This beautifully printed and bound volume is the most comprehensive book written to date on the entire saxophone family. The 275 page volume contains a wealth of information on saxophone technique, performance, pedagogy, and history. The accompanying CD provides a welcome and much needed reference on the timbral differences between the different sizes of saxophones. This book is an excellent resource, a wonderful reference, and an enjoyable read!

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More information, chapter excerpts and audio examples may be found below

Writing for Saxophones: A Guide to the Tonal Palette of the Saxophone Family for Composers, Arrangers and Performers provides a practical guide to understanding and effectively utilizing the sounds of this thriving instrumental group as it advances into the twenty-first century. Over ninety printed solo and ensemble examples in the book have been recorded on the enclosed audio CD, which allows the reader to explore the distinct personalities of the various saxophones and integrate their individual musical characteristics into his or her tonal imagination. Saxophone performers and enthusiasts will find enjoyment and edification within these pages, and composers and arrangers who wish to explore the many possibilities offered by the saxophone family will find this book to be an especially valuable resource.

Between these covers lies a wealth of information, including:

Saxophones have been used solo and in groups in nearly every genre of music since their invention in the mid-nineteenth century. However, the full potential of this family’s great versatility and kaleidoscopic tonal resources remains unrealized in many respects. In Writing for Saxophones, Dr. Easton provides performers, composers and arrangers with an unprecedented variety of detailed printed and recorded examples of the sounds available to the saxophone, fulfilling the need for a comprehensive guide to the tonal palette of the entire saxophone family.

Reviews

“What a marvelous compendium of saxophone knowledge!” -Dr. Walter S. Hartley, composer and Professor Emeritus of Music, SUNY Fredonia
“This is truly a comprehensive book on the saxophone that is informative yet fun to read. I feel very fortunate and honored to have this terrific information... I am currently involved in commissioning a couple of composers to write for me. This will no doubt be a handy book to pass along.” -Chien-Kwan Lin, Assistant Professor of Saxophone, Eastman School of Music
“I was delighted to read such a useful and comprehensive history of the saxophone. It will be required reading for my students. Of equal importance is your intelligent, objective analysis of saxophone equipment, style, tone, and more that answers so much of the mythology that pervades our field." - Dr. Paul Cohen, saxophone faculty at Manhattan School of Music, Oberlin Conservatory, New York University and William Paterson University; arranger, musicologist, historian and author

Sample Content

Chapter excerpts:

Links correspond to excerpts from the chapter in PDF format. following excerpts are in PDF format. Corresponding audio files from the audio CD are included below in MP3 format.

Sample audio tracks: