12 Moons Solo Saxophone Project Day 209

Date: 07/28/2013

Instrument: Tenor saxophone

Location: Home studio in Clinton, WA (Whidbey Island)

Notes:

During my practice session I focused on the pairing of very specific, yet diverse regions of the instrument. This led me to explore in this improvisation a broad center of sound with three primary developmental aspects and one secondary aspect. Each occupies a unique place within the sound spectrum and were played at will. I placed each aspect next to another, thought the execution was paced somewhat slowly as I tried to move from one aspect to another in an unhurried way. The primary developmental aspects included:

1. The use of and extremely wide range spanning three octaves with the pitches low Bb and altissimo C.

2. Indeterminate pitches within the upper middle register, played in tight pairing with one another.

3. A multiphonic with an increasing level of volume. Fingered as follows: (Left Hand) B-A-G keys, Octave, Low B // (Right Hand) F-E-D keys, Low C

The secondary developmental aspect included:

4. The Low B fingering, played as an oscillating chord with an evenly paced wave form.

-Neil

The image “Fountain House, Generative Geometries, project, Plan” accompanying today’s post by Rodolfo Machado and Jorge Silvetti (1942).