Universal Method for Saxophone Reviews
by Craig on Friday, September 3rd, 2010 | 5 Comments
Universal Method for Saxophone
” One of the best known of all instrumental methods Paul de Ville’s Universal Method For Saxaphone has been the basic training method for countless generations of Saxaphone players covering all the basic pedagogical requirements for teaching Saxaphone. Universal Method deals with tone production, reeds, the use of the mouth piece, tuning, basic musical terms and all the other essential of mastering the Saxaphone.
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Review by for Universal Method for Saxophone
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Over the years many thousands of saxophone players, great and small, have learned to play using this book. The book is a comprehensive guide to playing the saxophone. It begins with how to put a saxophone together and how to play your first note and ends with some very sophisticated excercises. Anyone who begins on page one and follows the excercises through to the last page will be a proficient musician. If you just want to learn a couple of tunes to impress your friends, this may not be the right book for you. If you, however, really want to learn to play the saxophone, this is the only book.
Review by Steven G. Costenbader for Universal Method for Saxophone
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Some interesting exercises and etudes. However the book is very dated. This book has not changed since 1929. I have an original 1929 version and the new book is an exact copy. The saxophone has evolved since 1929, and so should this book.
There is no mention of any of modern saxophone technique. For example the book still refers to an archaic saxophone with right hand low Bb,B and C#keys, there are even has exercises based on this ancient key system. No modern saxophone have these keys. I have never seen a sax with these keys, although the idea is interesting.
The book covers only your basic scales, major, and melodic minor. There is no mention of pentatonics, altered scales, whole tone, harmonics, multiphonics, altissimo etc.
This is not a bad book to have in your collection, but you will need more than this Universal Method to become the next Michael Brecker.
The title Universal Saxophone method may have been appropriate in 1929, it is certainly not appropriate for the year 2006.
Review by for Universal Method for Saxophone
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This is a great method book that takes you from absolute beginners to moderately advanced levels. Great for someone who is really willing to put in the extra time and effort. This isn’t a book to just flip through. It is really worth taking the time to get into this book and truly study the art of playing the sax.
Review by Timothy B. Michael for Universal Method for Saxophone
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Back when I was playing every night, we referred to this as “The Bible.” Anyone who aspires to play the sax should have a copy, even if it is “old school” by today’s standards. This and a couple of “cheat books”, with a good album collection, is all you need to learn to play the right way. Join a band and listen to everyone else, and hit a few licks when the time is right.
Review by M. Moscariello for Universal Method for Saxophone
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This is an excellent book for the serious saxophone student. It covers all the major technical aspects of playing the saxophone in the normal range of Bb below to F above the staff: scales and arpeggios, breath control (if you follow the breath marks in the early exercises), phrasing, mastering the low range, mastering the high range, intervals, trills and embellishments, difficult fingering combinations, alternate fingerings, time signatures and syncopation, and all the keys(although the majority of exercises are in the common keys,especially C). The problem is the book is made up of mostly dry technical studies. No popular or folk tunes. No simplified classical themes or classic etudes. Just a few operatic arias, classical airs, and concert pieces for the intermediate/advanced player and beyond (maybe 60 out of 290 pages of music). That’s why I think it’s only for the serious student. Also, it’s probably too difficult for most beginners with no experience learning on their own without a teacher.