Intra-family Doubling

How many of us perform on more than 1 sax? Most sax players do. As players looking to experience all that is possible in the sax world, most of us take every opportunity to play across the family as much as we can. In quartet playing, the lead player is more likely to double on Alto and Soprano. My goal is to always feel a synergy with the instrument I am playing. If I feel the instrument is fighting me, or is doing things I don't expect, I start to loose confidence. I get this feeling when I haven't practices on a horn and just count on the act of playing to be enough. For me, it is not. There is nothing better to me that the feeling of picking up the instrument, having it respond to every nuance of what I am trying to do, prviding the feeling that creating the sound is as natural as whistling. I can only get that feeling when I practice on each instrument.

What I have found is that when I play alto more exclusively, it somehow reprograms me. It manages to erase all of the bits and bites that allow me to strap on my soprano and make good music. The "virus" that my alto plants into me is hard to eradicate. I have the same experience when I play soprano more, leaving the alto sit for extended times. Same challenge, different virus I guess!

The solution is simple, but easy to ignore. So, here it is -- the real truth. The alto and soprano are different instruments. Yes, remember you heard it here first! To maintain each, each needs their time to be practiced. Neither likes to be ignored. To make absolutely sure I have that correct vision in my mind, I think of each instrument as unique, having little to do with the other. In fact, while I may be in the minority, I find some passages to be easier on alto than on soprano. And, of course, I have some things on soprano that feel more natural than on the alto. This difference has helped reinforce in me that each instrument is its own unique animal. I recently heard Branford Marsalis echo this practice philosophy; he practices each instrument. Being self taught, I try to learn everything I can from those who are willing to share. He is a good one to pay attention to.

I don't think you need to be overly creative when deciding on how to practice each. The same exerices can work for both. Of course, the soprano may require a bit more attention when playing at the extremes, both high and low. Each will require their own approach to creating the sound you are looking for.

So, if you want a simple plan, here's my approach.

• Play each every day if time allows (ie -- if you have a non musical job as I do, that time is hard to come by).
• If you can't play each every day, alternate.
• Play the same warm up for each -- I play slow major and minor appeggios for the full range of the horns. Listen for intonation, get the horn warmed up, think about your sound, listen, be in tune with what is coming out of the horn.
  
• Play the same exercises on each when practicing.
  

After that, I make sure I play either solo literature, orchestral excerpts, or quartet music that is written specifically for each instrument. My goal is to ensure I am playing music that is "meant" for the horn.

I apply the same to any of the instruments in the family. If I am playing bari, I throw that into the rotation.

Intra-family doubling deserves a special approach, individualized instrument time and a committment to creating the vision that each deserves this attention, to ensure success on each. Have fun!