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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

Great Story Involving the Band Green Day

August 18, 2009 by Steve 1 Comment

About a month or so ago, I took my wife to a “Green Day” concert in Boston. She’s a big Green Day fan and it was around our anniversary…….. While we were there, lo and behold, the keyboard player picks up a saxophone and starts wailin’.  Of course, my wife turns to me and asks […]

Filed Under: NeffMusic News Tagged With: Green Day, Jason Freese, sax player

New “Vintage” Slant Otto Link Tenor Mouthpiece

August 14, 2009 by Steve 36 Comments

This a “New” “Vintage” “Slant” Otto Link  hard rubber tenor mouthpiece.  There has been a lot of buzz about these lately. Babbitt has come out with these as a model that is comparable to the vintage slant signature hard rubber links everyone is paying big bucks for on ebay.  Now I have to say, that […]

Filed Under: Tenor Low Baffle Reviews, Tenor Mouthpiece Reviews Tagged With: otto link, tenor mouthpiece, Vintage Link, Vintage slant

Greg Wier Indian Rubber 7* Tenor Mouthpiece

August 14, 2009 by Steve 7 Comments

This another tenor mouthpiece made by Greg Wier.  I asked Greg to make me a hard rubber tenor mouthpiece with a little more power than his slant piece I had played before. He said that he had a few blanks of “Indian Rubber” (I have no idea what that means, but it sounds good) He […]

Filed Under: Tenor Medium Baffle Reviews, Tenor Mouthpiece Reviews Tagged With: greg wier, Indian Rubber, tenor mouthpiece

Jon Van Wie’s Words On Mouthpiece Work

August 14, 2009 by Steve 10 Comments

This was on one of the google forums back in the late 90’s.  I never heard of Jon Van Wie or his work before this but reading this post you can sense the love, passion and focus he had for saxophone mouthpiece refacing.  Soon after reading this, I sent Jon Van Wie a few mouthpieces […]

Filed Under: Saxophone Stuff, Tenor Mouthpiece Reviews Tagged With: Jon Van Wie, Mouthpiece reface

60’s Brilhart Personaline Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

August 14, 2009 by Steve Leave a Comment

This is another great example of a Vintage Brilhart tenor mouthpiece.  This one was refaced to .105 by Brian Powell and then Eric Drake fine tuned it to meet the needs of the person that owns it.  This is a great playing tenor mouthpiece.  It has a great character to the sound that I really […]

Filed Under: Tenor Low Baffle Reviews, Tenor Mouthpiece Reviews Tagged With: Brilhart, hard rubber, Personaline, tenor mouthpiece

60’s Brilhart Personaline Tenor Mouthpiece

August 14, 2009 by Steve 4 Comments

A friend of mine from  noticed I had no sound clips of vintage Brilhart hard rubber mouthpieces.  I had to admit to him that I’ve never played a vintage Brilhart.  I could tell he felt extreme sorrow for my situation and was genorous enough to send me 3 great ones from his collection to try. […]

Filed Under: Tenor Low Baffle Reviews, Tenor Mouthpiece Reviews Tagged With: Brilhart, Personaline, tenor mouthpiece

Vandoren V16 T75 Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

August 14, 2009 by Steve 59 Comments

This is a tenor mouthpiece I picked up at a music store a year or two ago.  I use to own one about 8 years ago and it was one of my favorite mouthpieces so when I saw this one I grabbed it.  Vandoren makes some of the best most consistent pieces out there.   […]

Filed Under: Tenor Mouthpiece Reviews Tagged With: tenor mouthpiece, Vandoren V16 T75

Peter Ponzol “Vintage” SS Tenor Mouthpiece

August 14, 2009 by Steve 6 Comments

I received this in the mail today along with the Ponzol M2. This is a Stainless Steel mouthpiece  made by Peter Ponzol called the “Vintage” model.   It is at a .105 tip opening.  It does play with a darker sound than other Ponzol tenor mouthpieces I have played.   Very even from top to […]

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

Refaced Modern Otto Link STM Tenor Mouthpiece

August 14, 2009 by Steve 4 Comments

I picked this  modern Otto Link STM up on Ebay……..it’s a .108 tip that was refaced by Brian Powell.  I have loved everything I’ve played that Brian Powell has worked on and I was curious to see what he could do to a modern otto link.  To be honest, I’ve played about 20 modern Otto […]

Filed Under: Tenor Low Baffle Reviews, Tenor Mouthpiece Reviews Tagged With: Brian Powell Refaced, Otto Link STM

Berg Larsen 110/2 Tenor Mouthpiece

August 14, 2009 by Steve 28 Comments

This is a Berg Larsen hard rubber tenor mouthpiece I recently won on ebay.  I saw that it was refaced by Brian Powell and I knew it had to be good.  Sure enough it plays great.  I thought it would be really bright but it has a big thick core to it that is nice. […]

Filed Under: Tenor Medium Baffle Reviews, Tenor Mouthpiece Reviews Tagged With: berg larsen, Brian Powell, tenor mouthpiece

Theo Wanne Metal Kali Tenor Mouthpiece

August 14, 2009 by Steve 1 Comment

I received this piece in another trial by Theo Wanne.  This mouthpiece is  Theo’s Kali  tenor mouthpiece which is a high baffle , large chambered piece.  I really liked this mouthpiece.  It has a bright sound but the large chamber gives it a much fatter sound than other high baffle tenor mouthpieces I have played […]

Filed Under: Tenor High Baffle Reviews, Tenor Mouthpiece Reviews Tagged With: Kali mouthpiece, tenor mouthpiece, Theo Wanne

Phil-Tone Otto Link Tenor Mouthpiece

August 14, 2009 by Steve 1 Comment

I received this from Phil as part of a trial that he is doing to promote his mouthpieces.  This is a modern hard rubber Otto Link that Phil Engleman has refaced and made much improved.   The mouthpiece plays great compared to other modern Otto Links that I have played.  Many of the modern ones […]

Filed Under: Tenor Low Baffle Reviews, Tenor Mouthpiece Reviews Tagged With: hard rubber, otto link, Phil Engleman, Phil-tone, tenor mouthpiece

Theo Wanne Metal Parvati 7* Tenor Mouthpiece

August 14, 2009 by Steve 6 Comments

I received this in the same trial package as the wood Parvati tenor mouthpiece.  This is a metal Parvati tenor mouthpiece with a 7* tip opening. It was hard for me to figure out which one I like better….the wood or the metal.  Can you tell a difference from listening to the clips?  Both mouthpieces […]

Filed Under: Tenor Low Baffle Reviews, Tenor Mouthpiece Reviews Tagged With: Parvati, tenor mouthpiece, Theo Wanne

Theo Wanne Wood Parvati Tenor Mouthpiece

August 14, 2009 by Steve 3 Comments

I received this for a trial that is going around of Theo Wanne’s Parvati mouthpieces.  I have to say that I am very impressed with a mouthpiece craftsman that will stand by his product and have enough confidence in it to ship it on trial around the globe to possibly hundreds of people.  That takes […]

Filed Under: Tenor Low Baffle Reviews, Tenor Mouthpiece Reviews Tagged With: Amma, Parvati Mouthpiece, tenor mouthpiece, Theo Wanne

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Testimonials

Thank you for all the educational information you provide.  I am a classically trained musician.  Professionally, I am a 4th and 5th grade band teacher.  I have played piano and sax for many years, but now I am starting to gig out more. I have always improvised by ear in the past. I have gotten by with my strong sense of pitch, rhythm and melodic contour. However, I want to go deeper. I want to play with a greater variety of melodic and rhythmic ideas to pull from.  I have studied to gain a … Read more
Ray

Hi Steve,

First, I want to thank you for all of your great lessons. They are like a “For Dummies” version of all the books on my shelf. The lessons break things down into manageable pieces, and give me the confidence that I’m practicing the right pieces. I’m starting to make progress.   Thank You,   Kim

Kim
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 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
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
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
First, I’m really excited about your materials! This site is a vast resource for any aspiring (and maybe already inspired) jazz musicians. I’m not a sax player, I play mandolin and fiddle, but have been learning jazz and playing weekly with a quintet for the past 6 months and have been struggling with all of the issues you get into in your lessons. I bought several books and lessons and plan to continue with some others as soon as I organize my practice routine. Thanks again for a great site … Read more
Tony Galfano
I have been a member of Neffmusic for more than a year now and have enjoyed every minute of it! I have not only been going thru the Dominant Bebop Scale lessons and book (OUTSTANDING!) but the mouthpiece reviews, solo clips and transcriptions are very interesting. Steve approach to beginning and intermediate improv have given me many new pathways to teach my high school jazz ensemble students. Congratulations Steve, great product!
Craig
I want to say something about Steve Neff’s series of lessons, Beginner Jazz Improvisation. For a couple of years I tried many beginner lessons and my problem was that there was a gap between lessons that were fairly simple and ones that I was not quite ready for and my progress stalled out. That problem was solved with the series Beginner Jazz Improvisation. He guides you step by step along the way and builds a foundation for learning jazz and blues. He leaves no question about what to practice … Read more
Pete
Two years later I began a search for a sax teacher and happened to come across Steve Neff when I was searching YouTube for sax teachers.  I went to neffmusic.com and was very impressed with the lessons Steve Neff was offering.  The concept of selecting lessons was an approach that I thought was unique and purchased a few lessons.  I liked the lessons so much that I signed-up for a 6 month package. I was very happy with all the lessons I selected.  I also purchased Steve’s book Mastering the B… Read more
Michael

Hello Steve,

I have not received my alto yet but have already gone through 14 lessons. I love your approach, style, knowledge and competence. I now regret so much to have stayed away from playing the sax for the past 45-50 years…(I am 65).  But It is never too late to get back to your first love. After 23 years in compuer sciences and 22 years in finances…I am now back to music for the rest of my life.

Doing some research on the net, I found this:

http://forum.saxontheweb.net/showthread.php?1… Read more

Claude
I have found your videos and publications inspiring and your contribution to the world of saxophone playing is immense. Paul
Paul

Thank You Steve. I think that I will be busy for years. Thank You for your great contribution to jazz music. Your books, more than teaching “how to play jazz”, actually teach “how to speak jazz”. I wish I found your methods years ago.  

Jean-Eric
Thank you for the wealth of helpful lessons you’ve provided over the years.  I truly feel as though it has improved my playing more than the 4 years I spent at Berklee… and that’s not a slight on the school as I loved my experience there.
John
John

Never really had lessons before just kinda worked things out on my own. Was in a rut but your lessons are really helpful in opening melodic possibilities. Ur an awesome resource to the saxophone community. Thanks for sharing. 

Anthony

Love your lessons!  I have been using your lesson packages for many months now, and am learning a lot.  It is so perfect for me with a very busy adult schedule and difficulty in taking jazz/improv music lessons from reputable instructors who live and hour or more away from me.

Lenore
Absolutely the best learning experience in my 40 years of playing.These books are awesome!!
Alfred LaBella
I can’t say enough about my membership at Neff Music. Steve has taken the mystery out of playing the saxophone well and improvising both jazz and rock music. Like most struggling players I have a load of all sorts of books on my shelf just gathering dust. Books that I didn’t understand or know how to put to use…or just have the time to go threw them. Steve’s lessons really simplify things and he puts it in a way that I can understand. They inspire me to keep pushing and having him as my guide or… Read more
Ken
Your major diatonic patterns book is great. I”m studying the first twenty patterns (first twenty pages) each day with different articulation each day and slowly increasing the tempo each week or so.  There is a noticeable improvement in finger coordination across all keys and its amazing how much more secure I feel on the difficult keys when attempting to play pieces with 5+ flats/sharps. I’m able to sort out the fingerings for these pieces now much more quickly than before, often in one or two … Read more
Geoff
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 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
I am enjoying your style of teaching, and you’ve done a great job with the videos….good sound quality and well constructed lessons.  Balances the more guitaristic material found on the majority of guitar based programs.  Jazz vocab is what I’m all about at this point in the journey.   I especially dig the fact that you’ve studied with Bergonzi…helps me see his voluminous output in a more  bite sized way.
Milton
I would like to say that in the last year my sax playing has progressed loads from your lessons. I have had a sax for about 20 years and dabbled with lessons from a few teachers and have learnt very little from them. As you have said in your lessons many teachers tell you to use the blues scale and leave it there, not even showing you the resolution points!!. I am now believing I can in time become a good improviser.
Thanks again,
Shane
Shane

I want to thank you again, because, not only are you an inspiration to listen to, you are a fine teacher!

I have been teaching sax and other winds for over 20 years, and you give me that “push” to give my students more!

Mark Peotter

Mark Peotter

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