I don't know if your gonna be like a band director or something but you're one of the best sax teachers and jazz teachers I've seen and your funny as hell

Talking about altissimo: “I gave my 2 cents about the subject” Pun Intended?

After months of trying to play my first altissimo note, I haven't had any luck until I watched this video. I hit G, A, and C today. Great advice, literally everything you said in this video was correct, and helped. Thanks so much!

I was able to reach altissimo G, G# and A this week! I am obsessed with your channel btw, thank you so much

I watched this, practiced where he took his mouth peice off and then learned how to play altissimo in a day

Ultra instinct 🤘🤘

1:25

but what if you cant whistle 😪

this worked 1111x times better for me than other tutorials, and as a self-taught saxophonist I bow to you

I've been playing sax since 2011 when I started 6th grade. For some reference of the skill level I got to, in high school I once received a perfect score for a solo at state Solo & Ensemble. I did not study sax in college (I majored in architecture) but I played most every day in marching band, pep band, concert band, and eventually jazz band. Through all of that, up until today, the only altissimo note I'd ever been able to manage was G. I'd tried many times with fingering charts and with help from my private teacher (back when I still took lessons), but nothing ever seemed to work for me. I'd even questioned if it was my sax rather than me that was making it impossible to find this fabled extra range. Well today I was recording a sax solo, and I realized it really wanted to go up to A, and I knew I couldn't play A, so I started the old altissimo fingering charts again and spent about 10 or 15 minutes looking at those and trying and failing to get anything higher than a G to pop out. Then I went to KZfaq, and that's when I found this video. Saxologic, I must thank you. After following along with your video, trying to follow along with the impressive mouthpiece work (I could only get down about a minor third cleanly, so your full octave was very cool to hear), and trying to think about just aiming high and reaching for the note rather than trying a bunch of weird embouchure stuff... it started to work! My muscles started acting on their own and I heard a note squeak out that wasn't a total flub nor was too low, it was my A! After a little persistence I was able to figure out roughly what my mouth needed to be doing to get it coming out cleanly and for longer lengths of time. After that I was so thrilled I went to tackle B and I was able to get that one functioning too! I had to kind of clip them together in post, but I was able to use them in the solo I was recording and they don't sound half bad. So thank you so much for teaching me the one thing I could never figure out. Sax on.

This makes me wish I still had my sax. I had an alto YEARS ago (I mean like 2006) but I lost it in a storage unit that got auctioned. What it was doing in storage I will never know and I kick myself for that. It's just not my main instrument so I guess I never thought, I NEED to have that sax on me. I play keys, guitar, and bass mostly. But I always wanted to have a wind instrument that I could do something passable on. Oh well.

I doubted this would work for me, but it did. Thanks a lot man! This was very helpful for me to get altissimo f# and g. You have a very good sense of humor. Keep up the good work!

Your mouthpiece approach is what finally made it click for me. Thanks!

I´amazed! 20 years playing sax as a hobbie, and after the first glance a t you video, now I'm getting de A, B and C altissimo. Now I' can't stop. You are a magician!

My hats off to you sir! I was watching your altissimo lesson last night and something clicked when you mention about whistling . Well this morning I took my mouth piece and started my daily driving. My car is my best place to learn specially for the annoying sound of a mouse piece. Sure enough I tried to apply the tongue trick and after about 15 minutes later the Miracle happened. I couldn’t believe it. I am a newbie … been playing for about a year plus. Thanks again. You are good in explaining.

Such a great, amazingly simple explanation of how to develop altissimo. I never put much effort into voicing down tho, but that's probably a great way to strengthen your embouchure to make the altissimo notes pop out.

Almost unbelievable. After doing this for 30 minutes I got my FIRST altissimo notes A, Bb and C# !! I am a long time player, but never got altissimo out. Impressed!

I just finished a hour long video on the applicable anatomical intricacies of your throat, tongue, larynx, breathing, etc., to achieve altissimo notes. Blah!! .. your video is much easier and way better. Simple, makes sense, and really effective. Yeah. Thanks!!

Maann! Right words about learning in general. "Just feel it". I've always had felt something about this but couldn't put my finger on it. I think breaking it down works after feeling it but not before. Thanks for making it so cleaaaar

I love the introduction, and it's really spot on. Hitting these notes was always one of my goals. Here I am 2 months into picking up my horns again after 20 years and I'm on the way of being able to start to get control of them. Sure, as you said, it will take refinement, but it really started to click once I finally figured out the trick to it. What I'd really like to thank you for is you're the first video, or at least the first one I saw, that too the myth out of this, which was the biggest help for me. Then finally here, I'd just like to add that for me, getting these overtones happened in a really "odd" place, it wasn't where I expected it to be, and it felt it was an offshoot of more of the lower tones on the mouthpiece exercise than going high. But, like riding a bike, once I knew it was there I could repeat it, and so far it's been working. IMO not an expert and I've only been playing again for 2 months after 20 years off.

maaaan am I happy to have found a feeler doing a tutorial today you cant imagine how hard I'm thanking God rn that you simply exist fr fr

Thank you, i am 11 years old and I play 1st trombone in my middle school marching band (though I was in 5th grade!) I have unlocked my range on trombone in about 9 months since playing and within 5 months 3 weeks of playing alto sax i hit altissimo.

Game changing video. Fantastic. you have removed the intimidation and given us a simple way forward..

The bike analogy is absolutely perfect for describing altissimo. Nice vid, my guy.

Bro.. I have watched many youtube channels but man, your videos are very funny and informative and very easy to learn..

The best video on altissimo ever. Thank you!

Well it took me 30 minutes to get a glimmer of it out but you really helped me! Thank you so much!

Nice video! Can’t wait to try it

I dig it. Just found you. I'm new on alto and tenor. Bought both - teaching myself all of The Weeknd's songs. So, this stuff is quite helpful. If I could, I'd attach a video of me playing the mouthpiece and let you grade it out

1111 Edit: Thank you so much for the heart! I love reading the tags on your videos and they always make my day!

I like the bicycle analogy. Sorta figuring this shit out myself today. Good man, thanks!

Great Lesson! Your a good teacher Sir.

Best guidance on altissimo by far!!

You are AMAZING! I just unlocked the altissimo range on my alto sax omggggg!!💪🏽🤯🤚🏽

Thank you for this!!

I m so thankful that you showed me this. Mouthpiece playing

Now this is epic. Nice video.

Voila le professeur de tous les professeurs! Voici se trouve le Docteur de musique! Excelentissimo, Dr. Nathan. Lohvissimo!

I love your impression of trumpets screaming 😂

Bro, you are such a great teacher- I see all these other vids (like you say, about having a 'tight embrochure' and stuff) but it's all just obvious stuff, you're the only one that helps find the 'feel' of it, same with your perfect pitch video. So I have to ask, when did you start playing? I picked it up about 2 years ago when I was 16 and been playing tenor for a year. Fairly happy with my progress but just seeing people like you shred like mad makes me wonder if I'll ever get there.

I could mail everything above the 4th C. The first altissimo g# up to the C I just had a hard time with. Finally sat down and tried different horns mouthpieces and then voicing my notes and singing them while playing it got easier. Also completely relaxing, the opposite of what they say, got me full scales. At 38 I can finally hit altissimo scales on tenor like Pickett on good days, and I mean all the way up till there aren’t even fingerings anymore. But I will say yes for 20 years I could hit most of the altissimo range at least good enough to throw some nice screamers at the end of my solos etc. but full control in all scales does take some real effort I will say as it’s a muscle memory thing. Now I’m not a hundred percent sax and I have kids and I run the event, I also played soprano for most of that time, I started tenor, seriously and played a bent Bundy Alto with a broken Yamaha 4c for years when I learned sax and could still hit some altissimo. By the end of the year I am confident with the extra practice I can scream it all the way till out of the ears range and be in a bright, tonal, and in tune. I’d say the real secret is those donkey noises and hearing the note in your head. Ya sax players don’t have to associate pitch as much as brass instruments as we get to learn with fingerings determining whether the note is correct. On trumpet a fingering plays three different notes trade off is once we learn outside a classical environment and I suggest the earlier the better and learn chord changes etc. things like transposing become easy and often good sax players are fast at notation. We have an instrument that can play fast due to the design. So focus on the the ability to play the right notes in a way that is pleasant first as it’s what people actually care about. When they listen to you. It’s like watching a great guitar player, the extra high stuff and crazy riffs only work if all the other musical elements are there first. Guys just doing high pitched runs suck if it has no emotion or technically in accurate or under practiced and it not in good places.

Totally hooked, young man. Summarized some: "I'm not making a watch... I just wanna know what time it is" and, get really, really personal with your mpc, (add neck for flavor). Plus.. its all in your mind... mostly.. except for the blowing part. Good on you, Sir. Go get it. We're all pullin for ya.

I need to start practicing again, this really helped me the last time I needed to play G

You are a very good musician

Hi Nathan and to anyone else watching, wanting to reach the altissimo register. This video validated that i had already reached the register. I was making a high squeaky sound (B7). And i tried the mouthpiece only exercise. From an A, i could go up to Bb (only one half step) and down to D (4 whole steps). And with some struggle i can tell you that. So it’s not a whole octave. But now i can play (also with a bit of struggle) the altissimo G, G# and A. And probable all the others. Haven’t had time to try them out. The way i did this, was to move my tongue very close to the reed, and move my head just slightly down. This made the sounds come out. Hope it helps anyone.

thank you so much this was a huge help. I was in my room doing the mouthpiece excercise and my mom was like, "You Ain't doing that squeak squack sh*t! Cut it out." but once i nailed altissimo my mom changed her mind LOL

yo i was just thinking today when is this kid gonna post and bang he posts lmao

One of the nice part of this video is that your neighborhood is not crying to be quiet when you play altissimo :)

dude! this helped a lot

U DONE DID IT AGAIN LOL.. THANKS

Great advise!

Thank You! I knew there had to be more than keys at work with this sorcery, as I heard Becker wail like that without moving a finger!😏😎

Great tips. Fun guy. The actual how-to part with the mouthpiece starts at about 4:30 and then i jumped to 8:00 when he puts the mouthpiece on the sax . ill try this tomorrow. Thanks

I just started learning sax two days ago, and I’ll tell you, a lot of thing carry over from brass. I’ve been a trombone player for about four years, and the number of common techniques between the two surprised me. In less than a day, I was getting whole octaves of range. In the brass world, we have an embouchure exercise called shawarma that is essentially the same thing. Take out the mouthpiece and buzz, then plug it back in and practice bending the pitch on an open note. So, yeah. Most of music should be intuition.

My cat came in the room very concerned about your video. ❤😂

Nice! Thanks!

LOL this video cracks me up. Maybe I'll actually learn altissimmo...nah, one more youtube video

Good stuff, subbed ya 😎

Pretty good tutorial gotta say 1111/10 👌👌

1111 ...peace & blessings...🙏🏾

I'm hitting altissimo on my 3rd day of ever playing saxophone. But I am a fast learner at most things in life

Nice!!

I don’t even play sax but I love your videos lol

Just found an interesting quote by David Sanborn from a brief ‘92 Baltimore Sun article. "It's like kind of a physical thing based on your own physiology and your relationship with the horn. It's a lot of trial and error and determination. That's what does it -- because the notes are there."

Great video 1111

great video 1111

Bro wtf, it took me about 10 minutes and now I can hit C altissimo. This was so concise and easy to follow. Thank u so much dude!

He pretty much said "just do it its not that hard to do" and i helped so much

It’s been practically impossible for me to hit altissimo G. I just now figured out it was because of my bis Bb key wasn’t sealing all the way. I can hit altissimo G now 💪

I'm convinced it's your eyebrows doing the actual work.

Great analogy😂

A lesson long forgotten.

Excelent!

lol that light but also i feel like this video is pretty accurate

so helpful

Your awesome, I am only thirteen, but because of your awesome teaching, I mastered that Mario kart lick in like an hour

Love this video 1111

Really great approach bro! I’m tired of all the complicated explanations out there, not been able to hit above alt. G on tenor for years now! Your method seems more intuitive to me. So I understand the choice of concert A as a starting point, but is it what an alto MP defaults to? What about tenor MPs, do they also default to concert A or another note? I guess I can try for myself but it’s just too cold now and I’m comfortably under my blanket :)

My Band Director taught me this the exact same way with the whistling and everything

Dr. Vanessa Sielert, Director at the Lionel Hampton School of Music (Idaho) wrote her doctoral dissertation on mouthpiece pitch.

I play tenor (idk if it makes a difference) and I can play in the altissimo register pretty well but there’s two notes I can’t play, A and Bb. Idk why

Thank you By golly it works 😂

I don’t know if you have seen Jeff suzda’s altissimo tutorials. He does preps to get you used to being able to play the altissimo register and it is almost like your tutorial.

yup, idk if u saw my other comment on a different vid but ur totally my icon now

Lol must be tuff!! For the people who can’t whistle

I started playing altissimo notes on saxophone in 3 months of learning saxophone

@ 10:11 he let the intrusive thoughts win lmao.

1:08 I finally have obtained validation

I miss you

Where'd u get your altissimo fingerings because I need a high Eb if you know what I mean 👀

LETS GO NEW VIDEO!!!

This approach applies to developing range on brass instruments. It's not "building" the range, it's discovering how to play the higher notes and then refining them.

1111 I had a heart but I guess when you edit a comment the pin goes away oof. Mozart DCI Mario Kart Vandoren Altissimo

You start on concert A for alto. Do you know what note you start on for a tenor mouthpiece?

hey i know this video is super old but if by any chance you do see this could you say what fingerings you use? i’ve tried several for a and none of them worked until this video and now im wondering what all you use and if it would work better for me.

For what the tongue is doing in pitch bending, it's more or less like saying "Yuh". It feels like your tongue is pulling the note down, and the embouchure doesn't really need to change at all.

Pass me a towel cuz i'm sweating, and every day altissimo gets closer to heaven...

Me over here just trying to flex my upper cheek

Hi what tip opening and reed strength will help better altisimmo ?thanks

What are the best fingerings for altissimo? When I look them up I find different fingerings all over the internet