Jazz articulation: The most important lesson I learned

Here's how I think about saxophone articulation from a practice and performance perspective. Download my FREE 7-Step Practice Framework ► bobsvirtualstud...
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Bob Reynolds is a saxophonist, composer, educator, and 2-time Grammy-winning member
of the instrumental group Snarky Puppy. He has released 10 solo albums, several of which
made Billboard’s Top 10 Jazz charts. Recognized for his work with Snarky, and touring with
John Mayer, he’s been a featured soloist with Grammy-winning instrumentalists Larry
Carlton, Chris Botti, and Jeff Lorber. He’s worked with a wide array of pop artists including
Michael Bublé, The 1975, Idina Menzel, Josh Groban, USHER, and others. The New York
Times called Bob “a self-assured saxophonist and an unassuming yet effective composer.”
His solo albums showcase his melodic improvisational style, tuneful songwriting, and, as the
LA Times put it, “hip-swiveling” grooves. His live concert album, Guitar Band, has over 4
million views on KZbin. A pioneer in online education, Bob launched his innovative Virtual
Studio in 2010, where he has since coached thousands of musicians. More than 84,000
people subscribe to Bob's KZbin channel, where he shares insights on developing good
practice habits and overcoming doubt as a musician and artist.
#saxophone #articulation

[@saxiroth6647]

The separation of the tongue and time is almost as important as the separation of church and state

[@maynardewm]

“If I could, in our first lesson I would cut your tongue out” jazz musicians are another breed 😂

[@DrWil13]

Lol

[@greggwalker5571]

At North Texas I was introduced to the concept of pretend your fingers are drum sticks....changed my playing totally.

[@PaulMcKendrick]

Miles Davis’ Shopping; his best work.

[@tommydoggettsaxophone]

Perfect timing; I needed to hear this because I find with my students that they want to feel like they’re doing something when they play and in turn over articulate. A simple phrase turns into a tah-tah casserole. I will add to the lesson plan: get the rhythm in your fingers. Thanks Bob!

[@luisvalentin6939]

the reproduction of the sound is very importante too. If you can produce an even tone in every note it would sound great slur or articulate.

[@breakfastplan4518]

'Legato' is the magic word here! :)

[@bygonedaze7935]

modern jazz sax style = speak with the fingers. Wasn't it Dizzy that said "staccato legato?"

[@NathanAllenSax]

Thanks Bob, this needed to be discussed. I’m glad you shared it with us!

[@bobreynolds]

Thanks to Caleb Elzinga for the video question. ⬇ Download my 7-T Jazz Practice Pyramid-A one-page map to creatively organize your practice time-FREE at jazzpracticepyramid.com

[@marcelcarter861]

Question in the sing forever in love by Kenny g why does it sound like his tone is bouncing like

[@FrictionFive]

Thank you for elucidating this Garzonian concept!!!

[@stephenbrophy836]

I reckon George should play a starring role in Godfather 4

[@bobreynolds]

😂

[@xrgiok]

nice points, thanks !

[@latinkeys1]

I’ve watched several videos of yours but this video right here really showed me you are a great educator, i learned a lot from it. Thanks for sharing Bob, i love your playing and now your instruction. Amazing, dude

[@ggauche3465]

Thank you for your generosity Bob. I record these gems using Audio Hijack and import them into Transcribe! and repeat them until I've got them. Sometimes I do have to actually write the long ones down; old brain! But I am getting better and quicker and I appreciate your clean playing!

[@chocolatte629]

Great lesson, Mr. Reynolds! Thank you.

[@harrisonmccomb1511]

Hey Bob, will there be a recording of that Monk set with Turner? Also have you ever recorded together with him, I’ve always thought about the two of you playing together! All the best, Harry.

[@tedtedsen269]

I was told that sluring is a big badd habitt is it ? YOU MUS SEPERATE ALL NOTES SELF TAUGHT PLAYERS DEVELOP THAT BAD HABITT HE SAID and sell that P-Mauriat geth a selmer or a yani

[@ginabean9434]

I find it difficult to not put the tongue, even as an exercise, when the phrase direction changes or, maybe, when large jumps are involved. Is it only me?

[@MARKLINMAN1]

Awesome Bob, very well explained and executed. 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼 Thanks a million for this.

[@JohnHancotte]

I’m a bassist. Enjoy your views and delivery. I’m generally always going after more attack in my playing, especially on upright. Legato is achieved with hammer ons, pull offs, and glissandos. Important in soloing, which I don’t get to do often but perhaps one day I will need to be ready.

[@riccitone]

Bob, this is so important/great. Affirming, as I’ve generally been approaching this way in my studio…but this goes way deeper, can’t wait to implement it in the manner you’ve explained (I will also tell them to check this out 🙏🏼) So cool you brought those clips of George Garzone. And what?!? You and Mark Turner, this will be wonderful!

[@marcosaxscotti4403]

Great Caleb! And great Bob!!!

[@owentimmerman522]

Love Caleb!!! Known the guy for years, absolute monster of a player

[@Ottolinked]

Does he play live or just on KZbin? 😉

[@brianmatthews232]

Great lesson, such a great tone!!!

[@jtrane5]

Man, everytime I practice, I hear George in my head telling me to stop using my tongue.

[@gangofgreenhorns2672]

Everyone should watch that Sax Bird video with Garzone, had a huge impression on me when first beginning to practice/develop tone.

[@dawred3390]

I love the kind of arituculation you do starting on 5:21. That's what I am aming for (~;

[@racehoglund7251]

Same! I love the slight glisses that he does too

[@ogdTo]

But listening to your sound, i might say you forget a 4th "S" to your triadic mantra: "S"ound like Chris Potter ! :D

[@PaulMcCaffreyfmac]

As a gutar player for whom all these discussions and techniques are arcane and mysterious it is curiously reassuring that I might enoy one solo more than another or one one p;ayer more than another for a reason that is real even if I don't recognise or even understand it...... if you see what I mean.

[@sax_craft]

Great video! How would you tongue the melody for Blues For Alice after you get it down slow straight and slurred?

[@wcakgilleran]

This is why my 16th note lines are so hard for me to play clean but my triplets flow. I can tongue triplets on the beat but stumble on 16ths every time. I'm trying to articulate 8th notes twice as fast unsuccessfully. Thanks Bob!

[@burgessbrian9329]

Superb video & invaluable advice- thank you

[@TonyAguirreJazz]

great post. My articulation suffers thanks to my tongue because my ears are trying to drive rather than my fingers. Great lesson

[@DutcherSnedeker]

Wooo! So glad Caleb’s getting some props, such a good, hard working musician!

[@felixol]

Mind-blowing lessson. Thanks

[@sandroflute]

Great lesson, Bob! Playing slurred first is also key to great air support. An articulated phrase only sounds good if the air keeps flowing as in playing legato until a real rest comes.

[@peterfriedmann3458]

Dig the Misterioso! Good luck tonight!

[@takeuchinao]

Great lesson! Thank you so much.

[@jordanmorack9122]

I listened to you say "Tempo, that was weird, tempo" 46 times to listen to the lick right after

[@bobreynolds]

😂🤙🏼

[@MagnusAnand]

This is an amazing tip

[@dr.torrsant4845]

This is great ❤️🎷

[@freddylebanon]

Thanks Bob

[@getoutside1870]

Garzone student here - the no-tongue approach is the gateway to Stan Getz-like swinging. However be prepared to tax your lungs! It takes more air to play this way. I had to shelve my 9* link for a 6 in order to play long lines.

[@zs6460]

pure gold

[@us-Bahn]

I bootlegged Caleb’s transpositions and now I’m drinking martinis in the south of France slow straight and stirred

[@wpmarely]

Great video bob

[@ananyaacharya6651]

There's so many out of context gems waiting to happen to this video.. memes galore

[@saxophone3043]

멋진 연주 잘 들었습니다 행복하게 보내시길 바랍니다,,

[@jeffreymassey5541]

Very good information Bob. 👍✅💯🎶

[@ThisFoooBobo]

I saw a long George Garzon video a while back and he opened this up to me!!! 🤟

[@MikeSmith-go8wk]

I know that I will play with bob Reynolds and Ben wendel at a place called snarky puppy one day

[@stangetz534]

that ligature brighten up and makes your sound more crispy in a great way.

[@oostapchuk]

4:59 I know a guy, who sounds exactly the same lol

[@oooooo-cs6nj]

Genial Master bendiciones 🙏

[@nickpilgrim1966]

Great lesson Bob. Love George!

[@TheAaronRodgersTao]

Even if it’s a great exercise to cut out the tongue, it’s not worth it to me. Just my opinion. It takes absolutely all the joy out of it for me. And that’s just my opinion. Not trying to tell anyone else what to do. Maybe i won’t ever be as good as I can be by not doing this incredibly awkward and boring exercise, sorry. I’ll just keep trying to mimic what I hear in my transcriptions and in my soul. In the end I think it will be ok, without taking the fun out

[@getoutside1870]

But it forces you to focus on pure melodic development and building longer lines. Maybe you've already gotten there but for me it's just what I needed.

[@joeo4117]

I’m a drummer wtf am I doing here. In all seriousness practicing slow really seems to help my playing ( I think )

[@bobreynolds]

☺️ it's all about the rhythm so you're in the right place. 🥁🎷

[@HagamosLoImposible]

Great video

[@sat.chid.ananda]

Ah this is great to keep in mind, about tonguing, what type of excersice should do you recommend? i can't seem to get it right, i either touch the reed too much, or very little to the point where it's not noticeable, i'm not getting that slurred sound :(

[@bobreynolds]

Try the Klosé Daily Studies etudes all legato at slow mms like 60 - 80 bpm. ignore all written articulations and just focus on finger evenness.

[@anthonysaxsonmusic]

I see you are using a different ligature here! And specific reason?

[@bobreynolds]

Don’t read too much into it; I’ve been playing around with a few different ones. I actually recorded a video of me playing about a dozen ligatures that I’m thinking about posting here.

[@alejandrosax7094]

8:45 XD XD XD

[@olivierculoma9562]

bonjour une traduction en Français serais vraiment super !!!

[@matthewetmoi8436]

Tout à fait d'accord ; tu pourrais t'en charger ?

[@not2be86]

Practicing passages slurred is a great practice technique and certainly has applications in live performance, but articulation has so much effect on one's personal style that it should also be studied extensively. When one considers the great saxophonists (and other players!) of the past, articulation is one of the primary factors in their style. Think Joe Henderson compared to Dexter, Coltrane compared to Rollins, Brecker compared to Bergonzi. The way they articulate, among other things, sets them apart from everyone else.

[@bobreynolds]

Yup. Never advocating for no articulation. Problem is 99.99999% of saxophonists over-articulate and most aren't even aware of it. Certainly was me before meeting Garzone.

[@getoutside1870]

You can add "body articulation" by sitting in a drum throne and bouncing with the swing. Probably some could do it standing up but I find it a bit unstable.@@bobreynolds

[@LorenzHargassner]

08:30 No, I definitely don't think this sounds better that the previous example... ;o) You got the point, Bob! I also was lucky to having had a couple of lessons with George Garzone during my year at the New School (back in 2004... wow...) and he just said the same thing. It also ocurred to me when playing "Paul Desmond style", what I do with my band pure desmond (check it out here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/hXakeWVtadh0raM, that is also a mix of slurred and tongued articulation). BUT: It can also be great to articulate every other note, I believe it's kind of a matter of style... I mean, what do you think about Branford's phrasing here? kzbin.info/www/bejne/npmxdp1_et98n68)

[@lucafreeman]

Half tongue do you use it?

[@bobreynolds]

all the time. this is more about a specific "ironing out" of articulation (by going full legato). when you start to add the articulation back in, the half-tongue/ghost-tongue comes (more) naturally.

[@racehoglund7251]

I remember you teaching me this lesson back at the last IO sax retreat. My technique is a lot better now! Hopefully we’ll get to have another retreat this summer

[@rinahall]

I just listened to a 10h European podcast radio show on Sonny Rollins (yes, 10x 1h, covering 1951-2001 !!!). My opinion of Rollins is that it seems very overrated to me. First of all as a player, he does not seem to me better than Johnny Griffin, Stitt, Roland Kirk, Phil Woods, Lateef ... but enjoys a much more important reputation ... and unjustified in my opinion. Ok he plays well, but not better than the musicians I mentioned. In terms of composition, he did not compose anything, everyone knows that St Thomas is a Caribbean folklore already recorded by Randy Weston in 1955 under the title Fire Down There. His other compositions from the 50s ... well, Oleo, Airegin etc ... this can in no way be compared to the compositions of Trane, Bird, Monk or Shorter ... also, his playing and his sound are terribly degraded after 1966 (36 years). It seems that he was traumatized by the arrival of Ornette, Trane, Ayler ... In the 60's he tried to be more free than Ayler, more calypso / blues than Ornette, and more mystical than Trane, but he didn't. did not succeed. Then in the 70s / 80s he tried to be funky, disco ... with really ridiculous and cheesy results ... Did he want to be funkier than James Brown himself? Also, in the radio show they say that he was paid current $ 300,000 for himself to record the Nucleus album (so listen to the result !!!!), and that, for his concerts, his financial claims were unrealistic, only the big festivals could afford it. He played with the Stones but didn't want to go on tour with them because, according to Jagger himself, he wanted too much money! I mean, I'm not making anything up here. In my opinion, he should have remained what he was before, a disciple of Bird at the Tenor, and quit at the age of 40 to leave a quality job, and without trying to follow fashion. Thank you for not insulting me because I have documented myself on Rollins and I like to have constructive discussions without being attacked on my person.

[@markhiggins8315]

I respect that you have the courage to give your opinion in the full knowledge that it isn't going to be popular. I guess rhythm, dynamics and melodic development aren't high on your list of priorities.

[@lesarbuckle2541]

Some people don't like Coltrane, either. If you like 'Trane and not Sonny, or Sonny and not 'Trane, you're missing the wealth of real jazz that both have left us. Sonny is one of the most creative, swinging, and inspired tenor players who has ever lived. Sorry he didn't have the good taste to die young like his idol.

[@rinahall]

@@markhiggins8315 prove it

[@markhiggins8315]

@@rinahall What are you asking me to prove?

[@rinahall]

@@markhiggins8315 ''I guess rhythm, dynamics and melodic development aren't high on your list of priorities..'' prove it, scan my life and my brain and prove this thing! I have 2500 CDs, I listen all kinds of music, from Bartok to Messiaen. to Bach to mozart to africain and arabic folk music, to flamenco to baroque classical stuff, to Bird to Duke To Steve Coleman, to Ornette etc etc. So prove your phrase right now

[@andyquinn1125]

Well said Bob. I'm experimenting with tonguing. Legato playing sounds so sweet, whereas the tongue gives that rhythmic snap that is appealing. The fingers have to do the work I've learned. There seems to be a world of learning in just how and when the fingers close the keys.

[@bobreynolds]

Totally!

[@aqualili]

I think the key is to use tonguing to accent peaks and valleys in your ideas!