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Instrument Tuition: Saxophone
Please note: Registration forms are provided below for student and mature student applications.
Teaching Info for Jon Melville
Saxophone, Clarinet, Piano, Music Theory
Exams:
- Graded exams available on piano, saxophone (classical or jazz), clarinet & Bass Clarinet (up to Grade 5 at the moment) and theory (up to Grade 5).
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All exams are through the ABRSM.
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Pupils who have lessons with me don't have to take exams but I encourage them to do so.
Teaching styles/methods:
- Pieces with piano accompaniment (saxophone and clarinet).
- CD playalongs.
- Duets.
- Scales and sight reading v. important.
- Theory always incorporated into lessons.
- Jazz improvisation lessons available.
Recommended web links:
Don't use many myself but www.petethomas.co.uk is a great site for sax players with loads of exercises, technique and theory info. Also good for people interested in composition and arranging, jazz, and recording/production techniques.
Instrumentalists/composers to listen to (some of the main ones who I've been influenced by):
Saxophone - Charlie Parker, John Coltrane, Cannonball Adderley, Sonny Rollins, Sonny Stitt, Joe Henderson, Wayne Shorter, Chris Potter, Joshua Redman, Michael Brecker, Bob Berg, Joe Lovano, Tim Garland, Branford Marsalis, Bob Mintzer, Soweto Kinch.
Piano - Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Ravel, Debussy, Bartok, Art Tatum, Mccoy Tyner, Keith Jarrett, Esbjorn Svensson, Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock, Brad Mehldau, Gwilym Simcock.
Some of my other favourite musicians, composers and bands (all of whom have influenced me in some way) include - Stravinsky, Shostakovich, Prokofiev, Miles Davis, Duke Ellington, Dave Holland, Avishai Cohen, John Scofield, Stephane Grappelli, Wynton Marsalis, Chaka Khan, Jill Scott, Erykah Badu, Mary J Blige, Lauren Hill, Imogen Heap, Joni Mitchell, Sting, Stevie Wonder, Jamiroquai, Brand New Heavies, Steely Dan.
Practice methods/routines:
- Don't just practise a whole piece over and over, break it down into the sections you are struggling with, then break these sections down, note by note if necessary.
- Short bursts of regular practise is better than fewer longer sessions - 30 mins practise three times a week is much better than practicing once a week for an hour and a half.
- Slow practice is important.
- Practise with a metronome.
- Start your saxophone/clarinet practice by blowing some long notes into a tuner and trying to keep the pitch regular and smooth. Also practice long notes with varying volume whilst still ensuring that the pitch remains constant on the tuner.
- Don't just rush through your scales. Concentrate more on the ones you find difficult. Practice them with a metronome. Perhaps have a list of all your scales and tick off a few each day so that you know that after several practice sessions you will have covered them all.
- Practicing sight-reading in your own time is really important - this is something pupils often forget to do. Try to find
some pieces at home which are at a suitable level.
- If you're looking to develop your aural skills, start transcribing some music - this helped to develop my ears massively when I was younger - I was forever transcribing my favourite sax players solos and then learning to play them.
Be patient - it will come!
Some of the teaching books I use:
Piano -
- Microjazz for Absolute Beginners/Beginners.
- Up Grade.
- Piano Time.
- ABRSM exam pieces.
- Bartok Mikrokosmos (often for sight-reading).
- All The Tunes You've Ever Wanted To Play.
- John Thompson's Easiest Piano Course (for younger pupils).
Saxophone/Clarinet -
- Learn As You Play Saxophone/Clarinet.
- ABRSM jazz exam pieces.
- Jamey Aebersold (with backing CD's).
- Microjazz Duets.
- First Repertoire for Saxophone.
- Time Pieces.
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Jazz Real Books.
Topics covered during lessons:
- Scales - major, harmonic/melodic minor, arpeggios, dominant 7ths, diminished 7ths, modes, major/minor pentatonic, blues scale.
- Sight-reading.
- Theory.
- Aural training.
- Repertoire.
Jon Melville
Registration Forms:
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