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blues

Chris Potter Monster Lick of the Day #5 Tenor Sax

November 22, 2023 by Steve Leave a Comment

Here is a killer Chris Potter line that I picked up off of the Youtube video below. Chris Potter is playing a tenor saxophone solo on a blues (Au Privave by Charlie Parker) and this short line just jumped off the video and knocked me upside the head.  I thought I would share it with […]

Filed Under: Transcriptions Tagged With: Au Privave, blues, chris potter, jazz sax, tenor saxophone, transcription

Mastering the Dominant Pentatonic Sound over a Blues (Digital PDF Book)

March 26, 2023 by Steve 4 Comments

*BRAND NEW NEFFMUSIC BOOK* Super excited to have finally finished this book. I have been working on this over a couple of years and am ecstatic about the content and it’s potential for students of jazz improvisation. Working on this material has radically changed my own playing and given me a new tool to use […]

Filed Under: NeffMusic News Tagged With: blues, dominant pentatonics, Jazz Improvisation, jazz method, minor sixth pentatonic, soloing, steve neff, video lesson

Adam Larson Chord Tone Blues Tenor Saxophone Solo Transcription

November 24, 2020 by Steve 6 Comments

Here is a short two chorus transcription of the young tenor saxophonist Adam Larson playing a tenor saxophone solo over a blues progression that I saw on Instagram the other day.  Adam is mostly just using chord tones on this tenor sax solo with a few tritone substitutions here and there.  It is not overly […]

Filed Under: Transcriptions Tagged With: Adam Larson, blues, jazz saxophone, solo, tenor sax, transcription

Seamus Blake “Billie’s Bounce” Tenor Saxophone Solo Transcription

December 3, 2015 by Steve Leave a Comment

Here’s another great blues solo transcription from one of my favorite players, Seamus Blake.  This is a fast blues called “Billie’s Bounce” and is from an obscure CD entitled “Sax Summit”.   I say obscure because I am probably one of the biggest fans and followers of jazz saxophone recordings and I had never heard of it […]

Filed Under: Transcriptions Tagged With: Billie's Bounce, blues, Seamus Blake, solo transcription, tenor saxophone

Seamus Blake “Blues Up and Down” Saxophone Solo Transcription

February 13, 2015 by Steve 3 Comments

Here’s a great solo transcription from one of my favorite players, Seamus Blake.  This is a fast blues called “Blues Up and Down” and is from an obscure CD entitled “Sax Summit”.   I say obscure because I am probably one of the biggest fans and followers of jazz saxophone recordings and I had never heard of it before […]

Filed Under: Transcriptions Tagged With: blues, Jazz Improvisation, solo transcription, tenor saxophone

Liam Byrne Tenor Saxophone Blues Solo Transcription

November 19, 2014 by Steve 5 Comments

Here’s a nice swingin’ blues solo transcription I started working on a few days ago.   This is from a young tenor sax player, Liam Byrne.   The group is called BBQ and stands for Brownfield/Byrne Quintet.  Here’s a short Bio about Liam Byrne from his website: ‘…Saxophonist Liam Byrne, from North Wales (UK), studied at Leeds College […]

Filed Under: Transcriptions Tagged With: BBQ, blues, Jazz Improvisation, jazz sax, Liam Byrne, tenor saxophone, transcription

Bob Malach Solo Transcription from Ishimori Demo Video

October 9, 2014 by Steve 5 Comments

Here’s another transcription that I worked on this week.  This is from a video that Bob Malach put out on Youtube about Ishimori products.  Bob talks for the first part of the video about his Ishimori ligature, neck, screws and thumbrest. On the second half of the video he plays a nice funky solo over […]

Filed Under: Transcriptions Tagged With: blues, Bob Malach, Ishimori products, solo transcription, tenor saxophone

Mastering the Dominant Bebop Scale

May 15, 2009 by Steve 2 Comments

Mastering The Dominant Bebop Scale The Dominant Bebop Scale is a scale that can be used over a dominant chord. It has both the major 7th and the flat 7th in the scale so in the key of G the scale would be GABCDEFF#G. The reason that the dominant bebop scale sounds so great is […]

Filed Under: Book Reviews, NeffMusic News Tagged With: blues, circle of fifths, dominant bebop scale, dominant chords, improvising, steve neff

Poll of 9 Tenor Mouthpieces

October 20, 2008 by Steve 7 Comments

I decided to run a poll for 9 sound clips I just made of my last 9 tenor mouthpieces.  I’m having a heck of a time deciding which ones to sell and I figured it would help me to play them side by side and record them.  On all 9 clips I’m just playing a […]

Filed Under: Tenor Mouthpiece Reviews Tagged With: blues, Brian Powell, mouthpiece poll, solo sax, Tenor Mouthpiece Reviews

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Testimonials

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’ve been a member of Steve’s site for about six months now and the difference it has made to my playing is immeasurable. The (many) benefits of this membership are that you can have lessons at time convenient to you, they work out A LOT cheaper than face-to-face lessons with a teacher of the same calibre and you can replay them ad infinitum. I don’t know how many times have I had lessons in the past where I’ve ended up covering the same concepts when really a ‘replay’ of the last lesson would h… Read more
Nick
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

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
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
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
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!
Hey Steve, My name is Jason Freese and I play keyboards and sax in the band Green Day.  I grew up taking sax lessons from Eric Marienthal when I was a kid and got out of it for a long time. I ran into you on youtube while searching for sax stuff. I bought a whole bunch of your lessons and have been loving it! Thanks! Here is my wikipedia so you can see the albums I’ve played on….Thanks again. It’s sparked my interest in practicing again.   Jason
Jason Freese (sax player for Green Day)
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
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
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
I have found your videos and publications inspiring and your contribution to the world of saxophone playing is immense. Paul
Paul

Steve,  Just want to say thanks for all you are doing for all of us. I’ve learned more from you than anyone else in my 40 years of playing.

If you can give some tips on One Note Samba, Ceora, and Wave… that would be cool.  I really like learning how you apply your concepts to actual songs!

Have a great year,

Kevin Ledbetter

I've learned more from you than anyone else in my 40 years of playing.
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

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

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

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
For anyone living in remote areas away from live jazz sax teachers, Neff is the way to go. In fact this is a great resource for anyone seriously interested in mastering the sax. I’ve never been disappointed in a lesson.
Oliver

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

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
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

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