Description
I know, you are sick of it! Trying to play overtones past the second or third overtone. Trying to get out an altissmo G or G#.  Trying to sound like you know what you are doing and can play any altissimo note with confidence without failing miserably………I have been there and know how you feel.  You need a breakthrough and here it is………
In this lesson, I introduce you to a revelation I have had over the last few months while teaching the altissimo register of the saxophone to students. Â This is a lesson on a technique I use to reach the altissimo notes and gain better facility up in that range.
Although I have been using this technique since my college days, Â I never realized what I was actually doing nor how to describe it to students until recently. Â It was an eye opener when I realized what I was doing and how to describe it. Â I hope this approach to altissimo is a game changer for those of you who have been stuck and frustrated with trying to produce the altissimo notes on the saxophone up until now. Â I really believe this lesson will help.
Jakub Martin –
Hi Steve! Just wanted to let you know, I purchased and watched that altissimo lesson, and it was very helpful. I had previously been able to hit altissimo up to D above altissimo G, but it was inconsistent and I was pinching a lot. Since I reconceptualized my approach, my altissimo has been cleaner and more consistent than before. It’s obviously still a work in progress, but I wanted to thank you for this lesson!
Mario Lafrésière (verified owner) –
Hi Steve. It has taken me hours to get an Altissimo” G “on my MK VI with Navarro Bop Boy 7* and Hinoki med soft reed . Difficult set up for altissimo register (soft set up). This means that no pressure at all due to the softness of the reed. (I have to play soft reeds due to a jaw problem that lasted nearly 4 years) So when I saw your course on Altissimo I was tempted. I watched the video and could not wait to try and the result was amazing I hit the G first time with the sound as big as my E, F F# with fork key…. thanks for that concept Steve…even the G# and A were as big…..will continue to work on that register
Mark Peotter –
Hello Steve,
Thank you so much for the “secret” lesson on altissimo!
Surprisingly, I HAVE already heard about this technique, but from a TRUMPET Teacher!
What you are doing is the same thing he was/is doing to get his trumpet notes higher. Basically, it is the concept of air speed. Faster air speed, higher notes.
However – – I was unable to successfully employ the technique for myself. What I do for altissimo is to use a high baffle, and I have been putting the back of my tongue toward the rear and higher, as if thinking of “cooling down my soup with cool air”. I can get all the notes up to D, and then I squeeze the reed to get up up to double F#.
Without a high baffle in the mouthpiece, I have not been able to get above G#.
After your video, I tried your technique, of course!
I used my Meyer mouthpiece without a baffle, and I was able to get one more harmonic from the fundamental (low) Bb. Hoooray! A few minutes later I was hitting high A, but not consistently.
I need to give it more time and practice to find the right air speed, but now I am excited to see what I can accomplish!
Thank you, Mark Peotter
Noah –
This is a good lesson; it doesn’t cover all the altissimo techniques, but is a variation on the Joe Allard “exxx” and hiss approach.
Steve (verified owner) –
Thanks Noah. The fingerings I used are covered more specifically in:
Alto Sax http://www.neffmusic.com/blog/product/altissimo-lesson-alto-sax/
Tenor Sax http://www.neffmusic.com/blog/product/altissimo-lesson/
The fingerings are dependent on your saxophone so adjustments might have to be made to find the best fingerings for your saxophone. I talk about this in the lessons. Steve
philipe –
it worked right off the bat, i already knew the high g, but with another fingering, this is a useful single key g, it aids in bringing down the notes too, less hesitant–
Johnny Hedlund-Sweden (verified owner) –
This was a great help for me explaining the altissimo playing for my students, also for the classical alto. For me it opened up a wider understanding what happens with different wovels impact in tone production. Thanks a lot!
Doug –
I finally broke into the altissimo register after reviewing your
video like 50 times! lol This was really really helpful!! Doug
Barry –
Steve, I have enjoyed your transcriptions and lessons over the last few years. I’m 63 and been playing 45 or so years. I have always had trouble with altissimo G…until today. I bought this Altissimo lesson and the G popped right out. Amazing!!!!!! Thank you! The absolute best $9.99 I ever spent!-Barry