Why don’t more alto players play on metal mouthpieces? Let’s face it, most metal alto pieces are built for a bright, punchy sound, but not versatility. So, in the video above, I give you a behind-the-scenes look at how I teamed up with Jody Jazz to develop a metal alto mouthpiece versatile enough to make […]
The Problem with Metal Alto Sax Mouthpieces Read More »
Your sound is the first thing listeners judge you on, yet most sax players spend too much time on scales and technical exercises and barely any on their tone. In this video I’m going to show you Extreme Long Tones, an exercise that will transform your sound in 30 days — but only if you
It’s Hard, But Gets You a Beautiful Sax Sound in 30 Days Read More »
Steve Wilson has had the pleasure of recording with some of the most well respected jazz musicians in the industry. We sat down with Steve and asked him to walk us through how he actually practices, how he thinks about sound, and what he’d tell developing musicians who are serious about making this a career.
I Asked Jazz Pros What They Practice and Didn’t Expect This Read More »
What Tim McAllister Taught Us About Practicing — Bridging Classical and Jazz Tim McAllister is one of the most accomplished classical saxophonists in the world, but spend ten minutes with him and it becomes clear he has a lot of respect and admiration for jazz and its players. He’ll tell you his classical playing is
I Asked Classical and Jazz Pros What They Practice and Didn’t Expect This Read More »
Does saxophone lacquer actually make a difference to the sound? This argument has been raging for years so we did a blindfold test for 50 advanced players on 3 identical saxophones with different finishes…Do they all sound the same, or are there differences in tone? In this video we try to put the myth to
We Tested How Saxophone Lacquer Changes the Sound (Didn’t expect THIS) Read More »
Let’s be honest, most classical saxophone repertoire is just too hard to play or too weird sounding for normal people. But there are some real gems out there. In this article, I’m going to share with you the most accessible pieces and then show you some new works that are actually perfect for intermediate players.
Classical Saxophone Pieces That Don’t Suck Read More »
Check out the audio podcast version of this post on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Are you tired of constantly hitting wrong notes in your solos? There’s actually one very simple exercise that makes it virtually impossible to play wrong notes when improvising. In this article (and the video above), I’ll show you exactly what the exercise is and
The Most Powerful Exercise for Sax Improvisation Read More »
Check out the audio podcast version of this post on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. At this year’s NAMM show, we had the honor of welcoming the legendary Kirk Whalum to the BetterSax booth. Kirk isn’t just one of the most soulful and expressive saxophonists of our time—he’s also a powerful voice for what really matters in music and
Kirk Whalum’s ONLY Advice for Saxophone Players Read More »
Are you tired of your solo sounding repetitive and boring when you are improvising with the pentatonic scale? There is actually a simple pentatonic trick that instantly makes your solo sound way more interesting without having to learn any new scales. In this article, I am going to show you how to easily make the
This Pentatonic Scale Trick Changes Everything Read More »
Get the PDF Download to this lesson here. If you don’t want your soloing to sound like boring scale practice, there is one critical element you need in your jazz playing. Unfortunately, most beginners miss this completely. In this article, I am going to show you the practice routine that will immediately get you playing
Just Practice This for 10X Better Sax Solos Read More »
Check out the audio podcast version of this post on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. I just got back from the NAMM show where the BetterSax booth was slammed with great saxophonists nonstop for three days. We had an incredible time and the honor of welcoming a giant in the saxophone world, Bob Reynolds, who sat down with me
Bob Reynolds: The Problem with Learning Jazz Online Read More »
Let’s face it, saxophone ligatures can get pretty gimmicky and promise a whole range of benefits that aren’t always delivered. Sometimes those designs play great, but they usually come at the expense of functionality and a much higher price. Isn’t it interesting that many of the world’s top saxophonists choose to play on more basic,
How Sax Ligatures are Actually Made Read More »
Are you tired of the low notes not coming out cleanly on your saxophone? Or only being able to honk them out like a fog horn? Every saxophone player has struggled with this and believe it or not, the problem is not your embouchure. So in this video, I’m going to show you the fix
This Fixes Saxophone Low Notes Forever Read More »
It’s been 10 years since I uploaded the first video to the BetterSax YouTube channel so I thought it was time for a check in with you all who have been watching and following the journey of BetterSax. I wanted to talk about some of the big developments that have happened in 2025 and give
The Future of BetterSax Read More »
2025 was my 41st year as a saxophone player. I’m still learning new things, but more importantly… I’m still gaining a deeper understanding of the things I’ve learned a long time ago. So today, I’d like to share some of those lessons that continue to help me become a better sax player year after year.
25 Saxophone Lessons from Over 40 Years of Playing Read More »
Check out the audio podcast version of this post on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Every day I get messages from people who regret having given up the saxophone and want to get back into it. After hearing countless stories and working with thousands of students, I have identified the main traps that cause people to quit. In this
6 Things Older Saxophone Players Get Wrong (and regret) Read More »
Check out the audio podcast version of this post on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Do you ever feel overwhelmed by all the scales you’re supposed to practice on the saxophone? I’m going to let you in on a secret. You only need three for the vast majority of music you’ll ever play. In this article, I’ll show you
Practice This Everyday for Fast Saxophone Technique Read More »
Check out the audio podcast version of this post on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. There’s a reason the curved soprano saxophone is making such a strong comeback, and it’s not just because of its charming appearance. After years of playing both curved and straight designs, I’ve come to appreciate a few key advantages that make the curved soprano
Why I Prefer Curved Soprano Sax Over Straight (Slightly) Read More »
Check out the audio podcast version of this post on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Do you ever wish you could study with one of the top jazz musicians in the world without paying a huge tuition bill or needing to pass an audition at a prestigious music school? Now you can. In this article, we’re sharing insights from
How Jazz Pros Practice Saxophone Read More »
Check out the audio podcast version of this post on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. For years, teachers told me to “just play what I feel,” which made soloing super frustrating, until I learned that jazz improvisation isn’t some dark mystery. It’s actually an established language we communicate in. In this article, I’ll explain why that old advice is
I WISH I Learned Jazz Improvisation Like This – Stop Wasting Time Read More »
Check out the audio podcast version of this post on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Until now, a professional-level saxophone was out of reach financially for most players. But those days are over thanks to this. In this article, I’m going to tell you about the new saxophone that makes it possible to get a professional feel and sound
The Saxophone World Will Never Be the Same Read More »
