Extended Techniques

Tonguing

Double and triple  A technique to articulate twice for each single stroke of the tongue. Single tonguing = tah tah tah Double tonguing = Ta-ka-ta-ka Triple tonguing = Ta-ka-da-ta-ka-da Detailed article on the Internet: http://www.peabody.jhu.edu/2001

Audio example: Decruck : Sonate, Final

Flutter tongue  A softer effect than growl, achieved by rolling R’s Fluttering is often abbreviated on sheet music as "flt." or "flz.

Audio example: Tanada : Mysterious Morning III

Slap tongue  A percussive sound, created as a result of the release of suction in the mouth and the popping sound that the reed produces which amplifies as it travels through the horn.

1. Explosive slap- unpitched 2. Woodblock slap- unpitched, dry sound 3. - clearly pitched melodic slap, soft or loud, entire range of 4. Slap tone- slap attack followed by normal tone

Detailed article on internet: http://www.saxophone.us/sax/saxophone_slap_tonguing.html

Audio examples: Lauba: Jungle Rudy Wiedoeft: Sax-o-phun Ligeti: Six Bagatelles, 1 st movement

Tonal effects

Multiphonics  Playing multiple notes/more than one note at once. can be produced specific with fingerings, or voicing in the throat. A mulitphonic fingering that works for one player may not always work on a different saxophone, depending on the model etc. Dynamics also affect the efficiency of multiphonics. N.Sullivan Audio example: Roland Kirk: Rip, Rag and Panic

Growl Sullivan N.  Growling is achieved by singing, humming, or growling, using the back of the throat while playing normally.

Audio example: Roland Kirk: My Girl

Microtones  Microtones are intervals smaller than a semitone. "Hello! Mr. Sax" by Jean-Marie Londeix has an extensive fingering chart for microtones for SATB .

Audio example: Denisov: Sonate, 2 nd movement

Subtone  1. Airy subtone, drop jaw, slow air flow. 2. Clear subtone for extremely quiet playing .

Audio examples: Trad: Danny Boy ( Ben Webster) Sclavis/Habenera: L’enfance ethique

Glissando  is a sliding technique of bending the note using voicing (tongue and throat placement) and at the same time sliding up or down to another fingered note.

Audio examples: Schulhoff: Hot Sonate Gershwin: Rhapsody in Blue

Altissimo Saxophone altissimo is generally considered to be playing above a written high F#. Various voicing techniques such as air stream, tongue, throat and embouchure means players can play above the standard range of the saxophone. Altissimo is an advanced and definitely worth saving until players have a healthy looking embouchure.

A notable proponent of the altissimo range was Sigurd Raschèr, who preferred the term top tones. Raschèr is also the author of "Top Tones For the Saxophone", which is the most widely used and known method book for developing altissimo playing.

N.Sullivan

A good starting point in learning altissimo is finding the overtones of a low Bb/B/C as well as building up flexibility on the mouthpiece.

Audio examples: Xenakis: Xas Brecker: Delta City Blues

Circular breathing Use circular breathing to create a continuous sound, i.e. continue playing without breathing. 1- blow normally, filling your cheeks as you exhale 2- stop breathing from diaphragm and squeeze air out of mouth from cheeks 3- once this is easily achieved, breath in through nose whilst squeezing air from cheeks 4- start blowing normally before cheeks are empty

Stages 2 and 3 are most tricky and run together quickly, so practise them separately. Circular breathing is easiest when there is more pressure, so use a thin stream of air when blowing normally. Likewise, it’s easier on soprano then alto saxophone compared to baritone and tenor.

Audio example: Lauba: Balaphon

Some examples of how extended techniques are notated

Noda: Mai (solo alto saxophone) Berio: Sequenza (solo soprano saxophone) Tanada: Mysterious morning III (saxophone quartet) Weisberg: So Long (saxophone quartet)

Bibliography

Ingham, R., The Cambridge Companion to the Saxophone (Cambridge University Press, 1999) Londeix, J. -M., Hello Mr. Sax (Leduc, 19..) Londeix, J. -M., 150 Years of the Saxophone (Cherry Hill, 1994) Londeix, J. -M., A Comprehensive Guide to the Saxophone Repertoire 1844-2003 (Roncorp, 2003) Umble, J., Jean-Marie Londeix Master of the Modern Saxophone (Roncorp, 2000) Teal, L., The Art of Saxophone Playing (Summy Birchard Music, 1963) Kientzy, D., Les Sons Multiples aux Saxophones (Editions Salabert, 1982) Dorn, K., Saxophone Technique-Volume I, Multiphonics (Dorn Publications, 1975) Gross, J., Multiphonics for the Saxophone (Advance Music, 1998) Rousseau, R,. Saxophone High Tones (Bloomington, IN: Etoile Music, Inc., 1978) Rascher, S. R., Top Tones for the Saxophone (New York: Carl Fischer, Inc., 1941) Kynaston, T., Circular Breathing for the Wind Performer (Miami, FL: Warner Bros. Publications, 1978) Caravan, R,. Preliminary Exercises and Etudes in Contemporary Techniques for Saxophone: Introductory Material for the Study of Multiphonics, Quarter Tones and Timbre Variation (Dorn Publications, 1980) Londeix, J.-M., Tablature des doigtés comparés harmoniques (Leduc, 1971/76)