New Stuff On the Saxophonetics YouTube Channel

Charlie Parker Articulation Pattern for Descending 7th Chord Arpeggios

Breaking down a crucial Jazz Saxophone tonguing technique found in Charlie Parker's solo over "Cherokee".

This lesson offers a basic overview of how Parker and other saxophone legends such as George Coleman commonly articulate(d) descending 7th chord arpeggios and how you can use the phonetic sound "T D-E-N" to achieve this technique.

​It also demonstrates how this technique can be practiced as well as 3 ways it can be applied: modally, over iii- VI7 ii- V7 progressions, and over 2-bar ii- V7's.

Charlie Parker - Cherokee Solo Transcription Revisited

Free PDF for E-flat, B-flat, Concert, & Bass Clef Instruments: https://www.jakedester.com/cherokee-2023-form.html

I consider this to be one of the greatest saxophone solos ever recorded and way ahead of its time! Bird is about 22 years old on this lo-fi 1942 recording, but it's clear that he's already begun to define modern Jazz and Bebop style and establish himself as a legend.

This transcription is distinct from my 2018 version in several ways. Aside from formatting the systems in a way that is more in line with the audio, I have developed a set of notational fonts in Finale that allow me to keep the ghost note articulations–that is, note heads in parentheses (•)–uniformly spaced everywhere they appear.

The articulations involved were very clear for the most part, and I have them all notated here as best as I could hear/match them upon slowed-down listening and playing along with the recording. For the sake of functionality (and swag, honestly) I have silhouettes of the applicable instruments for each transposition as well as each page marked with its respective and color-coded transposition.

​I hope that this more legible version is a better resource than my previous version. Please enjoy!

Articulation Is Like Really Important In Jazz

Demonstrating how jazz saxophone articulation techniques can give your lines character and life.

layers like Charlie Parker, Lester Young, Sonny Stitt, Cannonball Adderley, and many many other pioneers of the art form used articulation to give life to their lines.

​Here I use 4 simple phonetic sounds to take an otherwise ordinary line and give it an authentic dynamic feel.

Unlock Doodle Tonguing On Sax: Anatomy and Practice

The basic mechanics needed to achieve ghosting upbeats on the saxophone using the phonetic sounds D and N.

​This demonstration covers the physiology of ghosting or doodle tonguing (aka dooden tonguing, dawdle tonguing, half tonguing, muting, swallowing, side tonguing, etc.) as well as how to practice and apply this technique using Major scales in descending thirds as an example.