Saxophone Exercises & Patterns

FINGERING EXERCISES (2)

The next four exercises of this section are based around simple four note triad patterns which take you chromatically through all the keys. You can also do it with minor triads. Try to do this without the music as soon as possible to get your brain/finger coordination sharp. These exercises also work very well using intervals larger than a semitone between each four note pattern: minor thirds work very well.

I have followed the convention of using sharps when ascending chromatically and flats when descending. Enharmonic spellings are occasionally changed to avoid too many double sharps and flats

Ex 2.1

This pattern was used quite a lot by John Coltrane (listen to Giant Steps)

Ex 2.2

A simple triad arpeggio

Ex 2.3

Another triad arpeggio figure. If played fast enough, this type of pattern can be used whatever chord is being played, as long as you resolve or end up on a chord note, the dissonance of what would be wrong notes at a slower tempo can be used to create tension

Ex 2.4

Yet another triad exercise