First Division Band Method, Part 2: E-flat Alto Saxophone Book

This method has earned its reputation through results. The pedagogical sequence works because it builds skills in a logical progression that prevents frustration and keeps students advancing. Directors who use it report higher retention rates and students who arrive at Part 2 with genuine competence and confidence.

Part 2 strikes a balance between systematic skill-building and genuine musicality. Students encounter increasingly musical exercises and songs that reward their growing technical facility, making practice feel purposeful rather than mechanical.

This book serves students continuing their saxophone studies after completing Part 1, typically in grades 5-7 concert band settings. It's designed for both class instruction and private lesson contexts where a reliable, time-tested method is needed.

• Balance fingering dexterity with tone production. The exercises in this book require coordination between fingers and embouchure; avoid rushing ahead to new material before the previous concept feels automatic.
• Use a tuner during practice sessions to develop pitch awareness early. E-flat alto saxophone responds quickly to embouchure adjustments, making this an ideal time to train accurate intonation.
• Work through the correlated material in sequence rather than jumping between sections. The book's structure supports cumulative learning; skipping ahead undermines the foundation.

Pair this with your concert band's full instrumentation during the first semester to maintain alignment across your woodwind section. The sequenced approach means students working from Part 2 will be ready for early concert repertoire by mid-year if you've maintained consistent pacing.

• Extended range on E-flat alto saxophone (building beyond Part 1 register)
• Articulation control (single and double tonguing foundations)
• Dynamic control across phrase shapes
• Rhythmic accuracy in syncopated passages
• Left-hand independence and coordination
• Tone production consistency across multiple dynamics