Saxophonics
Encyclopedia
Saxophonics is the creation of sounds (both musical and non-musical) through the use of a saxophone
and one or more electronic effects unit
s, often altering the acoustic sound of the horn beyond recognition. Additionally, saxophonics often entails the use of altissimo
, overtone
s, growling, and other extended technique
s. The electronic effects may include distortion
, doublers, loop
s, wah-wah, and tone generators.
Saxophonics is a recent term for techniques developed by saxophonists such as Eddie Harris
and Sonny Stitt
, who both played the Varitone
saxophone beginning in the 1960s. In addition to playing the Varitone, Eddie Harris had experimented with looping
techniques on his 1968 album
Silver Cycles.
Rahsaan Roland Kirk
often played several saxophones at once (though this technique has earlier roots in Wilbur Sweatman
's vaudeville
performances), and was a notable practitioner of circular breathing
.
David Sanborn
and Traffic
member Chris Wood
employed effects such as wah-wah and delay
on various recordings during the 1970s.
Recent practitioners of saxophonics include Dana Colley
(of Morphine
) who, like Kirk, plays multiple saxophones simultaneously (tenor
and baritone saxophone
in Colley's case) and Skerik
(Critters Buggin', et al.) who employs numerous effects with tenor and baritone saxophone; Ben Ellman, who plays tenor and baritone saxophone in Galactic
; and Cochemea Gastelum, who plays alto saxophone
with Robert Walter's 20th Congress.
Saxophonics is also the name of at least one saxophone ensemble, such as that based in Wiltshire
. See also The London Saxophonic
.
Saxophone
The saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...
and one or more electronic effects unit
Effects unit
Effects units are electronic devices that alter how a musical instrument or other audio source sounds. Some effects subtly "color" a sound, while others transform it dramatically. Effects are used during live performances or in the studio, typically with electric guitar, keyboard and bass...
s, often altering the acoustic sound of the horn beyond recognition. Additionally, saxophonics often entails the use of altissimo
Altissimo
Altissimo refers to the uppermost register on woodwind instruments. For clarinets, which overblow on odd harmonics, the altissimo notes are those based on the fifth, seventh, and higher harmonics. For other woodwinds, the altissimo notes are those based on the third, fourth, and higher harmonics...
, overtone
Overtone
An overtone is any frequency higher than the fundamental frequency of a sound. The fundamental and the overtones together are called partials. Harmonics are partials whose frequencies are whole number multiples of the fundamental These overlapping terms are variously used when discussing the...
s, growling, and other extended technique
Extended technique
Extended techniques are performance techniques used in music to describe unconventional, unorthodox, or non-traditional techniques of singing, or of playing musical instruments to obtain unusual sounds or instrumental timbres....
s. The electronic effects may include distortion
Distortion
A distortion is the alteration of the original shape of an object, image, sound, waveform or other form of information or representation. Distortion is usually unwanted, and often many methods are employed to minimize it in practice...
, doublers, loop
Music loop
In electroacoustic music, a loop is a repeating section of sound material. Short sections of material can be repeated to create ostinato patterns...
s, wah-wah, and tone generators.
Saxophonics is a recent term for techniques developed by saxophonists such as Eddie Harris
Eddie Harris
Eddie Harris was an American jazz musician, best known for playing tenor saxophone and for introducing the electrically amplified saxophone. He was also fluent on the electric piano and organ...
and Sonny Stitt
Sonny Stitt
Edward "Sonny" Stitt was an American jazz saxophonist of the bebop/hard bop idiom. He was also one of the best-documented saxophonists of his generation, recording over 100 albums in his lifetime...
, who both played the Varitone
Varitone
The Varitone is an amplified saxophone that the Selmer Company introduced in 1965. The Varitone included a small microphone mounted on the saxophone neck, a set of controls attached to the saxophone's body, and an amplifier and loudspeaker mounted inside a cabinet. The Varitone's effects included...
saxophone beginning in the 1960s. In addition to playing the Varitone, Eddie Harris had experimented with looping
Music loop
In electroacoustic music, a loop is a repeating section of sound material. Short sections of material can be repeated to create ostinato patterns...
techniques on his 1968 album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
Silver Cycles.
Rahsaan Roland Kirk
Rahsaan Roland Kirk
Rahsaan Roland Kirk was an American jazz multi-instrumentalist who played tenor saxophone, flute and many other instruments...
often played several saxophones at once (though this technique has earlier roots in Wilbur Sweatman
Wilbur Sweatman
Wilbur C. Sweatman was an African-American ragtime and dixieland jazz composer, bandleader, and clarinetist....
's vaudeville
Vaudeville
Vaudeville was a theatrical genre of variety entertainment in the United States and Canada from the early 1880s until the early 1930s. Each performance was made up of a series of separate, unrelated acts grouped together on a common bill...
performances), and was a notable practitioner of circular breathing
Circular breathing
Circular breathing is a technique used by players of some wind instruments to produce a continuous tone without interruption. This is accomplished by breathing in through the nose while simultaneously pushing air out through the mouth using air stored in the cheeks.It is used extensively in playing...
.
David Sanborn
David Sanborn
David Sanborn is an American alto saxophonist. Though Sanborn has worked in many genres, his solo recordings typically blend jazz with instrumental pop and R&B. He released his first solo album Taking Off in 1975, but has been playing the saxophone since before he was in high school...
and Traffic
Traffic (band)
Traffic were an English rock band whose members came from the West Midlands. The group formed in April 1967 by Steve Winwood, Jim Capaldi, Chris Wood and Dave Mason...
member Chris Wood
Chris Wood (rock musician)
Christopher Gordon Blandford 'Chris' Wood was a founding member of the English rock band Traffic, along with Steve Winwood, Jim Capaldi, and Dave Mason....
employed effects such as wah-wah and delay
Delay (audio effect)
Delay is an audio effect which records an input signal to an audio storage medium, and then plays it back after a period of time. The delayed signal may either be played back multiple times, or played back into the recording again, to create the sound of a repeating, decaying echo.-Early delay...
on various recordings during the 1970s.
Recent practitioners of saxophonics include Dana Colley
Dana Colley
Dana Colley is an American musician, best known as the baritone and tenor saxophonist in the alternative rock band Morphine.-with Three Colors :...
(of Morphine
Morphine (band)
Morphine was an American alternative rock group formed by Mark Sandman and Dana Colley in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in 1989. They disbanded in 1999 after frontman Sandman died of a heart attack....
) who, like Kirk, plays multiple saxophones simultaneously (tenor
Tenor saxophone
The tenor saxophone is a medium-sized member of the saxophone family, a group of instruments invented by Adolphe Sax in the 1840s. The tenor, with the alto, are the two most common types of saxophones. The tenor is pitched in the key of B, and written as a transposing instrument in the treble...
and baritone saxophone
Baritone saxophone
The baritone saxophone, often called "bari sax" , is one of the largest and lowest pitched members of the saxophone family. It was invented by Adolphe Sax. The baritone is distinguished from smaller sizes of saxophone by the extra loop near its mouthpiece...
in Colley's case) and Skerik
Skerik
Skerik is an American saxophonist from Seattle, Washington. Performing on the tenor and baritone saxophone, often with electronics and loops, Skerik is a pioneer in a playing style that has been dubbed saxophonics. He is a founding member of Critters Buggin, Garage a Trois and Skerik's Syncopated...
(Critters Buggin', et al.) who employs numerous effects with tenor and baritone saxophone; Ben Ellman, who plays tenor and baritone saxophone in Galactic
Galactic
Galactic is a funk and jazz jam band from New Orleans, Louisiana, United States.-Origins and background:Originally formed in 1994 as an octet and including singer Chris Lane and guitarist Rob Gowen, the group was soon pared down to a sextet of: guitarist Jeff Raines, bassist Robert Mercurio,...
; and Cochemea Gastelum, who plays alto saxophone
Alto saxophone
The alto saxophone is a member of the saxophone family of woodwind instruments invented by Belgian instrument designer Adolphe Sax in 1841. It is smaller than the tenor but larger than the soprano, and is the type most used in classical compositions...
with Robert Walter's 20th Congress.
Saxophonics is also the name of at least one saxophone ensemble, such as that based in Wiltshire
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
. See also The London Saxophonic
London Saxophonic
London Saxophonic is a saxophone ensemble begun by Gareth Brady, Will Gregory and Simon Haram, while they were studying at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. They made their debut in 1994 on Atlantic Records with Sax Pax for a Sax, a collaboration with Moondog, who composed all of the works...
.