Saxophonics is the creation of
sounds (both musical and non-musical) through the use of a
saxophone and one or more electronic
effects units, often altering the acoustic sound of the horn beyond recognition. Additionally, saxophonics often entails the use of
altissimo,
overtones, growling, and other
extended techniques. The electronic effects may include
distortion,
doublers,
loop
Loop or LOOP may refer to:
Brands and enterprises
* Loop (mobile), a Bulgarian virtual network operator and co-founder of Loop Live
* Loop, clothing, a company founded by Carlos Vasquez in the 1990s and worn by Digable Planets
* Loop Mobile, an ...
s,
wah-wah, and
tone generators.
Saxophonics is a recent term for techniques developed by saxophonists such as
Eddie Harris
Eddie Harris (October 20, 1934 – November 5, 1996) 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. His best-k ...
and
Sonny Stitt
Edward Hammond Boatner Jr. (February 2, 1924 – July 22, 1982), known professionally as Sonny Stitt, was an American jazz saxophonist of the bebop/hard bop idiom. Known for his warm tone, he was one of the best-documented saxophonists of his ...
, who both began using the
Varitone system to electrically amplify their saxophones during the late 1960s. In addition to playing the Varitone, Eddie Harris had experimented with
looping techniques on his 1968
album ''Silver Cycles''.
David Sanborn and
Traffic member
Chris Wood employed effects such as
wah-wah and
delay
Delay (from Latin: dilatio) may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media
* ''Delay 1968'', a 1981 album by German experimental rock band Can
* ''The Delay'', a 2012 Uruguayan film
People
* B. H. DeLay (1891–1923), American aviator and acto ...
on various recordings during the 1970s.
Rahsaan Roland Kirk often played several saxophones at once (though this technique has earlier roots in
Wilbur Sweatman's
vaudeville performances.
), Kirk was also a notable practitioner of
circular breathing, allowing him to play lengthy passages without pause.
Recent practitioners of saxophonics include
Dana Colley
Dana Colley (born October 17, 1961) is an American musician, best known as the baritone and tenor saxophonist in the alternative rock band Morphine.
Early life
Colley was born in Portland, Maine, but he was raised in Hanson, Massachusetts, wh ...
(of
Morphine) who, like Kirk, plays multiple saxophones simultaneously (
tenor and
baritone saxophone
The baritone saxophone is a member of the saxophone family of instruments, larger (and lower-pitched) than the tenor saxophone, but smaller (and higher-pitched) than the bass. It is the lowest-pitched saxophone in common use - the bass, contra ...
in Colley's case) and
Skerik (
Critters Buggin'
Critters Buggin is a Seattle, Washington-based instrumental group which performs in a jazz, rock and African-influenced, eclectic style. The band is composed of Matt Chamberlain (drums, percussion, piano, programming, synths, loops, samples and ...
, ''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
The alto saxophone is a member of the saxophone family of woodwind instruments. Saxophones were invented by Belgian instrument designer Adolphe Sax in the 1840s and patented in 1846. The alto saxophone is pitched in E, smaller than the B tenor ...
with Robert Walter's 20th Congress.
Saxophonics is also the name of at least one saxophone ensemble, such as one based in
Wiltshire, and another in
Newcastle upon Tyne.
See also
*
George Braith
*
London Saxophonic
London Saxophonic is a saxophone ensemble (with piano, bass guitar, and percussion) 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 Atlant ...
References
Saxophones
Extended techniques
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