Rhythms & Rests: B-flat Tenor Saxophone Book

Erickson refuses to isolate rhythm work from real music. Each unit moves deliberately from isolated drills through etudes to full band arrangements, so students see exactly why these rhythmic patterns matter in an ensemble context. The emphasis on rests is particularly smart; many young players gloss over them, and this book forces the issue by making silence part of the rhythmic texture.

The musical character shifts from deliberate and methodical in the drill sections to increasingly flowing and expressive as the etudes develop. By the time you reach the full band arrangements, those tricky meters feel natural rather than imposed, and the rests function as musical breaths rather than obstacles.

Tenor saxophone players in middle school through early high school bands who are ready to move beyond simple meter but need systematic reinforcement. This book also works well for any tenor player building rhythmic confidence before tackling more demanding literature.

• Establish a steady internal pulse during the rest passages in the band arrangements. These aren't empty moments; they're part of the rhythmic design, and your entrance timing depends on precision here.
• Work the prep drills in isolation before tackling the etude, even if it feels elementary. The suggestions Erickson provides are there for a reason and will transfer directly to how you approach the larger forms.
• When playing etudes as duets with a section mate, assign one person to anchor the steady quarter-note pulse while the other navigates the irregular rhythmic figures. Then switch roles.

Assign one unit per month during the fall or winter season, dedicating rehearsal time to the prep drills while students tackle the etudes as homework. The full band arrangements serve double duty as sectional warmups and as bridges to more complex repertoire your band will tackle later in the year.

• Reading and executing passages with varied rest patterns
• Internalizing asymmetrical meters (5/8, 7/8) within a musical context
• Rhythmic accuracy in changing eighth-note subdivisions
• Ensemble balance and entry precision following rests
• Solo and duet performance from a single etude