D
Great book, very helpful exercises.
Great exercises, will keep me busy for a while.
A**I
Tedious but good practice
I find practicing the same scales in various derivatives a bit tedious and boring. However, I must say I hear a definite improvement in my playing from mere practice of these, so the intended purpose of the book is carried out. The deduction of one star is simply for the tediousness, but I suppose persistence is necessary for yielding good results. Therefore, I do recommend this book, but patience is a prerequisite for it.
G**S
Excellent!!!! A+++ Seller
Excellent!!!! A+++ Seller
M**O
BUEN MATERIAL
BUEN MATERIAL
L**S
Good resource, BUT....
This is a thorough scale text that I know I'll get a lot out of. Why only three stars? The book comes with a glued binding that makes it nearly impossible to leave opened on a music stand without either destroying the binding, or paying extra to have it re-bound locally. Publishers, PLEASE consider usability of your products when you re-print. Cheaper is not necessarily better!
M**N
Only scales
I should never have bought this book but my teacher thought otherwise. He said that this book will make me a better saxophonist than people who do not do scales. So scales it is, what I am glad about is that is it very easy to oversee and to understand so if you want to better your scales this is a book for you a very thick book for you. Also it is easy to read and oh well just buy the book you won't be sorry you did.
M**O
Music
I recommed.
T**R
Perfekt auch gut für Querflöte
Die Übungen sind auch gut mit der Querflöte zu spielen
L**A
Top
Top
.**5
Five Stars
Great book, should be on all aspiring Saxophone players to have list.
い**る
全部練習するのは大変
12キー全てについてスケール練習譜が掲載されています。副題にリズム・スタディーとあるのは、後半になるにつれて難しいリズムになって来る からです。また途中でどんどん転調するエクササイズもあるので、前半で12キーをしっかり練習しておかないとなりません。これを全部こなしたら 上手くなるだろうと思う反面、とても全部はやり切れないと感じてしまいます。なので私は＃3つ、♭3つまでだけを取り出して練習しています。 それでも結構大変だし、時間が掛かりますね。 編纂はバークレー音楽院なので、多分科学的なエクササイズとしているのだと思います。ですから楽しみながらの練習と言うより苦行に近いので、 プロを目指す人達のための楽譜なのでしょうね。 掲載されている内容の概要は以下の通りです。 Section 1 Major Scales --- Tonal Variations, & Polytonal Variations: 12キーでのスケールエクササイズ。スタートする音程を変えながら上行と下行双方の練習となるので、実に59ページもの分量となっている。 しかも最後の3ページは転調しながらのエクササイズとなるなので大変。 Section 2 Diads --- Tonal Variations, & Polytonal Variations: 3度2音程のエクササイズで、12キーと転調を含む構成は1章と同じ。この章から複雑なリズムが加わる。 Section 3 Triads --- Tonal Variations, & Polytonal Variations: 3度3音程のエクササイズ。リズムに3連符が登場。16分音符も現れ、アーティキュレーションエクササイズの要素も加わる。 Section 4 Tetrads --- Tonal Variations, & Polytonal Variations: 3度4音程のエクササイズ。この辺りになると転調エクササイズがもう大変。 Section 5 Pentads --- Tonal Variations, & Polytonal Variations: 3度5音程のエクササイズ。アーティキュレーションエクササイズの難度が高まる。 Section 6 Hexads --- Tonal Variations, & Polytonal Variations: 3度6音程のエクササイズ。兎に角常に指をパラパラ動かしている感じになる。 Section 7 Triads --- Tonal Variations, & Polytonal Variations: 3度7音程のエクササイズ。端で聞いていれば良く指が動くな、格好良いと言った感じだと思う。
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