11/21/2014 (Continuous Resonance Solo Improvisation)

Neil Welch, Continuous Resonance Project
Date: 11/21/2014
Location: Home studio in Clinton, WA (Whidbey Island) 
Instrument: Soprano saxophone

Notes:

The past few days I’ve dedicated a good amount of time to working on my soprano. I’ve taken several months off of this horn as I simply did not feel drawn towards it. However, when I picked up the horn after this sabbatical I felt so joyful that I was truly transported back into a very unique artistic frame of mind. 

During this improvisation I made use of flutter tonguing with my teeth near the tip of the mouthpiece. Having my teeth in this position allowed me to flutter tongue without actually letting my tongue come into contact with the reed. I juxtaposed upper register dots of sound by adjusting my embouchure while momentarily opening the High G key, which is actually an altissimo-range key not commonly found on most saxophones.

The image “North of Broomfield, Colorado” (1973) accompanying today’s post by Robert Adams.