Band Today, Part 1: B-flat Tenor Saxophone Book

Band Today has proven itself across decades because it balances sequential skill development with genuine musicality from the very first page. Ployhar understands what beginning saxophonists need to hear and play in order to stay engaged, and he builds technical competency without sacrificing the joy of making sound together.

The pages move with purpose and clarity, introducing fundamental fingering patterns and rhythmic concepts without overwhelming the emerging saxophonist. There's a straightforward, encouraging quality to the progression that allows students to experience early success while building the reading fluency and technical foundation required for genuine ensemble participation.

Beginning tenor saxophonists in concert band classes, instrument-specific instruction, or private studio settings will find this book provides the essential vocabulary and technique they need to participate confidently in a full ensemble. Teachers designing their first- or second-year band curriculum benefit from material that develops individual competency while preparing students to blend immediately into the full band sound.

• Establish consistent embouchure control early by having students voice the vowel shapes (oh, ah, ee) while playing long tones, reinforcing the oral cavity's role in pitch stability and tone quality.
• Work rhythmic patterns at a steady, comfortable tempo before introducing new note combinations; rushing through examples compromises both accuracy and the student's confidence in reading ahead.
• Use call-and-response exercises between the method book parts to build listening skills and reinforce that ensemble balance depends on every voice matching dynamics and articulation.

Pair this book with the full Contemporary Band Course curriculum to create a cohesive first-year program in which all saxophone players develop at the same pace. The method's design allows for concurrent use alongside beginning pieces in your concert band repertoire, ensuring that students reinforce what they learn in sectionals when they read their parts in full arrangements.

• Reading ledger lines and the treble clef staff in the alto clef range appropriate to tenor saxophone
• Fundamental fingering patterns and embouchure control for steady tone production
• Basic rhythmic patterns including whole, half, quarter, and eighth notes in simple meter
• Breath control and phrasing in scales and short melodic passages
• Concert pitch transposition from written B-flat notation
• Articulation clarity and consistency in scale passages and melodic exercises