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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

As Funny as a Brain Tumor! Part 15

October 1, 2009 by Steve 113 Comments

The next morning, our last day in Disney, I woke up to my kids talking to each other.  I sat up in bed and just looked at them.  There voices sounded normal.  I couldn’t believe it. Matter of fact, I didn’t believe it. I put on the radio, it sounded normal. I was so excited […]

Filed Under: Funny as a Brain Tumor Tagged With: brain tumor, hearing problems, steve neff

Drake Ceramic Small Chamber Soprano Mouthpiece

September 25, 2009 by Steve 4 Comments

This is a new Drake ceramic soprano mouthpiece that I am trying out. This piece has a .065 tip opening and a small chamber.  The mouthpiece plays with a nice  focused tone. Much more focused sounding than the Drake large chambered mouthpiece. If you listen to both clips you can hear the difference between a […]

Filed Under: Soprano Mouthpiece Reviews Tagged With: ceramic, drake mouthpiece, soprano

Drake Ceramic Large Chamber Soprano Mouthpiece

September 25, 2009 by Steve 2 Comments

This is a another new Drake ceramic soprano mouthpiece that I am trying out.  this piece has a .065 tip opening and a larger chamber in it than I have seen in other soprano mouthpieces.  This mouthpiece plays with a big fat tone.  Much more spread sounding than the  Drake small chambered mouthpiece. If you […]

Filed Under: Soprano Mouthpiece Reviews Tagged With: ceramic, drake mouthpiece, soprano mouthpiece

Selmer Super Session J Soprano Saxophone Mouthpiece

September 20, 2009 by Steve 24 Comments

This is a sound clip of my main soprano saxophone mouthpiece for the last 6 years.  It is a Selmer Super Session J mouthpiece that I  bought from WWBW. At the time that I bought this, I also tried an I tip opening. I remember feeling like the I gave me a Kenny G type […]

Filed Under: Soprano Mouthpiece Reviews Tagged With: sax mouthpiece, saxophone mouthpiece, selmer, soprano sax, soprano saxophone, super session

Aizen LS Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

September 18, 2009 by Steve 34 Comments

This is the new Aizen LS 7*  tenor  saxophone mouthpiece.  I have one of these for my alto saxophone that I love and am lucky enough to be able to try this tenor sax model. I’ve had it for 2 weeks and played it almost everyday. These are advertised as being copies of a vintage […]

Filed Under: Tenor Low Baffle Reviews, Tenor Mouthpiece Reviews Tagged With: Aizen LS, Minoru Kubota, saxophone, Slant Link, tenor mouthpiece

Rick Margitza Solo-“What is this thing called love?”

September 18, 2009 by Steve 8 Comments

Here is a great tenor sax solo that I transcribed a couple of years ago.  It’s from Jeff Hellmer’s album “Peak Moments”. The tune is a standard called “What is this thing called love?” and features Rick Margitza on the tenor saxophone. “What is This Thing Called Love” a great standard by Cole Porter that […]

Filed Under: Transcriptions Tagged With: Jeff Hellmer, peak moments, Rick Margitza, what is this thing called love

Practicing away from your instrument! Part 1

September 17, 2009 by Steve 3 Comments

I had a lesson the other day with a student and I realized that he was really having a hard time coming up with melodic ideas and phrases.  I asked him “Do you ever sing?”  “No!”  “How about humming?”   “No!”  “How about in the shower?”   “No!” This really got me thinking about things […]

Filed Under: Jazz Improvisation Tagged With: Jazz Improvisation, practicing, singing

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

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Testimonials

I like so many other subscribers feel so encouraged by Steve’s learning techniques; you will enjoy reading the comments of praise others have left as you too will feel that you share a common view and path. I feel very lucky to have come across Neffmusic and that feeling will remain with you as you search through a treasure trove of learning materials on offer, you will quickly find the lessons that you are suited to. You will instantly recognize the unparalleled quality of Steve’s teaching … Read more
Stephen
Steve really changed my way of practicing: I got a whole lot of new ideas for my playing the tenor.  His lessons are really helpful, give a lot stuff to practice and give clear answers to complicated stuff.  Steve has a lot of humor and I wish I had laughed so much in my former days with the horn.  All topics, from Blues to Approach note are dealt with clearness that wet ones appetite to play and practice that great ideas.
Uwe
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

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

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

I must say again how much I appreciate all your material. Including the video tutorials. It help keep me focused and knowing what to aim for. And your laid back teaching style appeals to me too. 

Thanks

P

P
Thanks so much for putting all this great learning material out there. I don’t often have the time to take a lesson with a teacher, so the ability to download lessons is really invaluable. My playing has improved enormously (I think :)) – and the lessons are so varied there’s always something to be inspired by. Incredible value too!
Roger
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

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
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
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!
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

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
Absolutely the best learning experience in my 40 years of playing.These books are awesome!!
Alfred LaBella
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 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
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’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
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

Hello Steve, I’m getting so much out of your lessons and books, amazing how much one may think one knows, there is always a new frontier or new way to view something you think you had somewhat down. You have taken it all to a new level and am so grateful. Your lessons are so down to earth and understandable and clear!  Thanks so much Steve! Cheers, Eddie

Eddie Parente
I have found your videos and publications inspiring and your contribution to the world of saxophone playing is immense. Paul
Paul
I bought Steve’s dominant bebop book and took a couple of online lesson from him. I really appreciated Steve’s careful listening of what I wanted to get done in a lesson and his clear, concise ideas on next steps to improve my playing and musical interpretation.  His mastering  the Dominant Bebop Scale has lots of exercises to use a scale that addresses the largest percentage of chords I come across in pop/blues music. The dominant V7.  Needless say it has improved my playing.  I teach and a… Read more
Keith
I’m an experienced player in the pop/soul/funk areas of music and, previously, classical.  Over the decades I’ve been playing, I’ve always felt that I could do what I needed in those styles of music.  However, recently I began to feel limited by my use of the same old licks. When I discovered Steve Neff’s website, and heard the audio examples based on the exercises in his books, I realized they were what I needed.  I purchased all of them and have been working on them since.  It’s very hard work… Read more
Paul

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