• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Website of Steve Neff

  • BLOG
  • SHOP
  • MY ACCOUNT
  • RAVES
  • CONTACT

Search Neffmusic

You are here: Home / Archives for aaron drake

aaron drake

Drake FG (Freddie Gregory) Model Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece Review

February 16, 2022 by Steve 49 Comments

Today, I am reviewing a Drake FG (Freddie Gregory) model 8 tenor saxophone mouthpiece made by Aaron Drake at Drake mouthpieces.  This Drake FG model tenor saxophone mouthpiece was inspired by a Freddie Gregory  hard rubber tenor sax mouthpiece that Jeff Coffin plays and that Aaron Drake did some work on. Aaron told me that […]

Filed Under: Mouthpiece Reviews, Tenor High Baffle Reviews, Tenor Mouthpiece Reviews Tagged With: aaron drake, FG model, freddie gregory, jazz sax, Jeff Coffin, Mark IV, mouthpiece, review, tenor sax, tenor saxophone

Drake Jerry Bergonzi Master Series Power Resonance 7* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece Review

September 20, 2021 by Steve 10 Comments

Today, I am reviewing a Drake Jerry Bergonzi Master Series Power Resonance 7* tenor saxophone mouthpiece made by Aaron Drake at Drake mouthpieces.  This Drake tenor mouthpiece is advertised as  “rollover baffle contour – identical to the Drake Bergonzi “EB” model – with a raised floor contour which gives the mouthpiece greater projection without being […]

Filed Under: Mouthpiece Reviews, Tenor Medium Baffle Reviews, Tenor Mouthpiece Reviews Tagged With: aaron drake, jazz sax, jerry bergonzi, master series, mouthpiece, power resonance, review, tenor sax, tenor saxophone

Drake David Sanborn Master Series 7 & 8 Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece Review

June 26, 2021 by Steve 28 Comments

Today, I am reviewing the Drake Master Series David Sanborn 7 (.085 tip opening) and the 8 (.090 tip opening) alto saxophone mouthpieces made by Aaron Drake at Drake mouthpieces.  If you are a David Sanborn fan and play the alto saxophone, you can’t help but be interested in an alto saxophone mouthpiece with David […]

Filed Under: Alto High Baffle Reviews, Alto Mouthpiece Reviews, Mouthpiece Reviews Tagged With: aaron drake, alto sax, Alto Saxophone, David Sanborn, master series, mouthpiece, review

Drake Phil Woods Master Series Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece Review

September 25, 2019 by Steve 26 Comments

Today, I am reviewing a Drake Master Series Phil Woods alto saxophone mouthpiece made by Aaron Drake at Drake mouthpieces.  This alto mouthpiece is advertised as  “a near identical replica of the mouthpiece that Phil Woods played for over 40 years.”  Don’t worry about the wording of “near identical”, this does not mean it is […]

Filed Under: Alto Medium Baffle Reviews, Alto Mouthpiece Reviews, Mouthpiece Reviews Tagged With: aaron drake, alto sax, Alto Saxophone, Meyer, mouthpiece, Phil Woods, review

Drake Stubbie Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

August 20, 2013 by Steve 16 Comments

Today I am reviewing another great Aaron Drake mouthpiece called the “Stubbie”.  It is modeled after the Dukoff  “Stubbie” model from the 1950’s.  I don’t know much about the Dukoff  “Stubbies” and have never played one as of yet.  I’ll leave any facts about the original “Stubbie” model to the mouthpiece “gurus” and collectors out […]

Filed Under: Tenor Low Baffle Reviews, Tenor Mouthpiece Reviews Tagged With: aaron drake, Dukoff, sax mouthpiece, stubbie, tenor saxophone

Drake “Jerry Bergonzi” Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

April 6, 2013 by Steve 16 Comments

Today,  I am reviewing a mouthpiece made by Aaron Drake of Drake Mouthpieces.  This  new mouthpiece is the Jerry Bergonzi model.  I have been a fan of Jerry Bergonzi’s since my first days at Berklee College of Music in Boston (1986).  Up until that time, I had only been an alto sax player.  I had […]

Filed Under: Tenor Medium Baffle Reviews, Tenor Mouthpiece Reviews Tagged With: aaron drake, hard rubber, jerry bergonzi, saxophone mouthpiece, tenor sax

Drake Pete Christieb Tenor Mouthpiece

January 8, 2013 by Steve 26 Comments

This is a new hard rubber tenor saxophone mouthpiece by Aaron Drake.  Aaron has started a new series of mouthpieces called the “Masters” series  where he copies the favorite mouthpieces of the great players alive today.  So far, he has made mouthpieces for Dave Liebman, Jerry Bergonzi and Pete Christlieb. I have been a fan […]

Filed Under: Tenor High Baffle Reviews, Tenor Mouthpiece Reviews Tagged With: aaron drake, high baffle, Pete Christlieb, review, saxophone mouthpiece, tenor sax

Charlie Parker “Bird” Legend Series Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece

July 15, 2011 by Steve 19 Comments

Here is another mouthpiece in the Legend series made for RS Berkeley by Drake mouthpieces.   A number of months ago I reviewed a copy of  Stan Getz’s mouthpiece.  This mouthpiece is a copy of Charlie Parker’s mouthpiece.   Les Silver (a member of my site for the last 2 years ) called me up a […]

Filed Under: Alto Medium Baffle Reviews, Alto Mouthpiece Reviews Tagged With: aaron drake, alto sax, Bird, Charlie Parker, rs berkeley, saxophone mouthpiece

Drake Vintage Resin NY Jazz Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece

July 15, 2010 by Steve 37 Comments

Yesterday,  I received a box from Aaron Drake at Drake Mouthpieces. I couldn’t open it fast enough. Inside were 3 brand new vintage resin alto saxophone mouthpieces for me to try. I’ve been wanting to try these for months now and I was very excited.  This is the second mouthpiece I tried of the three. […]

Filed Under: Alto Low Baffle Reviews, Alto Mouthpiece Reviews Tagged With: aaron drake, alto mouthpiece, Alto Saxophone, NY Jazz, vintage resin

Drake Vintage Resin Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece Comparison

July 14, 2010 by Steve 20 Comments

I thought I’d put up a comparison post of the three Drake vintage resin alto saxophone mouthpieces I received today.  I will be doing a separate review for each mouthpiece but I thought that if I played a simple melody on all 3 next to each other you could hear the differences better.  On these […]

Filed Under: Alto Mouthpiece Reviews Tagged With: aaron drake, alto mouthpiece, contemporary, Drake Mouthpieces, NY Jazz, vintage resin

Drake Vintage Resin Contemporary Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece

July 14, 2010 by Steve 13 Comments

I’m starting to get overwhelmed by how many great mouthpieces are out there today.  This morning  I received a box from Aaron Drake at Drake Mouthpieces.   I couldn’t open it fast enough.  Inside were 3 brand new vintage resin alto saxophone mouthpieces for me to try.  I’ve been wanting to try these for months […]

Filed Under: Alto High Baffle Reviews, Alto Mouthpiece Reviews Tagged With: aaron drake, alto mouthpiece, Alto Saxophone, contemporary, Drake Mouthpieces, vintage resin

Drake Vintage Resin Jazz Tenor Mouthpiece

April 28, 2010 by Steve 6 Comments

This is a new tenor saxophone mouthpiece I received in the mail last week from Aaron Drake. Drake mouthpieces have been around for a number of years and Aaron is best known for his Ceramic mouthpieces which I have reviewed here before. Recently, he has updated his website www.DrakeMouthpieces.com and come out with a new […]

Filed Under: Tenor Low Baffle Reviews, Tenor Mouthpiece Reviews Tagged With: aaron drake, Jazz model, NY Jazz, Son of Slant, tenor mouthpiece, tenor saxophone, vintage resin

Drake Vintage Resin NY Jazz Tenor Mouthpiece

April 28, 2010 by Steve 9 Comments

This is a new mouthpiece I received in the mail last week from Aaron Drake. Drake mouthpieces have been around for a number of years and Aaron is best known for his Ceramic mouthpieces which I have reviewed here before. Recently, he has updated his website www.DrakeMouthpieces.com and come out with a new line of […]

Filed Under: Tenor Low Baffle Reviews, Tenor Mouthpiece Reviews Tagged With: aaron drake, NY Jazz, tenor mouthpiece, vintage resin

Drake Vintage Resin Son of Slant Tenor Mouthpiece

April 27, 2010 by Steve 18 Comments

This is a new mouthpiece I received in the mail last week from Aaron Drake.  Drake mouthpieces have been around for a number of years and Aaron is best known for his Ceramic mouthpieces which I have reviewed here before.   Recently, he has updated his website www.DrakeMouthpieces.com and come out with a new line […]

Filed Under: Tenor Low Baffle Reviews, Tenor Mouthpiece Reviews Tagged With: aaron drake, Drake Mouthpieces, Son of Slant, tenor mouthpiece, vintage resin

  • Page 1
  • Page 2
  • Go to Next Page »

Primary Sidebar

Cart

Subscribe to the Neffmusic Newsletter for the latest reviews and best deals delivered straight to your inbox every month. Join now and you will also receive my 40 Ultimate Michael Brecker Licks free!

Select list(s) to subscribe to


Thanks for joining!


NEFFMUSIC PRINTED BOOKS

Testimonials

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

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

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
I just started looking at my lessons and I have to say, dude you are awesome.  I ABSOLUTELY will learn from you!  I started the tenor about 1 ½ yrs ago and have since picked up an alto, and more recently a soprano.  I spend most of the time on the tenor, followed by soprano, and have only gotten to the alto a few times.  I think I’ll be sticking with tenor.  I’m having a great time and hope one day to play well enough to get regular gigs.  I’ve been playing keys for about 35 years (… Read more
Wil
Just a brief note to compliment you on your teaching skills and in particular for the honesty of your lessons.  I am a returning alto sax player in my 50’s and I was looking for a no nonsense, straight to the point kind of guidance. I had intended to email you with a few questions regarding the use of the bis key but then I noticed that there was a lesson on that specific topic and after viewing it,  all my questions were answered. I once took a group lesson with a well known professional sax … Read more
Patrick

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

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
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
I’ve been downloading your lessons for 4 months now (20 lesson) and I have noticed tremendous growth in my playing thus far! I’m so happy that I stumbled upon your site!
Bob
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
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

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

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

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
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

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
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
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
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
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

Featured Video Lessons

  • Mastering the Dominant Pentatonic Sound over a Blues (Digital PDF Book) Mastering the Dominant Pentatonic Sound over a Blues (Digital PDF Book)
    Rated 5.00 out of 5
    $19.99 Original price was: $19.99.$14.99Current price is: $14.99.
  • The Secret to Modern Outside Jazz Lines Lesson-Minor The Secret to Modern Outside Jazz Lines Lesson-Minor $9.99
  • Creating Modern II-V-I Lines with Simple Pentatonics Lesson Creating Modern II-V-I Lines with Simple Pentatonics Lesson
    Rated 5.00 out of 5
    $9.99
  • The Best Embouchure for Tone, Intonation and Endurance Lesson The Best Embouchure for Tone, Intonation and Endurance Lesson
    Rated 4.91 out of 5
    $9.99
  • The Secret to Altissimo (no one has ever told you about before) Lesson The Secret to Altissimo (no one has ever told you about before) Lesson
    Rated 4.75 out of 5
    $9.99

Now over 600 video and audio lessons to choose from!

Free Lessons

  • Free Lesson on The New Ultimate II-V-I Primer-Major Keys
  • Free Video Lesson on Mastering Altered Pentatonics
  • Free Video Lesson on Mastering the Blues Scale Volume 1 & 2
  • Free Video Lesson on Mastering the Dominant Bebop Scale and Language Book 1 & 2
  • Free Video Lesson on Approach Note Velocity Book

Recent reviews

  • Bebop Scale-Altered Scale II-V-I Practice Lesson Bebop Scale-Altered Scale II-V-I Practice Lesson by Noah
  • Mastering the Dominant Pentatonic Sound over a Blues (Digital PDF Book) Mastering the Dominant Pentatonic Sound over a Blues (Digital PDF Book) by Andy
  • Mastering the Dominant Pentatonic Sound over a Blues (Digital PDF Book) Mastering the Dominant Pentatonic Sound over a Blues (Digital PDF Book)
    Rated 5 out of 5
    by Russ
  • Creating Modern II-V-I Lines with Simple Pentatonics Lesson Creating Modern II-V-I Lines with Simple Pentatonics Lesson
    Rated 5 out of 5
    by Timothy
  • The Best Embouchure for Tone, Intonation and Endurance Lesson The Best Embouchure for Tone, Intonation and Endurance Lesson
    Rated 5 out of 5
    by Ray Holland

Footer

Recent Comments

  • Mark White on Marc Jean Saxophone Ligature II Model 700 Review
  • Gerrit Schwab on Les Becs d’Autan Florida Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece Review
  • Dan on A Blast from the Past-Chromazone by Mike Stern Cover
  • Simon Howard on Les Becs d’Autan Florida Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece Review
  • Cash Farrar on Vigilante NYII Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

Top rated products

  • Mastering the Major Bebop Scale & Sound (Digital PDF Book) Mastering the Major Bebop Scale & Sound (Digital PDF Book)
    Rated 5.00 out of 5
    $14.99
  • Tune of the Week-Softly as a Morning Sunrise Lesson Tune of the Week-Softly as a Morning Sunrise Lesson
    Rated 5.00 out of 5
    $9.99
  • The Style of Dexter Gordon-Lady Bird Lesson 1 The Style of Dexter Gordon-Lady Bird Lesson 1
    Rated 5.00 out of 5
    $9.99
  • Tune of the Week-Days of Wine and Roses Lesson Tune of the Week-Days of Wine and Roses Lesson
    Rated 5.00 out of 5
    $9.99
  • Tune of the Week-Invitation Tune of the Week-Invitation
    Rated 5.00 out of 5
    $9.99

Product tags

alto sax alto saxophone approach notes audio lesson bebop scale beginner beginner saxophone blues blues licks blues patterns blues scale blues scales diminished scale dominant chords ear training fundamentals II-V-I improvisation jazz improvisation jazz lines jazz patterns jazz sax jazz saxophone jazz standard jazz standards licks Mastering the Blues Scale Michael Brecker modern improv modern improvisation online lesson patterns playing outside practice habits reading music sax basics sax lessons saxophone scales smooth jazz steve neff tenor sax tenor saxophone video lesson video lessons
  • Instagram
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • SUPPORT

Neffmusic © 2005–2025