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Hi! I am Steve Neff

I have been playing and teaching saxophone and jazz improvisation around the New England area for the last 30+ years. I love teaching and anything to do with the saxophone. I hope you find this website helpful in your musical journey. Thanks, Steve

The Ultimate Alto Sax Sound-Jesse Davis

March 3, 2010 by Steve 10 Comments

I love Jesse Davis! I listen to tenor saxophone players about 80% of the time but when I want to listen to an alto saxophone player Jesse Davis is usually my first choice.  If you don’t know him check out this video of “The Very Thought of You”…….He has an amazing sound that is huge,fat […]

Filed Under: Jazz Videos Tagged With: Alto Saxophone, Jesse Davis

JodyJazz ESP 7* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

March 3, 2010 by Steve 31 Comments

Here is a JodyJazz ESP 7* (.105) tenor saxophone mouthpiece.  These are made by Jody Espina who has a huge variety of mouthpieces that he makes at www.jodyjazz.com.  I borrowed this from a good friend of mine.  These mouthpieces come with what’s called a “spoiler”.  It is a black wedge that you slide into the […]

Filed Under: Tenor High Baffle Reviews, Tenor Mouthpiece Reviews Tagged With: Jody Espina, Jodyjazz ESP, mouthpiece review, tenor mouthpiece

For those of you looking for the perfect horn…………

February 9, 2010 by Steve 4 Comments

It might be as close as your refrigerator! Check out this video.

Filed Under: Saxophone Stuff Tagged With: carrot clarinet, Linsey Pollak

Transcription of Chris Potter’s solo on “All The Thing You Are”

February 8, 2010 by Steve 5 Comments

This bootleg recording is of Chris Potter teaching at a clinic. It’s been floating around the internet for a number of years now and is an amazing example of what Chris Potter can do with a jazz standard like “All the Things You Are”. He’s playing it solo! Just him and his tenor sax. Now, […]

Filed Under: Transcriptions Tagged With: All the Things You Are, Ben Doherty, chris potter, tenor saxophone solo, transcription

Florida Link Refaced by Erik Greiffenhagen

February 6, 2010 by Steve 27 Comments

Here is an incredible Florida Link  saxophone mouthpiece that was refaced by Erik Greiffenhagen from a 6 to a 7* (.105).  I bought this mouthpiece from Les Arbuckle about 6 weeks ago and have been playing it ever since.  Les came on SOTW (Sax on the Web) and said he had a link for sale […]

Filed Under: Tenor Low Baffle Reviews, Tenor Mouthpiece Reviews Tagged With: Erik Greiffenhagen, florida link, Les Arbuckle, otto link, saxophone mouthpiece, tenor

Which Ponzol mouthpiece do you like the best?

February 2, 2010 by Steve 12 Comments

In this poll I am playing 8 measures of “In a Sentimental Mood” on 3 different Ponzol mouthpieces. I’m trying to play the melody in a similar way for each clip.  See if you can hear a difference between the clips.  If you can, vote for the one that you like the best! Which Ponzol […]

Filed Under: Tenor Mouthpiece Reviews Tagged With: M1, Peter Ponzol, Ponzol M2, Stainless Steel

Ponzol Stainless Steel M2 Tenor Mouthpiece

February 2, 2010 by Steve 10 Comments

Today, I have another Peter Ponzol M2 Stainless Steel tenor mouthpiece for review. I did a review of one of these a year or two ago but the sample clip I played of it was done in my garage. Since then, i have had a few people ask if I can do another one that […]

Filed Under: Tenor High Baffle Reviews, Tenor Mouthpiece Reviews Tagged With: Peter Ponzol, Ponzol M2, Stainless Steel, tenor mouthpiece

Ponzol M2 Gold Tenor Mouthpiece

February 2, 2010 by Steve 11 Comments

This is another classic Peter Ponzol M2 tenor mouthpiece.  I’ve played about 5-6 of these and they were all great.   This one is a .110 tip opening which feels perfect for me.   They have a brightness and kick to them that really comes out when you are on the gig.

Filed Under: Tenor High Baffle Reviews, Tenor Mouthpiece Reviews Tagged With: Peter Ponzol, Ponzol M2, tenor mouthpiece

Ponzol M1 Gold Tenor Mouthpiece

February 2, 2010 by Steve 4 Comments

This is a Peter Ponzol M1 that I purchased just for the heck of it.  I have tried a bunch of M2’s but never a M1( Maybe in a store once)  This is a really nice piece.  It a  bit brighter than the Ponzol ML tenor mouthpiece I played before but a bit darker than […]

Filed Under: Tenor Medium Baffle Reviews, Tenor Mouthpiece Reviews Tagged With: Peter Ponzol, Ponzol M1, tenor mouthpiece, tenor saxophone

Morgan ML 8* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

February 2, 2010 by Steve 7 Comments

This a Morgan ML tenor mouthpiece.  I received this from a friend of mine who loves it.  These use to be made by Ralph Morgan but now are made by Brian Powell and Eric Greiffenhagen.   They both used to work with Ralph Morgan.   These two guys have done a great job at keeping […]

Filed Under: Tenor Low Baffle Reviews, Tenor Mouthpiece Reviews Tagged With: Morgan ML, Ralph Morgan, tenor mouthpiece

Lawton 9BB JVW Refaced Tenor Mouthpiece Review

February 2, 2010 by Steve 8 Comments

This a Lawton 9BB tenor saxophone mouthpiece that was refaced by JVW (Jon Van Wie).  If you have never heard of Jon Van Wie, he was a great mouthpiece refacer that passed away some years ago.  I had him do some work on some mouthpieces for me when I first started getting into this mouthpiece […]

Filed Under: Tenor Medium Baffle Reviews, Tenor Mouthpiece Reviews Tagged With: Jon Van Wie, Lawton tenor mouthpiece, mouthpiece review, saxophone mouthpiece, tenor saxophone

Lawton 8* BB Special Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

February 1, 2010 by Steve 19 Comments

This a Lawton 8*BB Special tenor saxophone mouthpiece.  I’ve never tried a Lawton before so I was looking forward to playing this one.  This a special one that Geoff Lawton made without the typical sliding ligature track he usually puts on his mouthpieces. This is a great playing mouthpiece. The 8* tip is a bit above […]

Filed Under: Tenor Medium Baffle Reviews, Tenor Mouthpiece Reviews Tagged With: lawton, saxophone mouthpiece, tenor mouthpiece

Tenney Jazzmaster 7* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

January 14, 2010 by Steve 9 Comments

This is the “Doc” Tenney Jazzmaster 7* tenor saxophone mouthpiece.  A friend of mine on the internet was kind enough to send it to me so I could put a clip up of it. Mr. Tenney has quite the reputation for his mouthpiece work.  I’ve had a few students that have played his pieces over […]

Filed Under: Tenor Low Baffle Reviews, Tenor Mouthpiece Reviews Tagged With: Doc Tenney, Jazzmaster, mouthpiece review, Tenney Jazzmaster, tenor mouthpiece, tenor saxophone

Morgan 6J Soprano Saxophone Mouthpiece

December 21, 2009 by Steve 8 Comments

This is an old Morgan 6J soprano mouthpiece that a student of mine let me borrow.   These were made by the legendary Ralph Morgan.  Ralph passed away in 2007 and it was a great loss to the saxophone world.  I’ve told this story before but one time I had a Morgan mouthpiece that was […]

Filed Under: Soprano Mouthpiece Reviews Tagged With: 6J, Ralph Morgan, saxophone, soprano mouthpiece

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Testimonials

Steve- I joined your site this month and have downloaded 4 lessons and also purchased your new book and video on diatonic patterns. I just want to say I am very pleased with your approach and teaching techniques. I am getting back into playing after laying off for some time. The information you offer on your site is of great value and I am enjoying being a member. Thank you for what you are doing for the saxophone community.
Tony
Hi Steve, I live in a gorgeous but rural area of Oregon-no music store within 80 miles. Your lessons are my lifeline!  Truly the best there are anywhere online. Love your playing. Love your teaching.  Thanks again. Ed
Ed Woodmansee
I’ve been having ‘ online’  lessons with Steve for a few months now. Being a teacher myself I had had some reservations with the idea at first and the practicalities of it .  Let me just say that my playing has taken a huge leaps forward while studying with Steve and continues to do so.Steve studied with some renowned player/teachers such as Bergonzi and Garzone– this in itself is invaluable but Steve teaches from his own books, which cover a a vast amount of  jazz language. Steve h… Read more
David
I have found your videos and publications inspiring and your contribution to the world of saxophone playing is immense. Paul
Paul
Hey Steve, I’m a 22-year-old from Australia. I thought it would be worth saying. You’re an absolute legend. I can’t thank you enough. You have helped me rekindle my love for the saxophone and music as a whole. All the best for the future, your work doesn’t go unnoticed. PS. I am loving your devastating minor lines pdf.
Sapph
I want to let you know that your instructional material is transforming my playing.  It is an immense pleasure to learn and play now, and I can’t tell you how grateful I am. The instructional material I got from you is by far the best of any I own (and I have over 100 books, DVDs, and what not). I literally can’t thank you enough! Deric
Deric
Hi Steve, I can’t express just how much I appreciate your teaching. My playing has improved so much over the past year since I have been studying and practicing with your lessons. It is possible to teach an old dog new tricks, these lessons are proof! Thanks, Michael Byington
Michael Byington
Just to say thanks for your advice and lessons.  I’ve just read your amazing story.  I really appreciate what you do in regards to teaching.  I have bought a couple of your lessons and frankly they’re undersold.   I’ve learned much more with these two lessons than with 2 years of sax teachers.   Thanks so much………..
Mike
I just joined Neff Music last month. I can’t tell you how excited I’ve been to be able to pick back up on lessons. I’ve been in a rut and you got me out! I’ve especially appreciated the Lesson Path section. It was so clear I knew exactly where to jump in and start. Many many thanks!
Karin
Hey Steve, My name is Jason Freese and I play keyboards and sax in the band Green Day.  I grew up taking sax lessons from Eric Marienthal when I was a kid and got out of it for a long time. I ran into you on youtube while searching for sax stuff. I bought a whole bunch of your lessons and have been loving it! Thanks! Here is my wikipedia so you can see the albums I’ve played on….Thanks again. It’s sparked my interest in practicing again.   Jason
Jason Freese (sax player for Green Day)
I can see from your instructional videos that you are a fantastic teacher – one that can truly relate to all ages – humble yet very positive in approach – never coming across as superior and yet so totally capable of demonstrating the principles and techniques that you seek to impart to the students. I have gained so much confidence in my playing from “pouring over” time and again these invaluable lessons. Invaluable not only in musical content, but also in human interaction content. I am absolu… Read more
Ron
Just wanted to send you a quick note to say thank you for being you, your playing, your website and your desire to help others. I’m a professional musician in the US Army and I’ve visited your website almost every day since discovering it a couple of months ago. Your lessons are profound and easy to use. I’ve purchased most of your PDF books and now am starting to delve more into the video and audio lessons.  Thank you for being a great resource!
James
I am a music book junkie and I have to say that your books are the most clear, user friendly, and helpful books I own.  They are my absolute favorites and I only wish I had them years ago.  I wouldn’t change a thing about the experience I had in acquiring my degree at Berklee, but my playing has perhaps grown more in the time I’ve spent buried in your books and lessons.  Keep up the great work!!! Thanks, John
John
It is so refreshing to have a great player, who can provide lessons and examples in a manner which is understandable to most any enthusiastic saxophonist who is ready to improve. not just the, do this, do that, memorize this, memorize that… while all that is absolutely necessary, you go on to give reasons and examples to explain and validate why you have to do all of these things, the benefits, if you will… that is the key for me, you tell, explain, demonstrate, explain some more, you give perso… Read more
Cedric
Thank you so much for the great job you are doing to help further our jazz studies. Though I make my living as a repairer of musical instruments I am a student of jazz and have been fortunate enough to be involved with a big band and a combo for the last several years. As my children began to leave “the nest” I had decided to dedicate the next half of my life to a more serious study of the sax but I didn’t know exactly how I would go about doing this until a friend of mine turned me onto your si… Read more
Jon
I have NEVER seen material like yours.  Amazing!!
Jerry

Steve,

I have played for many years and have enjoyed going “back to the basics” in some of your lessons!  You have such a gift for explaining concepts.  As I have gotten older, some of the basic things have gotten muddled because I just play, not knowing why.  As I refresh myself with “why”, it increases my confidence and expands my playing.  Thank you so much for using your gift!  You are a blessing!

Julia
By the way, BIG COMPLIMENTS to you, Steve! Not only are you a great player, you are also a great teacher! I, too, am a woodwinds player/teacher. I have new inspiration to play and teach because of you. The concepts and “thinking” is similar to what I already learned in College, but hearing you explain and PLAY the concepts REALLY MAKES THE DIFFERENCE! Also, your written patterns are more interesting than other books I have seen! Keep up the good work. I will be recommending your sit… Read more
I will be recommending your site to others!
Absolutely the best learning experience in my 40 years of playing.These books are awesome!!
Alfred LaBella
I just wanted to write a thank you note to you for this website. I play and teach saxophone, but I have always been intimidated by the gear aspect. Your website has helped me become a lot more knowledgable. Your knowledge is staggering! I’m telling all my students about your website. Pierre
Pierre

Mr. Neff,  I want to thank you for sharing your God-given talents through your on-line lessons.  My husband, Michael, is blind, but he is a great sax player and he has been enjoying your lessons for quite some time now.  It’s not unusual for me to hear “Hey, babe, listen to THIS!” – and he will cut loose on his sax, just thrilled at what he learned during his session with you.  His excitement warms my heart!  You have no idea how much you have poured into my husband.  You have opened musical … Read more

Carole B
Hi Steve, I have been shedding your materials for quite a while now and I love them! They are extremely well organized and presented and there are tons of ’em! I really appreciate your methodical approach and find myself referring students to your resources often.  Thanks so much!  
Kenyon Carter

Steve,  Just want to say thanks for all you are doing for all of us. I’ve learned more from you than anyone else in my 40 years of playing.

If you can give some tips on One Note Samba, Ceora, and Wave… that would be cool.  I really like learning how you apply your concepts to actual songs!

Have a great year,

Kevin Ledbetter

I've learned more from you than anyone else in my 40 years of playing.

Hello Steve,

I just want to say thank you so much for your unbelievable work, it is just mind opening, thanks for sharing it.

Wolfgang from Berlin

Wolfgang from Berlin

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