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You are here: Home / Archives for Reviews / Saxophone Stuff

Saxophone Stuff

Marc Jean Ligature Review

April 18, 2010 by Steve 23 Comments

Around the middle of February I received an email from Marc Jean at Musique de Marc asking if I would be interested in trying one of his Marc Jean ligatures.  He said it was a new design and that many players of note were digging it.  I was a bit skeptical as I get a […]

Filed Under: Saxophone Stuff Tagged With: Alto Saxophone, Francois Louis, Marc Jean Ligature, Optimum, saxophone ligatures, tenor saxophone, wood sticks

What difference does the ligature make? Part 1

April 8, 2010 by Steve 22 Comments

A saxophone ligature is a device that holds the reed against the table (flat part) of the mouthpiece.  Most people wouldn’t think this is that big of a deal, I mean how hard is it to use something to make the reed stay against the mouthpiece?  You could use a rubber band if push came […]

Filed Under: Saxophone Stuff Tagged With: mouthpiece ligature, saxophone ligature

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

Jon Van Wie’s Words On Mouthpiece Work

August 14, 2009 by Steve 8 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

RS Berkeley “Virtuoso” tenor sax review

April 21, 2009 by Steve 15 Comments

About 6 months ago I had a new member to my site named Les Silver. Les signed up for online lessons and we exchanged quite a few emails and phone calls talking about my lessons and in our conversations he told me about his saxophone line that he has been developing over the last few […]

Filed Under: Sax Reviews, Saxophone Stuff Tagged With: les silver, mark VI, rs berkeley, selmer, virtuoso tenor sax

100 Top 40 Tunes Every Working Sax Player Should Know

September 23, 2008 by Steve 14 Comments

The other day one of my students said he wanted to get out of the house and start gigging and making some money. We’ve been working on standards and jazz improvisation over the last year or so. He asked me if I thought he was ready and we got into a discussion about playing out. […]

Filed Under: Saxophone Stuff Tagged With: gigging sax player, saxophone repertoire, wedding gigs, working sax player

Sax Mouthpieces: The Length of the Facing Curve

August 16, 2008 by Steve 26 Comments

I’ve been doing a lot of experimentation into different facing curve lengths on my alto and tenor saxophone. On my alto I have been using mouthpieces that were all refaced by Brian Powell to .80 tip openings. These are what I’ve been using: Florida Hard Rubber Link-20mm facing length Florida Hard Rubber Link-20.5mm facing length […]

Filed Under: Saxophone Stuff, Tenor Mouthpiece Reviews Tagged With: alto sax, Brian Powell, facing curve, sax mouthpiece

Free Saxophone Intonation Tracking Graph

June 25, 2008 by Steve Leave a Comment

I made a video lesson on saxophone intonation where I taught about charting your intonation tendencies of your saxophone by using a tuner. What you do is play naturally for a few seconds and then end on the target note and while holding it turn and look at the tuner. You then put a mark […]

Filed Under: Saxophone Stuff Tagged With: intonation tendencies, sax intonation graph

Great Video on Giant Steps

February 25, 2008 by Steve 1 Comment

I found this posted on Dave Valdez’s blog.  It’s really amazing to watch. It’s a video of John Coltrane’s Giant Steps solo transcription being put on the page as the recording is playing. There is something about watching the video that is amazing. You’re hearing John Coltrane play a great tenor sax solo as the […]

Filed Under: Saxophone Stuff Tagged With: Giant Steps, jazz sax, John Coltrane, solo transcription, tenor saxophone, video

Saxophone Mouthpiece Clips

December 23, 2006 by Steve Leave a Comment

I just thought you might be wondering what the deal is with the mouthpiece clips part of the page. They are mostly meant to be of interest to other sax players that are interested in tenor sax mouthpieces.

Filed Under: Saxophone Stuff Tagged With: mouthpiece, Neffmusic, reviews, sax, saxophone, sound clips

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Mastering the Dominant Pentatonic Sound over a Blues
Mastering the Dominant Pentatonic Sound over a Blues


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Testimonials

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 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
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
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

Your material is great! I got your New Altissimo Lesson 6 months ago and I have learned more from that than in all my 44 years of playing! I appreciate your down to earth teaching method and I really appreciate the heart that you teach with. I have been a subscriber to your lessons for the past 6 months and I have learned a great deal. Over that period of time I have had some questions and you have never failed to respond. Thanks! I have already recommended your lessons to a number of players in… Read more

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
Your lessons on playing the blues is so clear . I have been through many books on blues playing and not one of them explains as clear as your lessons . Most of them say “Play the same blues scale over all three chords of a 12 bar blues ” Its very misleading .     Thanks
Martin
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

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
Hey Steve! I hope you and your family are well.  I’m just writing to say thank you so much for all the resources you have made available to the saxophone community. I have been using your material for many years and I always come back to it… in fact I just took a break from practicing to write this…( reviewing “CreatingModern II-V-I Lines with simple pentatonics”.) I am, and continue to be, one of your raving fans! Blessings to you and your family this holiday season! Wishing… Read more
Gerry Aylward

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Mastering the Blues Scale Vol. 1-Minor Chords
Mastering the Blues Scale Vol. 1-Minor Chords
Major Bebop Scale Book
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  • Ray Holland on The Best Embouchure for Tone, Intonation and Endurance Lesson
  • Steve on JX Custom JXFL 8 Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece Review
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  • Eli on KPoudavoff Zimberoff Dukoff Hollywood 6* with Dexter Gordon’s Facing Curve Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece Review
  • Steve on KPoudavoff Zimberoff Dukoff Hollywood 6* with Dexter Gordon’s Facing Curve Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece Review

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