Etude #1 from 48 Famous Studies by Ferling. 2016-2017 Texas All-State.

[@terrencehoward1300]

This brings back memories. You got killer control of your tone partner. Very well done.

[@Sfasusaxophone]

Hey I really appreciate that-thank you so much!

[@cstanfill2000]

Absolutely amazing. This is one of my audition pieces for a regional honor band. If you don't mind, I'm going to use this video for reference.

[@Sfasusaxophone]

Casey Stanfill Thanks so much-glad you like it!

[@zacharybye5630]

Me too back in the day

[@Shooshie128]

Great job, Nathan. You’re one of the few who manage to connect the lines without interrupting them. You’re doing well with masking the high register so that it blends in a continuous line from the lower registers, but the horn wrestles with you in the lowest register. It was this need to constrain the horn and not vice-versa which forced me to come up with the mouthpiece exercise and a way of playing the airstream without letting the horn be the boss. That, and Joe Allard’s version of the same led me to come up with the what some call the Shooshie Mouthpiece Exercise. I learned phonetic positions that are easily controlled (we all know how to talk and use the tongue, and it should be that easy), and playing a scale on the mouthpiece alone, with dynamics and tapers, gave me that ability. It’s a whole different way of playing that requires learning to relax the larynx and tongue so they can reach any position instantly while keeping the embouchure relatively still. It enhances abilities in low and high registers, enables easy pitch control, makes altissimo easy, double tonguing facile and undetectable, and makes the registers blend in any kind of phrasing. The airstream becomes more violin-like. It’s an undertaking, so I understand when older players don’t want to do that. But it’s there for those who want to learn an extremely high degree of finesse on an instrument that likes to bully the player into taking what it wants to do, and turning it into a sensitive and responsive instrument that does what your ear is telling it to do. Other than that, I commend you on the musicality that you’re extracting from these tired old etudes. Careful not to over-taper, as the lines need to hand off a little bit to each other, but you’re making it all sound a lot easier than it is! Making a sax play classical music with finesse is like doing ballet in a Mac truck. But it can be done. It’s just harder than most people would believe. But if you take the collective problems that plague sensitive playing on the sax and analyze them, you find that there is one thing that fixes them all: play the airstream, not the horn. Doing that requires relaxing, but our first instincts are to double down on the force in order to make the instrument acquiesce to our demands. That works to a point. But you can’t go beyond that point in that way. Instead, you have to backtrack to the other extreme: relaxing the throat while working the diaphragm, and using only the muscles that do exactly what you need: mostly the tongue, which assumes positions based on g/k-aouei-r/d. Then the lungs can work the airstream more like a flute. The pitch is lowered to center, and the vibrato goes UP & down, not just down. Centered like a violin. A sine wave, not half a sine wave. I hope to hear recordings of you playing concertos. Maybe they’re already out there. I’ll go look for them. Best of luck... Shooshie

[@corashay6091]

Im trying out for all state highschool honor band and this is my lyrical exersize. You play beautifully and have helped me with understanding the trills and turns so thankyou

[@DeesDNP]

Thank you. The part at 1:35 is the excerpt I have to play for my Honor Band audition. It really helped me understand the true sound of the piece.

[@esosa190ify]

Exiting study. Exquisitely played. Thrilling.

[@aidancardona8592]

It's cool that I listen to you so I can know how the state pieces sound and that my brother is going to SFA

[@황호인-r5b]

A thrilling play fantastic. Thank you.

[@Sfasusaxophone]

Thank you!

[@yesyes4042]

This is beautiful I got chills the first time!

[@chloefullersaxophone]

you have an amazing tone!! very nice vibrato!!

[@matthewkarazincir2281]

0:38 how the heck does that sound THAT good? jeez i sound nothing like that no matter how i try

[@JoeMackenzieThomas]

Voicing!!!! For sure. That’s the saxophone speaking to you lol

[@matthewkarazincir2281]

Joe Thomas i can tell you for a fact.. i’ve changed a lot in the past two years. It’s amazing how practice can change you!

[@K1mosuave]

This is so lovely

[@alexb9739]

0:28-0:40 was amazing

[@sujathasr]

This is amazing! thanks for posting.

[@austinlyons9493]

Omg if there was perfect this would be it

[@Sfasusaxophone]

Thanks so much, Austin!

[@sarahpaeslinsgo]

Awesome!!!

[@a.j.501st]

Hi, I’m doing this wonderful piece for an all-state audition but on tenor. Any tips?

[@creatorbentley492]

Aj Kell Same here

[@user-ve2yu5tv9r]

1:33

[@NMusicYT]

Hey, it's Dr. Nabb! Hope the mouthpiece is coming along nicely.

[@Sfasusaxophone]

Mames it definitely is!

[@tommytutone4224]

Awesome!

[@jxymike1790]

What tempo!? EXCELLENT JOB!!

[@maxsantillanamusic]

Jaylen Harris tempo is 8th notes at 92 or quarter notes at 41 bpm

[@hello16yearsago43]

Sheet music plz?

[@davidmitchelwinograd7146]

where is the music for this? thanks.

[@zoenicole826]

Get the W. Ferling 48 Famous Studies Etude book.

[@robertramos645]

5 people have never played an instrument before

[@WTAMU-sax]

What tempo is this at?

[@mylespope6203]

Aaron Erickson 92 for eight notes per minute or 41 on a metronome

[@kaushikvaliveti6640]

And you use a selmer soloist s90-180 for a mouthpiece?

[@Sfasusaxophone]

Kaushik Valiveti I now use a D’Addario Reserve 155 mouthpiece. In this video I was using a vintage Selmer Soloist.

[@arisigurdarson5975]

Which neck strap do you use on this video?

[@Sfasusaxophone]

Ari Sigurdarson I am using the Air Music neckstrap here.

[@kaushikvaliveti6640]

Hi Dr. Nabb, are you using d’addario reeds?

[@Sfasusaxophone]

Kaushik Valiveti yep! I use Reserve 3 and 3+ strengths.

[@hawkwing7am]

What saxophone are you using? The EX?

[@Sfasusaxophone]

It's a Selmer Super Action 80 Serie IIIGP.

[@Joshfloressax]

Hawkwing7am yes

[@kaushikvaliveti6640]

Hi sir. What reeds are you using? I want to copy your exact tone and style. Exquisite job!👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾

[@epic3924]

Are you using the Vandoren Optimum AL3?

[@Sfasusaxophone]

No, I use the Selmer Soloist mouthpiece.

[@nicolasmlopezz]

A c star or c double star?

[@charlasax]

Faboulus

[@autumnhaggard2793]

What did you compete in all state??

[@UndergroundVersa]

Autumn Haggard, 6A. These other kids don't stand a chance... joking aside, such a heart felt interpretation. No longer just an etude. Bravo, Dr. Nabb!

[@mai_930]

I’m in middle school (7th grade) and I have high school region and I need to play this I’m so scared/nervous.

[@ericware8247]

well how'd it go?

[@mai_930]

@@ericware8247I forgot man

[@RamosdknyRobertrc-d8y]

Inseptid intercept that mf solo Dr !😮

[@loganbach7300]

This is good but some of the articulation isn't quite right

[@anungunrama9344]

That tone on high notes is really good every thing is really good nice

[@anungunrama9344]

This is naples all county song this year.

[@Shooshie128]

Great job, Nathan. You’re one of the few who manage to connect the lines without interrupting them. You’re doing well with masking the high register so that it blends in a continuous line from the lower registers, but the horn wrestles with you in the lowest register. It was this need to constrain the horn and not vice-versa which forced me to come up with the mouthpiece exercise and a way of playing the airstream without letting the horn be the boss. That, and Joe Allard’s version of the same led me to come up with the what some call the Shooshie Mouthpiece Exercise. I learned phonetic positions that are easily controlled (we all know how to talk and use the tongue, and it should be that easy), and playing a scale on the mouthpiece alone, with dynamics and tapers, gave me that ability. It’s a whole different way of playing that requires learning to relax the larynx and tongue so they can reach any position instantly while keeping the embouchure relatively still. It enhances abilities in low and high registers, enables easy pitch control, makes altissimo easy, double tonguing facile and undetectable, and makes the registers blend in any kind of phrasing. The airstream becomes more violin-like. It’s an undertaking, so I understand when older players don’t want to do that. But it’s there for those who want to learn an extremely high degree of finesse on an instrument that likes to bully the player into taking what it wants to do, and turning it into a sensitive and responsive instrument that does what your ear is telling it to do. Other than that, I commend you on the musicality that you’re extracting from these tired old etudes. Careful not to over-taper, as the lines need to hand off a little bit to each other, but you’re making it all sound a lot easier than it is! Making a sax play classical music with finesse is like doing ballet in a Mac truck. But it can be done. It’s just harder than most people would believe. But if you take the collective problems that plague sensitive playing on the sax and analyze them, you find that there is one thing that fixes them all: play the airstream, not the horn. Doing that requires relaxing, but our first instincts are to double down on the force in order to make the instrument acquiesce to our demands. That works to a point. But you can’t go beyond that point in that way. Instead, you have to backtrack to the other extreme: relaxing the throat while working the diaphragm, and using only the muscles that do exactly what you need: mostly the tongue, which assumes positions based on g/k-aouei-r/d. Then the lungs can work the airstream more like a flute. The pitch is lowered to center, and the vibrato goes UP & down, not just down. Centered like a violin. A sine wave, not half a sine wave. I hope to hear recordings of you playing concertos. Maybe they’re already out there. I’ll go look for them. Best of luck... Shooshie

[@narenmandali]

1:36

[@kashaylagarcia8101]

What key is this in?

[@Sfasusaxophone]

Kashayla Garcia C Major

[@Shooshie128]

Great job, Nathan. You’re one of the few who manage to connect the lines without interrupting them. You’re doing well with masking the high register so that it blends in a continuous line from the lower registers, but the horn wrestles with you in the lowest register. It was this need to constrain the horn and not vice-versa which forced me to come up with the mouthpiece exercise and a way of playing the airstream without letting the horn be the boss. That, and Joe Allard’s version of the same led me to come up with the what some call the Shooshie Mouthpiece Exercise. I learned phonetic positions that are easily controlled (we all know how to talk and use the tongue, and it should be that easy), and playing a scale on the mouthpiece alone, with dynamics and tapers, gave me that ability. It’s a whole different way of playing that requires learning to relax the larynx and tongue so they can reach any position instantly while keeping the embouchure relatively still. It enhances abilities in low and high registers, enables easy pitch control, makes altissimo easy, double tonguing facile and undetectable, and makes the registers blend in any kind of phrasing. The airstream becomes more violin-like. It’s an undertaking, so I understand when older players don’t want to do that. But it’s there for those who want to learn an extremely high degree of finesse on an instrument that likes to bully the player into taking what it wants to do, and turning it into a sensitive and responsive instrument that does what your ear is telling it to do. Other than that, I commend you on the musicality that you’re extracting from these tired old etudes. Careful not to over-taper, as the lines need to hand off a little bit to each other, but you’re making it all sound a lot easier than it is! Making a sax play classical music with finesse is like doing ballet in a Mac truck. But it can be done. It’s just harder than most people would believe. But if you take the collective problems that plague sensitive playing on the sax and analyze them, you find that there is one thing that fixes them all: play the airstream, not the horn. Doing that requires relaxing, but our first instincts are to double down on the force in order to make the instrument acquiesce to our demands. That works to a point. But you can’t go beyond that point in that way. Instead, you have to backtrack to the other extreme: relaxing the throat while working the diaphragm, and using only the muscles that do exactly what you need: mostly the tongue, which assumes positions based on g/k-aouei-r/d. Then the lungs can work the airstream more like a flute. The pitch is lowered to center, and the vibrato goes UP & down, not just down. Centered like a violin. A sine wave, not half a sine wave. I hope to hear recordings of you playing concertos. Maybe they’re already out there. I’ll go look for them. Best of luck... Shooshie

[@elxiva8429]

1:35

[@Shooshie128]

Great job, Nathan. You’re one of the few who manage to connect the lines without interrupting them. You’re doing well with masking the high register so that it blends in a continuous line from the lower registers, but the horn wrestles with you in the lowest register. It was this need to constrain the horn and not vice-versa which forced me to come up with the mouthpiece exercise and a way of playing the airstream without letting the horn be the boss. That, and Joe Allard’s version of the same led me to come up with the what some call the Shooshie Mouthpiece Exercise. I learned phonetic positions that are easily controlled (we all know how to talk and use the tongue, and it should be that easy), and playing a scale on the mouthpiece alone, with dynamics and tapers, gave me that ability. It’s a whole different way of playing that requires learning to relax the larynx and tongue so they can reach any position instantly while keeping the embouchure relatively still. It enhances abilities in low and high registers, enables easy pitch control, makes altissimo easy, double tonguing facile and undetectable, and makes the registers blend in any kind of phrasing. The airstream becomes more violin-like. It’s an undertaking, so I understand when older players don’t want to do that. But it’s there for those who want to learn an extremely high degree of finesse on an instrument that likes to bully the player into taking what it wants to do, and turning it into a sensitive and responsive instrument that does what your ear is telling it to do. Other than that, I commend you on the musicality that you’re extracting from these tired old etudes. Careful not to over-taper, as the lines need to hand off a little bit to each other, but you’re making it all sound a lot easier than it is! Making a sax play classical music with finesse is like doing ballet in a Mac truck. But it can be done. It’s just harder than most people would believe. But if you take the collective problems that plague sensitive playing on the sax and analyze them, you find that there is one thing that fixes them all: play the airstream, not the horn. Doing that requires relaxing, but our first instincts are to double down on the force in order to make the instrument acquiesce to our demands. That works to a point. But you can’t go beyond that point in that way. Instead, you have to backtrack to the other extreme: relaxing the throat while working the diaphragm, and using only the muscles that do exactly what you need: mostly the tongue, which assumes positions based on g/k-aouei-r/d. Then the lungs can work the airstream more like a flute. The pitch is lowered to center, and the vibrato goes UP & down, not just down. Centered like a violin. A sine wave, not half a sine wave. I hope to hear recordings of you playing concertos. Maybe they’re already out there. I’ll go look for them. Best of luck... Shooshie

[@Shooshie128]

Great job, Nathan. You’re one of the few who manage to connect the lines without interrupting them. You’re doing well with masking the high register so that it blends in a continuous line from the lower registers, but the horn wrestles with you in the lowest register. It was this need to constrain the horn and not vice-versa which forced me to come up with the mouthpiece exercise and a way of playing the airstream without letting the horn be the boss. That, and Joe Allard’s version of the same led me to come up with the what some call the Shooshie Mouthpiece Exercise. I learned phonetic positions that are easily controlled (we all know how to talk and use the tongue, and it should be that easy), and playing a scale on the mouthpiece alone, with dynamics and tapers, gave me that ability. It’s a whole different way of playing that requires learning to relax the larynx and tongue so they can reach any position instantly while keeping the embouchure relatively still. It enhances abilities in low and high registers, enables easy pitch control, makes altissimo easy, double tonguing facile and undetectable, and makes the registers blend in any kind of phrasing. The airstream becomes more violin-like. It’s an undertaking, so I understand when older players don’t want to do that. But it’s there for those who want to learn an extremely high degree of finesse on an instrument that likes to bully the player into taking what it wants to do, and turning it into a sensitive and responsive instrument that does what your ear is telling it to do. Other than that, I commend you on the musicality that you’re extracting from these tired old etudes. Careful not to over-taper, as the lines need to hand off a little bit to each other, but you’re making it all sound a lot easier than it is! Making a sax play classical music with finesse is like doing ballet in a Mac truck. But it can be done. It’s just harder than most people would believe. But if you take the collective problems that plague sensitive playing on the sax and analyze them, you find that there is one thing that fixes them all: play the airstream, not the horn. Doing that requires relaxing, but our first instincts are to double down on the force in order to make the instrument acquiesce to our demands. That works to a point. But you can’t go beyond that point in that way. Instead, you have to backtrack to the other extreme: relaxing the throat while working the diaphragm, and using only the muscles that do exactly what you need: mostly the tongue, which assumes positions based on g/k-aouei-r/d. Then the lungs can work the airstream more like a flute. The pitch is lowered to center, and the vibrato goes UP & down, not just down. Centered like a violin. A sine wave, not half a sine wave. I hope to hear recordings of you playing concertos. Maybe they’re already out there. I’ll go look for them. Best of luck... Shooshie

[@Shooshie128]

Great job, Nathan. You’re one of the few who manage to connect the lines without interrupting them. You’re doing well with masking the high register so that it blends in a continuous line from the lower registers, but the horn wrestles with you in the lowest register. It was this need to constrain the horn and not vice-versa which forced me to come up with the mouthpiece exercise and a way of playing the airstream without letting the horn be the boss. That, and Joe Allard’s version of the same led me to come up with the what some call the Shooshie Mouthpiece Exercise. I learned phonetic positions that are easily controlled (we all know how to talk and use the tongue, and it should be that easy), and playing a scale on the mouthpiece alone, with dynamics and tapers, gave me that ability. It’s a whole different way of playing that requires learning to relax the larynx and tongue so they can reach any position instantly while keeping the embouchure relatively still. It enhances abilities in low and high registers, enables easy pitch control, makes altissimo easy, double tonguing facile and undetectable, and makes the registers blend in any kind of phrasing. The airstream becomes more violin-like. It’s an undertaking, so I understand when older players don’t want to do that. But it’s there for those who want to learn an extremely high degree of finesse on an instrument that likes to bully the player into taking what it wants to do, and turning it into a sensitive and responsive instrument that does what your ear is telling it to do. Other than that, I commend you on the musicality that you’re extracting from these tired old etudes. Careful not to over-taper, as the lines need to hand off a little bit to each other, but you’re making it all sound a lot easier than it is! Making a sax play classical music with finesse is like doing ballet in a Mac truck. But it can be done. It’s just harder than most people would believe. But if you take the collective problems that plague sensitive playing on the sax and analyze them, you find that there is one thing that fixes them all: play the airstream, not the horn. Doing that requires relaxing, but our first instincts are to double down on the force in order to make the instrument acquiesce to our demands. That works to a point. But you can’t go beyond that point in that way. Instead, you have to backtrack to the other extreme: relaxing the throat while working the diaphragm, and using only the muscles that do exactly what you need: mostly the tongue, which assumes positions based on g/k-aouei-r/d. Then the lungs can work the airstream more like a flute. The pitch is lowered to center, and the vibrato goes UP & down, not just down. Centered like a violin. A sine wave, not half a sine wave. I hope to hear recordings of you playing concertos. Maybe they’re already out there. I’ll go look for them. Best of luck... Shooshie