4/30/2013 (12 Moons Solo Project Day 120)

12 Moons Solo Saxophone Project Day 120

Date: 04/30/2013

Instrument: Tenor saxophone

Location: Performance Hall at Chief Sealth High School

Notes:

Today I worked with an ascending gesture that mixed close intervals and exploring consonance and dissonance.  The tuning system used in this piece allows for beautiful vibrations in the chord structure.  I used an interval pattern that moved from open to closed in range, with a total distance of slightly wider than a whole step.  The was done with three sounds.  In the tenor key, they were:

1.  Eb–F (whole step).  (open–the widest interval)

2.  E (quarter step sharp)–F (medium)

3.  F (quarter step sharp) (closed–fixed pitch)

After the first 30 seconds or so of the above action, I took sound 3 from the above (the fixed pitch) and opened this chord even further by bending it with my embouchure.  I would then blend this intermittently after playing sounds 1-3.  This created a total pitch distance of a Major Third with the pitches F–Eb–Db.  To play this sound the air flow must be focused downward and given a great amount of air.  Depending on my reed, this often creates a very breathy sound, and today this was particularly present.  I decided to use this as a compositional tool and created a “breath” vibrato by pulsing the air while playing the 3-tone pitch cluster. 

The fingerings (corresponding to the numbers 1-3 above):

1.  (Left Hand) Fork F, A-G keys, Octave, Low Bb //  (Right Hand) F-E keys, Low C

2.  (Left Hand) Fork F, A-G keys, Octave, Low Bb //  (Right Hand) F-E keys, Low C, High F# Key

3.  (Left Hand) Fork F, A-G keys, Octave, Low Bb //  (Right Hand) F key, Low C

For the 3-tone cluster (F–Eb–Db) use the same fingering as #3, but bend down with the embouchure and air flow.

-Neil

The image “To B.W.T.” accompanying today’s post by Philip Guston (1952)

04/29/2013 (12 Moons Solo Project Day 119)

12 Moons Solo Project Day 119

Date: 04/29/2013

Instrument: Tenor saxophone

Location: Home studio in Clinton, WA (Whidbey Island)

Notes:

Yesterday I explored the wide angles possible through embouchure vibratto.  Today I decided to continue the theme of pliable fingerings by creating unbroken bends within a given range.  The interval distance is approximately a major third, from a middle octave B to a D#.  I begin the piece with an initial presentation of the full bend, and during the improvisation I decided to end each melodic phrase on the top most pitch with a fade into silence.  

During the improvisation I progressively began increasing my level of action, which included adding internal upward and downward bends.  The piece begins with a tongue articulation on only the first pitch.  As the improvisation evolved I began breaking the consistency of air flow with tongue interruptions, first with single articulations and then with multiple flutter tonging articulations.  

The improvisation uses a single fingering with three alterations that contribute to the bend.  

The fingering system: Low Bb fingering, including the octave key.  The begin the upward bend, I added the Palm Eb key, then the High F# key, and the finally the Fork F key.

-Neil

The image “The Rose” accompanying today’s post is the spinning vortex of Saturn’s North polar storm, a photo released today by NASA.

04/28/2013 (12 Moons Solo Project Day 118)

12 Moons Solo Project Day 118

Date: 04/28/2013

Instrument: Tenor saxophone

Location: The rec room of my childhood home in Edmonds, WA

This is an energy piece exploring the wide angles possible with vibrato.  Traditionally vibrato on the saxophone is accomplished with either a slight tensing and releasing of pressure in the embouchure or through gentle fluctuations in air flow.  This improvisation uses the former paired with pliable fingerings that allow the pitches to bend in either direction much further than traditional notes.  

The improvisation was recorded at maximum volume, and I attempted to stay in the upper register throughout the piece.  It had an ascending shape overall that made reference to a handful of specific two-note pitch combinations.  

F–Eb  

F:  (Left Hand) B-A-G keys, Octave, Low Bb // (Right Hand) High F# key

Eb: Same as above, remove the High F# key

Gb–F

Gb:  (Left Hand) B-A-G keys, Octave, Low Bb // (Right Hand) High F# key, Side Bb

F: Same as above, remove the Side Bb

Ab–G

Ab:  (Left Hand) B key, Octave, Low Bb // (Right Hand) High F# key, Side Bb

G: Same as above, also put down the A key in the left Hand

A–Ab

A:  (Left Hand) C key, Octave, Low Bb // (Right Hand) High F# key, Side Bb, Side C

Ab: Same as above, remove Side C

The other pitches, clusters and wide intervals were explored by opening and closing the palm keys in combination with the above fingerings, plus wily exploration with embouchure motion, or ad hoc fingerings to explore new sounds.

-Neil

The image accompanying today’s post is a “light beam with a curve.”

04/27/2013 (12 Moons Solo Project Day 117)

12 Moons Solo Saxophone Project Day 117

Date: 04/27/2013

Instrument: Tenor saxophone

Location: Home studio in Clinton, WA (Whidbey Island)

Notes:

I’m trading work on my house for lessons with the parent of a student right now.  I struggled this morning to maintain focus and had very limited time to work because of a busy day.  This morning foundation work was being done under the house as I recorded.    I didn’t know the work would be going on this morning, but once it began, ironically the variety of sounds coming from beneath the house actually helped me to focus on a deeper level.  During the hour or so of work, I heard scraping, pounding, sawing, groaning, and the literal sound and feel of my house being jacked up from beneath my feet.  This piece features the consistency of a hammer sounding against the main support beam in the center of my house while I improvised with it.

-Neil

The image “Untitled 56” accompanying today’s post by Clyfford Still.

04/26/2013 (12 Moons Solo Project Day 116)

12 Moons Solo Saxophone Project Day 116

Date: 04/26/2013

Instrument: Soprano Saxophone

Location: Mountain cabin near Index, WA

Notes:

My wife and I spent the day at our cabin near the face of Mount Index, tucked in the foothills of the Cascade Mountain Range.  The cabin is only 10 x 12 feet, and was built with the help of my friends a few years ago.  With the return of Spring I’ve been looking forward to going back for months now.  The road is often impassable during Winter, and this was our first trip back up this year and my first time recording in this space.  In the right corner of the cabin is a small wood stove, and I recorded my improvisation today in front of the fire.

In this improvisation I aimed to capture the joy of this amazing day and the lightness of mood we carried with us.  During the recording I was very aware of my environment.  The air was warm and mild, my wife was scooping up leaves a few yards away, and the murmur of the distant Skykomish River could be heard.  Through this light hearted spirit I created a blues-inflected gesture around a central melody: E–A–G–G.  I would occasionally incorporate the major third (G#) against the G as well.  As the piece progressed I began to expand the original rhythmic and melodic shape by creating faster cycles.  This improvisation also uses as sharper tuning made by pushing the mouthpiece much further on.

The basic fingering was as follows:

Concert E.  (Left Hand) B-A-G keys, Octave, Low B // (Right Hand) F-E-D keys, Low C

Concert A   (Left Hand) B-A-G keys, Octave, Low B // (Right Hand) F-E-D keys, Low C, Side Bb

Concert G   (Left Hand) B-G keys, Octave, Low B // (Right Hand) F-E-D keys, Low C, Side Bb

Concert E.  (Left Hand) B-A-G keys, Octave, Low B // (Right Hand) F-E-D keys, Low C

-Neil

The painting “Lamp” by Philip Guston (1979)