5 Long Tone Exercises for Saxophone that aren't boring

[@ninjacuberdk1466]

Thanks! I haven’t played for about 15 years and trying to build my embouchure back up. I’ve completely lost my professional tone and control. Somehow I’ve reverted to my high school skill level like I never spent thousands of dollars on college. It’s been quite humbling, frustrating, and a bit depressing. This is a great video! I’ll get there again. :)

[@pas0003]

You can do it!! I'm starting brand new in my early 30s and I can definitely agree that the challenge is pretty humbling!

[@adalyman773]

I’ve been using these exercises, and I’m shocked by how it’s affected my tone, especially across the lower register on my tenor. Thanks so much!

[@McGillMusicSaxSchool]

Awesome! Great to hear that. Loads more like that in Sax School when you’re ready.

[@joycederberg360]

This has helped me so much especially I had COVID-19 for 63+ days. When I picked up my sax after not playing while I had the plague and also during the residual Post Acute Covid Syndrome I couldn’t play anything! I could only play notes. Couldn’t remember any songs! It broke me!!! I put it back on the stand and it just sat there for weeks. My teacher encouraged me to NOT try to play songs but to focus on long tones and he sent me many videos including yours and it is working. Before I got sick, you actually taught me Baker Street! Thank you for your lessons and that you are so gracious to help all of us who are learning to play this amazing instrument.

[@craigscott3133]

My tone has been suffering, and I'm trying to structure my practice better and stop being so lazy and sloppy with my playing. I decided to start each session with your long-tone exercises and your overtone workout. After that I'll work on intervals and then scales (1 key a day and then repeat). My first day of this produced amazing results. By the time I was finished with my session I felt I had focused my tone and really gave my embouchure a workout. Your exercises are what I need. Thanks, Nigel.

[@ademolaomilabu5684]

I like all the exercises.

[@McGillMusicSaxSchool]

Cool. Hope they help you. 👍🎷

[@jazzyjag1989]

Loved the Some where over the rainbow, think I’ll work with that one!

[@McGillMusicSaxSchool]

Cool. Have fun with it!

[@elnauta9525]

Hi Nigel, this is gold, all these exercises are gold!!

[@McGillMusicSaxSchool]

I hope they help you!

[@gwynethjoy6880]

Nigel, THANK YOU for your videos! I’m 61 and have wanted to play sax since childhood. Now I’m living my dream. Have played piano since I was 7.

[@McGillMusicSaxSchool]

Awesome! Great to hear that Gwyneth!

[@venitaalexander7376]

as a beginner these exercises will be of great help to me, thank you. I love them all!

[@JAS1975]

Anyone here watch Twoset Violin? This vid was very helpful!

[@rickybeckett3909]

Love Twoset! I wish there was a pair of sax players that do what they do!

[@christerhenningstedt6939]

Great stuff 👍

[@laparngantuk]

Great lesson! Absolutely not a boring long tone exercise

[@PatrickKizny]

Great subject and video. Would love to share 3 of my favs here. This really helps me get much better tone and ease my way through the entire range. So 1st - obviously playing overtones usually from low bb to g. Then I play the bottom octave (bb to c#) with the octave button pressed. Killer on the beginning but teaches you a lot. Finally there’s another good one - singing the note as you play it on the sax. Get it in tune. I would usually sing unison, 5th below and octave below the sax sound. This really forces your cavity to open up and intonate spot on. Sound is so much better after these.

[@BrunoNeureiter]

Can I hear your sound?

[@matsmanteatern698]

I’m definitely gonna try all 5 exercises!! Thanks!! Here’s my long tone exercise tip: Sigurd M Raschers book top-tones for the Saxophone. Starting on p.18 In this way you practice both longtones and overtones at the same time! Metronome on 60 and 2 bars per long tone. Tip 2: “The Hinge” ( from Adam Larson) you’re middle D is you’re starting point wich you always come back to. metronome on 60 .1 tone per bar. Pattern is this: D-C#-D-rest. D-C-D-rest. D-B-D-rest and so forth chromatically all the way down to low Bb. Then upwards. again with the middle D as a starting point. Pattern is this: D-D#-D-rest. D-E-D-rest. And so forth all the way up to high F. It takes all in all 8 min. and covers the whole range of the saxophone. A good one I think. But Nigels above seems really good ones to!!😁

[@McGillMusicSaxSchool]

Some great suggestions here, thanks. I’m a huge fan of the Sigurd Rasher book too.

[@Erik-jk8zx]

Thank you for the clarification, Nigel.

[@sharynhughes1061]

ThankU! and it is My Birthday.!

[@McGillMusicSaxSchool]

Awesome. Happy birthday!

[@bettythompson1509]

These are the best. I practice long tones often. Adding the extras, wonderful. Thank You

[@SPSax4]

All of these are some good exercises. #2 in particular is my go to.

[@donbacon3886]

Love the lessons. I'm a beginner Or show me the notes would beautiful.😅

[@esfahan1961]

This lesson comes right after I lost my embouchure and considered how to work on long tones without getting bored (I usually just played the entire harmonic scale with each note being played as long as possible). Thank you Nigel 👍🏻

[@pascalerenault9758]

Merci beaucoup ça aide

[@McGillMusicSaxSchool]

No problem Thierry! Glad it helped you.

[@MrMelby]

Bonza! Also, Happy Birthday soundtrack captured to send in all future birthday email greetings.

[@StephenB_LE9]

I'm trying to find 30 mins a day on long tones. I've been using the exercises from Randy Hunter's website - the ones you provide are a further addition to the fun. It does work - over the last 4 weeks I can hear and feel the difference.

[@McGillMusicSaxSchool]

Brilliant! Keep at it Stephen!

[@GetYourSaxTogether]

Oosh! You’re making my chops hurt just watching this Nigel! 🎷😜

[@McGillMusicSaxSchool]

It is a workout!

[@stevepethel6843]

Best lesson on long tones I have found...God bless you Nigel

[@jameslimeri6370]

Hi thank you for video, do you do all the exercise in one session .

[@ericking9061]

Liked all of them

[@McGillMusicSaxSchool]

Cool!

[@taiwoayomide8083]

Great lecture sir.... it’s help a lot

[@dazzab4244]

Hi Nigel, I recently heard another player talking about play scales up and cords down? While I didn’t really understand what he meant, the idea of practicing scales, long tone and a working understanding of cords to improvise intrigued me. What are your thoughts and how would I structure that for it to work? I loved your video by the way, and you added a few more ideas to very my practice, so as not to just exercise one set of ‘mussels’ so to speak.. thanks for the tips.

[@zabellesax]

You recommended drone tones in Sax School which I use and power fiths.

[@jeromeking6001]

It'd be nice if you could give an example of each, after explaining it. Thanks

[@guydelorme417]

Hi Nigel, My choice is the first one. I always have a hard time to reach low C and below. I changed my mouthpiece from stock to Selmer long shaft d D, and still I can play those notes but they dont sound good. The exercises on this video should really help me. Keep up the good work Nigel.

[@gangofgreenhorns2672]

The best thing I ever figured out for consciously adjusting my throat for the lowest notes is to put my thumb and index finger along the inside of my jaw (along your throat beneath where your tongue sets), then mimic burping lol. You should be able to feel in your mouth and on your hand what needs to relax. If you keep your embouchure correct it should really help you thicken them up. Breath support is essential too obv, also long tones are fun, sometimes I noticeably play better after I stop and do them (too eager to play sometimes). We're all stuck inside, time to practice lol!

[@McGillMusicSaxSchool]

Interesting tip here Gang of GreenHorns. Low notes are challenging. For me I’ve found just starting my practice every day with low notes and intervals from them working up my range. Regular consistent practice like this will eventually build your confidence in that low range.

[@gangofgreenhorns2672]

@@McGillMusicSaxSchool Yea! A low Bb is the first note I play when i pick up the sax (not counting random noodling lol). The low range is so good for getting everything opened up and set in the right place.

[@DJsilversax]

Thanks for another great video. :) Are you playing the low Bb with a breath attack on the Builders exercise? It would be good to hear the exercises without the talking over the top.

[@spycedconcepts]

I actually love long tones - there's something cathartic, almost meditational about them. That said, I've used most of these exercises as part of any practice session, all of them learned from Sax School (The ultimate workout is superb). I have added my own which is to play any start note and hold long, for about 2/3 breath, then slide up to the next note in the scale and hold for as long as possible, aiming for the same length of tone or longer. The idea is to improve the tone towards the end of the breath by improving diaphragm control. It's a modified version of the exercises I used in singing to improve abdominal muscle control combined with a SCUBA diving exercises (there's nearly always more air in the lungs than you think). To make it even more challenging, step down the scale rather than up. It's a real beast when it gets to the sub low D notes! Great video as always, Nigel - feeling very spoiled with this and your awesome masterclass yesterday evening.

[@McGillMusicSaxSchool]

Cool thanks Stu, and great tips here from you too!

[@jamesgitau3729]

Thankyou very much

[@dodojack1045]

Hi, great video. Been playing for years but never worked on quality of my sound to that level. I'm now in my late 60's, can this still be useful to me...? Or are the muscles in my mouth too old. ? Thanks.

[@McGillMusicSaxSchool]

You should absolutely do these exercises! Never too old (and we have loads of members that are using these exercises in their 70’s and above!)

[@rickgraham786]

Hi Nigel I also prefer #5, and my go to is also "Over The Rainbow"! I guess great minds think alike.😅🎷🎶

[@gangofgreenhorns2672]

Allard would do the first exercise but he would always make students go down to the root/lower overtone instead of up. Works really well.

[@McGillMusicSaxSchool]

Cool. Thanks that’s a great tip.

[@gangofgreenhorns2672]

@@McGillMusicSaxSchool Thanks read a big discussion on it once, and this vid reminded me of it. A thing I am personally trying is to start with the darkest overtones possible (playing the root; Bb mostly) and then hold the note while making the note as bright/edgy as possible, back to dark, without tightening up at all. I also play high F, and high A like this at least a couple times. *Oh man, Garzone also does #4; he will play just below the note sounding so he can play in the morning without waking his family lol.

[@KadrianThomas]

Great video. Thanks for sharing🇯🇲🎷🎷🔥👍🤜🏾🤛🏾

[@McGillMusicSaxSchool]

Cheers Kadrian!

[@kaivrock]

One thing I like about long tones is that it heats up the horn all the way through.

[@iosebaart]

Cool! He also plays percussion now!

[@robstevens9590]

All 5 exercises!

[@McGillMusicSaxSchool]

Awesome Rob!!

[@prsrick4895]

great demo. confused though, do all these exercises require overtone without using the octave key at all? please confirm. thanks!

[@iiFerd]

yes, if you're not using the octave key it's going to be better for you

[@ian_s7481]

On the 3rd exercise I practice going down also so low Bb to high Bb back to low Bb. I do this because it’s a natural tendency to tighten our embouchure when going up but then going back down it can cause problems getting the low notes and this can produce an overtone so for example, low Bb - high Bb - low BB can come out low Bb - high Bb - middle Bb. I’ve been using this for ages now and it helps getting those low notes to pop out especially when dropping from a high note. It also exercises the throat muscles as you need an open throat especially on low notes, high notes can cause us to pinch the throat passage and oral cavity which makes getting low notes harder as you need air volume. It’s way easier and quicker for us to tighten our oral/ throat muscles than relax them so this is a good way to exercise these.

[@McGillMusicSaxSchool]

Hey Ian. Nice to hear from you. Great tips here, cheers.

[@ian_s7481]

McGill Music Sax School . A problem with a lot of these exercises is the teacher very rarely explains what the exercise is actually doing. You simply get told to do them many times with no other explanation, in the case of long tones you just get told it will improve your tone. How, Why etc never get explained, well in my case it never was and so I used to find it boring. Once I understood why long tones improve my tone etc it became more enjoyable and I have been able to tweak long tone exercises to make them more productive. Many other things are never fully explained and the result is students end up asking themselves “why am I doing this, how is this helping a certain aspect of my playing?” I know for years I found practice exercises boring as I didn’t understand how certain things helped my playing improve and no one really explained why, I’ve had to work it out for myself. Once I did though I could see why and it’s certainly helped me.

[@rickgraham786]

Slow songs long tone for sure. Funny, "Over the Rainbow" is always the tune I use.🎷😝

[@McGillMusicSaxSchool]

Yep, that’s a great tune to use for this William!

[@mrgone658]

It's been said that pain is weakness leaving the body--I guess that would/could/should apply to this as well.

[@McGillMusicSaxSchool]

That’s a great way to thing of things, thanks!

[@andreygruzdev4753]

2:11 1-е упр 2:53 2-у упр 4:09 3-е упр 6:16 4-е упр 7:30 5-е упр

[@PhinAI]

Well, hmm. Maybe I'm not too far off in my practice as a brand new player. I've been doing all of these. I'm having a very hard time avoiding frustration and disinterest in any of the training programs I've invested in. What I have enjoyed doing is going through a many slow songs as I can think of and have been picking them out by ear. In the process, I have played loud when the house is empty, and extremely quiet when people are around. The exercises presented here are a bit more intentional and regimented, but I will certainly use them. The intervals and slurs will be a challenge as those aren't a part of any songs I know.

[@Erik-jk8zx]

Thank you for sharing those tips. I have a question: whenever I go from low notes to high notes I find it nearly impossible not to adjust my embouchure to compensate the shift in Tone. In other words, for a very low notes I must loosen my jaw and for medium register I have a medium embouchure tightness and for the high notes I tend to tighten my embouchure even more. Nevertheless, with your interval exercise you suggest that we maintain exactly the same embouchure in all registers, which, to me, seems impossible to do. Would you please explain?

[@McGillMusicSaxSchool]

Hi Erik. Most people do what you mention here - getting tighter as they go higher on the instrument. The ultimate embouchure is to keep more consistent pressure over the whole range - very difficult to do and takes a lot of practice but if you can get there, it will mean a more even tone and better control when moving between registers. Interval type exercises really help with this.

[@comprendoo]

Thank you for this video 🎷❤️

[@McGillMusicSaxSchool]

You’re welcome, thanks for watching!

[@yolioms]

I have an account log in and when I click the link here to get the overtone worksheet, there is no place to click: ‘ already a member’ or ‘log in’ option. Otherwise, I sign up twice- also, can’t find the overtone exercises when I log in. Thanks Nigel 🖖🏽

[@McGillMusicSaxSchool]

Send us an email and we will sort you out : [e-mail]

[@PacmanRocks100]

I just copied what Bob Spring (clarinetist) does for a warm-up (you can easily find the pdfs and videos online) and haven’t really looked back lol But the interval warm-up is def interesting, especially for tuning.

[@McGillMusicSaxSchool]

Cool. I’ll have to check that out.

[@glen.s9860]

I like the first one as going from low to high not easy. I also reverse it also, but my long tone practice is the chromatic starting from low Bb up to high 3rd F#. I like your one. I would love to know how to play as smooth as you. Do you use anchor tonguing? Glen

[@McGillMusicSaxSchool]

Cool, great to hear about your take on this exercise. Lots of different ways to do it. No secret to how I play smoothly, just lots of long tone practice!

[@namboy2233]

Thanx for the exercises. Hope to use them to improve my tone (retired sax player). Question: Seemed like the high B on happy birthday was slightly sharp??? Are my ears defective??

[@McGillMusicSaxSchool]

Could well be - I’m not perfect (just working towards it!)

[@namboy2233]

@@McGillMusicSaxSchool Thanx for reply. Bottom line: I am just hoping to get back into playing as well as you do after a 8-yr break on alto/tenor. Long tones = boring, but I am already seeing improvements myself.

[@mk59apr]

Sigurd M. Rascher - Top-Tones for the Saxophone....

[@McGillMusicSaxSchool]

That is a classic

[@Chopsticks-ef4il]

what about just playing a note longer I'm having trouble at just maintaining a note for about 3 measures which is tied. It is a slow tempo tho at about 80 bpm

[@McGillMusicSaxSchool]

It takes a while to build your stamina on those longer notes. It’s always easier if you reed isn’t too hard.

[@goncalocorreia3203]

I usually do one tone for session: 10 x maximum duration long tone + 10x 1 bar & beats (1 beat rest). Would you say this is good?

[@McGillMusicSaxSchool]

Sure, that sounds great.

[@jaid3n76]

with dynamics you just blow more air right?

[@McGillMusicSaxSchool]

Yes, but you also need more control as it gets louder (and softer).

[@angwer2940]

nice exercises...a question though: if when doing the long tone exercises with a tuner you notice you are sharp or flat on one particular note.....what do you do about it??

[@McGillMusicSaxSchool]

Great question Ang. All of us will be sharp or flat at some point in these exercises so just adjust as you are going. Over time you will get better at anticipating which notes on your sax are going to be sharp/flat and you will naturally adjust. This is why it’s so important to work regularly with a tuner.

[@angwer2940]

@@McGillMusicSaxSchool Thanks for replying Nigel. How do you "naturally adjust"? Obviously not by slackening or tightening your embrochure though right?

[@andrewkelly1668]

Just returning to these after a year away. Please forgive the very stupid question ….ovtavator exercises… do these without using the octave key itself right?

[@elnauta9525]

How long you dedicate to this exercises? I understand you are a proffesional, so please consider % of time for studing considering other task that we need to perform as well. Thank in advance.

[@McGillMusicSaxSchool]

Great question. I always suggest spending a third of your practice time on “technical” exercises like these. Good to also work on new pieces and some fun stuff in each practice session.

[@ldever3]

I've been holding each note as long as I can, which lately is 40-60 seconds. The intonation changes as I run out of breath. It's good exercises for the diaphragm muscles. Some days I get so dizzy I can't do it. Vertigo the Dr. says.

[@McGillMusicSaxSchool]

Wow that’s pretty good going. I’m sure a little of this is a good thing although the best way to do it would definitely be to keep your intonation on track. So the challenge is the longest note with good intonation.

[@ldever3]

@@McGillMusicSaxSchool Yes, intonation and control are what I'm working on. I was surprised at how my intonation changed from just changes in diaphragm pressure. With my tuner I work on keeping the note in tune until the very end. Ironically it is the initial attack of the note that is always slightly off. I was coughing with the flu for a few weeks, which really showed up in my long tone exercises. All of that coughing tired out the diaphragm muscles, and control deep into the notes really suffered.

[@jimmyb1133]

I usually pick out a song I like to play and play each note in the song slowly and longer ....

[@McGillMusicSaxSchool]

Good strategy

[@lahrelkeely6541]

That is a realy good idea 💡 👏

[@ButterInMyMouth]

Would using overtones to change into the altissimo be the wrong way?

[@McGillMusicSaxSchool]

Good question. Some people use overtones in that way but personally I prefer to use the Overtones as a way to strengthen my embouchure for altissimo playing.

[@jfpoiro]

Is that really a Dave Guardala Saxophone ? You are the 1st person I saw with the same saxophone as mine in 20 years. How did you like it ?

[@McGillMusicSaxSchool]

You play one too? I’ve had mine since new - got it in LA about 25 years ago. It’s a good solid horn and I like the sound. You?

[@jfpoiro]

@@McGillMusicSaxSchool Got mine about 20 or 23 year ago in Montreal. Very ergonomic and solid. Sound okay but I wish I could compare it with Mark VI or a Yanagisawa. Sometime I feel that it's narrow to me and cant get that large legendary sound.

[@Wachera]

Hey Nigel... I'm having a hard time sustaining my low Bb on my alto. I also don't seem to be able to play it softly. How can I improve on this?

[@kennyr1161]

first make sure something isn't wrong with your horn. Then you make sure your throat is really open playing trying to play those low notes soft.

[@McGillMusicSaxSchool]

Hi Cerah. Depending on your sax the low Bb can be tricky. If you can get it out playing loud, then I would try some long tones down there starting loud and getting softer. Spend some time on this to build your confidence and eventually start the note softer. It takes time. I begin every practice session with long notes from low Bb upwards to help with this. And if you’re still really struggling it might be worth getting your sax checked by a repairer - leaks down there are common but easily fixed. Hope that helps!

[@MrBoybergs]

I've been playing sax for over 35 years and I still find it hard not to go sharp on the palm keys. I've always practiced diligently, including long tones and intervals every day but still find that this problem creeps in when I'm away from my tuner (gigs, rehearsals etc). It seems that what I hear as 'in tune' in the high register is actually 5-10 cents sharp. Any suggestions pleeeease??

[@McGillMusicSaxSchool]

Common problem Boy Bergs. Interval practice is something that helps me with this, but also centering my embouchure on the low notes (Bb, B, C) and aiming to keep the mouth shape that works for those notes when I’m playing higher notes. We play sharp up on the palm keys generally because we are squeezing right? So instead if you think of the embouchure shape you have when you play a low Bb for instance, you will naturally be more open and squeeze less. It takes a bit of work but I think it helps.

[@MrBoybergs]

@@McGillMusicSaxSchool Excellent; I'll start on that first thing tomorrow as it makes perfect sense. Thanks so much for the reply. Great channel btw; useful and interesting for everyone from beginners to seasoned musicians.

[@MrBoybergs]

@@McGillMusicSaxSchool Dear 'Mr McSaxGod; I've just spent a few hours practising the low note embouchure in the palm key register as you suggested by switching between the two registers with concentration and mindfulness (hate that word but it's appropriate here) countless times. After years of frustration this has been revelationary. It wasn't an embochoure issue but rather a subconscious restriction of my throat as I switched up that was causing the high notes to go sharp. Without your suggestions I doubt that I have ever become aware of the issue. So a huge thanks from London, UK. Keep well :)

[@suitedsavant9327]

Who else thought that was a bass clarinet

[@ggauche3465]

Your horn seems very clacky. Have you lost your corks?

[@McGillMusicSaxSchool]

Don’t think so, might just be my mic position.

[@ldever3]

The cork on my D fell off last night, and promptly disappeared into some black hole. Within 30 seconds the clicking drove me crazy so I taped some cardboard to compensate. I need to look online for cork I guess. The music store here sells 5000 types of guitar strings, but nothing for a sax.

[@ggauche3465]

@@ldever3 You can buy sheets of it on eBay. Mostly when we play, we learn to block out such sounds and only hear the notes. But for me, once you notice that metal on metal clickety clack, you can't unhear it. I just use a bit of cork and superglue. That probably wrong but it works.

[@KarenUncanny]

@@ggauche3465 it's better to use quick grip or something like that. The one where you put it on both surfaces let it get tacky and then set it. Heaps better for your horn over time.

[@ggauche3465]

@@KarenUncanny Thank you. Is there some terrible chemical reaction between the metal and superglue?

[@levigray2869]

Jeez your saxophone looks like a crappy clarinet

[@McGillMusicSaxSchool]

Ha!

[@velvetimpulse]

Love this! Thanks a lot

[@McGillMusicSaxSchool]

Cheers!