Sam Newsome

Sam Newsome
"The potential for the saxophone is unlimited." - Steve Lacy



2025 Winter Jazz Festival

2025 Winter Jazz Festival

Monday, June 4, 2018

Quarter-Tone Studies for Saxophone - Part 1

One of the best exercises one can practice on the soprano sax is quartertone studies. I consider this the full-body straight horn workout.

(1) Sharpens pitch control. One's sense of pitch becomes heightened after intense quarter-tone study. Since the semi-tone becomes larger, you have a more nuanced understanding of intervals as a whole.

(2) Widens your timbral understanding of the instrument. Since many of these notes require unorthodox fingerings, you also get introduced to new note timbres, quarter steps below and above conventional notes.

(3)  Improves dexterity. There's something about playing these awkward fingerings in succession that leaves the fingers very nimble. I think it's the equivalence to running with ankle weights on. You might be moving slower, but you're working harder.

The Music
This piece shown below is from a book by Ronald L. Caravan titled Preliminary Exercises & Etudes in Contemporary Techniques for Saxophone.  A must-have! This is the first piece in a series of etudes the appear in the section of the book called Quarter-Tone Etudes for Saxophone.

I've included a metronome click with my reading of it. It makes it easier to follow. I also give a universal 4 counts out front.

The recommended tempo is quarter note = 84 -92. But I would say take it at a quarter note = 60, if you have to. The pitches and the fingerings take some getting used to. So take it slow.

 Let me know how it works out for you!










1 comment:

richard wahl said...

HOW I WON MASSIVELY BIG IN LOTTERY WITH THE HELP OF A REAL AND GENUINE SPELL CASTER DR PETER CONTACT ON WHATSAPP +1 (321) 754-0649



Hi Guys....I just want to say a big thanks to (Dr Peter) for what he has done for me and my family by helping me to win lottery. I won Five Hundred and Thirty Three Million Us Dollars. (($533,000,000.00)). His lottery spell is the best and so amazing. My life is now balance and i am Now Very Rich As i have always wanted and i am out of doubt. Are you looking for a real and genuine spell caster to help you win big in any kind of lottery you play? you can contact Dr Peter, today all your plan to ever win Big in Lottery will Come True and work out well for you. His spell very real and genuine i can not still believe it And His spell also work very fast. Thank you so much Dr Peter for dedicating your time to cast the Lottery spell for me. I got my bills paid and my debt cleared and am still mega rich. If you need a real And Genuine spell caster to help you Win lottery,kindly contact him for fast and urgent Help Magnificentspellcast@gmail.com and Magnificentspellcast@yahoo.com or Whatsapp or Call Via +1 (321) 754-0649 or read more on him in his website http://MAGNIFICENTSPELLCAST.website2.me

My Name Is Richard Wahl From Us. so contact dr peter today he can also help solve other problem like getting ex lover back, getting pregnant and cure for any kind of disease,virus,and infection so contact Dr Peter Today and your problem solved 100% guaranteed and assured.

Maybe You’re Just Not Good Enough

Sometimes when I hear fellow artists gripe about not getting their due, being underrated, or feeling wronged by the unfair industry as a who...