80 Graded Studies for Saxophone, Book Two: Saxophone Book

This collection draws from the genuine classical saxophone tradition rather than recycling the same dozen exercises every student encounters. By pairing authentic historical studies from Arban, Brod, and others with Davies's own compositions, you get repertory that sounds musical while building specific technical facility, which means students stay engaged because they're not just drilling patterns.

These studies carry the elegance of European classical tradition without the mustiness. They're structured and purposeful, yet they breathe with the phrasing sensibilities of singers and composers from the era when the saxophone was still proving itself as a legitimate concert instrument.

This is aimed at saxophonists in the elementary to early intermediate range who are ready to move beyond basic rudiments. Players who have solidified their embouchure and foundational tone will find genuine musical material worth their practice time here.

• Treat each study as a complete piece with shape and character, even the short ones. A lifeless run-through misses the point of historical material that was written to be expressive.
• Work backward through the book occasionally. Playing an earlier study after tackling the next level shows how far the student has come and builds confidence.
• Extract rhythmic or intervallic patterns from studies the student finds challenging and isolate them before tackling the full exercise.

Assign studies systematically as part of weekly lesson curriculum rather than as supplementary material. The graded structure makes it natural to pair Book Two with intermediate solo work or chamber repertory, giving students a technical foundation that directly supports the pieces they're learning.

• Articulation control across a range of classical styles and note combinations
• Interval security in ascending and descending patterns
• Phrasing and breath management across longer, shaped lines
• Register transitions in the middle to upper range
• Intonation refinement in scalar and arpeggiated contexts
• Rhythmic precision through study of period articulations and rhythmic figures