2026-2027 Florida All-State Symphonic Band Tenor Saxophone Technical Etude- Instructional Video

Instrument set up in this recording--- Yamaha YTS-875 Custom Tenor with a V1 custom neck, Caravan Mouthpiece, Rovner Ligature, Legere- French Cut size 4 reed. Recording equipment used--- iPhone 11 camera and mic. Tips and Practice Techniques--- MEASURE 29, with all of the leaps of almost 2 octaves within a straight 16th note passage.... THIS IS THE MEASURE THAT SETS THE TEMPO FOR THE ENTIRE ETUDE. If you can only play m29 at 70 beats per minute (bpm), then the whole piece must be played at 70 bpm. If you can only play that measure at 92 bpm, then the who piece is 92 bpm etc... The piece has a light and bouncy feel. So make the staccatos light and bouncy, NOT march style. Pay attention to 16th passages of tongue 1-slur 2-tongue 1, and play those groupings clearly. (I did not make a few of these groupings clear enough). In m14 and m15, the strange arpeggiation with the offset phrase grouping gave me trouble. I had to practice these measures slowly with a metronome, break it down in 2 note groupings, changed the rhythm around, 3 note groupings, etc... Then i put it all back together to make the passage be able to be played correctly. Overall, DO NOT RUSH. The excitement of this piece will make you want to do that. But when it is rushed, it will sound frantic, and then you'll be too fast when it comes time to play m29 clearly and in time. #FloridaBandmastersAssociation #FloridaAllState #FloridaMusicEducatorsAssociation #saxophone