Here's "Spooky" Alto Saxophone Instrumental

[Michael]

AMMIN: Now this month marks exactly 2 years of learning to play the Saxophone from Johnny. This video was done with the new recording software that I was talking about and we have much to learn about it, so I appreciate your’s/anyone’s insight who has experience in home recording. My son produced it in HD and it still looks kind of fuzzy on my monitor on my cpu; not sure why. It may be because he selected the wide-screen feature but I’m checking it out. This video, and the next few ones coming, will be a trial-and-error type of thing in terms of experimenting with different editing features until we get the sound right, so this is the first step in that direction. Please forgive us if we have failed in any respects, I did notice a couple of places where it sounded faint on my cpu anyway; but it’s a learning curve/work in progress. As just a simple first goal, I took your good advice and I aimed at keeping the reverb at an absolute minimum in this video. My mic is just a low-grade USB mic that I’ve had for some time, but that will be upgraded in time soon to come. It’s okay for the moment. For the playing, I just used a cheap plastic MP with a worthless stainless steel ligature LOL just because Members’ have been sending me messages and are curious about the Trevor James line of Saxophones–these Saxophone are just INSANE with a high quality MP. But I wanted to upload this first edit with a beginner’s set-up so that you get a better idea of the projection of the Saxophone itself, provided our editing was okay. But take what you hear on this video, and add that to a high-quality MP/ligature and you start to get an idea of what I’ve been talking about with these Saxophones…it’s just crazy when you hear one in person and I’m not complaining at all LOL

CHRISTOPHER: Where you at in his course now? That’s so cool to hear…Take your time to really master everything that Johnny teaches in the Altissimo course v.s. ponding hoping looking for something else when you start working on something that is tough to master. That’s what lots of people do, they start jumping from one thing to the next without finishing what they started and they don’t even give the course they were working on a chance in the first place…everyone spends so much time looking on youtube and all for those “secret” fingering positions. That’s only part of the equation. I have used a Selmer Bundy Tenor Sax, Vito Alto, LJ Hutchen Alto (out of tune LOL) this T.J Alto and my new T.J. SR Tenor (I’ll be uploading with that next). That’s 5 different Saxophones and with every one of them, Johnny’s fingers just plain work. To play in this range, it’s NOT about looking for those secret fingering positions..it’s about developing the technique to play up there and Johnny covers it ALL for you in his Altissimo course. On my next upcoming edit with the Tenor, you’ll see me hit an Altissimo G note in the 5TH OCTAVE range–I hit it kind of quickly as the chord changes in my Blues Scale Improvisation as just something I throw in really quickly because it fits in nicely–in truth there’s multiple fingerings I can use to play that high, so the fingering had nothing to do with it.

[Anonymous]

Michael – that inpressive if you can hit a 5th octave C?

I can only hit a 3rd octave C (in the altissimo range), Johnny’s
course only goes up to the 4th
octave C – and you’ve gone beyond
that to the 5th Octave? Wow!

Starting at Low C, i count middle C as the 2st Octave – that’s some
range you’ve got.

i can now do the overtones on
middle C# and take it up 2 octaves, which i couldn’t do before!! I’ve also noticed now,
that all those different fingering
positions on the web work, whereas
they didn’t before i did Johnny’s
last year!

Can’t wait to hear your 5th octave C

[Anonymous]

Sorry i meant to say after Low C
on the Sax i count the next C
higher up as the 1st Octave,
so the 1st C in my altissimo range
would be my 3rd Octave C etc…

[Kevin]

Hey James, regarding your May 5 blog- I hope we do get to hear from you on occasion (a video upload). On your March 2 upload you were playing through an improv to James Brown- I Feel Good. What stood out to me on that upload was how many times your tone sounded pretty close to the recorded sax players tone. So once your fingers get the groove going to improvising you will surely have us tuning in to hear more!

[Michael]

James: Like Kevin says, it would be cool to hear something from you, you’ve shown a lot of improvement and it’s very encouraging. I was talking about hitting a 5th Octave Altissimo G, not C. I have a 4 part CD set of “The Big Horn” where a couple of the guys do hit a couple of notes that high; just because it added a cool effect to their Improvisation. Altissimo C in the 5th Octave almost sounds like if the note goes any higher, then we as humans couldn’t detect it but dogs could–a dog whistle LOL.
Kevin: I miss seeing your uploads, love your use of vibrato! I’ll e-mail you the backing track/alto sheet music for the duet we talked about a few months back ASAP, I’ve been so busy with the move into our new house that I forgot to send it to you, sorry about that (shame on me!)

[Anonymous]

when i can do this

i will altissimo cool! lol

[Kevin]

Well, guess I’m the first Alto to make a go at Harlem. Got a half dozen practices during this last month so embrochure can just about last thru a song (though I did lose control on some of the final notes). About forgot how to do the whole record, convert, upload thing it had been so long. But got it done. I do always seem to make the mistake of having one of my gain setting just high enough that I get a little “clipping” somewhere throughout the recording.
Hoping that I can make the commitment throughout the rest of this year to get back to routine practice, and get started on Johnny’s Altissimo, and Improv lessons. Feelin’ left behind with you all soaring into the higher ranges…

[Michael]

What a BEAUTIFUL job you did on the video Kevin! With this particular song, the timing can be somewhat difficult but you nailed it; awesome. I HAD to go to youtube and click “like” on your video. Your recording sounds great too, that’s something we’re currently experimenting with and the new software we got. What Mic are you using? Your recording sounds so clear and clean. I simply have to replace the low quality USB mic I have right now–it’s okay for the moment but it’s definately on my list.
You did such a great job with this song and it’s really encouraging too! I would suggest that you re-post here on the Member’s Videos Section as a “new topic” for Harlem Nocturne on Alto sax, so that way Johnny will find it much easier. I didn’t even know you posted it here. Keep rockin’! 🙂

[Kevin]

Hey, Michael
Regarding some comments about the recording aspects of your upload. The backing track was a cool flowing arrangement, but it sounded like some reverb had been added to the backing track during your re-recording of it. Reverb can be added at different places/times during the recording process, and to specific tracks. So you normally would not want to add any additional effects to the original sound of the backing track, but only to the track that the sax was recorded on. When you play in a live room that has good natural reverb characteristic, it to me fills out the tone a bit, gives it a slight amount more of sustain, but more so it instills a bit more of feeling connected with playing the instrument and gives that added confidence that causes you to play more assertively.
Perhaps stating the obvious that you already knew…
Great progress learning and using the altissimo notes!

[john]

Good points Kevin, when I’m recording flat (no reverb) I am not as confident as when I have a nice amount of reverb.
It just makes you sound better so you feel better and therefore (hopefully) play better!
How I adjust my reverb levels is to have just enough that you don’t hear the reverb but it’s there doing it’s job. the way to check this is get it to that point, then mute it. you should hear the difference then.turn it back on and it doesn’t have that dead flat sound anymore but at the same time you can’t actually hear the effect.

[Author]

Posts