Saxophone 1A
Time: 12:10 - 13:40
Location: Keeley Street
- Course Code: ME611A
- Dates: 21/09/24 - 30/11/24
- Time: 12:10 - 13:40
- Taught: Sat, Daytime
- Duration: 11 sessions (over 11 weeks)
- Location: Keeley Street
- Tutor: David Harrison
Course Code: ME611A
Duration: 11 sessions (over 11 weeks)
Please note: We offer a wide variety of financial support to make courses affordable. Just visit our online Help Centre for more information on a range of topics including fees, online learning and FAQs.
What is the course about?
You will be introduced to the fundamentals of saxophone playing: sound production, scales, music reading and improvisation, and develop these skills as your course progresses.
What will we cover?
- Developing playing techniques: embouchure, breath control and tonguing
- Learning to play a selection of notes on the saxophone
- Studying relevant music theory and reading music for saxophone
- learning to listen and count time as you play
- Developing practice methods: long notes, scales, studies
- A range of repertoire in popular styles
- Simple improvisation.
What will I achieve?
By the end of this course you should be able to...
- Demonstrate the ability to play and read a range of pieces for the saxophone
- Demonstrate an increase in confidence and ability to improvise short phrases
- Understand fundamental musical concepts and ideas
- establish a practice regime.
What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?
This course is for beginners to the instrument so no previous knowledge of saxophone playing is expected. Any musical experience will be of advantage.
How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?
On this course you will play in unison and try simple part work. You will be taught through demonstration and explanation by the tutor.
To make progress you will need to practise regularly between classes, ideally 20 minutes on at least 4 days a week.
Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?
You will need your own instrument - alto or tenor saxophone - and reeds (strength 2). It is not recommended to learn on soprano or baritone sax.
You will need to purchase a sax tutor book, the tutor will advise which. Learning resources and backing tracks will be supplied for sessions and will also be available in the google classroom.
When I've finished, what course can I do next?
This course continues to Sax 1B and 1C to form the first year of study.
David Harrison studied at Oxford Brookes university before taking a post-graduate diploma in saxophone performance at Guildhall School of Music & Drama. David has been teaching at City Lit since 1994. In 2004 he wrote a guitar player’s guide for Collins and joined Music Sales in 2005 to update the famous A Tune A Day tutor series, eventually producing over 40 titles as series editor of the relaunched A New Tune A Day books, which has since become the biggest-selling music tutor series worldwide. Since 2010, David has worked freelance writing, editing and producing mainly educational titles, including Abracadabra Beginning Theory (Collins Music); The Complete Ukulele Player (Music Sales) and most recently the Bob Dylan Complete (Hal Leonard), the authorised collection of every Dylan song, together with an extensive introduction covering Dylan’s acoustic guitar technique, his song-writing and Dylan’s place in the American folk music revival. Aside from his guitar and saxophone classes, David runs a course in song writing. a series of talks on the music of The Beatles, and a series on the songs of Bob Dylan’s 1960s albums.
Please note: We reserve the right to change our tutors from those advertised. This happens rarely, but if it does, we are unable to refund fees due to this. Our tutors may have different teaching styles; however we guarantee a consistent quality of teaching in all our courses.
