Check out the audio podcast version of this post on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. If there was a Sax Hero video game, Ben Wendel would without a doubt be one of the bosses you had to defeat. Ben has just released Technitudes, an innovative book designed to challenge saxophonists in new and exciting ways. I sat down […]
Solving Saxophone Puzzles with Ben Wendel Read More »
Check out the audio podcast version of this post on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Seriously, once you know your scales stop practicing them and move on to what I’m about to show you. Nearly everybody gets taught that improvising is a matter of applying various scales to chord changes. I was taught this, and practiced scales in
STOP Practicing Scales – Do THIS Instead Read More »
My Experience with the Travel Sax 2 It’s been a little over a year since I first got my Travel Sax 2 and made a review video for it. So today, I’m going to tell you what my experience has been like using this thing for the last 15 months or so. 99% of my
Travel Sax 2 Review After 1 Year of Playing Read More »
Check out the audio podcast version of this post on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. You might think you’re too old to get really good at music or to improve significantly. You might think younger people have all the advantages when it comes to learning an instrument. You probably think you don’t have the time to play the
Watch This if You’re Over 40 and Play Saxophone Read More »
We’ve just completed development of the most exciting new saxophone to be released in a very long time, and yes you can actually get one for 50 bucks or even less depending on where you live. I’ll explain the details of that in a little bit but first, allow me to introduce to you
Get the NEW BetterSax Alto for $50! Read More »
Check out the audio podcast version of this post on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. During a recent visit to Copenhagen, Denmark, I attended the Copenhagen Jazz Festival and was able to sit down for an incredible conversation with saxophonist Lakecia Benjamin. Throughout her career, she has performed with artists such as Anita Baker, the Count Basie Orchestra,
Lakecia Benjamin is Unstoppable Read More »
The Foundation of Popular Music You’ve got to have the sound of the Blues in your playing no matter what style of improvised music you’re making. The sound of the Blues is the foundation of Jazz, Rock, Pop, Soul, Hip-Hop and every popular music style in Western culture. It’s also super fun to play
Beginner Blues Improvisation Lesson Read More »
If you’re not cleaning your saxophone after you play, it’s kind of gross. You don’t just use the same fork, spoons, and cups without washing them right? I’m going to show you very quickly the daily swabbing you should do on your horn, neck, mouthpiece, and even some of the pads. How To Swab
Saxophonists, If You’re NOT Doing THIS… Please Start! Read More »
Learning How to Play Saxophone So you want to learn the saxophone, but you don’t want it to take years before you can play something that is fun and sounds good. You’re a grownup and you know that it takes a long time to get really good on any instrument, but if there was
How Long Does It Take to Learn Saxophone? Read More »
Check out the audio podcast version of this post on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Visiting the factories where my favorite musical instrument gets made by hand is super exciting, but as I found out later, there are very few people who have ever visited all 3 of the most important factories of our time, Selmer in Paris,
How Yamaha Makes Saxophones (Mostly) By Hand Read More »
Check out the audio podcast version of this post on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. To play jazz you must know some blues heads, I’m going to give you 6 of the easiest to learn and most often played at jam sessions and performances. You could learn all of these in a short amount of time and start
The 6 EASIEST Blues Heads You MUST KNOW Read More »
Check out the audio podcast version of this post on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Insights from a Master Teacher I recently had the chance to sit down for a great conversation with Brad Leali, the Professor of Jazz Saxophone at the University of North Texas, one of the world’s leading Jazz Programs. He gives us a rundown
A Saxophone Lesson at the University of North Texas with Brad Leali Read More »
Check out the audio podcast version of this post on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. BeatBox Sax Techniques with Derek Brown I recently sat down for an interview with saxophonist Derek Brown, who is extremely well known for the beatboxing technique he uses when he plays. Derek was able to teach me some basic beatbox techniques in a
Derek Brown Teaches Me How to Beatbox on Sax in 5 Minutes Read More »
Do you want to be able to shred on the saxophone like your heroes? Of course you do, who doesn’t? One of my absolute favorite saxophone players for many years now is Eric Alexander. I want to share with you a lesson that comes directly from Eric’s brand new BetterSax course called Double Diminished
If I Could Only Practice ONE Thing… It Would Be THIS Read More »
Check out the audio podcast version of this post on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. I recently had the pleasure of sitting down for a great discussion with stellar saxophonist Troy Roberts, whose new album “Green Lights” was just released. You can check out Troy’s website here with more info on him and his tour schedule. Troy highlights
Why Troy Roberts Switched to a Modern Saxophone Read More »
This is a list of things I wish I knew when I started learning jazz. I have spent a few decades on this so far and I could have saved a lot of time and frustration, had I known the stuff I’m about to share with you. So I hope this helps. 1) Learn
9 Jazz Lessons I Wish I Knew Sooner Read More »
I’ve had my EMEO digital saxophone for a little over a year now, and I wanted to make this follow up video to tell you about some updates to the instrument, and new things that I’ve learned we can do with it. If you want to know more about what the EMEO is and
EMEO Digital Saxophone 1 Year Later… Read More »
Check out the audio podcast version of this post on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. My guest in this interview is Camille Thurman, an incredible saxophonist, vocalist, composer, and educator. In our conversation we talk about why she almost gave up music entirely, but how supportive teachers and fellow musicians brought her back which led to playing with
Why Camille Thurman Gave Up Music, and What Brought Her Back Read More »
Every saxophone I ever bought was really expensive. I just assumed they had to cost a lot in order to be any good. People told me that a cheap saxophone is garbage and I just believed that. Quality AND Affordability And then I got involved in producing my own design and I learned what
The BetterSax Tenor is Here! Read More »
Check out the audio podcast version of this post on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. How to Play the Saxophone Longer My guest in this interview is Don Braden, a renowned saxophonist and educator, who shares insights into his routines and habits that keep him mentally and physically fit at the age of 60. This has allowed him
How to Play Saxophone Until You’re 100 – Don Braden Read More »
ii V I Chord Progression Learning jazz improvisation can be really intimidating. I hear students say over and over again how will I ever learn to do this? I even said that myself when starting out. It seems as though the more you learn the more you realize how little you know. The good
When I Started Practicing THIS, Everything Changed Read More »
