Learning objectives - Saxophone

Students can start learning the saxophone once they are physically able to play and carry the instrument. It is most common for saxophone studies to start when students are 10–12 years old, although there are cases where they have started earlier. It is often desirable for students to learn on another smaller and more manageable woodwind instrument first and then switch when the teacher deems appropriate. This can be advantageous but is not necessarily essential.

More about saxophone studies

Level 1

Range: e’ – a”

All scales in one file

Scales

Range One octave
Tempo M.M = 80, scales played in quarter notes
Scales

(Choose two out of four)

G major, F major, E minor, chromatic

(type of minor scale is optional)
Triads In all the above keys
Chromatic g’ – d” (optional)

Works and exercises

Piece Pippi Laangstrump page 29 from SoJ,

Blues Adventure, no. 68 from AoA Book I,

(or a similar piece)
Practice Exercise no. 7 in 80 Graded Studies

(or another similar exercise)
Option
  1. Improvise from a given start, chord sequence, or melody
  2. Play an original piece or own arrangement
  3. Play a short folk song or national song by ear

    Length should be about 8 bars

Sight reading Play a piece by sight you have not seen before (early in Grade 1)
Study material
  • Saxofonen och jag 1 (The Saxophone and Me 1)
  • Midt i blinken 1 (Right on Beat 1)
  • Accent on Achievement 1
  • 80 Graded Studies for Saxophone
  • Sönglögin okkar (Our Songs)

Level 2

Range: d’ – c”’

All scales in one file

Scales

Range One or two octaves, within the given range
Tempo M.M = 96, scales played in quarter notes
Scales G major, F major, D major, E minor, D minor, chromatic
Triads In all the above keys
Chromatic g’ – g”

Works and exercises

Piece Catosja, page 27 in Midt i Blinken 2 (Right on Beat 2),

Las Mañanitas, no. 133 from AoA Book I

(or a similar piece)
Practice Exercise no. 12 in 80 Graded Studies for Saxophone vol.1,

Progressive Studies 1,

easy exercise from Demnitz

(or another similar exercise)
Option
  1. Improvise from a given start, chord sequence, or melody

    Criteria: 12 bar blues, 1x melody line (e.g., original), 1x solo

  2. Play an original piece or own arrangement

    Criteria: Length should be about 12 – 16 bars, range wider than a fifth

  3. Play a short folk song or national song by ear

    Criteria: Length should be about 12 – 16 bars, range wider than a fifth

Sight reading Play a piece by sight you have not seen before (Grade 1)
Study material
  • Saxofonen och jag 1 and 2 (The Saxophone and Me 1 and 2)
  • Midt i Blinken 1 and 2 (Right on Beat 1 and 2)
  • Accent on Achievement 1
  • 80 Graded Studies for Saxophone
  • Sönglögin okkar (Our Songs)

Level 3

Range: c’ – d”’

All scales in one file

Scales

Range One or two octaves, within the given range
Tempo M.M = 60, scales played in eighth notes
Scales G major, F major, D major, C major, E minor, D minor, G minor, A minor, chromatic
Triads In all the above keys
Chromatic d’ – d”’

Works and exercises

Piece The Entertainer, no. 76 from AoA Book II,

Bella Notte, page 23 in Midt i Blinken 3 (Right on Beat 3)

(or a similar piece)
Practice Exercise no. 21 in 80 Graded Studies for Saxophone vol.1

(or another similar exercise)
Option
  1. Improvise from a given start, chord sequence, or melody

    Criteria: 16 bars

  2. Play an original piece or own arrangement

    Criteria: Length should be about 16 bars, range about an octave.

  3. Play a short folk song or national song by ear

    Criteria: Length should be about 16 bars, range about an octave

Sight reading Play a piece by sight you have not seen before (Grade 2)
Study material
  • Midt i Blinken 2 and 3 (Right on Beat 1 and 2)
  • Disney Movie Hits
  • 80 Graded Studies for Saxophone
  • Greg Fishman: Jazz Phrasing

Level 4

Range: bes – f”’

Basic exam

All scales in one file

Scales

Range From root note up to the highest triad tone and back to root note
Tempo M.M = 96, scales played in eighth notes
Scales G major, F major, D major, C major, B-flat major, E minor, D minor, G minor, A minor, B minor, Chromatic
Triads In all the above keys
Chromatic b – f”’

Works and exercises

Piece Trend Setter, from Practice Sessions

(or a similar piece)
Practice Exercise no. 37 in 80 Graded Studies for Saxophone vol.1

(or another similar exercise)
Option
  1. Improvise from a given start, chord sequence, or melody

    Criteria: 16 bars

  2. Play an original piece or own arrangement

    Criteria: Length should be about 16 bars, range about an octave.

  3. Play a piece of your choice, of similar difficulty to other exam pieces

    Criteria: Length should be about 16 bars, range about an octave

Sight reading Play a piece by sight you have not seen before (Grade 3)
Study material
  • Midt i Blinken 2 and 3 (Right on Beat 1 and 2)
  • Disney Movie Hits
  • 80 Graded Studies for Saxophone
  • Greg Fishman: Jazz Phrasing