12 Moons Solo Saxophone Project Day 55
Date: 02/24/2013
Instrument: Tenor saxophone
Location: Electronics storage closet on 45th, University District in Seattle, WA
Notes:
During a brief practice session today, I found myself pulled towards a tonal improvisation. I challenged myself to create a piece that is simultaneously melodic and harmonic. This piece has a very bluesy feeling to me–not necessarily melancholic, but with that unquantifiable soul that points towards the longing in the blues.
This improvisation uses three fingerings. The pitches, in concert key are as follows; Bb, Db, D, Eb. The first fingering enables me to play the Concert Bb and Db simultaneously, but I use my embouchure to control when to release each pitch. The second fingering plays the Db only, and though it uses the same pitch found in the first fingering, it carries with it more of a stuffy quality. Again, I choose when to select this fingering or the first when the music deems it necessary. Finally, the third fingering enables me to play the Concert D and Eb. With this fingering, I am able to play both pitches at the same time, but as above I choose most often to play only one at a time.
Because all three of the fingerings above have a great deal of flexibility, I am able to bend in and out of two pitches at one while trying to balance volume. For example, when playing the third fingering (Concert D and Eb), I am able to carefully make one pitch slightly more audible than the other. This enabled me to play my melodic gestures soulfully by bending pitches, bring in more breathiness or to play with more of a straight, traditional tone.
-Neil
02/23/2013 (12 Moons Solo Project Day 54)
12 Moons Solo Saxophone Project Day 54
Date: 02/23/2013
Instrument: Tenor saxophone
Location: Home studio in Clinton, WA (Whidbey Island)
Notes:
An effect I have been practicing is creating an atmosphere where a pitch can sound as though it’s bouncing or pivoting. The idea being that an interruption in the flow of air can cause a brief interruption in the pitch without completely sounding as though the pitch has halted action altogether. My intention is for the note to sound as though it has changed trajectory.
In this improvisation I created a folk melody using 5 predominant pitches. In ascending order, middle octave and in concert key the pitches are F#, G#, A#, B and C#. Towards the end of the piece I briefly deviate from these pitches by adding chromatic tones that move down by half steps from the A# to the F#. Though there are 5 main pitches used, the bulk of the energy is placed on the first two notes–F# and G#. I tried to create a very joyous atmosphere in this piece, and the end result to me feels as though a folk instrument is being accompanied by a drum.
To achieve this sound, I play traditional fingerings for the 5 pitches, but also depress the Low Bb key. As it is possible to play these notes exclusively with my left hand, I used the palm of my right hand to gently slap the fork F key. This slapping creates a full, quick, and muted tone that briefly interrupts the continuation of air and creates the percussive, bouncing sound you hear. I found that I just could not get the sound to resonate as well if I simply pushed the key open with the right hand, first finger as is generally done. There is something about the slapping motion that helps to create the best result.
There are two multiphonics that are played during this piece as well. The first is done by playing the Concert F# (with the low Bb key depressed), and adjusting my embouchure to pull out the additional tones. The highest of these tones is a high C#, which follows suit with the 5 primary pitches used in the piece. The second multiphonic is played with the following fingering: (Left Hand) B-G keys, Octave, Low Bb This second multiphonic has at its base a Concert G#, which again follows suit with the primary melody.
-Neil
Just recorded this…it’s been a day of tumultuous weather. This was the tail-end of a passing storm.
02/22/2013 (12 Moons Solo Project Day 53)
12 Moons Solo Saxophone Project Day 53
Date: 02/22/2013
Instrument: Tenor saxophone
Location: Home studio in Clinton, WA (Whidbey Island)
Notes:
Through a series of four fingerings, I explored the use of tonality with multiphonics in my improvisation today. The wide world of multiphonic playing includes many clusters of pitches, many of which are surprisingly consonant. However, I don’t believe I have come upon a multiphonic chord that speaks fully tempered pitches. Even the most consonant of chords still has tones within it that are slightly de-tuned from traditional tuning. My improvisation today explores the amazing beauty that exists in non-traditional tuning, with easily understood chord shapes.
I am in constant search for new feelings and emotions that can be brought out by the power of a single chord itself. The chords used in this improvisation have, in my own mind, their own particular kind of tonality. They can only really be analyzed by listening, not looking at the particulars of their parts on a page. For reference sake, I notated my approximations of the tuning below, but more for reference than any kind of definitive statement on how they are to be analyzed.
This piece is performed with chords in two groups. Each group has a tone that comes before it, for a total of four “actions.” These actions, in order they are played are as follows.
Group 1:
1. (Left Hand) B-A-G keys, Octave, Low Bb// (Right Hand) F-D keys, Low C
–Creates middle F (quarter step sharp)
–This single pitch leads into chord number 2.
2. (Left Hand) B-A-G keys, Octave, Low B// (Right Hand) F-D keys
–Creates low G# (difference tone), F (quarter step flat), high C#
–To my ears, because of the tuning this chord falls between a major chord and a minor chord. It’s characteristic sound overall seems very melancholy to me.
Group 2:
1. (Left Hand) B-A-G keys, Octave, Low B// (Right Hand) F-D keys, Low C
–Creates middle F# and a very faint high C natural.
–This imbalanced, 2-note chord leads into chord number 2.
2.. (Left Hand) B-A-G keys, Octave, Low C#// (Right Hand) F-D keys, Low C
–Creates mid register A (quarter step high), mid register F (quarter step flat), high register C#, and an altissimo A#
–To my ears, this chord sound squarely major. But again, if you examine the actual tuning it falls somewhere between a major and a minor chord.
-Neil
02/21/2013 (12 Moons Solo Project Day 52)
12 Moons Solo Saxophone Project Day 52
Date: 02/21/2013
Instrument: Tenor saxophone
Location: Home studio in Clinton, WA (Whidbey Island)
Notes:
During my practice session today I explored many of the inherent overtones hidden inside particular fingerings. When I was in high school I would practice long tones in the corner of my room to try and hear the fullness of my sound. I noticed that when I held out just a single note I could hear other pitches at the same time. When I would point my horn at a particular angle against the wall they would speak, and at other times they would not. I noticed that embouchure pressure, reed choice, and volume also played a roll. I later learned that these extra tones I heard are called overtones, and that the organization of particular overtones lend each instrument its unique sound.
My improvisation today uses a fingering that produces a single pitch. With harder tongue articulation and a higher level of volume additional tones can clearly be heard at the same time. I approached this piece by articulating at the fastest possible tempo I am currently able to consistently play with single tonging. The pitch produced is a Concert D, but the Octave and a quarter step high Octave are also clearly audible.
During this piece the amount of space between the Concert D groups begins to shorten with each repetition, as well the length of the groups themselves. This continues until the center point of the improvisation where only a single pitch is played. I then gradually begin playing longer Concert D groupings and take more liberties with the amount of space between phrases.
-Neil