Improving Saxophone Intonation: A Systematic...
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music makers band Improving Saxophone Intonation: A Systematic Approach Sean Murphy Abstract: This article serves as a resource for music educators to improve the often unsatisfactory intonation of the saxophone section. A four-step systematic approach is described, which can be implemented for pitch improvement. The process includes manipulating the oral cavity by way of mouthpiece exercises, an aural understanding of pitch clash, daily use of a drone pitch, and the implementation of choice alternate fingerings. These el- ements combine to establish a systematic approach to correct- ing intonation in the saxophone section. The saxophone is frequently characterized as the section of the band ensemble with the most difficulty in regards to pure tone and accurate pitch in beginning and intermediate years of in- struction. Although this problem can be magnified by the large number of saxophonists typically present in a school band, there are several simple steps that can be implemented systematically to drastically enhance each individual student's concept and re- alization of accurate pitch. Enacting a few techniques in small group, or private, saxophone instruction will lead to quick and audible results for the music educator. The first, and essential, pillar in providing students with the fundamental knowledge required to play with more accurate in- tonation is the ability to manipulate pitch drastically using only the oral cavity. This can first be accomplished by having the stu- dent play only the mouthpiece. First, have the student blow in to the mouthpiece to create any pitch. Then using only the oral cavity have students experiment with moving the pitch down and up, first by large intervals and then by small amounts. As a student progresses, they can next begin playing specific inter- vals on only the mouthpiece. Once students have an under- standing of the muscles involved to create these pitch changes, the same concept can be easily transferred to the actual instru- ment. With the saxophone fully assembled, have students prac- tice bending the pitch down one half step, and then returning to the original pitch using only the embouchure. This exercise is an extreme version of real life pitch adjustment and will help transfer when adjusting in a band or chamber music setting. The second aspect of improving saxophone intonation is the utilization of a drone pitch in individual practice and large group instruction. There are drone recordings available commercially, or resourceful band directors can either create or record their own drones. The drone serves several useful functions when im- proving intonation. First, it allows students to aurally conceptu- alize the sounds of waves in the pitch. This can be demonstrated by the director, playing a note with the mouthpiece pushed all the way in and pulled all the way out, while another student holds the same note in tune. This is an excellent aural depiction of the various types of waves created by pitch clashes. Once the aural concept has been established, a drone can then be used as a pitch matching exercise with a descending pat- tern, (called BOB by a former teacher). The drone is the most ef- fective way to improve intonation. The drone provides a laboratory for students to experiment with pitch manipulation, whether it be successful or unsuccessful in the onset of the ex- ercise. By avoiding looking at a tuner, their ears are the only means of pitch correction. This is critical as pitch in any situa- tion is relative. An ensemble may be playing ten cents sharp, a situation where playing visually "in tune" with a tuner would be worthless. This exercise, shown below, when played against a drone in the root of each key allows the student to practice tun- ing a pitch as a fifth, third and unison against a drone. Having students play this exercise ascending by half steps will familiar- ize them will all twelve keys, as well as foster better intonation of the instrument as a whole, rather than in a few simple keys. Furthermore, when a pre-made drone is not available this exer- cise can double as a long tone activity with one student droning the low tonic of the key while the other student plays the de- scending exercise. Skills used in the earlier stages of pitch ma- nipulation with the oral cavity can then be applied to this drone exercise, in a less drastic manner, to play these drone exercises with precise intonation, by now lowering pitches only slightly. J j Another component of enhancing intonation amongst sax- ophonists is the utilization of alternate fingerings on trouble- some pitches. Due to the nature and shape of the saxophone, specific pitches are inherendy sharp or flat. Students should have an intimate knowledge of what these infamous pitches are, and their extreme pitch tendencies. This can be achieved by having a small group of students create an intonation chart. A saxo- phonist holds a long tone on every note, encompassing the full range of the instrument, while another saxophonist documents how many cents flat or sharp each pitch was sounded. When CANADIAN MUSIC EDUCATOR / MUSICIEN ÉDUCATEUR AU CANADA 37
Transcript of Improving Saxophone Intonation: A Systematic...
music makersband
Improving Saxophone Intonation:A Systematic ApproachSean Murphy
Abstract: This article serves as a resource for music educators toimprove the often unsatisfactory intonation of the saxophonesection. A four-step systematic approach is described, which canbe implemented for pitch improvement. The process includesmanipulating the oral cavity by way of mouthpiece exercises, anaural understanding of pitch clash, daily use of a drone pitch,and the implementation of choice alternate fingerings. These el-ements combine to establish a systematic approach to correct-ing intonation in the saxophone section.
The saxophone is frequently characterized as the section of theband ensemble with the most difficulty in regards to pure toneand accurate pitch in beginning and intermediate years of in-struction. Although this problem can be magnified by the largenumber of saxophonists typically present in a school band, thereare several simple steps that can be implemented systematicallyto drastically enhance each individual student's concept and re-alization of accurate pitch. Enacting a few techniques in smallgroup, or private, saxophone instruction will lead to quick andaudible results for the music educator.
The first, and essential, pillar in providing students with thefundamental knowledge required to play with more accurate in-tonation is the ability to manipulate pitch drastically using onlythe oral cavity. This can first be accomplished by having the stu-dent play only the mouthpiece. First, have the student blow into the mouthpiece to create any pitch. Then using only the oralcavity have students experiment with moving the pitch downand up, first by large intervals and then by small amounts. As astudent progresses, they can next begin playing specific inter-vals on only the mouthpiece. Once students have an under-standing of the muscles involved to create these pitch changes,the same concept can be easily transferred to the actual instru-ment. With the saxophone fully assembled, have students prac-tice bending the pitch down one half step, and then returning tothe original pitch using only the embouchure. This exercise isan extreme version of real life pitch adjustment and will helptransfer when adjusting in a band or chamber music setting.
The second aspect of improving saxophone intonation is theutilization of a drone pitch in individual practice and large groupinstruction. There are drone recordings available commercially,or resourceful band directors can either create or record theirown drones. The drone serves several useful functions when im-
proving intonation. First, it allows students to aurally conceptu-alize the sounds of waves in the pitch. This can be demonstratedby the director, playing a note with the mouthpiece pushed all theway in and pulled all the way out, while another student holdsthe same note in tune. This is an excellent aural depiction of thevarious types of waves created by pitch clashes.
Once the aural concept has been established, a drone canthen be used as a pitch matching exercise with a descending pat-tern, (called BOB by a former teacher). The drone is the most ef-fective way to improve intonation. The drone provides alaboratory for students to experiment with pitch manipulation,whether it be successful or unsuccessful in the onset of the ex-ercise. By avoiding looking at a tuner, their ears are the onlymeans of pitch correction. This is critical as pitch in any situa-tion is relative. An ensemble may be playing ten cents sharp, asituation where playing visually "in tune" with a tuner would beworthless. This exercise, shown below, when played against adrone in the root of each key allows the student to practice tun-ing a pitch as a fifth, third and unison against a drone. Havingstudents play this exercise ascending by half steps will familiar-ize them will all twelve keys, as well as foster better intonationof the instrument as a whole, rather than in a few simple keys.Furthermore, when a pre-made drone is not available this exer-cise can double as a long tone activity with one student droningthe low tonic of the key while the other student plays the de-scending exercise. Skills used in the earlier stages of pitch ma-nipulation with the oral cavity can then be applied to this droneexercise, in a less drastic manner, to play these drone exerciseswith precise intonation, by now lowering pitches only slightly.
J j
Another component of enhancing intonation amongst sax-ophonists is the utilization of alternate fingerings on trouble-some pitches. Due to the nature and shape of the saxophone,specific pitches are inherendy sharp or flat. Students should havean intimate knowledge of what these infamous pitches are, andtheir extreme pitch tendencies. This can be achieved by havinga small group of students create an intonation chart. A saxo-phonist holds a long tone on every note, encompassing the fullrange of the instrument, while another saxophonist documentshow many cents flat or sharp each pitch was sounded. When
CANADIAN MUSIC EDUCATOR / MUSICIEN ÉDUCATEUR AU CANADA 37
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charts from a small group, or duo, are compared, the mostlikely case will be that specific notes on all saxophones haveextreme pitch tendencies. Once those are discovered in per-sonal exercise such as the intonation chart, students are farmore likely to retain the pitches in question, and their ten-dencies.
On most every saxophone some notes have specificpitch tendencies that can be alleviated with the addition ofalternating fingerings that shade the pitch in one directionor the other. The note D on the staff for all types of saxo-phones is frequently very sharp. Its sharpness is further en-hanced by some ensembles tuning to a concert F, forcing Ebsaxophones to tune to this notoriously out of tune pitch. Onthis note having students depress the low B key, inside pinkyof the left hand spatula mechanism, will lower the pitchenough to bring it within a few cents, which can then be ma-nipulated by the oral cavity. This same shading can be ap-plied to Eb and E if the sharpness persists on these notes. C#on the staff is frequently flat, and another pitch which is inneed of alteration. There are numerous ways to achieve this.One popular fingering, is to apply the side C key to this pitch.Another technique is to play the note by depressing the thirdfinger of the left hand with the octave key. Students must ex-periment with these fingerings on their own saxophone, asthey each will produce a different result for each saxophon-ist. Conversely the C# above the staff, one octave higher, issharp. By depressing the middle finger of the right hand,while playing the traditional fingering, will allow for thisnote to resonate in tune more successfully. In the high range,pitches tend to get extremely sharp. To help counteract thisproblem, high E and Eb can be played without depressingthe high D palm key. This will result in a lowered, more intune sound. These fingerings, however, will need to be ex-perimented with by each individual saxophonist. For some,these fingers will affect the pitch too drastically, and for oth-ers it may not affect the pitch at all. Empowering studentswith the knowledge to solve intonation problems, however,will clearly result in enhanced intonation.
Most music educators will agree that saxophonists areoften times the culprit of disastrous intonation in the ensem-ble setting. Through a systematic approach this prevalentissue can quickly be corrected. Students must first develop aphysical understanding of manipulation of pitch with the oralcavity, though mouthpiece exercises. Second, students musthave an aural grasp of wave that constitutes the sound of in-tonation problems. Thirdly, students must implement dailypractice with a drone to match pitch. This is a crucial step asstudents are improving pitch totally by way of aural percep-tion, rather than visually watching the needle of a tuner. Onemust hear intonation, for it can not be seen. This step is themost crucial and will take months to master. Lastly, the im-plementation of a few choice alternate fingerings will allowthe student to anticipate notes that are extremely out of tuneon their personal instrument, and allow for an instant plan ofaction for their correction. When this system is adapted bythe music educator, audible improvements in pitch will be-come a daily occurrence in each rehearsal.
I Saxophonist Sean Murphy is currently pursuing his Master ol Music Degree in Sax-
I ophone Performance from the University of North Texas. He also holds a Bachelor
I of Music Degree in Music Education from Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania.
I As an active performer, he has commissioned new viorks for the instrument by com-
I posers Gregory Wanamaker, Kit Turnbull, and Stephen Barr. His articles on saxo-
1 phone pedagogy have been published in journals throughout the United States,
I Canada, Great Brittan, Spain, FrarKe, and Australia. For more information please visit
wwv(.$eanmurphysaxophone.com.
38 WINTER 2011
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