Saxophone 101: Building a Warmup Routine

Embarking on a journey to play the saxophone involves more than just playing your favorite tunes. Regardless of level or ability, every saxophonist should establish a dedicated warm-up and practice routine. In this guide, we'll delve into the significance of warming up and maintaining a daily routine to build the fundamental skills needed for saxophone proficiency.

Drone or The Tuning C.D.

Before diving into complex melodies or learning a piece, prioritize taking time to learn your instrument’s tendencies and train your intonation skills. To start off, let’s define what a “drone” is. According to Tom Ball’s article, “A drone is a sustained tone on a fixed pitch. Practicing while a drone is sounding can help musicians improve intonation through pitch matching, interval tuning, and ear-training.” Many tuning/metronome apps on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store (such as TE Tuner) have built-in drones. Personally, I use The Tuning C.D. (A=440), which is available on most music streaming platforms, as well as a physical CD. The Tuning CD contains a series of 2-minute drones on each of the twelve pitches of the chromatic scale. Since most of the music we play is based on chords, musicians must learn to play notes in tune with a relationship to the implied underlying harmony. Practicing with a drone on any pitch desired allows a musician to fine-tune his or her intonation skills to a much greater degree.

To start, play a pitch using a drone or The Tuning C.D. using speakers with the volume fairly loud. I usually start by picking one key for each warmup session. Begin with simple long tones and arpeggios, focusing on blend and “sounding pretty”, all while keeping a firm and relaxed embouchure. When a pitch is out of tune, you can hear beats or waves. When this happens, try dropping your jaw and let the pitch get lower and see if that eliminates/slows down the waves or makes them faster. The pitch you are playing may also be low, therefore you have to raise the pitch by using your embouchure, voicing, or adjusting your mouthpiece slightly. Then, move to different octaves of the instrument, maybe starting on palm keys or low B-flat. You could also just play any technical passage that’s in that key extremely slow, listening for the tendencies of each note. Try playing a technical section of something and then abruptly pause on random notes and see how quickly you adjust to get that note in tune.

After you’ve spent a fair amount of time experimenting with this, use a tuner on your smartphone (such as TE Tuner) or a physical device (such as a Korg Tuner/Metronome). On saxophone, it is normal to tune to Concert A (F# for alto/baritone, B for soprano/tenor). If you are sharp, or the pitch is high, pull out your mouthpiece. If you are flat, or the pitch is low, push in your mouthpiece. It is important that you use a tuner after you have played for a significant amount of time since the temperature of your instrument can change your tuning.

Articulation

A strong foundation in saxophone playing begins with clear and focused articulation. Incorporate different exercises into your warm-up routine that focus on strength and control of your tongue. I usually alternate between a couple of different exercises (shown below) and pick three different tempo markings (slow, moderate, fast). Make sure to use a metronome, staccato articulations, and focus on the clarity of every pitch. It is normal to feel fatigued if you have not focused on this before, so take breaks.

Chromatic

Our next focus will be on chromatic exercises which aid in finger agility and familiarity in different keys. I usually alternate these two exercises (shown below), starting on different points of the horn, and going up or down chromatically. As mentioned before, make sure to use a metronome and pick three different tempo markings (slow, moderate, fast). While you are moving through different tempos and fingerings, you must focus on precision, internal time, and comfort. If any of these are negative or not precise, then slow it down until you can play it. Another layer of difficulty you can add onto these is adding the subdivision to your metronome, which will show you if you are rushing or dragging (usually during more complex fingerings). This builds muscle memory and strengthens your technical skills, making more complex passages feel like second nature.

Scales

The Building Blocks of Technique: Scales are the bread and butter of any musician's practice routine. They enhance finger agility, intonation, familiarity with different keys, and make complex passages in etudes and pieces more recognizable. When just starting, focus on simple, one-octave, major scales. Once you get comfortable, move on to full-range scales in different patterns (written in the Daily Studies for All Saxophone). Start with full-range major scales that include the formula below:

1. Start on the first scale degree, in the instrument’s lowest octave.

2. Proceed upward in an even rhythm (such as even eighth notes) to the highest note in the instrument’s “range” that falls within the scale (usually F or F#)

3. Proceed downward to the instrument’s lowest note that falls within the scale.

4. Proceed back upward to the starting note/tonic.

It is imperative that you focus on clarity throughout this exercise. A fun exercise for your brain is to try and focus on different skills when doing these; maybe it’s keeping your fingers down on the keys or focusing on keeping a relaxed embouchure. It can be very interesting to challenge your brain and actively see where your strengths and weaknesses are! Here is the full order in which I went through my scales and how I recommend my students to progress through them.

1. one-octave major scales

2. one-octave minor scales (usually harmonic minor)

3. full-range major scales

4. full-range minor scales

5. major scales in thirds

6. minor scales in thirds (usually harmonic minor)

7. major scales in fourths

8. minor scales in fourths

9. whole tone scales

Conclusion

Establishing a daily warm-up and practice routine is not just a habit; it's a commitment to your growth as a saxophonist and a musician. By consistently incorporating these elements into your practice, you'll not only build strong fundamentals but also lay the groundwork for musical excellence. Remember, the saxophone is not just an instrument; it's an extension of your artistic expression, and a disciplined routine will unlock its full potential.