Anthony

  1. Open triad warmup
    • Play 3 notes to a breath, taking the biggest breaths you can.
    • Aim for smooth transitions between notes; before changing your fingering take a moment to imagine every finger that needs to move, then move them all together.
  2. Deep breathing exercises
    • Try to breathe into the lowest part of your lungs. You should feel your belly (just below your ribs) expand.
    • Put one hand on your belly and the other on the opposite shoulder. Try not to tense or raise your shoulders at all while inhaling.
    • Hawaii (oh-ah-eeh) breathing.
  3. Work on Smooth with metronome at 90 bpm, focusing on the hard parts and then playing the whole piece together.

It’s been a pleasure working with you, Anthony! As time goes on keep making sure to find time to practice longtone exercises and scales; you’ll have plenty of repertoire to work with from music class. Happy Holidays!

Jackson

Just a note to please remember your books next week :).

  1. Warmup:
    Open triad warmup (halfway down page). Make sure to use full breaths on each set of notes and listen deeply to the sound.
  2. G major scale, 2 octaves. Think about maintaining the witch chin, supporting that higher register well. Aim for smooth transitions between notes; before changing your fingering take a moment to imagine every finger that needs to move, then move them all together. Try for 120 bpm on the metronome for next week.
  3. Equinox
    • Listen to the original here.
    • Try to imitate the way that Coltrane plays the rhythm in the recording.
    • Practice along to this backing track. Make sure to count your rests!

Continue from last week:

Technique: #12 and #14 in Galper Book
Repertoire: #15 in Galper

Ryan

Listening:

  1. Charles Mingus Blues. This is the same form as Groove Blues; listen to how the improvisers play and use the blues scale. See if you can imitate some of that in your improvisation.
  2. Reference for Amen – The Preacher. Try to imitate the swing feel and articulation the horn players use on this track.

Longtones (continue alternating these exercises):
1. Voicing exercise, adding overtone matching between first and second overtones.
2. Opposite octave exercise: add your octave key to F, but keep it from jumping up the octave by opening your throat (like a yawn) and relaxing the muscles in your embouchure. It might help to take a little more mouthpiece in your mouth than usual. Once you get it on the F, repeat on E, D, C, Bb, then G, A, B, C.

Scales:
Continue chromatic scale – 70 bpm. This week, start on your high F and go down, then up. Try practicing the palm key area half-time.
Ab major – up to high Eb with swing articulation, 80 bpm to the half note with the metronome.

Repertoire:

  1. Continue Groove Blues from the Snidero Book practicing with the backing track from the book or this one (slightly slower). This week, try alternating taking one chorus of written melody and one chorus of your improvisation using the blues scale.
  2. Practice Amen with the metronome.

Have a great holiday!