About THE SAXOPHONE BOOK…
THE SAXOPHONE BOOK comes from the innovative and creative mind of 3x Grammy winning saxophonist Jeff Coffin (Dave Matthews Band/Bela Fleck & the Flecktones, the Mu’tet). This 3-volume set is an extraordinarily thoughtful dissection and presentation of the musical fundamentals that Jeff calls ‘The Big 5’.
1) Listening
2) Tone/Dynamics
3) Articulation
4) Rhythm/Time
5) Harmony
Why FUNDAMENTALS?
Jeff believes that fundamentals are the ‘roots’ of musical learning and, in order for the student to grow, they need strong roots. These books help develop and/or strengthen the fundamentals using a variety of creative and fun musical concepts, exercises, and ideas. From developing life long practice habits to sharing personal and philosophical ideas about music and musical spirit, Coffin has codified, and now made available, the wide array of materials that have made him one of the most recognized and sought after players, and educators, on today’s scene.
How to USE THE SAXOPHONE BOOK…
It’s very simple. A metronome, tuner, patience, and good practice habits are all you need. These books are designed to allow students to ‘self-progress’. However, Jeff always recommends some kind of consistent private instruction when possible.
To get started, read through the intro pages. Then, start with Book 1, exercise #1. Choose a slow tempo on your metronome and start playing. Move your tempo up as you get more comfortable with each exercise. These exercises should be repeated. Many times. Remember, it’s a PROCESS. Through repetition comes magic…
The RESULTS…
The results are many and will occur rapidly! Superior listening, tone, dynamics, intonation, articulation, rhythm, time, and a deep understanding of harmony are all results of working on fundamentals. Every musician i know continues to work on the fundamentals throughout their career. It’s a never ending process. When the student has made a thoughtful study of these 3 volumes, they will have a much deeper understanding of the fundamentals as well as a high level of technical proficiency and musical competency on their instrument.
These are also great books for a more seasoned player looking for different ways of approaching material they have already studied. This is a tried and true method!
A little HISTORY…
For well over 15 years, since the early Bela Fleck & the Flecktones days (late 20th Century), Coffin has worked on and developed this material. He began compiling exercises for his students in Finale, and later Sibelius, so as to avoid writing the same things out time and again. This snowballed into Jeff entering hundreds of pages of his personal exercises into the computer. What you see here is the result of that work. Literally, hundreds, and likely, thousands of hours have been spent putting these books together in as concise and clear a way as possible to benefit the student. But, what to call it? After hours of deliberation, brainstorming, looking up words in the dictionary, writing down combinations of words and phrases on paper, and mumbling to himself through a closed hand so as to not be heard mumbling to himself, Coffin finally came up with an astonishingly brilliant title…THE SAXOPHONE BOOK - Ok, maybe it’s not so astonishing but it seems appropriate since every time Jeff talked about it he would start off by saying ‘So, I’m writing this saxophone book…’
Table of Content
BOOK 3 – PAGE NUMBER / CONTENT
001) Book 3 – Table of Contents
003) Welcome Page
004) Disclaimer
005) Enharmonic Equivalence
006) ‘Must Hear’ Sax Players
007) ‘Must Hear’ Recordings
008) THE BIG 5 – Fundamentals
009) Fundamentals Are Fundamental
010) How To Practice
011) Strengths & Weaknesses / Short & Long Term Goals
012) Saxophone Equipment Tips
013) (F)* LISTENING – Thoughts
014) (F) LISTENING – Questions
(F)* denotes a fundamental
015) APPLYING THE INFO
016) INSIDE OF THE OUTSIDE analysis
017) (C)** THE INSIDE OF THE OUTSIDE
(C)** denotes a concert pitch chart
INTERVALLIC RELATIONSHIPS
020) Chromatic & Rotating minor 2nds
021) Chromatic Major 2nds
022) Chromatic & Rotating Major 2nds
023) Chromatic & Rotating minor 3rds
024) Chromatic minor 3rds
025) Chromatic & Rotating Major 3rds
026) Chromatic Major 3rds
027) Chromatic & Rotating Perfect 4ths
028) Chromatic Perfect 4ths
029) Chromatic & Rotating Tri-Tones
030) Chromatic Tri-Tones
031) Chromatic & Rotating Perfect 5ths
032) Chromatic Perfect 5ths
033) Chromatic & Rotating Augmented 5ths
034) Chromatic Augmented 5ths
035) Chromatic & Rotating Major 6ths
036) Chromatic Major 6ths
037) Chromatic & Rotating minor 7ths
038) Chromatic minor 7ths
039) Chromatic & Rotating Major 7ths
040) Chromatic Major 7ths
041) Tri-Tone combinations
044) Chromatic 4ths to minor 3rds descending
045) Major 6th, minor 3rd, Perfect 4th
046) Perfect 4th, minor 2nd, Perfect 5th
047) Perfect 5th, minor 2nd, Perfect 4th
048) Perfect 4th to minor 3rd augmented root movement
049) Perfect 4th to Major 3rd
050) 3/4/1 Major Tri-Tone Substitutions
051) 3/4/1 Major Descending Chromatic
052) 3/4/1 Major Chromatic Half Steps
053) (F) TONE/DYNAMICS Thoughts
054) (F) TONE/DYNAMICS Questions
055) Thoughts On Improvisation
056) A JOE JONES analysis
058) (C) A JOE JONES
059) b7 1 #4 3 Pattern 1
060) b7 1 #4 3 Pattern 2
063) 4ths – Whole Tone Roots
064) 4ths – Diminished Roots
065) 4ths – Approached Chromatically/descending
066) 4ths – Approached Chromatically diminished Roots
067) 4ths & minor 3rds – roots in 4ths
068) 4ths & minor 3rds diminished root movement
069) 4ths & minor 3rds / Chromatic
070) (F) ARTICULATION Thoughts
071) (F) ARTICULATION Questions
072) UNCLE SALTY analysis
073) (C) UNCLE SALTY
075) Chromatic major Pentatonics – descending
076) Chromatic major Pentatonics – ascending
077) Chromatic minor Pentatonics descending minor b3
078) Chromatic minor Pentatonics ascending minor b3
079) Chromatic minor Pentatonics descending b3/b6
080) Chromatic minor Pentatonics ascending b3/b6
081) Chromatic minor Pentatonics descending b2/b3/b6
082) Chromatic minor Pentatonics ascending b2/b3/b6
083) (F) RHYTHM/TIME Thoughts
084) (F) RHYTHM/TIME Questions
085) The Transparency Of Sound
086) Taking Your Improvisation To The Next Level in 10 Steps
087) Major b9 (b2) Triads – chromatic roots
089) Major b9 (b2) Triads (5/8)
090) Major 7 b9 (b2) Arpeggios – diminished roots (5/8 & 6/8 alternating)
093) Major 6th, Whole Step, Tri-Tone
094) Major 6th, ½ step, Perfect 5th
095) (F) HARMONY Thoughts
096) (F) HARMONY Questions
097) Lydian Dominant Scales (Dominant 7 #11)
099) Dominant 7th Chords – fully altered
101) Dominant Chords – fully altered/scale form
103) Dominant 7th & Dim 7th partially inverted
105) Close Major Chromatic Arpeggios in inversion
107) Same Root/Different 7th Chord
119) Tone Rows
120) Various Elements Of Improvisation
ii/V/I Patterns – WHOLE TONE Patterns – DIMINISHED Patterns
122) ii-V7-I Arpeggios (Major)
123) ii-V7-I Pattern 1
125) 1 2 3 5 Pattern (ii-V7-I major)
126) ii-V7-I Pattern 2
127) Whole Tone Arpeggios
128) Whole Tone Arpeggios – ascending
129) Whole Tones in 3rds – ascending
130) Whole Tone in Tri-Tones – ascending
131) Diminished Pattern
132) Thoughts…
133) Influences
135) JC Answers Fundamental Questions
143) Thanks
About the author
JEFF COFFIN is an internationally recognized saxophonist, bandleader, composer, educator and author who has been traveling the globe since the late 20th Century. He is a 3x Grammy Award winner from Bela Fleck & the Flecktones, and played with them from 1997-2010. In July 2008, Jeff began touring with Dave Matthews Band, and officially joined the group in 2009 following the tragic passing of founding member Le Roi Moore. When not on the road with Dave Matthews, Coffin fronts his own group, Jeff Coffin & the Mu’tet, teaches at Vanderbilt University, presents clinics around the world, and, in 2015, established the Nashville Jazz Composers Collective in Nashville, TN. In 2011 he started Ear Up Records as a place for emerging as well as established talent.
As a studio musician, Coffin has played on hundreds of recordings and is regarded as one of the top players in his profession. As a heavily in-demand D’addario and Yamaha Clinician, Coffin has presented well over 300 music clinics around the world to students in the US, South Africa, Australia, South America, Europe, Canada and Mexico to rave reviews.
For more, please visit www.jeffcoffin.com
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