Band Today, Part 3: E-flat Alto Saxophone Book

Ployhar's Part 3 maintains the methodical, musicianship-centered approach that made the Contemporary Band Course indispensable in thousands of programs, while introducing the rhythmic sophistication and harmonic vocabulary students need for contemporary repertoire. The balance between foundational scales and studies alongside modern rhythmic exploration means your students build technical security without losing sight of the music they're actually playing in rehearsal.

Ployhar's writing here balances discipline with genuine musicality. The scale and technic work feels purposeful rather than obligatory because each study is framed within musical contexts, and the introduction of contemporary rhythmic patterns gives everything a forward-looking quality that connects to the music students actually hear on modern concert programs.

Advanced-intermediate alto saxophonists who are ready to move beyond fundamental method books and develop the technical and musical skills required for placement in stronger ensemble settings. This book suits players preparing to audition for competitive band programs or those already seated in advanced school ensembles who need focused, sequential skill-building alongside their ensemble rehearsals.

• Work through the scale studies systematically before moving to more complex rhythmic material; consistent daily scale practice at this level directly improves tone and intonation in full-band settings.
• Isolate the contemporary rhythm studies and practice them slowly with a metronome first, then apply the patterns to the technic tunes to internalize modern rhythmic feels rather than simply reading them.
• Use the articulation studies to establish clear tongue placement and air speed for each style; record yourself playing different articulation patterns back-to-back to hear the contrast you're creating.
• Connect the chromatic scale work to pieces your band is preparing; when you encounter chromatic passages in contemporary compositions, you'll have this foundation already embedded.

Assign Part 3 to your advanced band's second-year alto saxophonists as their primary stand-alone study material, working through it over the course of the year in parallel with ensemble rehearsals. The contemporary rhythm content provides an excellent bridge between traditional method-book learning and the actual demands of programming works by contemporary composers, so students encounter rhythmic concepts in controlled contexts before encountering them in full scores.

• Major and minor scale construction and fluent execution
• Chromatic scale facility across the alto saxophone range
• Contemporary rhythmic patterns including syncopation and cross-rhythms
• Controlled articulation styles (legato, staccato, and mixed approaches)
• Technical precision and finger independence through graded technic tunes
• Musicianship and expressive playing within structured study formats