The words we use for dynamics come from Italian.
Basically they are variations of ‘piano’ and ‘forte’.
Piano means soft, pianissimo means very soft, pianississimo means softer than that, etc.
Crescendos and decrescendos as well as sforzando and fp (forte-piano) describe changing dynamics.
On a saxophone you might play one note, let’s say a ‘C’ and be in tune. The needle on the tuner perfectly in the middle!
Then you could play a C an octave above it and be sharp.
And you could play a G# below and be flat.
The saxophone may have a slightly different tonal center for any note you play.
It’s up to you to play in tone. As you play longer, you will become more familiar with your saxophone and learn what to do to play in tune.
The saxophone’s construction is an optimized design so that all notes can be basically be played in tune (if you also have good embouchure and control).
Here’s an introductory video to Sax Station
And here are a few saxophone articles for players new to the sax.
Please tell me what you think, how can I become as good as him and even better? Where does one
find this kind of passion?
In Zen, there is an idea of approaching things with a “beginner’s mind” or “child’s mind.”
In this stage you are most open to new ideas, a not afraid to try things.
I am 52 and I just started learning the sax tenor.
I had my first lesson last week.
My previous music experience amounts to 1 year of studying the piano 20 years ago.
Here’s the beginning saxophone class that I made.
Want to play saxophone, but feeling lost and not sure how to get started?
In this online/downloadable class you will see methodical lessons in a sequence and you can get feedback and ask questions at any point.
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Want to take your playing to the next level?
You’ll learn fundamental saxophone skills, building past the basics. Master rhythms. Learn about phrasing, tone, and more. Here you will get feedback which is crucial to developing good habits.
Learn more