Here is an example:

What are the chord tones in an F# diminished 7th? The shortcut is to use the root of the diminished chord with the 3,5 and b7 from the dominant 7th chord a half step below. So we would combine the A,C and Eb from the F7 with the root of the diminished chord.

The notes in the F# diminished 7th chord are F#,A,C,Eb.

Hope this helps!

The book is published by Hal Leonard and includes a CD. I purchased the version for tenor sax but the book also exists for also sax, trumpet, keyboard and guitar.  The book includes 50 ways to improve your improvisation skills with a focus on phrasing. The contents of the books can apply to just about any instrument.

The author breaks phrasing down into three components: Harmony, Melody and Rhythm. Due to the wealth of material covered in the book – some of the topics are covered in a couple of pages whereas in other books entire chapters or even entire books have been written about the topic. For example the Bebop Mixolydian scale is introduced in a couple of pages and Steve Neff has written a book entitled “Mastering the Dominant Bebop Scale” that is 191 pages. David Baker has written an entire book series on “How To Play Bebop”. You may be thinking that I am slamming the author for his short treatment of many topics but I’m not. I really like how the author introduces the improvisor in a condensed form to so many fascinating and practical ways to approach improv.  Once you are exposed to the concepts and the good examples you can then dig deeper using some of the other jazz resources I have written about and or to use the backing tracks on this site.

I recommend that you purchase this book.

For Tenor Sax

For Alto Sax

For Guitar

For Trumpet

For Keyboard

My first post of the year is to share a really cool video of saxman Eric Daniel and Friends performing a song named “Jesus Said”

I meet Eric Daniel on Twitter last year and started following his tweets ( http://www.twitter.com/ericdanielsax ). Eric is a wonderful player who likes to “give back”. Last year I reviewed his book “The Saxophone Survival Kit”. This book contains a wealth of practical knowledge from the school of hard knocks!

The song “Jesus Said” is from Erics “Old Sax Nu Soul”. You can purchase at: Purchase Old Sax Nu Soul

Please visit the Eric Daniel website.

I hope you enjoy the following video as much as I have:

Before I read this book I read Walt Wieskopfs Intervalic Improvisation book. I’m glad I read Intervalic Improvisation first because the explanation of how triad pairs are derived and applied seemed to be more detailed. The author recommends his book “Connecting Jazz Theory” for an in-depth study of applications.

This book has a wealth of exercises using three and four note triad pairs. The exercises are designed to show how the triad pairs can be mixed up to provide additional interest and variety. The author has sections in the book that provide examples of how triad pairs can be linked together. Also included is the use of “Approach Tone Variations” ( e.g. using the lower neighbor tones), Triad pair mutation ( e.g. two notes from one triad and four notes from another triad ). The book ends with several example solos that are based upon using triad pairs.

If you are interested in studying triad pars in jazz improvisation – this book is for you.

You can purchase the book from the following:

You can purchase the Connecting Jazz Theory book from the following:

You can purchase Expansions from the following:

Many jazz improvisors learn linear improvisation. Linear improvisation is basically learning what scale to play over various chord changes. For every scale there are one or more triad pairs that work or sound good over a particular chord.

This book works for all instruments.

Pages 4-19 of the book are used to derive triad pairs from the major scale, harmonic minor scale, melodic minor scale, diminished scale, harmonic major scale, whole tone scale and augmented scale.  Pages 24-93 include exercises and patterns. The last section of the book contains etudes that provide examples of how intervalic improvisation can be used.

This is a very good book that I suggest that you study.

You can purchase the book from the following:

While you are at it you should also consider some of Walt’s music. Walt is an awesome player!

1. Handmade bell, body, neck and bow.

2. Proprietary Rose Brass Alloy ( High copper to zinc ratio )

3. Only saxophone with four octave vents

4. Dedicated altissimo system

The horn is priced at $11,000. If price is not an issue this horn may be for you. You can learn more at

SAXGOURMET CATEGORY FIVE TENOR SAX

My saxophone experience in a church begins at an independent fundamental Baptist church in about 1976. I played the Gaither song “There’s Something About That Name” with a piano accompaniment. After the service a well intentioned church member stopped me and said “I was going straight to hell” for playing the instrument of the devil in the Lord’s house”. I was devastated at the time by this comment.

The Bible teaches us that we are supposed to use the gifts and talents that we have been given to glorify the Lord. As recently as the past couple of years we have searched for a new church home where I could use my God given talent on the saxophone. I was amazed to find out that their is still some predujice against the saxophone in a church praise band. I was basically told by one music minister that the band could only accept guitars,drums and keyboard. I was told by another music minister that I would have to join the church and attend a small group for six months and then “maybe” I could be a part of the praise band.

How often do we hear the saxophone on Christian radio? For that matter how often do we hear the saxophone in current pop music? The point is that we don’t hear it very often. Since music ministers don’t hear it on the radio, the lessor experienced music ministers don’t have the wisdom or experience to realize that the saxophone could be a valuable addition to the team.

Some people say that the saxophone expressive capabilities come closer than any other instrument in emulating the human voice. I happen to agree with this statement.

What role should the saxophone have in a praise band? I have seen and been part of a horn section that played various horn stabs in songs. I am currently using the saxophone in a manner similar to a lead guitar. Sometimes I am playing a solo. Most of the time I am “putting mud in the cracks”. By this I mean that I am using my jazz training to add filler notes in spaces where the vocalist is not singing or I am adding harmony notes to what the vocalists are singing.  I am playing as the Holy Spirit is leading.

Three of my favorite saxophonists who were or are also Christians are John Coltrane, Kirk Whalum and Greg Vail. Check out the following videos:

Are you a sax player in your church’s band? If yes, how is the saxophone used? What thoughts do you have on the use of the saxophone in a praise band?

If you answered no to any of these questions then this post is for you. In addition to the supplied exercises I will point you to several other resources for improving your triad skills.

Additional Resources:

In chapter 4 of the following Bert Ligon book, “Triadic Generalization” is discussed.

In chapter 15 of the following Bert Ligon book, “Extended Tertian Structures & Tridac Superimposition” is discussed.

In chapter 3 of the following book Bert Ligon provides many nice ideas and exercises related to “Triads & Generalization”.

In the following book Ernie Watts provides some very nice triad exercises.

The following book by Walt Weiskopf on “Intervalic Improvisation” is based upon using triad pairs and their various inversions.

Exercises 1-12 of “Patterns For Jazz” contain excellent triad exercises. If you don’t yet have this book you should add it to your “Must Have” list.

Be sure to check out the following items from Steve Neff at Neff Music:
“The Ultimate II-V-I Primer” this is an excellent beginning book.
The following Steve Neff lessons are also very good for triads:
“In A Mellow Tone with Triads-Video”
“Major Triad Samba”

Be sure to check out Evan Tates 250 Jazz Patterns

Have fun mastering the major triads!

In the fairness of disclosure, I own a software development company that designs and builds websites. The company name is Mainstream IT.

Unfortunately the travesty’s of this website go well beyond that of a very outdated website.  The website has bold text that says “Secure Website”. Nothing could be further from the truth. For example if you click on the link to “Subscribe to the Saxophone Journal” you will be taken to a form to fill in your information. Your information includes your credit card numbers. When you press the submit button all of your information is sent from your browser to their server and the information is NOT ENCRYPTED – this means people on the internet could steal all of your important information and credit card numbers. Furthermore  if you click on the Woodwind Products or other links on this site and then attempt to purchase something you will see that this time they do encrypt the transaction however they use a self signed security certificate. Once again I strongly recommend that you don’t purchase something from a business that does not use a security certificate that has been signed by a reputable Certificate Authority.

Hopefully DORN publications will see the light and fix the security issues on their website as well as update it to reflect the same quality as their paper magazines.