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Must Have Low Tech Gear for All Musicians
Low Tech Practice Room Necessities Today I want to talk about some essential low tech items every musician should have in their practice space and how I use them. If…
Top 10 Classic Jazz Alto Saxophone Players of All Time
Who are the Greatest Alto Saxophone Players of All Time? Today we are going to take look at my top 10 of the greatest alto saxophone players. This list, in…
Play Testing 6 Metal Tenor Sax Mouthpieces (Otto Link Inspired Designs)
Hey BetterSax Players, today I’m going to play test 6 different professional metal tenor sax mouthpieces. All but one of these mouthpieces are based on or inspired by the classic…
Jody Jazz HR* 7 – Alto Sax Mouthpiece Play Test
Jody Jazz HR* The Jody Jazz HR* 7 is killing on alto. This is my first time playing it and I dig it a lot. More in depth review and comparison…
How to Use Headphones in the Practice Room
I’m always getting asked about the headphones I’m using in my videos. They are actually a really important part of my daily music work flow. So today, we’re going to…
Advice on Play-Testing New Saxophone Mouthpieces
I try new mouthpieces all the time, and sometimes it’s hard to truly evaluate the mouthpiece without playing on it a long time. Here are two tips to think about…
Drake Studio Mouthpiece – Mini Mouthpiece Review
This Drake Studio Mouthpiece is an incredible addition to the Drake Mouthpiece line-up. This mouthpiece is absolute FIRE 🔥 “This mouthpiece is an original design which features a rollover baffle…
How to Play Sax In Tune
Today I’m going to talk about the #1 thing you can do to improve and develop your saxophone sound. Plus, as an extra bonus, we’re also going to learn how to…
How to Swab or Clean Out Your Bari Sax
Lots of viewers have asked me how to swab and clean out their baritone saxophone so I did it for the first time myself to find out. The crook of…
Are You Practicing the Right Stuff on Saxophone?
Are we practicing the right things? Think of the #1 thing you should be practicing everyday, but aren’t. What are some of the things you practice instead? I’m going to…
The Essential Cleaning Routine & The Saxophone Lung
Ever hear of saxophone lung? It’s a real thing! I promise, Google it. “Saxophone Lung is a rare type of hypersensitivity pneumonia, in which patients develop allergic pulmonary disease when they’re…
Sax Study with Jaleel Shaw
Jaleel Shaw That’s Jaleel Shaw. He’s a saxophonist, composer and bandleader with three albums under his name. He’s also a member of Roy Haynes and Nate Smith’s bands and professor…
Quick & Easy DIY Saxophone Repairs
DIY Saxophone Repairs 🎷⚒️ If you’ve ever wanted to try repairing your own saxophone, here are 4 common, quick and easy DIY saxophone repairs you can do yourself. These all…
4 Easy(ish) Repairs on a Cheap Soprano Saxophone
Soprano Sax Repairs Being able to repair your instrument usually best left to a qualified technician, but I’m going to show you a few easy(ish) repairs on a soprano sax…
Time to Clean Your Saxophone?
I hope you’re all staying safe out there. I’ve been getting a lot of questions about how to clean your saxophone so I decided to make a video about it.…
New Theo Wanne Alto Sax Mouthpieces – Play Test & Review
Ever want to play on a killer Theo Wanne mouthpiece? In the video above I’m going to demo 4 of Theo’s new alto sax mouthpiece models. If you’ve ever played…
High Baffle Ear Bleeders Battle – Mini Mouthpiece Review
If you want to cut through the mix and make altissimo a lot easier you need a high baffle mouthpiece. Never been my thing in the past but I must…
Choosing Between Different Cuts of Reeds – Lupifaro Reeds
What reeds are you playing on these days? Lately, I’ve been trying a few different brands. Today, I’m going to test out the new Lupifaro Evo Reeds and see how…
Alto Saxophone Play Test Reviews & Buyers Guide
People are always asking me what my favorite saxophones are, what saxophones are best for beginners, what saxophones are more affordable, is it safe to order a saxophone from a…
The Best Box of Reeds I’ve Ever Played – Boston Sax Shop
How Many Reeds Do You Use Out of a Box? How many are good, how many are great, how many are so so and how many are garbage? Reeds are…
3 BEST Saxophone Neck Straps for Your Comfort
We talk a lot about horns, mouthpieces and reeds, but perhaps the most important saxophone accessory are our neck straps. Today I’m going to compare my favorite neck straps for…
How to Record Over a Backing Track
A lot of people ask me how to record yourself playing an instrument along with a backing track. So today I’m going to break down my entire process for putting…
Improve Your Tone With This (Short) Long Tone Exercise for Saxophone
Ever wonder the best way to improve your tone quality? Well, I’m going to show you exactly what I work on to develop my saxophone sound with this (short) long…
Knowing When It’s Time to Get Your Saxophone Fixed
Does your saxophone need repairs? Let’s find out. I’m going to talk to you about some basic saxophone repairs you can look for on your own instrument. Bob Reynolds’ Saxophone…
Eastar Alto Sax Review – Can you Hear the Difference?
One of these saxophones is a top of the line professional instrument costing thousands of dollars. The other one I got off of Amazon for $259 bucks. In other words…
Venova vs Saxophone | Can a Plastic Tube Sound Good?
How does the Yamaha Venova compare to a saxophone? The first question many people have is how does the Yamaha Venova compare to a saxophone? In the video, you can…
Easy Recording Setup and Tips for Saxophone
With everyone stuck at home these days there has been a massive increase in output of recorded content on social media. So many people have been asking me about the…
A Saxophone Lesson at Juilliard with Bruce Williams
Did you ever want to take a lesson from a master at the Juilliard School? Well, now’s your chance. Back in February, I had the pleasure of sitting down with…
Sax in Your Pocket? Roland Aerophone Mini Review
The other day, I was browsing the internet, as one does, and I came across this new instrument – The Aerophone Mini by Roland. So naturally, I ordered it right…
Jody Jazz Baritone Sax Mouthpieces Review
I get asked about Jody Jazz Baritone Sax mouthpieces all the time from subscribers. Recently I’ve been familiarizing myself with them and I have to say, I’ve very impressed. Today,…
An Affordable Baritone Saxophone That Plays Like a Pro Horn
You all have been asking for my baritone saxophone recommendations… So I went looking for a cheap yet good, baritone saxophone that you can order online with confidence. Well in…
Comparing Cheap Baritone Saxophone Mouthpieces
Looking for an inexpensive Baritone Saxophone mouthpiece? I’ve tested out 6 of them ranging in price from $19 to $199. Watch the video to hear what they sound like and…
Too Old to Play the Saxophone?
Many people often think they’re “too old,” to do something new. Do you know how many people have always wanted to play the saxophone but don’t, or maybe played it…
“I SUCK” – Turning Frustration Into Musical Growth
“I SUCK!” “I SUCK!” Ever say that to yourself? You’re not the only one. In fact, I don’t think there is a single serious saxophone player alive who hasn’t uttered…
How Consistency in the Practice Room Results in Solid Improvement
A Simple Strategy for Impressive Results Consistency is key. At the beginning of 2019 I set a simple goal for myself, upload a quality YouTube video each week of the…
Saxophone Fingerings and First Notes | Beginner/Refresher Course Lesson 4
First Notes In this lesson I’m going to show you the saxophone fingerings for a bunch of notes to get you started playing the saxophone. So far we’ve learned how…
Saxophone Setup, Ideal Body and Hand Position | Beginner/Refresher Course Lesson 3
Setup & Ideal Body and Hand Position In this lesson, let’s learn how to put the saxophone together and the correct hand position for your fingers and hands on the…
Saxophone Embouchure and Producing a Good Sound | Beginner/Refresher Course Lesson 2
Welcome to lesson 2 of the BetterSax Beginners course where we will discuss the proper saxophone embouchure In lesson 1 we learned how to set up our reed and mouthpiece…
Saxophone Mouthpiece and Reed Setup Tutorial | Beginner/Refresher Course Lesson 1
Welcome to the BetterSax Beginner Saxophone Course. The lessons in this course are entirely free, please enjoy and share. Nowadays, you can get information about almost anything for free on…
The Most MASSIVE Sax Sound Ever | Do Heavy Mass Screws Work?
You may have seen some heavy mass screws and gadgets on my saxophones in recent videos and instagram posts. Lots of people ask me what they are, and how they…
The BEST SAXOPHONE In the World… for me
Last year, I made a video entitled “The Best Saxophone in the world?” It was all about the hype and mythology surrounding the Selmer Mark VI saxophone. My conclusion in…
iSolo Choice Wireless Microphone – A Great Compact Solution for Sax Players
I received an iSolo Choice wireless microphone system from Cloud Vocal, a company in Taiwan, specializing in instrument mics. I’ve been using it on several gigs this year and have…
How to Get Called Back for Gigs (12 Tips From a Freelance Sax Player)
I just got back from Rotterdam in the Netherlands where I played at the North Sea Jazz Festival with a band called the California Honeydrops. In a recent YouTube video,…
Why Ligatures Matter? It’s NOT How You Think…
Today, I want to talk about saxophone ligatures. You know the little device that holds your reed onto the mouthpiece. There are so many different ones to choose from, and…
Saxophone Myths: Equipment Edition
Like just about everything else, the world of saxophones has it’s share of myths, legends and widely held yet false beliefs. I’m going to try and clear some of these…
Cheapest Sax on Amazon vs My Professional Yanagisawa Saxophone
I’ve talked a lot about how the saxophone you play is not that important compared to the work you put into your saxophone sound. In my video listening test comparing…
Legere Signature Synthetic Reeds vs Cane Saxophone Reeds
Synthetic Reeds What do you think of Synthetic Reeds? This is a question I get asked just about everyday… I guess saxophone players are really frustrated with the inconsistencies of…
Altissimo Fingerings for Tenor and Alto Saxophone
Like everything else on saxophone, playing in the altissimo range is really hard until one day it’s not so hard. Today I’m going to show you all of my fingerings…
Gift Ideas for Saxophone Players
Need a gift idea for a saxophone player? Or maybe you’re a sax player and need a convenient way to drop some hints to your loved ones so you don’t…
The 3 Best Saxophone Accessories in My Case
I want to share with you three essential saxophone accessories you should have in your sax case and how I use them. Click below for the video version of this…
Saxophone Gear Reviews
Must Have Low Tech Gear for All Musicians
Low Tech Practice Room Necessities Today I want to talk about some essential low tech items every musician should have in their practice space and how I use them. If…
Play Testing 6 Metal Tenor Sax Mouthpieces (Otto Link Inspired Designs)
Hey BetterSax Players, today I’m going to play test 6 different professional metal tenor sax mouthpieces. All but one of these mouthpieces are based on or inspired by the classic…
Jody Jazz HR* 7 – Alto Sax Mouthpiece Play Test
Jody Jazz HR* The Jody Jazz HR* 7 is killing on alto. This is my first time playing it and I dig it a lot. More in depth review and comparison…
How to Use Headphones in the Practice Room
I’m always getting asked about the headphones I’m using in my videos. They are actually a really important part of my daily music work flow. So today, we’re going to…
Advice on Play-Testing New Saxophone Mouthpieces
I try new mouthpieces all the time, and sometimes it’s hard to truly evaluate the mouthpiece without playing on it a long time. Here are two tips to think about…
Drake Studio Mouthpiece – Mini Mouthpiece Review
This Drake Studio Mouthpiece is an incredible addition to the Drake Mouthpiece line-up. This mouthpiece is absolute FIRE 🔥 “This mouthpiece is an original design which features a rollover baffle…
New Theo Wanne Alto Sax Mouthpieces – Play Test & Review
Ever want to play on a killer Theo Wanne mouthpiece? In the video above I’m going to demo 4 of Theo’s new alto sax mouthpiece models. If you’ve ever played…
High Baffle Ear Bleeders Battle – Mini Mouthpiece Review
If you want to cut through the mix and make altissimo a lot easier you need a high baffle mouthpiece. Never been my thing in the past but I must…
Choosing Between Different Cuts of Reeds – Lupifaro Reeds
What reeds are you playing on these days? Lately, I’ve been trying a few different brands. Today, I’m going to test out the new Lupifaro Evo Reeds and see how…
Alto Saxophone Play Test Reviews & Buyers Guide
People are always asking me what my favorite saxophones are, what saxophones are best for beginners, what saxophones are more affordable, is it safe to order a saxophone from a…
The Best Box of Reeds I’ve Ever Played – Boston Sax Shop
How Many Reeds Do You Use Out of a Box? How many are good, how many are great, how many are so so and how many are garbage? Reeds are…
3 BEST Saxophone Neck Straps for Your Comfort
We talk a lot about horns, mouthpieces and reeds, but perhaps the most important saxophone accessory are our neck straps. Today I’m going to compare my favorite neck straps for…
Eastar Alto Sax Review – Can you Hear the Difference?
One of these saxophones is a top of the line professional instrument costing thousands of dollars. The other one I got off of Amazon for $259 bucks. In other words…
Venova vs Saxophone | Can a Plastic Tube Sound Good?
How does the Yamaha Venova compare to a saxophone? The first question many people have is how does the Yamaha Venova compare to a saxophone? In the video, you can…
Easy Recording Setup and Tips for Saxophone
With everyone stuck at home these days there has been a massive increase in output of recorded content on social media. So many people have been asking me about the…
Sax in Your Pocket? Roland Aerophone Mini Review
The other day, I was browsing the internet, as one does, and I came across this new instrument – The Aerophone Mini by Roland. So naturally, I ordered it right…
Jody Jazz Baritone Sax Mouthpieces Review
I get asked about Jody Jazz Baritone Sax mouthpieces all the time from subscribers. Recently I’ve been familiarizing myself with them and I have to say, I’ve very impressed. Today,…
An Affordable Baritone Saxophone That Plays Like a Pro Horn
You all have been asking for my baritone saxophone recommendations… So I went looking for a cheap yet good, baritone saxophone that you can order online with confidence. Well in…
Comparing Cheap Baritone Saxophone Mouthpieces
Looking for an inexpensive Baritone Saxophone mouthpiece? I’ve tested out 6 of them ranging in price from $19 to $199. Watch the video to hear what they sound like and…
The Most MASSIVE Sax Sound Ever | Do Heavy Mass Screws Work?
You may have seen some heavy mass screws and gadgets on my saxophones in recent videos and instagram posts. Lots of people ask me what they are, and how they…
The BEST SAXOPHONE In the World… for me
Last year, I made a video entitled “The Best Saxophone in the world?” It was all about the hype and mythology surrounding the Selmer Mark VI saxophone. My conclusion in…
iSolo Choice Wireless Microphone – A Great Compact Solution for Sax Players
I received an iSolo Choice wireless microphone system from Cloud Vocal, a company in Taiwan, specializing in instrument mics. I’ve been using it on several gigs this year and have…
Why Ligatures Matter? It’s NOT How You Think…
Today, I want to talk about saxophone ligatures. You know the little device that holds your reed onto the mouthpiece. There are so many different ones to choose from, and…
Cheapest Sax on Amazon vs My Professional Yanagisawa Saxophone
I’ve talked a lot about how the saxophone you play is not that important compared to the work you put into your saxophone sound. In my video listening test comparing…
Legere Signature Synthetic Reeds vs Cane Saxophone Reeds
Synthetic Reeds What do you think of Synthetic Reeds? This is a question I get asked just about everyday… I guess saxophone players are really frustrated with the inconsistencies of…
Gift Ideas for Saxophone Players
Need a gift idea for a saxophone player? Or maybe you’re a sax player and need a convenient way to drop some hints to your loved ones so you don’t…
The 3 Best Saxophone Accessories in My Case
I want to share with you three essential saxophone accessories you should have in your sax case and how I use them. Click below for the video version of this…
Best Tenor Sax Mouthpieces For Under $200
After our post on the best alto sax mouthpieces for under $150, commenters wanted to know: What about tenor saxophone mouthpieces? So here are four picks for the best tenor…
Best Alto Sax Mouthpieces Under $150
Students are always asking me “What mouthpiece should I buy?” So here are my top recommendations for the best alto sax mouthpieces with a budget of under $150. Click below for…
Saxophone Recording Tips & Mic Comparison – Coles 4038 vs Neumann U67
This month, I was in the studio recording some tracks for my wife’s latest album which is a tribute to Billie Holiday. I took this opportunity to try out a…
Saxophone Lessons
How to Play Sax In Tune
Today I’m going to talk about the #1 thing you can do to improve and develop your saxophone sound. Plus, as an extra bonus, we’re also going to learn how to…
Are You Practicing the Right Stuff on Saxophone?
Are we practicing the right things? Think of the #1 thing you should be practicing everyday, but aren’t. What are some of the things you practice instead? I’m going to…
Sax Study with Jaleel Shaw
Jaleel Shaw That’s Jaleel Shaw. He’s a saxophonist, composer and bandleader with three albums under his name. He’s also a member of Roy Haynes and Nate Smith’s bands and professor…
Improve Your Tone With This (Short) Long Tone Exercise for Saxophone
Ever wonder the best way to improve your tone quality? Well, I’m going to show you exactly what I work on to develop my saxophone sound with this (short) long…
A Saxophone Lesson at Juilliard with Bruce Williams
Did you ever want to take a lesson from a master at the Juilliard School? Well, now’s your chance. Back in February, I had the pleasure of sitting down with…
“I SUCK” – Turning Frustration Into Musical Growth
“I SUCK!” “I SUCK!” Ever say that to yourself? You’re not the only one. In fact, I don’t think there is a single serious saxophone player alive who hasn’t uttered…
How Consistency in the Practice Room Results in Solid Improvement
A Simple Strategy for Impressive Results Consistency is key. At the beginning of 2019 I set a simple goal for myself, upload a quality YouTube video each week of the…
Saxophone Fingerings and First Notes | Beginner/Refresher Course Lesson 4
First Notes In this lesson I’m going to show you the saxophone fingerings for a bunch of notes to get you started playing the saxophone. So far we’ve learned how…
Saxophone Setup, Ideal Body and Hand Position | Beginner/Refresher Course Lesson 3
Setup & Ideal Body and Hand Position In this lesson, let’s learn how to put the saxophone together and the correct hand position for your fingers and hands on the…
Saxophone Embouchure and Producing a Good Sound | Beginner/Refresher Course Lesson 2
Welcome to lesson 2 of the BetterSax Beginners course where we will discuss the proper saxophone embouchure In lesson 1 we learned how to set up our reed and mouthpiece…
Saxophone Mouthpiece and Reed Setup Tutorial | Beginner/Refresher Course Lesson 1
Welcome to the BetterSax Beginner Saxophone Course. The lessons in this course are entirely free, please enjoy and share. Nowadays, you can get information about almost anything for free on…
How to Get Called Back for Gigs (12 Tips From a Freelance Sax Player)
I just got back from Rotterdam in the Netherlands where I played at the North Sea Jazz Festival with a band called the California Honeydrops. In a recent YouTube video,…
Saxophone Myths: Equipment Edition
Like just about everything else, the world of saxophones has it’s share of myths, legends and widely held yet false beliefs. I’m going to try and clear some of these…
Altissimo Fingerings for Tenor and Alto Saxophone
Like everything else on saxophone, playing in the altissimo range is really hard until one day it’s not so hard. Today I’m going to show you all of my fingerings…
How You Can Use Melodies to Practice Your Fundamentals on Saxophone
Today, let’s talk about a simple thing you can practice on the saxophone or any instrument that’s going to help you improve in the areas that matter most, quickly. Click…
Blues Improvisation Lesson for Saxophone
Calling all saxophonists! It’s time to get into the blues. This video is all about playing the blues on saxophone. We’re going to talk about something that always gets neglected…
Saxophone Fingering Chart PDF Download
You’ve got your brand new saxophone assembled correctly, neck strap in place, reed on, and ready to go. (If you need a hand, check out our video below.) Watch the…
How to Play Faster on Saxophone and Make Fewer Mistakes
Every saxophone player has a need for speed. Here’s how to play faster, cleaner and with more solid rhythm. Don’t forget to download the free fingering worksheet that goes along…
Play Sax By Ear Crash Course
The Revolutionary Method For Learning to Play Sax By Ear Enroll in this FREE 6-part video lesson course about how to start playing the saxophone by ear using just 5 notes! Whether you’re a beginner, or have…
How to Play Low Notes on the Saxophone (a breathing tutorial)
Do you have trouble getting the low notes to come out on your saxophone sometimes, or ever? You’re not alone, this is something that every sax player struggles with at…
How to Play Altissimo on Saxophone
Do you have trouble getting altissimo notes to come out reliably or even at all on your saxophone? Every saxophone player has struggled with this. I’d like to share with…
Beginner Improvisation Lesson
There is a common misconception out there that you need to be highly proficient on your instrument, and know all your scales and lots of music theory and harmony before…
Sources of Inspiration for Practicing
It’s November, the weather is getting colder and the kids are back at school. This is the time of year where I get the most work done on the saxophone.…
Easy Pentatonic Lick
Here’s the link to get the downloads mentioned in the video: Free Pentatonic Scale Patterns Downloads for Saxophone “Easy” Pentatonic Lick for Saxophone The concept I focus on the most…
Saxophone Embouchure Tutorial
This lesson is about the saxophone embouchure which is everything that’s going on with your mouth when you’re playing the saxophone. It’s very important to get this right from the…
17 Pro Saxophone Tips – Assembly/Disassembly
When students first come to me for lessons, no matter what their level, the first thing I want to do is correct flagrant bad habits that are very common. I…
It’s All About The Process (Of Practicing)
Whatever stage you are at with your saxophone playing, it is often frustrating trying to get to the next level. Everyone goes through periods of feeling stuck. Whether you’ve just…
Play Sax By Ear Using the 5 Notes of the Pentatonic Scale
As saxophone players, we strive to play beautiful melodies and take killer solos right? You may be surprised to learn that it is not as difficult as you may think.…
You CAN Play Sax by Ear. Here’s how…
I’d like to share with you some thoughts in response to comments I have heard recently from several adult students both in my one on one lessons at the conservatory,…
Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) – Play By Ear Lesson
I have gotten many requests over the years from students wanting to learn Christmas songs. One of the problems with this is the limited amount of time you have to…
How to Transpose – a Guide for Saxophones
In case your are not 100% sure how transposition works, I’ve put together this concise saxophone transposition guide to clear things up. Watch the video below: Click here to get…
How To Practice Pentatonic Patterns for Improvisation
I get asked by students all the time about how to practice exercises and patterns. Here’s a quick overview of the process with a video to help guide you along the…
Saxophone Listening Guide with YouTube playlists
I bring up saxophone listening all the time in my lessons. Listening to the saxophone is as important as practicing the saxophone. Today I’d like to share with you a…
Pentatonic Patterns eBook + backing tracks
My new ebook gives saxophone students a tool for improving several aspects of their saxophone playing at once while having fun at the same time. Pentatonic Patters for Improvisation is on…
How to Play Hello on the Saxophone and take a solo
If you want to learn to play Hello on the saxophone, you might order the sheet music online and read through it. If you are a strong music reader, this…
Finding Precious Practice Time
Now that summer is here, (at least in the south of France) my schedule has become even more busy than usual. I’m lucky enough to have gigs playing the saxophone…
How to Play Stand By Me on Saxophone and Take a Solo
The other day I came across a cool video on YouTube of a fantastic saxophone player performing a very original version of the classic standard Stand By Me by Ben…
How to Master Syncopated Rhythms
This week while working with some students on a jazz etude we kept running into the same problem. Where to place syncopated eighth notes rhythmically. What I heard from my…
Posts by Category
- Advanced Saxophone Techniques 3
- BetterSax How To's 7
- General Saxophone Topics 6
- Inspiration/Motivation 6
- Saxophone Beginner Course 4
- Saxophone Equipment Reviews 34
- Saxophone Fundamentals 15
- Saxophone Interviews 2
- Saxophone Mouthpiece Play-Tests & Mini Reviews 4
- Saxophone Mouthpiece Reviews 10
- Saxophone Players and History 1
- Saxophone Recording 4
- Saxophone Reed Reviews 1
- Saxophone Repair and Maintenance 6
- Saxophone Reviews 7
- Saxophone-Lessons 36
- Saxophone-Practice Tips 14