The Beauty of the Saxophone Overtone Series

Introduction

The fundamentals are an essential component part of required musical practice on the saxophone/woodwinds. The fundamentals provide a secure foundation across all areas of importance for a rich, stable sound and a well-developed technique. One of the important fundamental areas I would like to briefly discuss and share with you today is, the overtones series.

SPOILER ALERT: There really aren't that many melodic and harmonic "tricks" you need to know to play great solos. After going through just a few of these etudes and their brief analysis, you'll be well on your way to having a rock-solid "improvisational arsenal".

INFINITEMUSICIAN.COM

20% Off Limited Time Sale!

Since the core of our musical studies is sound, the production and sustaining of sound, then a closer examination of the overtone series would be one of the most important subjects to address and incorporate into our practice routine.

To achieve a well-rounded, focused and resonant sound requires our full attention and a conscientious practical application of the overtone series properties. The benefits for the developing saxophonist / woodwind player as well as for the seasoned professional are solid results with improved intonation and a more clear, true sound concept.

Beginning Exercise

There are numerous resources that address the playing of the overtone series on the saxophone/woodwind instruments. There is the seminal work Top Tones for the Saxophone by Sigurd Rascher, and there is the written and video archive of the American clarinetist/saxophonist Joe Allard, to name a few. I would suggest researching deeper into those resources, but for our purposes here today, let’s provide suggestions for the beginning stages of thinking about the overtone series and incorporating it in one’s practice routine.

Maintain Fingering – first note in series

We’ll suggest that you begin with achieving the first two pitches of the overtone series from the fundamental lowest note C.

While fingering the low C note, and without changing the fingering, begin to adjust the embouchure, cavity and air stream to produce the sound of the octave note C above the low C. The octave is the first series note of the overtone series.

Inner Ear

This attempt at producing the series pitch octave requires you to develop your inner “ear” – what is described by many as the “tone imagination”. The overtone series develops your ear by requiring you to “hear” the pitch you attempt to produce before you sound it on the instrument.

Maintain Fingering – second note in series

While fingering the low C note, begin to adjust the embouchure and air stream to produce the sound of the fifth G an octave and a fifth above the low C without changing the fingering. You can play your G note with the octave key prior to the overtone exercise so that you hear the G note you are attempting to produce. The fifth is the second series note of the overtone series.

Key Points of Reference

Consider a couple key points of reference while beginning to explore and produce results with the overtone series.

The vibration of the reed is essential. Allow the reed to vibrate freely while attempting to produce the overtones. There can be increased pressure with the embouchure to a point where the pressure is increased beyond what is necessary to produce the overtone. The result of the increased pressure is that it dampens and obstructs the free vibration of the reed. Pay attention to avoid too much facial and embouchure pressure.

Hear the pitch prior to the execution and take your time developing and fine tuning your inner ear imagination.

With these first simple exercises the embouchure, diaphragmatic support, direction of the air stream, and the cavity formation all become subjects of your focused attention. Through this application one’s attention to these areas is developed and the results are highly beneficial for accurate intonation and resonant timbral development.

Conclusion

The saxophonist/woodwind player can start with short, focused sessions, and then gradually develop into periodic longer sessions. In addition, I suggest the saxophonist/woodwind player attempt to maintain the frequency of practice session applications of the overtone series. The frequency of the application ensures that the overtone series becomes familiar and develops naturally as foundational practice material for the saxophone/woodwind player.