Favorite Intermediate and Advanced Method Books
- Thread starter Ed
- Start date
I used Rubank's when I took my first clarinet lessons -- and then used them when I was teaching both beginning clarinet and sax students. Blue books, only.
(Not saying they're the best, per se, just what I had used and you stick with what's familiar.)
When I learned sax, I didn't do much in method books. I had been playing clarinet for quite some time, so my teacher essentially gave me some scales and fingering charts and told me to practice. We then played some etudes and whatever chart I had to do for band in lessons.
In college, on sax, it was 100% Rascher's 24 Intermezzi. Not exactly a method book, but that's what Dr. Wyman had us play from. And I was told to keep studying my Bach Cello Suites for bari sax.
(Not saying they're the best, per se, just what I had used and you stick with what's familiar.)
When I learned sax, I didn't do much in method books. I had been playing clarinet for quite some time, so my teacher essentially gave me some scales and fingering charts and told me to practice. We then played some etudes and whatever chart I had to do for band in lessons.
In college, on sax, it was 100% Rascher's 24 Intermezzi. Not exactly a method book, but that's what Dr. Wyman had us play from. And I was told to keep studying my Bach Cello Suites for bari sax.
Rubanks and Aebersold are my staples. I probably have a hundred or so method books for my various instruments that I've picked up from second-hand book stores.
But I find myself coming back to what I used as a child. Now that I'm in four bands, I spend more time procuring and practicing on those charts than I do in method books. And my students have books that are mandated by the school they attend.
But I find myself coming back to what I used as a child. Now that I'm in four bands, I spend more time procuring and practicing on those charts than I do in method books. And my students have books that are mandated by the school they attend.
Along with the Rubank and Klose books already mentioned, the Universal Method for Saxophone is another one I use both with my students, and for myself, to keep my technical skills up.
For play along, I must admit I'm not a huge Aebersold fan. There are a couple books in the series I use/recommend for my students, but I tend to lean more towards the Hal Leonard Jazz Play Along Series. Like the Aebersold, they too have C, Bb, and Eb pitched charts included.
For play along, I must admit I'm not a huge Aebersold fan. There are a couple books in the series I use/recommend for my students, but I tend to lean more towards the Hal Leonard Jazz Play Along Series. Like the Aebersold, they too have C, Bb, and Eb pitched charts included.
Gandalfe said:
You know Jim, I was thinking about that when I posted my comment. I was wondering what it was about them that I preferred, but I couldn't really come up with what exactly it was, it's just a feeling I have.
I guess if I had to pinpoint it, I would say that I find the Aebersold series very similar sounding. I have about 20 or 25 of the 100+ books, and the backing tracks don't have all that much variety to them. To my ears, they have a similar sound/feel/whatever you want to call it. The Hal Leonard series has somewhat more variety in their instrumentation and sounds.
There are staples in the Aebersold series that are excellent, and I like the way they include actual "information" whereas the Hal Leonard series doesn't include anything but the music. So I tend to use a combination of both with my students, depending on what they are interested in studying and their skill level. But for pure play along pleasure and variety, I prefer the Hal Leonard books.