Sam Newsome

Sam Newsome
"The potential for the saxophone is unlimited." - Steve Lacy



Now available of Bandcamp!

Now available on Bandcamp!

Now available on Bandcamp!

Thursday, June 16, 2011

Sound Calisthenics (Corrected version)


One of the keys to gaining control, flexibility, and endurance on the soprano is to spend a great deal of time with overtone studies. The best book for this is Top Tones for the Saxophone: Four-Octave Range, by Sigurd Rascher. There may be others out there, but I'm not aware them.

This exercise is called "Overtone Repititions." I like the idea of playing overtones repititously because you're approaching it as a calisthenic workout. You can't tell from looking at me now, but I actually used to be an exercise fanatic, which will be the topic of discussion in a later blog!



When playing this exercise you'll notice that it sounds similar to a brass player doing lip slurs. Well, it's the same idea. The difference being that with the saxophone the reed is vibrating, instead of your lips.

If you can't play this exercise in it's entirely, that's OK. Just do what you can. When doing push ups, just lifting yourself halfway up is still producing results, provided that your form is correct. Just remember that's it's not a composition intended for performance, it's an etude to help you build strength.



Have fun. And don't forget to hit the shower afterwards!

6 comments:

Bret said...

Good advice! Rousseau's Saxophone High Tones is another book with excellent and extensive overtone exercises, with the added bonus of great altissimo fingering charts for modern horns (separate charts for soprano, alto, tenor, and baritone).

My Profile said...

Thanks, Bret! I'll check it out. I'm always looking for different ways to practice them.

AG said...

Should the 4th overtone be in there? (i.e. the D when fingering low Bb) Or is it part of the exercise (as in some of Rascher's) to miss it? Cheers

My Profile said...

Hi AG,
Nice catch! Not sure how I missed it. But yes, there should be a 4th overtone. I've included it in the corrected version.

Thanks!
- S

Anonymous said...


i am very grateful sharing this great testimonies with you,how Dr.Okaya win lottery number,and is The best thing that has ever happened in my life is how i won the lottery. and tell him i need the lottery numbers. i have come a long way spending money on ticket just to make sure i win. But i never know that winning was so easy until the day i meant the spell caster called Dr.Okaya online which so many people has talked about that he is very great in casting lottery spell, so i decide to give it a try.I contacted this Dr.Okaya and he did a spell and he gave me the winning lottery numbers. But believe me when the draws were out i was among winners. i win ( thirty Five million,thirty five thousand,three hundred and twenty three Dollars). Dr Okaya truly you are the best, with these man you can will millions of money through lottery. i am so very happy to meet these man, i will forever be grateful to you. Email him OKAYASPELLHELP@GMAIL.COM for your own winning lottery numbers, is the only way out and answer to that your problem call/Whats app +27814506790 for More Information on Dr Okaya

Anonymous said...


i am very grateful sharing this great testimonies with you,how Dr.Okaya win lottery number,and is The best thing that has ever happened in my life is how i won the lottery. and tell him i need the lottery numbers. i have come a long way spending money on ticket just to make sure i win. But i never know that winning was so easy until the day i meant the spell caster called Dr.Okaya online which so many people has talked about that he is very great in casting lottery spell, so i decide to give it a try.I contacted this Dr.Okaya and he did a spell and he gave me the winning lottery numbers. But believe me when the draws were out i was among winners. i win ( thirty Five million,thirty five thousand,three hundred and twenty three Dollars). Dr Okaya truly you are the best, with these man you can will millions of money through lottery. i am so very happy to meet these man, i will forever be grateful to you. Email him OKAYASPELLHELP@GMAIL.COM for your own winning lottery numbers, is the only way out and answer to that your problem call/Whats app +27814506790 for More Information on Dr Okaya

Blank Page Syndrome

Sydney Sheldon's poignant quote, "A blank piece of paper is God's way of showing you how hard it is to be God," deeply res...