One thing I get asked A LOT is what do the different traits of a saxophone mouthpiece mean? What’s the difference between a smaller and larger tip opening? What does more baffle mean for resistance? How does the chamber size affect my sound? Well read on – because answers are ahead. The Baffle On a […]
3 Key Traits of YOUR Saxophone Mouthpiece Read More »
The Smooth Jazz Lick I don’t listen to a lot of smooth jazz, but when I do, I always hear this recurring thing that I am calling the smooth jazz lick. In this video I’m going to teach it to you. Now, please don’t make any judgements based on the words smooth jazz. If you’re
The Smooth Jazz Lick Read More »
Is the Better Sax Alto better? Now that I have the new Better Sax Alto, I think I spent too much on my Yanagisawa saxophone.. Last year I bought the Elite Yanagisawa WO33 alto sax. It has a solid silver neck and bell, and is about as good as it gets when it comes to
Did I Spend Too Much on My Sax? Better Sax Alto v. Yanagisawa Read More »
You all heard the BetterSax intro plenty of times, and while I think it’s perfect as is – saxophonist Dave Pollack has other ideas. Check out his rendition of the BetterSax intro – smooth jazz style. To quote him “it’s being played on the wrong instrument and there are wrong notes in it. In this
Dave Pollack Tackles the BetterSax intro – Smooth Jazz Style Read More »
Hey everyone, today I’m going to show you a really great scale pattern that will sure to spice things up in your practice sessions and help you understand different kinds of major and minor keys. First before you get started download the lesson pdf from the BetterSax Shed here. This will help you follow along
Applying a Pattern to Any Scale in all 12 Keys Read More »
Hey BetterSax players, we’re back with another episode of great sax solos, and today I’m going to break down the solo from James Taylor’s “How Sweet it is to be Loved by You” played by David Sanborn. First of all before we get started, download the Lesson PDF from the BetterSax shed here. This way
Blues Scale trick as played by David Sanborn | Great Sax Solos Ep. 3 Read More »
This Sax is Better Today I’m very excited to officially announce to you the release of the BetterSax alto saxophone. After reviewing many low cost alto saxophone options available I realized that the saxophone world really needed an affordable instrument that was also reliable, and desirable. It’s not enough to just be able to purchase
The BetterSax Alto Saxophone Read More »
Here’s a look at two mouthpieces from Phil-Tone Mouthpieces, first I the Intrepid 6 then the Novella 6. In this play test I’m playing over the Someday My Prince Will Come backing track from BetterTrax. It’s part of the Essential Jazz Repertoire Vol. 2 collection. Both are great classic jazz mouthpieces to check out. Between the Phil-Tone
Phil-Tone Intrepid 6 and Novella 6 – Mini Mouthpiece Review Read More »
Here’s a look at the NY Jazz Alto Drake Mouthpieces – one with a brass insert, one without. Both mouthpieces are great in any case. I’m playing on my beautiful Yanagisawa AWO33 with a Yany Sixs Ligature. In this play test, I’m playing the Shuffle Blues in F backing track from BetterTrax. It’s part of the
NY Jazz Alto Drake Mouthpieces – Mini Mouthpiece Review Read More »
Hey BetterSax players, today I’ve got a real treat for you – the BRAND NEW Roland Aerophone Pro AE-30 wind synth. I’m going to unbox it and give you my first impressions. UNBOXING First of all, you have a very large, well-designed case. Immediately, the case indicates to me that this is PRO instrument. With
NEW Roland Aerophone Pro AE-30 Wind Synth Unbox & First Impressions Read More »
Had the pleasure of speaking with The Working Artist Project about my life, career, and BetterSax. Check out the full interview below, or check out the podcast here. The Working Artist Project “The Working Artist project is our attempt to answer questions and confront challenges that artists face on a daily basis. We are taking
The Working Artist Project Presents: Jay Metcalf Read More »
As you all may know, for the past several years, I’ve been using a tool called the ReedGeek on all of my reeds. It has become a tool I just cannot live without. I want to introduce to you an evolution of this tool which has made it even better and more affordable. This tool
The Reed Whisperer – Introducing the GEEKLET Read More »
Here’s a bit of me playing over one of the awesome backing tracks from BetterTrax for Song for My Father by Horacde Silver. This one comes from the Essential Jazz Repertoire Vol. 1 collection of backing tracks. I’m on a Drake Reso 7* for Tenor Sax. It’s is a fantastic classic jazz mouthpiece – very fun and
Drake Reso 7* – Mini Mouthpiece Review Read More »
Kenny G gives ME a Saxophone Lesson! In this video we are going to get some advice, inspiration and a music lesson from the biggest selling instrumental recording artist of all time, Kenny G. I’m also going to breakdown every note Kenny plays for us and make that available for you to download in case you want
Kenny G Gives ME a Saxophone Lesson Read More »
Today, I’m going to review and play test 5 different premium Theo Wanne Tenor Saxophone mouthpieces. Theo Wanne is known for making some of the world’s best mouthpieces and his designs are played by some of the top saxophone players out there. If you’re thinking about picking one of these up or just curious about
Metal vs Hard Rubber | Theo Wanne Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece Review & Comparison Read More »
MODES EXPLAINED If you are trying to learn how to improvise on the saxophone you probably have come across modes in one form or another. I’ve just released my latest course called the Harmonic Foundation which covers all the scales, chords, and music theory you need to know in order to improvise with confidence in
MODES EXPLAINED – The Ultimate Multi-Tool for Improvising Musicians Read More »
Hallelujah I Love Her So! In this lesson, we’re going to dive in to the Don Wilkerson solo on the Ray Charles recording of “Hallelujah I Love Her So!” I’ve been a huge of fan of Ray Charles’ music since I was a kid. His music has had a big impact on my playing. Plus,
Great Sax Solos Ep. 2 Hallelujah I Love Her So! Read More »
Today, for all of you beginners, we’re going to talk about the best way to put a reed on a saxophone mouthpiece. This is tricky at first. But once you get it, there is only one RIGHT way to do this. Step 1: Wet the Reed First, put the thin end of the reed in
How to Put a Reed on a Saxophone Mouthpiece Read More »
Today we’re talking to my friend Ian Hendrickson Smith. He’s a great saxophone player who works on the tonight show with Jimmy Fallon playing with the Roots. You can watch the full video above to hear what Ian has to say. The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon Here’s a clip you’ve probably seen… 60 million
Why TV Musicians Get NOTHING for Streaming Content Read More »
Yamaha YAS-280 Alto Saxophone Everybody always asks about the Yamaha YAS-280 Alto Saxophone. If you’re a beginner who is starting out, I would consider the Yamaha YAS-280. This instrument sells for about $1,100 and some saxophonists have actually played on Yamaha Saxophones for their entire musical careers. Unless you’re at the highest level of saxophone playing,
Is the Yamaha YAS-280 Still the Top Student Saxophone??? Read More »
The Jean Paul AS-400 Alto Saxophone Updated: The Jean-Paul AS-400 is a solid saxophone considering it’s low price. Jean-Paul USA has been providing great customer service and the sax comes with a good beginner mouthpiece, case and all the other necessary accessories to get started. The BetterSax Alto Saxophone Now if your budget can stretch
Jean Paul AS-400 Unbox Play-test and Review Read More »
