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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

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

Steve, just a note to say thanks.

I’ve been playing a long time, but your material, laid out in such a thoughtful way, helps me to understand concepts in a new and deeper way.

You are a true gift to the jazz community.

60 lessons and going strong,

Kevin Ledbetter

Kevin Ledbetter
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
Hi Steve, I can’t express just how much I appreciate your teaching. My playing has improved so much over the past year since I have been studying and practicing with your lessons. It is possible to teach an old dog new tricks, these lessons are proof! Thanks, Michael Byington
Michael Byington
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
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
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

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
Steve’s monthly lessons are entirely valuable. Without brow beating, he tells you all the stuff you deep down know you really should be working on, instead of just relying on the same old patterns. In spite of the fact that you’re taking a video lesson, Steve’s presentation is comfortable and “real”. In a little more than a year, he’s developed a library of lessons that seem to offer any player a lifetime’s worth of practice material. I’m just glad I stumbled upon it.… Read more
Grant
I just joined Neff Music last month. I can’t tell you how excited I’ve been to be able to pick back up on lessons. I’ve been in a rut and you got me out! I’ve especially appreciated the Lesson Path section. It was so clear I knew exactly where to jump in and start. Many many thanks!
Karin
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
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

After reading your story I will never feel quite right about complaining about any of my MINOR health issues!!    God bless Steve and I really hope that your health doesn’t stop you from fulfilling your calling.    These books have been such a help to open up my jazz vocabulary…   Thanks so much for sharing your story and for providing these great teaching tools…   John Leclerc   Saxophonist / composer/ EWI player and professional working musician of 35 years….

John Leclerc

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 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
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 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
I have NEVER seen material like yours.  Amazing!!
Jerry
I want to let you know that your instructional material is transforming my playing.  It is an immense pleasure to learn and play now, and I can’t tell you how grateful I am. The instructional material I got from you is by far the best of any I own (and I have over 100 books, DVDs, and what not). I literally can’t thank you enough! Deric
Deric

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 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

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

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