Multiphonics for the Saxophone: Saxophone Book

Most multiphonics resources scatter fingerings across articles and secondhand sources; this book compiles 170+ combinations with clear diagrams in one place. The pedagogical structure, building strength and flexibility alongside technical knowledge, treats multiphonics as a legitimate skill area rather than a parlor trick, which means your advanced students will approach the material with the seriousness it deserves.

Exploring multiphonics is like discovering hidden frequencies inside the saxophone itself. The initial strangeness, unusual timbres, unexpected pitch combinations, the physical sensation of altered voicing, gradually transforms into expressive possibility as your embouchure adapts and the technique becomes muscle memory.

This resource is for advanced high school and college saxophonists ready to move beyond standard vocabulary, particularly those studying contemporary classical repertoire or improvisation. It's equally valuable for directors programming modern works and needing to understand what their soloists can execute.

• Start with single-pitch multiphonics before attempting simultaneous complex sonorities; getting comfortable with the acoustic feedback loops is essential before layering additional pitches.
• Record yourself exploring these combinations at slow tempos and listen back for intonation stability; multiphonics respond differently to embouchure adjustments than traditional fingerings, and ear training here is crucial.
• Alternate between multiphonics and conventional fingerings in your warm-up routine to maintain control of both registers and prevent the advanced technique from destabilizing your baseline tone.

Assign specific combinations to students preparing for jazz or chamber work with contemporary scores; multiphonics appear frequently enough in modern classical that any saxophonist aiming beyond standard repertoire needs access to this material. Use it as a semester-long technical project for advanced students, pairing it with recordings of pieces that feature the techniques they're learning.

• Producing simultaneous pitches through modified fingerings and voicing adjustments
• Reading and executing unconventional fingering diagrams
• Developing embouchure flexibility and tonal control in extended range registers
• Building circular breathing or breath control strategies for sustained multiphonics
• Identifying and correcting intonation instabilities in complex sonorities