Treasury of Scales for Band and Orchestra: 2nd E-flat Alto Saxophone Book

This book works because it transforms a necessary warm-up into an actual musical activity. The harmonized context forces your band to listen to blend and balance in ways that unison scales never will, and the consistent SATB format means second alto saxophones aren't isolated on an odd voicing. Use it daily and you'll hear measurable improvement in intonation and sectional cohesion within weeks.

Steady, grounded, and genuinely musical. Moving through 96 harmonized scales in SATB voicings feels less like technical drudgery and more like singing through a collection of short chorales. Your ears learn to hear chord function and balance rather than just fingers finding the next note.

Second alto saxophonists in concert band and full orchestra settings, from high school through college, who need a comprehensive scale resource built for ensemble playing. This book also serves conductors who want their wind and string sections to warm up as cohesive units rather than isolated sections.

• Rotate which part (soprano, alto, tenor, bass) your section plays across different rehearsals. Second altos shouldn't always be on the same harmonic function. This builds flexibility and deepens understanding of chord structure.
• Approach each scale as a musical line, not a technical run. Shape the phrase with a slight dynamic rise to the middle and a gentle taper to the end, just as you would a chorale.
• Work backward through the book occasionally. Playing scales in reverse order challenges embouchure control and prevents the material from becoming rote.
• Use the tempo markings the conductor sets to vary intensity. A scale at half tempo demands perfect intonation and tone control; one at performance tempo sharpens technique.

Make this a permanent rehearsal fixture rather than occasional material. Five minutes at the start of every rehearsal, rotating through different scales and tempos, builds ensemble muscle memory that directly strengthens intonation and blend in your concert repertoire. If you're programming a concert that requires particularly polished ensemble sound, stepping up to daily scale work in the week before performance pays immediate dividends.

• Major and minor scale fingerings and tonality across all keys
• Listening for and correcting intonation in an ensemble context
• Balancing sectional blend within SATB voicings
• Tone production and control across the full range of the instrument
• Transposition awareness and key signature fluency
• Responding to conductor-set tempo and dynamic adjustments